The old becomes new...

Every month you can find me drooling over the latest small home featured on  The Old Painted Cottage blog.  It gives me inspiration even in my most non-creative phases of Tiny Home Living! 

Today I was glancing through some of the archives and appreciating the homeowners' imaginative uses of furniture and displays for storage and showing off collectibles.  Here are just a few of my favorites.

All Photos Courtesy of The Old Painted Cottage

Old shelving in an entryway holding jars, shoes and dishes of money and car keys.

Vintage cabinets displaying ironware and linens. Metal baskets of rolled towels. 

Ugly plumbing and cleaning supplies hidden by long fabric skirts.

Crates stacked to form a shelving unit holding baskets and collectibles.

Utility shelving artfully displaying kitchen pots and pans, metal strips to hold knives.  Bathroom fixtures with hooks to keep coffee mugs at the ready.

Ladders serving as a pot holder and drying rack.

Old screen doors closing in a beautifully lit linen closet.

Jars with decorative labels to store laundry supplies.

Vintage pharmacy cabinets in a bathroom holding towels, soap and bath salts.

Open kitchen shelving decorated seasonally.

Inspiration at its finest.  Go for a visit on a snowy afternoon.  I promise you won't be disappointed! 

~Amber

Decorating with Red and Pink

In honor of Valentine's Day let's talk about decorating with red and pink!  Red happens to be my favorite color.  I always carry a red purse and love red accents for a pop of color. In honor of Valentine's Day, Amber has some wonderful suggestions for decorating with red and pink. 

Amber ...

Red and pink are often bashed and trashed as difficult colors for home decor, especially smaller homes.  But if used right, these vibrant shades can work wonders in any living space.

Let's look at pink first.  This lovely soft, classic color can be relaxing while providing an atmosphere of glamour and romance.

All Photos Courtesy of Country Living

  

Decorating with pink need not be overwhelming.  Pinks are soft and pleasing to the eye.  Especially when painted on a large piece of furniture.

White paired with pink is airy and calming.

What says glitz and glamour more than pink paired with mirrored furniture?

Mixing fabric patterns in pink such as ticking, paisley, damask or chintz keeps the pink effect from being fussy and overdone.

One pink focal point, like candlesticks, adds an easy accent color.

This desk and pink chair cushion remind me of cotton candy.  What a delicious place to work!

A fluffy pink throw adds femininity and grace to this room.   No need to paint every surface pink to create the feeling of romance.  Just a dash will do!

When it comes to using red, think beyond Christmas.  This is a strong color, ideal for making a statement and adding life to a room.  

A perfect accent color, red curtains and accessories brighten up standard white and cream decorating schemes.

Touches of red in curtains, collectibles and dishtowels add a splash of color to this pristine kitchen.

A distinctive piece, like this red dresser, adds a touch of drama to this neutral room!

Rather than clashing, the different patterns in this dining room add depth and a playful feel.

I just want to bake a tray full of chocolate chip cookies in this kitchen and sit on one of those fun stools and dunk it in a big glass of white milk.  (Psssst...the glass would have red polka dots on it!)

Easy update!  Paint a few chairs!  What a simple to change the feel of a room.

What could be more fun than walking downstairs on a red path....a whimsical and cute touch to any farmhouse.

This red, striped wall paper is warm and refreshing to the eye when paired with a pristine white chair rail.  Classic and traditional.  

This Valentine's Day consider adding a touch of red or pink to your Jewel Box® Home!  Add romance.  Love.  Snuggle.  Eat chocolate.

~Amber

Break These Decorating Rules!

Photo Courtesy of HGTV

When it comes to decorating small spaces, I'm a 'traditional gal.' White or cream walls, no contrasting patterns and a few simple, elegant knicknacks.  But for all you decor rebels out there, Amber has excellent advice on how to break those decorating rules with style! 

Forget about painting small spaces white. Sacrificing space doesn't mean sacrificing your personal taste.  If you like color, splash it on the walls with abandon!  Consider painting doors and trim in a gloss lacquer for added depth.  To make color really work in a small room, paint both walls and ceiling the same color to trick the eye. 

Photo Courtesy of HGTV

Avoid Patterns

Don't avoid patterns if tone on tone color and texture isn't your thing.  By incorporating big bold prints on the walls or patterns in rugs and upholstery small rooms can reflect your unique personality and become walk in pieces of art.  Your eye won't even sense the small space!

 Photo Courtesy of HGTV

Pile on the knicknacks.  We all have our family pictures, keepsakes and knicknacks that are special.  Displaying them in our homes reflects our lives and personalities.  Why relegate them to a closet or drawer?  Display them.  Group the same color objects together, like the white pieces above, but multi-color groupings work well too.  Try clustering objects in one large area like this table top.

Photo Courtesy of HGTV

Go with big furniture. Large furniture can add to the visual appeal of the room!  The rule of thumb for furnishing a room is to always provide walking space around the furniture.  While the homeowner in the picture above could have provided seating in the form of two separate love seats or chairs, she furnished her home with one large banquette that provides ample seating and visual appeal!

Photo Courtesy of HGTV

Not every small space needs a mirror. Hang mirrors if you like them, but paintings and artwork can be just as appealing and interesting to the eye.  Adding things you love to your rooms is a form of self-expression.  Filling small spaces with objects you love, is a great way to accept and embrace your small home and stamp it with your own unique style.

  

~ Amber 

Lighten Up!

 

Photo Courtesy of Country Living

No drapes and simple blinds let the the light shine in!

When we moved into our little Jewel Box® not only were we overwhelmed with the tiny size, but also the tiny rooms.  The small house, only about 1,200 square feet was divided up into little tiny rooms.  The first thing we did was knock down the wall between the living room and kitchen to create one large space.  Then we added light.

Photo Courtesy of Country Living

 

Living in a small space doesn't have to mean feeling cramped!  Sometimes small homes, especially older homes (which have tons of character and I simply love them-ours was built in 1947), have small rooms and even smaller windows.

 Photo Courtesy of Country Living

 

It amazes me how just adding light can open up a small space!  Whether it be through the addition of larger windows or adding glass-paneled doors, or just painting your rooms in a lighter color, the addition of sunlight and a feeling of bringing the outdoors in makes any small space feel larger!

Photo Courtesy of Country Living

 

I know you've heard me talk about the addition of French doors to our bedroom.  The project itself was tedious and messy but it was worth having the added light in our bedroom.  It feels like we gained square footage in addition to a brighter boudoir!

Photo Courtesy of Country Living 

Just enlarging small windows can also have the same effect.  Our living room originally had two separate, small windows.  Another messy project, but again totally worth it!  What was once two small holes is now one large, lovely picture window.

 Photo Courtesy of Country Living

Dressed or naked windows and doors are lovely.  But I encourage you to throw open your drapes, tear down the mini blinds and let the sun shine in today!!

~Amber

Swedish Design for Small Spaces

Veranda Magazine

Isn't the little entry above beautiful?  It's called Swedish design.  I just love this look for small spaces!  It's meant to bring natural light and airiness into Swedish homes during long winters, but the soft hues, painted furniture and pale flooring are ideal for small spaces.  

And how perfect are these painted cabinets?  This pale lavender is a typical color found in the Swedish decorating palette.

Veranda Magazine

Robin's egg blue accents and light sand color washes are also part of a Swedish look.  Fabulous isn't it?  I just love how the space looks bathed in sunlight and feels so serene.

Veranda Magazine

Veranda Magazine

Veranda Magazine

And the look is carried right through to the nursery.  Just darling!

Now I have to warn you, original Swedish furniture is very expensive.  But you can create this look at a fraction of the price by painting furniture using pale color washes and upholstering pieces in light sand or pale blue fabric.  And of course the white walls can be had for the cost of a few cans of primer and paint.

Until next time!

Genevieve

My Romantic Home

So many of us live in our own little Jewel Box® Homes!  I really wanted to hear from those of you out there who struggle with the everyday challenges of living in a small space and who delight in the cozy atmosphere of your tiny abodes.  So occasionally we here at The Jewel Box® Home would like to feature some "real people" in their "real homes" who are generous enough to lend us their house key to take a peek inside.

Today our guest is Cindy Santiago from the very popular home blog "My Romantic Home".  Cindy  has been featured in many publications such as Romantic Homes and even has done a guest appearance on HGTV!  If you are not a reader of Cindy's blog, I highly recommend it and she even showcases some of her beautiful treasures in her etsy shop!

TJBH:  Tell us a little about your Jewel Box® Home?  What type of home is it?  Are you in a suburb?  Do you have large rooms, but few?  What is the home style?  Is it a new home?  Apartment?  Condo?  Do you have outdoor living space?  Just a brief summary of how you came to live in your current small space. 

Cindy:   My little home is an apartment which is part of a four-plex and it’s located in the Silicon Valley area of California.  It’s very small, just a little over 900 sq. feet.  The complex was built in 1969 and it has the living area downstairs and two bedrooms upstairs.  We have a small private patio area off of the living room.   The little backyard is what made me fall in love with this place.  It’s hard to find an apartment with a private yard around here.  I also love that it was a two-story. 

TJBH:  What are some of your favorite storage secrets in your home?

Cindy:  I actually have quite a bit of storage for such a small place.  There is a huge walk-in closet under the staircase.  It has shelves on one side and that’s where I keep all my old magazines and my cookbooks.  I turned the entry way closet into more storage for my kitchen. I just took out the clothing rod and put in a large shelving unit that I found on craigslist. I also have a large linen closet upstairs and then another walk-in closet outside. I keep our bikes, tools and Christmas decorations out there.  I utilize every hidden space as well, there are things tucked under my beds, under my sofa and under my hutch!

TJBH:  How do you individualize your home in such a small space? 

Cindy:  Most of my home is done in blue and white so the color scheme is consistent throughout.  I think that is really important in a small space. 

TJBH:  What (or who) influences your style of decorating?

Cindy:  Most of my inspiration has come from magazines and now from blogs.  I originally chose the shabby chic style because the look could be achieved on a tight budget. I bought most of my furniture at thrift stores and painted it myself. 

TJBH:  What has been your biggest challenge of small space living? 

Cindy:  Arranging the furniture has been a bit of a challenge.  I like to move things around to get a fresh look but because the space is so small there isn’t much I can change.

TJBH:  What is a spot in your house that makes you very happy?

Cindy:  I love my dining room.  I love collecting dishes and it’s fun to play with different ways of displaying them.

TJBH:  Do you entertain much in your Jewel Box® Home?  Tell us a little about your favorite get togethers and some entertaining secrets.


Cindy:  I would love to entertain more than I do but because my place is so small I don’t.  I do belong to two supper clubs and so I host the dinners at my house once in awhile.  It’s nice when I can open the back door and extend the party out onto the patio. It makes my small space seem larger.

TJBH:  Describe your home in five words.

Cindy:  Small space, lots of décor!

TJBH: What is the best piece of decorating advice you’ve ever received?

Cindy:   Buy what you love and you will find a place for it.