IKEA Offers $10,000 of Furniture to Skinny House Buyer

New York City's narrowest house, at a staggering 9.5 feet wide, went on sale last month for a staggering $2.75 million. Now IKEA is sweetening the deal. The Swedish furniture company is offering $10,000 worth of furniture and free design assistance to whoever buys the home. Never mind that anyone who can spend almost $3 million on a house would also have the cash to spring for more than particleboard furniture.

The house is just 9.5 feet wide and 42 feet long, but with four floors, adds up to a respectable 1,500 square feet. It already has some tweaks to make it more livable, like a custom stove with four burners in a row instead of 2 x 2, and a refrigerator tucked under the staircase. (Find out where to get compact appliances.)

See the listing!

But IKEA, the world's largest home furnishings retailer, does have some ideas for decorating in a small space. Design spokesperson Janice Simonsen offers these tips: buy multitasking furniture, create storage with wall shelves or under-the-bed boxes, look for furniture that can be stacked when not in use, and hide the mess with drapes over doorways or computer desks that close up.

The question still remains, though--would you rather adapt to a skinny house by buying streamlined furniture or just opt for a wider home?


IKEA suggests the IKEA PS laptop workstation ($60), a bed with built-in storage (not yet online) and the Martorp nesting tables ($100; not yet online).

After the jump, more furnishings for skinny homes.

The Ludvig laptop station ($119), a vertical bookcase (not yet online), a folding wall shelf (not yet online) and the Besta Burs desk ($249), all from IKEA.


More tips for decorating small spaces:
--Making Good Use of Wasted Space
--Libby Langdon's 5 Tips to Make a Small Space Look Bigger
--How to Turn a Closet Into an Office