You wouldn’t think that 450 square feet would allow for much style, let alone breathing room but…miracles do happen in the world of interior design.

There are three tricks to making this iddy biddy Gramercy Park (NYC) ?apartment such a functional stylish place.

One is the willingness to pare down your possessions to the minimum. Two is to use a limited palette (in this case it is white with accents of black and tan). And three is to arrange furniture into mini-rooms so that each area has it’s reason for being. Above the mantel, homeowner and designer Ellen O’Neill has placed some topiary forms in an open arrangement full of character. I suspect she found them at a flea market.

A “long” view of the space describes the incredibly beautiful window wall. The seating area is on the right. The sleeping area is on the left defined by a custom made screen and daybed covered in a pale but elegant toile pattern.