Finding Extra Space in a Small Room

Many, many times I find myself trying to squeeze just a little extra space out of an already small room.  I ran across these creative solutions and just had to share them.

A place for hanging pots built between two kitchen joists.  The green paint on the back wall adds a pop of color. 

 

A cozy bedroom alcove for sitting.  The perfect substitute when there isn't room for a chair.  Notice the built-in lighting and trim around the edges. 

Shelving for books and display at the bottom of the steps.  Flat pillows are stored under the window seat.  What a clever idea!

Open shelving in the bathroom framed and painted to complement the wall color.  The thin ledge underneath the shelving and running the length of the bathroom, is also ideal for keeping small frequently used items within easy reach.

Custom shelving built under the eaves in this small bedroom uses space that would otherwise be empty.  Carrying the wall color to the shelves adds depth to the tiny room.

Enjoy your weekend!

Genevieve

Small Space Big Style

Just shows, big isn't always best!

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 

Things I Hate About My Small House

Let me be honest with you.  I love my 1500 square foot house and right now - with my husband out of work - we are doing everything possible to stay here.  Still, living in a small house has challenges.  To be blunt, there are some things I hate about my little house.  Here is the short list.

The bathroom door to the powder room hits the toilet seat when open.

Isn't that special!  I could fix this by installing a pocket door.  But at $2000 for costs and labor, that isn't going to happen anytime soon.

The blinds in our second story hallway are always closed because otherwise the neighbors can see into our bathroom.  We are very friendly with our neighbors, but I don't want to frighten them!

My neighbors window.

View of the bathroom from my neighbor's window.

When fully reclined, the family room lounge chair hits both the sliding glass door and coffee table.   

 Maybe some day I'll design a line of furniture for smaller spaces so this kind of thing doesn't happen.

 My husband and I use the same small bedroom as office space.

Our chairs are generally only two feet apart.  Let's just say we bump into each other a lot and it's not always an accident.  And because my husband is a 'stacker' - he does not file papers but stacks them in piles - I never get to nap on my favorite couch.  See all the paper and magazine piles on the couch?  And by the way, I hate his chair - the black one - but he refuses to give it up.


I have to share a bathroom with my husband and two large boys, 16 and 20.  And that bathroom is a small 5 x 5 feet square.  Let me help you picture this situation.  Because there is no storage in the bathroom, I have to put all my make-up, hair accessories and 'lady stuff' elsewhere.  And manage to get it into the bathroom when I need it. Thank God my boys are average young men who pay little attention to anything other than food and friends.  Otherwise, there would be many more embarrassing moments in this household.

The family bathroom.

Thanks for letting me vent and enjoy your weekend!

Genevieve