Chic Small Spaces

Taking a break from the Christmas decor, I wanted to post today about these chic small spaces and how much easier it is to make small compact spaces comfortable and chic, compared to big open spaces. Contrary to popular belief, over sized furniture in small spaces make them look bigger as long as you opt for rounded edges.  Covering the walls in fabric or natural texture wallpaper like seagrass or grasscloth makes the room feel swaddled.  Big art work or mirrors bring excitement and reflection to small spaces.  Sconces, sconces sconces, I love sconces small, big, shiny or matte, they bring functionality but also interest and add an extra layer of fun. 

The banquette enclosed between these two columns gives a cacoonish feeling to this space.  I love how they kept the furniture low.

Again in this room, the walls are covered in seagrass wallpaper.  The desk that is kept light and skinny and the Bibendum chairs by Eileen Gray keep the space open.

The Guest room designed by Thomas O'Brien for Hearts Designer Visions this year was a very suitable small space with great scaled furniture.  Thin but tall canopy bed bring your eyes up letting you appreciate the beautiful fabric on the walls.


2nd by Antoine Bootz last via High End Weekly.

Clever

I can honestly say I have never seen a trundle bed tucked away in a built-in armoire.  This was original to this bachelor apartment and when closed, the bed tucks under counters in the kitchen and walk-in closet.  Isn’t it charming?

For more ideas for small spaces, visit Canadian House and Home.

Small Spaces: Pretty in White

The April 2010 Style at Home is their Small Space issue filled with decorating ideas for tiny rooms. A few homes are featured but the one that spoke to me was that of design editor Ann Marie Favot. At less than 1000 square feet, her Victorian semi feels light and airy thanks to her use of varying shades of white throughout.

She mixes custom pieces like the sofa and chairs below with inexpensive finds such as the tufted ottoman from HomeSense (gotta love HomeSense!)

  

In the mud room, she used inexpensive porcelain tile which mimics limestone. I love the subtle Barbara Barry wallpaper.

Isn’t this kitchen beautiful? She kept the kitchen cabinets and white appliances but added quartz counters, a Carrara marble backsplash and a Blanco sink and faucet. Most people would swap out the white appliances for stainless steel but she kept them because they work well with the cabinetry.

She invested in lighting, changing one fixture at a time over the course of three years. I love the sculptural Bubble lamp in the dining room, the dainty glass one over the sink and the bell jar pendant in the bedroom in the last photo (you know how I love bell jar pendants!)

(I updated my low quality scanned photos to ones from the Style at Home site, except the last photo .)