[eatonphil]

I lived in a small bus in New Mexico for a while and got addicted to this site, http://tinyhousetalk.com. You don't have to be a gypsy to admire the space efficiency and DIY furniture. Most of what I've put together (sofa, bookshelf, etc.) feels incredibly stronger than anything I could get for 4-6x the price. But that's just how things are, some trade off of price for quality for time. Anyway, I admire his/his wife's attitude and ability to look at the situation optimistically and make it work.

[bpicolo]

Even without DIY, I think e.g. Ikea showrooms are actually pretty good at showing how a little space can go a long way.

That said, I am looking forward to moving away from the Bay someday to more space. : )

[jschwartzi]

Yeah, Ikea furniture seems to be designed for apartment living. Because their designs use glue-less fastening I can tear down all the furniture in my apartment and fill a truck without a lot of work. The only thing I wouldn't be able to move by myself now is my mattress.

The compromise is that the stuff they sell that has significant decorative elements is extremely flimsy. The malm series is probably the most durable furniture they sell, because it's just 3/4 inch or 1 inch osb sheeting that's cut and joined in different configurations with bolts.

[girvo]

Indeed. The bulk of my furniture is Malm series stuff. It also looks quite nice in my apartment!