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Friday, November 24th, 2017
Jessica Charles Living Room Ginny Sofa 1721: A comfy sofa by day and an uber restful bed at night.
Studio apartments and condo spaces have one thing in common – they are cozy – yet this very coziness is also these habitats’ weakness. The smallness of the space could hamper the decorative creativity of a homeowner – or should it?
Divide the Space Into Zones
Zoning makes you visually divide areas that you usually use for sleep, work, relaxation, eating, etc. These separate zones act as the rooms wherein that smartly-placed credenza or ottoman could already signify the change from the living room to the bedroom.
Even the color of the walls can signify a change in environment, for instance, the entryway could be painted lilac just to separate it from the rest of the areas in your home.
You Gotta Love Change
Find pieces that have dual or multi-purpose. Since you don’t have ample space for both a seating unit and a center table anymore, then why not have both in an interesting ottoman? Or why not use your dining table not just as for purposes of eating but also for family meetings, home office-related conferences or simply as a desk for your kids’ projects and assignments?
The right kind of sofa can also be used once a part of it is pulled out. At night, it could serve as a comfy bed. Even those simple cubes in the living room can easily double as side or coffee tables.
Protege Collection’s Miraval Cubes can be your easy-to-store seating unit or it can be your stylish side tables.
Optical Illusion Is Your Best Friend
Interior design applications for optical illusion is not limited to the use of mirrors on walls. With small interiors come many design problems and a great way to solve them is not always redesigning things or even destruction of walls.
Elements such as the right materials, lighting, color, forms, textures, patterns, shapes, and even the correct placement of furniture can make a huge difference.
Direct lighting on ceilings can create an impression of an enlarged room. Of course, you can even double this effect by placing mirrors on correct angles.
Natural lighting is the best kind of lighting to improve the spaciousness of a home. Bright, large windows, with natural light streaming in, can make any room appear larger.
As for colors, use light ceilings to raise the height of your space. Deeper and darker colors tend to make things appear tighter and smaller so it is best to use them at a bare minimum.
This does not mean that you are not supposed to use dark colors anymore. A dark element placed against a light background. Just as long as the contrast is highlighted, then you can use both dark and light colors in the same room.
Another way to enlarge a room is to use translucent or transparent materials. Rather than have full-color furnishings, try to invest in translucent furniture and appliances. You can also expand space by using horizontal stripes on your walls. Use just the slim stripes and not the wide ones or you’d have an overwhelming space.
Veer away from large patterns and obvious, rough textures. Go for sleek and minimal lines.
Declutter
What better way is there to open up space than to let go of things that are no longer in use? Living in a tiny space should seriously make you consider living a minimalist lifestyle. You have, after all, limited space to work with so you need it to be clean, organized, and still with ample breathing room for everyone.
Creatively declutter by starting small. Pick up a clutter or two for the first few days then gradually increase your cleanup to one trash bag each day.
Line up the things that have been in your storage for a very long time. Those that you have not used for half a year or more need to go. Give them away as donations or just have the others placed in trash bins meant for recyclable materials.
Tags: decorating a small space, interior design for small spaces, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings, small space interior design, space optimization
Posted in Apartment Living, Condo Living, Furniture, Interior Design 101, Interior Design Elements | Comments Off on Small Space Optimization: 4 Tiny Living Hacks
Monday, August 15th, 2016
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.
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.
Tags: decorating a small home, decorating a small space, furnishing small apartments, interior design for small spaces, living in a small space, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings, small apartment furniture, small space, small space design, small space interior design, small space organization, small space solutions, tips
Posted in Apartment Living, Interior Design 101, Tiny Homes | No Comments »
Friday, June 24th, 2016
1586-90014-BLK1 Belle Semainier Chest is petite and vertically superb for any small apartment.
Small apartments may have their upside but they also come with some furnishing concerns. Sure, you love paying the lower rent and being close to your work, add the coziness and all, and what you get is a warm, easy-to-decorate place. But is it really that easy to furnish a tiny apartment?
One of the greatest misconceptions about decorating smaller apartments is that functionality should always come before design. While function is important, it is also just as crucial to create a design that describes who you are. An apartment might have limited space but this does not mean that you have to be short on style, too. You have to find the right balance between style and function or you won’t be comfortable in your apartment, eventually.
You Can Still Define Separate Areas
One advice that homeowners often get when it comes to style is to use an open space layout. This lack of definition on space could look cluttered if not given much attention.
As much as you can, try to define separate areas by giving each area a purpose. For instance, you can place a coat and shoe racks right by the entryway. Place the buffet between the kitchen and dining areas so serving and storage become easier. Back the sofa up to the foot of the bed so the beholder’s eyes are drawn to the living area.
If you have a hobby, go ahead and experiment in separating the area where you would display your collections and other living areas. Don’t be afraid to show who you are. If your hobby is biking, then install an indoor rack that will make your bike look like it’s been intentionally made into a décor. Plants may also be used to signify changes in space use.
Make Use of Dual-Purpose Furniture
Every inch counts when it comes to dealing with small space. Invest in smaller furniture that, preferably, can double into something else. Focus your energies on buying furniture pieces that work with your chosen theme.
Bedrooms are often the perfect rooms for dual-purpose furniture. It is best to buy furniture that has a dual purpose than to work the space around the furniture that you purchase.
Consider having a trundle bed that folds into a sofa when you want to watch the television. A hollow ottoman can also double as a storage case, or a dining table with built-in leaf to make guest entertainment a lot easier.
Whatever kind of dual-purpose piece you buy, just make sure that you buy the sizes that are appropriate to your available space. Overstuffed pieces will only make your space look a lot smaller than it already is. Now don’t worry too much about searching for sofas, there are many designs that will fit your micro-living space.
Assess Unused Spaces
Living in a small space means you also have to rethink unused areas now and then. If there are extra pots that lay around or candles that have not been used for so long, then what’s the point in keeping them around?
Now look around your apartment and find out if you have any dead spaces that serve very little to zero purpose. Find blank walls and unused corners then discover how you can make these spaces more useful. Use them to your advantage, create storage where there was none before.
Extend Vertically
Planning the best way to use space means you have to know how to use vertical storage. Narrow, tall storage systems work best in smaller spaces so shop for those kinds. An entertainment center that is narrower yet reaches from floor to ceiling is your perfect divider between the living and sleeping areas.
Decorating tiny apartments doesn’t need to be taxing. All you need is a little creativity and a tad of patience and you should be fine.
Flexsteel Living Room Love Seat 1139-20 is the right solution for small apartment seating needs.
Tags: decorating a small home, decorating a small space, designing a small apartment, designing an apartment, furnishing small apartments, furniture for small apartments, interior design for small spaces, living in a small space, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings, small apartment design, small apartment furniture, small space, small space organization, small space solutions, studio apartment living, styling an apartment
Posted in Apartment Living, Furniture, Interior Design 101, Tiny Homes | No Comments »
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