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Creativity for Small Spaces

Friday, April 12th, 2019

Protege Upholstery Miraval Cube

Instagram is brimming with pictures of tiny yet beautiful homes. These photos make small square footage look cute, premium and seemingly easy. But easy is the least thing that these homes are going to be, challenging, yes.

 

So let’s just have some real talk here. Where will you put your clothes and accessories? How will you fit your furnishings? Instead of it being cute and lovely, what you will get is a string of stressful situations.

 

So, how should you decorate your home when it’s on the small side?

 

Up You Go

 

Look from the floor and all the way up to the ceiling. That is how much storage space you actually have. You could have hanging shelves there or you could place wardrobes against the walls so that you maximize the space that’s actually provided to you.

 

The height of your wardrobes will also maximize that vertical space. Also, do not forget that small spaces make good use of available storage so it is best to keep clutter at bay.

 

Two or More

 

Smaller homes can also benefit from furnishings that come with two or even more functions. That daybed can now be used in your tiny home as a lounging seat during day and a bed at night.

 

A C-table can be used as a spot to put your computer on. Now remember that every piece of furniture that has more storage (hidden or not) will make living in a smaller home much more bearable.

 

Never sacrifice the aesthetic appeal of your furniture pieces, though.

 

Look At Me

 

Said the mirror; let mirrors become your new best friends. Line them up to create an interesting gallery or have them hung adjacent to the windows so that they make your tiny home appear brighter and much larger.

 

Never think that mirrors have little effect on the way that your home looks. A well-placed mirror, even just a single framed one, will have a huge impact on the way that your interior design will look.

 

Be Purposeful, Be You

 

Become an editor by connecting to your living space and recognizing the purpose of each and every room there. And every little element that you add should represent who you are, else, it doesn’t make sense that they are even brought into your home.

 

Keep Things Tonal

 

If you want to open up any space, make sure that you keep things tonal, meaning, you use several layers of colors instead of just one, eternal white wall.

 

Know the colors that you want from the outset. You could pick just one color and then either use the shades or the tints of that hue. This will make your interior design look dignified and collected.

 

And as you plan your color palette, be sure to infuse polished palettes of combined neutrals. These will further open up the space.

 

And Then There Was Light

 

Lighting will always be an important part of interior design. This is the element that has the ability to alter the mood of a room, even its perceived size. There are certain kinds of lighting that are suitable to a smaller space.

 

As you stay away from dark colors, make sure that the walls are light-colored so that your space becomes brighter. These walls also become more reflective, which, in the process, opens up your space.

 

Sin Not

 

Don’t commit any of the designers’ most common mistakes such as ignoring accidental architectural features. A long unused fireplace could be repurposed as your book collection’s new storage and display space.

 

The right lighting for vanity is also a common problem when in smaller homes. With just a small patch of space, it becomes a huge mistake to put overhead lighting in this situation. When faced with this, opt for slimmer sconces instead. Find the cigarette-shaped ones so you could still add layered lighting later on.

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From Tiny to Expansive: How to Make a Small Room Appear Bigger

Tuesday, September 18th, 2018

The Elk Legged Stool from the Biltmore Collection is perfect for a tiny home because its legs take it far from the floor.

More and more people seem to be realizing the advantages of living in smaller homes. Maintenance and expense-wise, these homeowners embrace the lifestyle of owning a tiny house with a grateful heart.

Small homes are beautiful but just in the right hands. They are practical and easy to live in but you also have to do your part so that you won’t end up being grumpy in a cramped space. Here are some tips that can make you visually stretch your small habitat –

No More Clutter

There is nothing more cramping that a space that has too much stuff. Find ways that you can view and appreciate your collections without them stuffing the space. Learn to organize behind those doors, in shelves, and even under the dining room table skirts.

Things that are neatly arranged and are kept out of your sight will give your space an orderly, thus, a more spacious look.

Block Not

It’s time to open the way. If there are furniture pieces and accessories that are currently blocking spaces and views in your home, then it’s time to have them repositioned, stored or disposed.

Keep the walkways open by moving the furniture as far away from them as possible. Doing this will make the place appear and feel larger.

Use smaller pieces of furniture such as an armless chair, ottomans and a low table. If you still have a few pieces of tall and large furniture, then have them line the walls instead of having them take up valuable space.

A tiny home should be big on storage. The Hooker Furniture Dining Room Wakefield Metal Hutch can be both a decorative and functional element.

Lighter, Always

Creating a visually expansive space is easy when you know how to use proper hues. Pick only the lighter and softer hues. The warmer and darker colors will make the space cozier and more intimate but they also have the power to make your home look cramped.

Sheer fabrics are also your go to fabrics for your type of layout. These window treatments allow light and breeze to freely pass through. You can also use them as bed skirts, slipcovers, and table covers.

You can now choose from a variety of colors as well as patterns. Just keep the look simple by using only cool colors and delicate fabrics. Find other see-through materials. Get rid of that opaque glass in your shower enclosure. Replace it with the frameless, clear one. By doing so, you will realize that you’ve just doubled the space (only visually though).

Illuminate All the Time

Many interior design professionals now use track lighting instead of lamps. Small rooms tend to function and look better with the former, that’s why. There are now beautiful track lights that can fill up a small space with light. Find the style that goes with the lighting fixtures that you have chosen. Lobbies are lit quite differently from bedrooms but since your goal is to make the room appear bigger, just make sure that it’s amply lit each time that it’s in use.

And during the day, make sure that natural light freely flows in. Get rid of the heavy draperies and open up the windows. Lastly, make good use of reflective surfaces such as mirrored walls and glass tabletops.

Coordinate

The enemy of a tiny home is a broken up space caused by contrasting hues. Learn to coordinate colors by having the walls and furnishings come in the same color family.

Sometimes Bigger Is Better

At times, the use of a few large pieces of furniture or accessories can also work. Their upholstery must be kept plain so that they do not clash with the existing design. Allow texture to create the visual interest.

The armchairs and sofas that have raised legs can create a sense of spaciousness. Dispose any furniture that are dark and have unnecessary details.

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Downsizing to Apartment Living

Wednesday, July 4th, 2018

Thomasville Bedroom Kristiania Daybed

Your big move from a house to a tiny apartment is a great way to have a new start. This change, of course, comes with some adjustments that may feel foreign or even overwhelming. Some might even be downright scary. But this does not have to happen to you. When you finally make this big leap, then you have to know what to expect.

These days, a lot of people have decided to downsize. Just go to the Internet and you will see hundreds of options. The news is that downsizing is just a small part of moving from a house to a smaller housing unit.

Smaller Space

This is probably the most obvious change that you will encounter. The reduced living space is needful for efficiency, meaning, every square footage is used even when the rooms are smaller. Since this is so, you need to rethink the furniture that you bring in. You will have to say goodbye to that oversized sofa and find a sleeker version.

Little Yard

Do you detest mowing the lawn? Busy working people and families with smaller children might view lawn mowing as a chore rather than a treat. A smaller yard means having a smaller landscaping to work on. Most apartment dwellers are contented with a container garden – maybe you would, too.

Limited Storage

It’s time to take a hard look into your cabinets, cupboards, and drawers. What do these storage units contain? This is the perfect time to declutter your life and keep your possessions in check.

Are all the things stored in your cabinets used on a daily, weekly or monthly basis? Or have then been used at all in the last few years? It’s time to decide which things you would want to keep and which things need to go.

Here are some things that you might want to check again –

  • Your book collections.
  • Clothing
  • Decorative items

See if you can give away some items that you no longer use and be sure to create a list of the things that you do use every day.

Hooker Furniture Living Room Cheshire Drawer Ottoman is a seating and storage unit in one. 

Safety and Security

Living in smaller quarters means you are within an earshot from your neighbors all of the time. It also becomes easier to make friends with your neighboring units so anyone who doesn’t look familiar would be easier to recognize.

Also, rental communities come with security guards or pass cards or even security codes when you need to enter the premises. Ask your landlord about the kind of security that is in place on your premises. Most homeowners are surprised with the added safety measures which they are able to get for zero cost.

TV and Internet

Apartment living may come with TV and Internet subscriptions. Do not immediately consider this as a downside. The advantage to this is that you no longer have to worry about an extra expense for these things that you regularly use anyway.

Be sure to check the internet situation before you decide to move in. Many complex owners are able to get better packages or deals for TV or internet packages.

Love the Daybed

Moving to a tiny apartment might mean using multipurpose furnishings. Instead of putting the bed in the middle of your living room, why not have a daybed which folds to a couch in the morning? Why not add an ottoman with storage when you’re thinking of adding another storage box?

Remember always that you have limited square footage so learn to use furnishings as functional pieces and also as aesthetic stuff. Instead of creating tiny rooms, why not have one room serve as a living room in the day and a bedroom at night?

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Why Townhouse Living Is Beautiful

Saturday, June 23rd, 2018

Talk of using mirrors as faux windows, this Goddard Mirror from Fine Furniture Design’s American Cherry Collection is sublime.

If you have to read about the history of townhouse living, then you’d have to go to Rome or even England and start your research there. Manhattan may be booming with apartments and townhouses but these structures weren’t born there.

The townhouse is that rental property that is either freestanding or attached to another townhouse. These habitats often have a terrace.

A rented townhouse comes with a monthly fee that is asked by the owner of the property in exchange for living the property. At times, the owners and the tenants live in the same habitat. Typically, only one family can be housed in such a unit, though.

Living in a townhouse comes with amenities such as pools, gyms, and spas. While apartments date all the way back to the times of the Ancient Romans, the townhouse came into existence in England when the aristocrats spent months living in different places at a time. While these elite people were living away from their homes, they had a townhouse to serve as their habitat.

The appeal to live in a townhouse is insatiable especially among urban dwellers. Just imagine having to pay heftily for every square inch of space in Manhattan so wanting to move into a more spacious dwelling unit is a dream come true. Plus, there is an increased sense of security since your neighbors are just within earshot.

The Orient Express Furniture Dining Room Uptown Dining Chair does tend to draw the eyes vertically, doesn’t it?

Making the Most of Townhouse Living

Living in a townhouse is all about making the most of the space that you are provided with. It is all about making the eyes believe that the area is actually more spacious than it actually is. In the wrong designer’s hands, a townhouse could very easily turn into a claustrophobic environment rather than a cozy one.

Be able to decorate in such a way that light and colors are optimized. Make correct use of weight and scale as these can either make or break your design.

You could try a few things when you have grown tired of the traditional setups. So, instead of the usual blinds for the window treatments, you could use flowing drapes as they tend to make the eyes imagine height, thus, giving you vertical space. The floor-to-ceiling types are the best options to accomplish this visual goal.

Regardless of size, the living room in a townhouse must be the area of relaxation and entertainment. When you are designing for a dual purpose, you have to learn to use elements that could open up space. For instance, the age-old trick of using mirrors to reflect light can be used in the living area. Strategically placed mirrors can visually widen the space.

You can put the mirror behind a light source like a pendant lamp or even a lit candelabrum. This should give your townhouse the illusion of having another window.

You can also use the vertical space to hang small to medium-sized artworks. This technique is also used to make rooms visually larger. The trick here is that the eyes are led to roam the space horizontally.

When using colors, it would be best to shy away from dark hues. Small homes would do well to use neutral color palettes because these are known to push back the walls, visually of course. Softer hues also tend to lighten and brighten up a room since they can reflect light. Softer colors also add instant sophistication as well as a homier feel.

Lastly, pick only the furniture that has a lightweight appearance. It would be wrong to add chunky pieces of furniture as these will constrict your space. Use end tables and coffee tables that come in pale hues. Your best friends are glass and light-colored wood furnishings.

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Designing the Empty Nesters’ Home: Why It’s Beneficial to Downsize

Monday, March 6th, 2017

The Hooker Furniture Living Room Melange Bondurant Cocktail Trunk serves as an empty nester’s fashionable storage unit.

Are you at a point in your life when all your kids have grown and have turned into independent adults? Then you are now officially an empty nester. What this often means is that you are left with a big, empty home. Retirement is also looming around the corner so this is the best time to consider downsizing – and this is for you and your spouse’s own good.

Downsizing an Empty Nest Means Right Sizing

This is your big step towards your journey to a more suitable home. A single or a couple should look forward to finding the right remodeling project or even another home that will provide their needs beyond retirement.

This means you have to find a smaller and more manageable home where you won’t have to sacrifice your lifestyle. This must be a home with features that meet your design requirements as well as other amenities that will help you as you age gracefully.

You might have a smaller home soon but it also means less time cleaning it up. Look at it as a chance to finally have ample time to check into more meaningful activities.

A downsized home must still have ample storage. This is a desirable element that you must first consider. Abundance of storage means you won’t have to worry about where to store the linens, the bedding, towels, shoes, etc.

You can have a walk-in closet built especially for your clothes, shoes and other accessories. You can also invest in a double vanity and expansive counters for the bathrooms. Just adjust the size since you won’t be sharing it with the children anymore or that you won’t be needing a lot of surface space.

Of course, clutter must never be an option in your new empty nester’s home.

Another feature that you also need to consider is the kitchen where you will be cooking your gourmet dishes. Still another is the entertaining area where you will receive family and friends (especially your toddler grandchildren).

Since you are transitioning into retirement, you must also seriously consider the safety features of your remodeled or new home. Your habitat must offer ample space but at the same time, it must have quiet spots where you can spend time reading or simply meditating.

Another feature that you need to consider is how safe your home will be. There are several factors that you need to look into such as properly installed smoke and heat detectors, burglar alarms, deadbolt locks, some fire extinguishers, updated electrical wiring systems, heating or cooling systems, lightning rods, and firewalls.

The stairs (if your new house has any) need to have safety handrails.

If you chose to move instead of remodel your home, it is also wise to check the neighborhood where you’re moving into. People tend to discover some rather nasty things about their neighbors only when they have already moved in so you might want to make a difference there.

How loud your neighbors might be often depends on factors such as a shared wall or the thinness of the material used for the window treatments. No matter, it pays to increase your privacy and to use screening plants so that your backyard would feel like a getaway and not a place where other people could pry.

Your retirement is also a great time to start a new hobby. You can begin collecting the things that you never had time to collect back in the day. Make room on your walls for artworks – perhaps even your own.

It is also beneficial for you and your partner to plan activities together while also attending to separate hobbies.

 

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Bungalow Features That Wow the Senses

Wednesday, December 21st, 2016

Hooker Furniture Living Room Nesting Tables are just right in a bungalow. They save space while providing a visual appeal that’s difficult to match.

Stylizing the bungalow home isn’t a job for the half-hearted.  Knowing what to work with means you also have to be able to define what a bungalow is to begin with.

Bungalow homes are defined as low houses, cottage or cabin at about one to 1.5 stories. They come with hipped roof or low-pitched gables with dormer windows, exposed beams and rafters, plus overhanging eves. They often have wide porches and are often built with rustic materials.

The origin of this style of home is believed to be Hindi or Urdu bangla (Bengal house). This style first existed in 1676 and has transcended centuries to still captivate the contemporary market.

Features of a Bungalow

You might want to look at this checklist if you want to properly identify and eventually design your own bungalow. The most common architectural styles that influence many bungalows these days are Prairie, California, Rustic, Cabin, Cottage, Tudor, Spanish and Chicago. When viewed all together, these are nothing but different kinds of American bungalows.

Arts and crafts define most floor plans for bungalows in the past and also in the present. These relate to the natural environment as well as the surrounding communities. These plans include philosophical lifestyle aspects that are applicable in today’s new home construction. They can also be applied in restoring and preserving historic houses.

Common bungalow exterior details include –

  • Cabin, house or cottage of 1.0-1.5 stories
  • Horizontal lines are low
  • Hipped roof or low-pitched gables
  • Dormer windows
  • Overhanging eves
  • Exposed beams and rafters
  • Wide porch
  • Often but not always in tiny square footage
  • Exteriors are often built with rustic, natural materials that are often locally obtained
  • Has outdoor decks and spaces.

The Accessories Uttermost Thatcher Teak Root Mirror 05031 stretches vertically which opens up the space upwards plus it’s a mirror so light that’s reflected on its surface brings in a different level of brightness and airiness to any home.

The bungalow interiors, on the other hand, have these features –

  • Living and dining rooms are often joined together and have minimal divisions
  • Open floor plan
  • An inviting front porch that fuses the outdoors with the indoors
  • Open spaces built especially for socialization and meals
  • Living room is most spacious
  • Natural materials are used such as brick, stone, wood, earthen tiles and glass
  • Rafters are exposed as are the beams and joists
  • Practical and economic in terms of aesthetics and furnishings
  • The kitchens are compact
  • Eating nooks are common though today’s versions are a bit enlarged when remodeled
  • Screened in porches
  • Numerous yet small bedrooms
  • Wall beds
  • Ample shelving, bookcases, seating, storage, benches, window seats
  • Windows flanking the fireplace
  • Natural woodwork found on hardwood floors, window casing, wall paneling and box-beam ceilings
  • Wallpaper and stenciling are common in adding patterns and texture
  • Dark wood colors harmonize with wood tones which make the place feel cozy, warm and welcoming
  • Textiles tend to soften the room
  • The most common focal point in the living room is the fireplace
  • Overall, the rooms are organic and basic.

Bungalow and Light Colors

Since the bungalow is a small house, it is best to steer clear from dark colors. Darker colors can make homes appear smaller. Use lighter shades in order to open up spaces and make them appear airy and bright.

Bungalow and Wall Mounts

Floor space in bungalows are primed spots so you might want to utilize all the available wall space for your bookcases and wall sconces.

Bungalows and Rounded Furniture

Arrange your furniture against the walls or you can invest in rounded pieces that would fit into corners.

Bungalows and Pocket Doors

Doors can also take up floor space when they swing out so install pocket doors instead. Sliding doors spell easy entrance and exit into your bungalow.

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The One Room Lifestyle

Monday, August 15th, 2016

Fine Furniture Design Living Room Chaise 3101-06 offers restful lounging and sitting.

Fine Furniture Design Living Room Chaise 3101-06 offers restful lounging and sitting.

There are various upsides to small apartment living. First, there’s lower rent, also, it is at a closer proximity of many downtown areas. Small is also cozy depending on how you design the space so it’s all a matter of how you would beautify you place.

One of the sad mistakes that apartment owners make when decorating their small apartments is that they focus only on functionality instead of coupling it with design. Don’t go through the same errors – it’s time to learn some small apartment styling tips.

Delineate Different Areas

Living in a tiny space shouldn’t automatically mean embracing the open space layout. In fact, there are so many other designs that you can look into. There’s just one thing that you need to keep in mind – that you must keep yourself from overwhelming the space with unnecessary stuff.

Define the different areas by giving each a function. Shoe and coat racks can be placed by the door and that’ll define your entryway. A simple buffet should divide our dining and kitchen areas. This provides easier food service and ample storage. Backing your sofa right by the foot of your bed can draw the beholder’s eye towards the living area.

Be sure to highlight your hobby or interest as this will cap the look of your home. A bike rack will tell everyone that you are a fitness enthusiast or maybe just a lover of the outdoors. Make who you are become an integral part of your design project.

Use Dual-Purpose Furniture

When you are dealing with a tiny space, know that every inch counts. Maximize the space by buying only the kinds of furniture that have a double purpose. Find pieces that will work with the limited space that you have.

The space where you’ll set up your bedroom can have a foldable sofa. An ottoman can be a seating and storage unit at the same time. A foldable dining table can be hidden from view when no longer in use.

Find dual-purpose pieces that are the appropriate size to your tiny space. Those overstuffed furnishings will only make a small place look a lot smaller.

Look for Unused Spaces

Having moved into your cute space for months, it’s easy to be stuck with the design that you initially came up with. There are many spaces that you can free up and repurpose. If you’ve been storing old magazines in huge boxes for the longest time then this just means that it’s time to unclutter.

Nooks and crannies could also have their purpose. They can be used as a corner library or as a small corner office.

Grow Vertically

It is crucial that you think vertically when you have a small space to work with. The tall, narrow storage units can help solve clutter issues. You can begin by placing two bookshelves of the same height on both sides of the doorway. A single entertainment center can also be used, one that reaches from the floor all the way up to the ceiling.

 Hooker Furniture Living Room Melange Joli Nesting Ottomans offer dual purposes – they can be used as a seating as well as a storage unit.

Hooker Furniture Living Room Melange Joli Nesting Ottomans offer dual purposes – they can be used as a seating as well as a storage unit.

Make Organization Your New Best Friend

Storage is your best pal when you have a small apartment. This is your tool in hiding stuff that you don’t need at the moment. Practically speaking, though, you have to learn to find and keep just the things that you need.

Make good use of back-of-door hangers and hanging organizers. Line your shelves and drawers with extra bins or baskets.

As soon as your organization tools are set, you would soon realize how much space can actually be freed up. Just cap your design project with a light paint palette and you’re done.

 

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Small Living Room Solutions: Tips in Dealing With Tricky Spaces

Thursday, July 28th, 2016

Hooker Furniture Living Room Windward Dart Honey Loveseat can cozily sit two.

Hooker Furniture Living Room Windward Dart Honey Loveseat can cozily sit two.

A small living room can be described in so many ways – teensy, compact, minute, etc. If you have done everything but have already hit a roadblock in terms of making the living room more livable, then you have to know the secret.

But is this really a secret? More than a secret, small living rooms need a smart solution. Here are some of the wisest solutions ever that designers have come up with –

Get Started

Just like any design project which you are going to take on, it would help to look at the task with a fresh set of eyes. Go out, take a walk, breathe deep, then come back refreshed. If you can, you can also bring a design-savvy colleague with you so she can help you determine what to do with the space. Most of the time, hearing ideas can bring out the creativity in anyone.

That Long, Narrow Hall

If you have a long, narrow hall to deal with, think of an art gallery. White walls are the classic choice although a fresh coat of rich color or grass cloth can also work well. Go basic and sleek with black and white stuff.

Create a unique gallery with an eclectic appeal using your most colorful, large artwork. You can also hang a series of photo frames with the left side of the wall intentionally left empty. Top your design scheme by adding proper lighting. Use overhead track lighting or wall-mounted lighting in illuminating artwork.

For a smaller yet still long hall, it is wise to make good use of every nook and cranny. Now how is this achieved? You can use floating shelves and cabinets. These floating pieces keep the floor free from clutter.

Measure with care, pick the cabinets that are also narrow so that you will have enough room to walk around in. Make sure to keep the floor area clean and clutter-free as these don’t have a room in any tight space.

The Eat-In Kitchen

This kind of kitchen with a lot of openings and doors will make the room less functional. A door that opens inwards will occupy space as do the cabinet openings.

A solution to this dilemma is to use round-edge tables instead of the square or rectangular types. Curved edges fit better in awkward spaces more than hard-edged furniture pieces. Pull the table near a wall even if it is just a small section. Placing the table dead-center will leave an unnatural look.

Multiple Windows and Doors

The living room has many elements – the door, fireplace, windows, radiator, walls ,etc. All these prevent you from placing furniture near the living room walls. If you are faced with this dilemma, then try to pull the arrangement to the center of the living room. A matching pair of sofas could serve as the anchor to this whole design. It will also counteract the confusion that exits and entries bring about.

Add a cozy rug to set up a conversation area.

Make wise use of vertical space with this 1586-75906-BLK1 Twin Peak Display Cabinet

Make wise use of vertical space with this 1586-75906-BLK1 Twin Peak Display Cabinet

Limited Wall Space

There are also living rooms with limited wall space. If you can swap the living room with the dining room (provided that the latter is more spacious), then do so. Various doors and windows don’t matter that much inside a dining room, in fact, they can even add to the drama and romance that dinners could bring.

A Studio-Type Apartment

Small-scale furniture pieces are your best friends when you have limited living room space. Again, furnishings with rounded edges work better than those with sharp edges.

Install also ample storage units so that your life would become a lot easier.

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Making Small Space Living Lovable

Friday, July 22nd, 2016

The Fine Furniture Design Living Room Settee 0811-02 is great for small homes because it is compact yet it is visually enticing nonetheless.

The Fine Furniture Design Living Room Settee 0811-02 is great for small homes because it is compact yet it is visually enticing nonetheless.

Have you taken the time to notice, lately, that most neighborhoods are showing bigger and bigger houses? See also how a nice row of like-looking houses is still an ongoing trend? More often than not, though, these homes are owned by small families. This spells less interaction among family members. The building of these giant structures are breaking down what should have been a close relationship among family members.

Going Non-Palatial

The recession made a lot of people realize that homes can be built a little smaller. They are a lot easier to maintain (and even pay for). And with the living costs rising each year, it becomes more and more reasonable to live affordably. This can be done by starting with the structure of your home.

It may not be that appealing to live in a smaller home if the basis is the series of United States Census where the average American home size is at 2,400 square feet in 2010. Large homes may be dominant but there are benefits that these colossal structures won’t be able to give.

Here are some of the major benefits of living in smaller spaces –

Energy Eficiency

Smaller homes are known to be more energy efficient. There is less space to cool or heat which also means that a smaller home as a lower carbon footprint.

Having fewer rooms also means that you won’t have a pricier maintenance expense. This also means less time spent on cleaning a lot of rooms. The time that you used to spend cleaning your home can now be spent on quality activities with your family. You can now spend more time outdoors, doing the things that you all love.

Hooker Furniture Living Room Melange Joli Nesting Ottomans: Find pieces that have dual functions.

Hooker Furniture Living Room Melange Joli Nesting Ottomans: Find pieces that have dual functions.

Coziness

Gigantic rooms are often not cozy. Only smaller rooms can evoke this kind of feeling, and  can even add a sense of intimacy which all larger homes lack.

Less Expense

Smaller homes are also less expensive to keep. These are designed to stay cool using cross-ventilation and shade. You can also enjoy the summer months by staying on the porch, keeping the windows open and using only fans. You will spend less with electricity when you use natural light and enjoy the natural breeze.

Compact homes are also well-built. They are less exposed to the natural elements. Just make sure that the construction materials used are sturdy.

An Improved Social Life

Being in a neighborhood with smaller homes means the structures are built closer to each other. Most gigantic homes are built with a large front and back lawns, plus more square feet of extra space. Add to that the fence, bushes and trees that cover these giant homes and socialization becomes virtually impossible.

City or city-like living means you have less space to sleep and walk around in but the great outdoors will serve as your grander home. With small space living, you have to learn to schedule your activities as a family outside of your home. If you live alone, then walk to and from work; enjoy biking rather than running in an elliptical trainer; or have dinner with someone at a fancy restaurant somewhere.

Front porches in neighboring small homes also have a welcoming feel to them. It’s like begging for you to pay your neighbor a visit. Big and grand areas are never within walking distance so if you want a lot of socialization, then it’s time to live in a smaller home.

Small Space Challenges

It would be wrong to think that small space living is sublime all the time. Smaller kitchen means less space for you to move around as you cook your food. It may also be awkward to live in a limited amount of space at first but you’d surely get used to it. Later on, you’ll realize that there are more benefits to living in smaller space than to keep a humongous place.

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Dressing Up the Small Dining Room

Friday, July 15th, 2016

 1586-75203A-BRN1 Horizon Line Round Dining Table is great for small dining areas because it occupies less space than square tables.

1586-75203A-BRN1 Horizon Line Round Dining Table is great for small dining areas because it occupies less space than square tables.

Any size of dining space is often dressed up in a formal manner. This becomes more so if that space is rarely used. If the dining room should become your remodeling project, then you have to design with care. You will be making an inviting and warm place where you could gather friends and relatives so make it showcase your personal style.

Revelry in Neutrality

Neutral colors can be used with some interesting textures if you are setting up a dining nook. Use wicker chairs to contrast any smooth and sleek table. A corner banquette should have ample seating for everyone. If drawers can be made available at the bottom, then this is an additional storage to the dining nook.

The Wondrous Duo

You just gotta make the most out of a small dining room. See how you can make the seats double as a storage unit.

You can also take the dualism up a notch by dressing up the small dining room with anything two tone. Dark colors can also have a room inside smaller spaces so long as you pair them with the right neutrals.

Go Deep

Small dining rooms are generally nooks that have been carved out of bigger spaces. It is your role to unify the area with the adjacent spaces. Employ like design characteristics in order to achieve harmony. Imagine this, just a foot or two away from the kitchen, you could have a nook that models the black and white theme. This same color should be available in an adjacent room but there has to be distinguishing accents (e.g. plum).

A square table can be effectively contrasted by a round lighting fixture. Silver-lined cabinets would add a modern touch so go ahead and them all together.

Hooker Furniture Dining Room Chablis Backless Barstool also occupies less space than regular dining chairs.

Hooker Furniture Dining Room Chablis Backless Barstool also occupies less space than regular dining chairs.

Warmth and Coziness

Another rule to remember is for you to follow the banquette bench lines. This is for optimal seating concerns. This quite useful in a narrow nook; that rounded bench plus an oval-shaped table can fill the limited space nicely. These round corners make movements or getting in and out of the dining area a lot easier.

Use curtains that will cover just half of the windows so that natural light will still be allowed to pour in. Since it’s covering the other half of your window, then you still get the privacy that you need.

Pop Some Color

Use bright colors to give some life to your petite dining room. Use hues of orange and pink to bring excitement and energy in the room. Corner banquette can save you some space while making your dining room appear cozy.

Bold print on the throw pillows and window shades could make the room appear contemporary.

A Relaxation Nook

Another design that would work in a small dining room is having a dining booth. A white bench with striped cushions will also contribute to the light-heartedness and comfort in the small room. Use a pedestal table minus the legs on the corner. This should make it easy for you to get in and out of your dining booth.

Learn to Blend

The white corner banquette can easily blend in with any white décor and the equally white walls. Cream cushions go well with printed pillows. This combination will make the banquette pop up. To complete the look, add texture and color to the corner.

Dark table can contrast a white color scheme and this is the simplest that you could go. Lamp sconces on your wall would also provide the subtle lighting needed. Framed canvas and artwork can also add more character as well as color to the small space.

With quarters that are tight, are you ready to apply what you have just learned?

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