Our First Studio
Use dead space. A critical key to adequate storage is looking at unused space differently than you did in a larger home. We’ll talk a lot about shelving in the next installment of this series, but for now suffice it to say that shelves can be a downsizer’s best friend. The space over the tub often goes to waste, but not here. What a stellar way to gain both display space and storage!
8. Define areas with platforms. Want an even more dramatic separation than you can achieve with a rug? Raising certain areas to a different level makes them even more distinct, like how this space uses a platform base to elevate the bed into a defined mini-bedroom. Using functional storage furniture, an upcycled shipping palette or another low base will give your sleeping area a bit of a bump. Just be sure not to place any furniture on it that may shift and slide off. And no raised dining areas, please!
4. Keep it Monochromatic Who lives here: Designer Jane BrownLocation: Bellevue Hill area of SydneyStudio size: 538 square feet (50 square meters)It might seem like a lot of work to commit to an all-white apartment, but in this Australian space it feels cozy and comfy. Plus, with everything matching the walls, the eye doesn’t linger too long on any one element. Instead of feeling like a bedroom and a living room combined, it simply appears to be a clean, airy living space. See more of this studio apartment
6. Stick to a color scheme for open shelves. Houzz at a GlanceWho lives here: Andrew Holden and Perry LoweLocation: Brooklyn, New YorkSize: 1,000 square feet (92.9 square meters); one bedroom, one bathroomIn small kitchens, open shelving is sometimes inevitable. To make some sense of the madness, try sticking with only a few colors for any dishes on them. This will help cut down on some of the visual chaos. Here, the homeowners stuck to a pretty strict scheme of white, black, glass, copper and wood. Read more about this small home
Design tip: Use multiple mirrors on a wall in the place of art. A gallery of mirrors in different shapes and sizes can serve as a wonderful feature wall while helping the room feel larger. Or try placing an extra-large leaning mirror against a wall. Its dramatic size will make the room feel immensely larger and brighter.
4. Let the sun shine in. Emphasize your natural light sources to make your room brighter. A sunlit room feels more open and helps eliminate shadows that can make an enclosed area feel smaller. The simplest way to enhance natural light in a room is to place a mirror where it will reflect the light from a window. This will not only reflect light but also create the illusion of more depth in the space. When possible, place your most-used pieces of furniture — such as the sofa or your favorite cozy chair — so that they have a view of the outdoors. If natural light is minimal, consider installing track lighting. While not taking up valuable table or floor space, its bright light and flexible track heads can substitute for direct sunlight.
6. Dining areas. Although spaces vary, an oval or circular table is usually a good fit for small spaces that may need to accommodate a flexible number of guests. The rounded edges allow you to seat guests without having to bump anyone into a corner. Round tables also make it easier to host an odd number of guests without it looking “off.”As in the living room, using one long bench or banquet mixed with standard dining chairs gives you room to slip in a few extra guests (especially small children) while giving others the option of a solo seat.
7. Serving stations. Whether your party is 10 people or 100, you can always use a little crowd control. Creating natural reasons for people to circulate through a space, rather than bunching up in one area, makes for better traffic flow and more mingling.One of the best ways to subtly get people moving is to place a drink station (or a food station, in a buffet scenario) away from obvious gathering spots, like the kitchen island or the main seating. Setting up a little bar like this one in a corner out of the way of traffic will keep guests circulating instead of stopping in hallways or doorways.
5. Make a coffee table work harder. The owners of this bright and airy living room have put their coffee table to work by choosing one with a neat lower shelf for storing books. If you’re going to use valuable floor space for a table, it makes sense to choose one with extra storage, like this one, or a trunk or an ottoman with storage inside.Browse midcentury coffee tables with storage
9. Utilize the wall behind the sofa. Installing a shelf for books, art or accessories is a smart way to use the often forgotten wall behind the sofa. Run it across the room for maximum impact, or double up with a couple of picture ledges, one above the other, for twice the storage.
Do build around the headboard. In this airy bedroom, a built-in unit around the headboard makes great use of the limited space without impinging on other walls, keeping an open feel.Also, as this blue-and-green scheme demonstrates, adding bright colors to a predominantly white room injects energy and life without closing things in. Stick to one or two hues so that the room doesn’t get too busy.
Alternately, you can simply use wall-to-wall curtains to visually erase the centerline of the window and place the bed to whichever side you prefer.Tables like these can be tucked over the mattress slightly to give you a little extra surface space. Try an Eileen Gray-style midcentury modern classic or a contemporary C-shaped table.
MirrorsSpeaking of adding depth, mirrors are always effective at opening up a space, and adding a mirror above the headboard can make the room appear twice as long. A custom wall-to-wall mirror will have the most dramatic impact, but simply hanging a framed mirror will work the same type of magic.Leaning a skinny mirror on a side table or on the floor also adds subtle depth. Just be sure to attach it to the wall or the table so it doesn’t slide down and surprise you in the night.Find skinny floor mirrors
DownsizingSometimes when designing a bedroom, you have to decide between having more space in bed and more space around the bed, and it’s worth considering downsizing from that coveted California-king size to a more compact mattress. Pairing a smaller bed with some sophisticated artwork (especially with a lot of classic black and white) will create a Parisian appeal that will make the small bed feel hip and cosmopolitan, while giving you all the sleeping space you need. Sometimes less really is more.MoreKey Measurements to Help You Design Your Dream BedroomTrending Now: 25 Bedrooms We’d Love to Fall Asleep In
6. Sofa + stools + tall table. If your compact living room is also your occasional dining room, consider replacing your coffee table with a small dining table (24 to 30 inches in diameter), then tuck a few poofs or stools underneath. The dining table won’t take up the whole width of the sofa, so you won’t feel too boxed in when lounging, but when you do want to grab a meal (with a friend or with the TV), you can eat in total comfort rather than hunched over.
10. Wall-mounted furnishings. Where possible, look for ways to eliminate furniture on the floor. Wall-mounted lights can save precious square footage, as can cantilevered side tables and shelves. The cords of plug-in sconces mounted behind a sofa are hidden at the base for a tidy look, without any complicated electrical work.
outdoor furniture
not the color but a chair like this!
Layout and patterns
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