Furniture for Small Spaces » small homes

Small Homes: Decorating My Small Hallway

ttnorris — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 03:37:47 +0000

I like a lot of dark colors. I’m big on romance and intimacy, so it’s no surprise I take to things that offer quite a bit of ambiance… like sconces.

Anyway, I just purchased two candle sconce sets today. One set for my living room and another for my hallway. The living room I’m not so concerned about, but the hallway…

Well… I either made a big mistake or I chose well. The candle sconces are really nice, I’m just not sure how well they’ll work with my hallway. I think they’re going to look good but I’ll show you the results–good or bad–when they arrive.

What I plan to do is place them on the two short walls that frame my kitchen doorway. Later I will compliment the sconces with an accent picture (or something like that) on the corresponding wall.

I’m thinking the hallway should have a “Last Supper” kind of thing. I see something with Jesus or a some sort of angels from heaven mural or photo along with those sconces. I’m not sure if that’s how it will work out if the sconces look good but that was something that popped in my head that might look nice with those.

If I didn’t goof it up then they should flow well with the colors from my living room. As you may know from my video clips–my living room is full of dark colors.

Please Lord, don’t let me have goofed this up…

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Alternatives: Decorating Your Fridge with Matboard

ttnorris — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 02:49:19 +0000

Okay, so in my last video clip I talked about putting matboard up. For me, matboard is an alternative to refrigerator frames with magnets. I thought it was a better option to tape the matboard on my fridge to highlight memories or just showcase pictures that will accent my kitchen.

FYI… I got the matboard at Hobby Lobby for half off. About $.78/ea. after the discount, if I recall.

I just worked with arranging the matboard on my fridge the other day and I think I’ve got the look I want. I’m still not sure just yet, but here’s the arrangement that I’ve got at the moment (see above photo).

I keep thinking maybe I should remove the two frames with the oval shapes in the center. I’m not sure if they’re too much. Maybe less is more in this situation or I need to add other types of decoration in their place. I have to admit… something’s bothering me about the arrangement. Maybe I’m being silly, but we’ll see.

Anyway, I haven’t printed any photos yet. Right now I’m just working with the look and feel and once I’m sure how I like how they’re arranged I’ll put up photos of friends and family or print off some great photos I like from the web.

This is just to tease you for the time being and give you an idea of where it’s all going. More coming shortly….

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Alternatives: On/Off Switch Solution for Unreachable Items

ttnorris — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 02:00:22 +0000

Okay, so I purchased two Walmart lamps and placed them on my shelving in my living room. The problem isn’t with the lamp on the first shelf, but rather with the one on the top shelf. I can’t reach it and I’ll be darned if I’m going to climb up and down on a step ladder every single day to turn it off.

And I don’t want to flip the switch on the surge protector to turn it off because it turns everything off (i.e. tv, dvd player, etc.). Also, I hate the idea of pulling the plug out of the surge protector every time I want to turn the lamp off.

So I started thinking about other options and a moment later it hit me… the track lighting in my room came with a cord switch. Why not get one of those for my lamp?

So I just ordered one.

Note: You might like this one if you don’t like the one I ordered

It’s pretty simple to use, but it will only work for you if your item is plugged into a reachable outlet. Remember, you have to be able to reach the switch otherwise using it is pointless.

So how does it work?

Simply plug the lamp cord into the cord switch, then plug the cord switch into an outlet or surge protector and flip the button on the cord on and off as needed. No more unplugging cords and no need to climb up and down to get to the on and off switch on the lamp, etc.

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Small Homes: Inside Look at Redecorating My Small Living Room

ttnorris — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 14:39:37 +0000

Stay with me as I redecorate my small living room and kitchen. View video clips below. I hope something helps you out along the way!

Above you can check out the clips of what my living room, kitchen and coat closet look like. The living room clips above are what my living room looks like before I get my sectional sofa.

Below you can check out the video clip of my living room with the new sectional sofa I purchased (Canyon 3 Piece Modular Sectional Sofa).

Photos of the sectional are also included below. The thing is huge but absolutely gorgeous. I’m not sure if the photos and clip give a real impression of how it looks, but it’s the best I could do.

Note: I purchased the sectional sofa set and the ottoman. Photos at retailers’ website usually show the Canyon 3 Piece Modular Sectional Sofa with the ottoman. So note you will have to purchase the ottoman as well if you want it. You can get it for $215 at the moment.

Decorating my living room may be considered quite costly for budget-minded folks. So far it cost about $2070 to decorate it.

Shelving, wall standards and brackets were purchased at Lowes. Everything cost about $300-350 total.
EZ Anchors and screws were purchased at Home Depot.
Sectional sofa was about $1800 with shipping included. Shipping was “free.” However, we all know they sneak shipping in the price of the items you buy. It’s never truly free. But I’d rather know up front than have to work to find out how much I’ll have to pay for something with shipping included.
Bob Marley Beaded Curtain cost about $70 with shipping included.

And the journey continues. Stay tuned for more videos.

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Small Homes: Home Office Makeover

ttnorris — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 19:31:58 +0000

In a previous forum post of mine, I showed photos of a bedroom of mine that I’m turning into a home office. However, I thought it was a good idea to share the most important parts on the main part of this site. Since then I’ve done a tad bit more work and at the end of the month, I’ll be adding office shelving to the room. However, in the meantime I wanted you to see how it looks so far.

I think one thing remains true… color makes a HUGE difference in a small room. The room looks so much better to me with color.

Before Home Office Makeover Photos and Clips

White walls which not only look boring but also really dirty and the really ugly dark brown doesn’t do much for the room either.

During Home Office Makeover Photos and Clips

Here I’ve just begun. You can see the curtains but they are currently too long. Mom said she would sew them for me… and she did!

Latest Home Office Makeover Photos and Clips

Here you can see how the curtains have been sewn and how they now look. Also, you can check out one of the white trims. It’s pretty much done. However, I will have to touch it up later to remove a tad bit of brown that’s still showing. You can also check out the plant light I added. It still have to tack down the cords, though.

Once I’ve done a bit more work, I’ll be posting those photos as well. I’m anxious to see how the room looks with the white trim completely done. It seems to me that although the dark brown trim isn’t a big part of the design, it has large impact on how the room feels. In short, it really does make a huge difference in the overall look and feel.

Lastly, before I forget. If you’re interested in the color I used to paint the room. I used a Behr Paint color called “Tide Pools.” To be exact, it’s called “480E-2 Tide Pools.” And I got the flat based version, rather than gloss or semi-gloss. You can get it at your local Home Depot.

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Small Homes: Cat’s Gorgeous Work-Sleep Space

ttnorris — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 09:37:15 +0000

When you’re given 63 square feet to turn into a bedroom and a workspace, there’s a fine line between cozy and cramped–especially when your wallet is wearing thin. Given that I could not sacrifice desk space for floor space, my approach was simple: neutral colors, maximum light, and efficient storage.

a before photo of cat’s room

Highlights of Cat’s Room

My first step was to install click-lock floors over thin, blue-black carpeting and replace worn dark closet doors with long canvas panels, both of which, thanks to IKEA, were extremely budget friendly (if only I could upload a ‘before’ picture–I nearly cried when I first saw the room!). The light colors made a world of difference.

I had originally intended to install wall shelves, but to my chagrin the wall was cinder block–which, considering that the room is a rental, I was not extremely excited about drilling into. I compensated by purchasing a fantastic, wonderfully large, glass-top desk with crafty shelved legs that allow for comfortable access to a desktop and laptop computer as well convenient space to store books, cables, sub woofers, and any other knick knacks I could need for work.

To keep it from overwhelming the room, I added a canopy between the bed and desk to create the illusion of a separate sleep space.

I used a bright white lamp for the desk and a dimmer, yellower lamp (to create a softer coloring) across from it. Then I added mirrors across the walls and on the back of the door to reflect my light sources off of one another, which brightened up the room tremendously.

Thankfully, my closet space was just enough – but I added a wicker chest at the foot of the bed to house any extra linens or sweatshirts, and a bread box to my bookshelf for loose cables and odds and ends (both thrift store finds).

I believe the best rooms are unique, inviting, and, most importantly, personal. And while certainly minimalism makes decorating small spaces easier, there is also a distinct difference between a full room and a cluttered room.

Note: This is a beautiful room. You’ve done an excellent job, Cat. You can really see the difference when comparing the before and after photos. You would never think it was the same room!

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Small Homes: Antonia’s Stylish Studio

ttnorris — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 12:20:17 +0000

I am a design student in Los Angeles and I live in a studio apartment that is approximately 300 square feet. I’m all about my studio, its one of my favorite projects to work on. Its important to me to visually divide up the space with out making it feel cramped, to make sure it actually works for me, and of course, to make sure if looks great!

Highlights of Antonia’s Room

The space is divided up into ten different spaces:

1. This is a picture of my entryway it’s a place where I can kick off my shoes, throw my purse on the antler wall-hook and get ready to “be home”. At the end of the short hall you see shelves that I have lined up off the wall for all my design magazines, large books, and DVDs. I rescued the three-legged chair from the side of the road and refurbished it; it’s a great classic piece with a new lease on life!

2. The next photo is of my dining area and the kitchen. Having a counter instead of a table really saves a lot of space and I can scoot the stools in so they stay out of the way. I have a window shade hanging down between the kitchen and the counter so I can separate the kitchen from the rest of the studio to hide a cooking mess in a flash.

3. This is a picture of the living area when it’s being a guest space. Although my home is small, I love it when friends and family stay over and I like them to have a nice place to sleep.

4. This photo is taken from the same place as the previous picture to show the guest space when it’s transformed back into the living room space. My couch is simple convertible, a must in a small apartment!

5. This is the living room space from another angle. My style is minimal and clean. The couch comes off the wall helping to define what my living space is and faces my only source of natural light in my studio, my balcony.

6. My balcony is one of my favorite areas, it’s such a nice place to hang out and my living area is set up as an extension of the balcony. It’s amazing how much plants can give a space a lush and fresh feel, I have them in almost every area of the house.

7. This photo is of my bedroom area. I’ve divided it off from the rest of my studio with sheer curtains. They give me some privacy when I close them but aren’t so heavy that it makes the room feel crowded and small.

8. In the same area of my bed, is my closet. I love it; I’ve found ways to put every inch to use! Its also great because the closet doors are mirrored, so they reflect light and the darkest corner and make the space where my bed is look twice as big.

9. Right by my bed, is my piano. I have a keyboard to save space (a baby grand would take up a quarter of the space and its almost be worth it!) and so i can plug in headphones and play whenever I want and not bug the neighbors.

10. Right next to the piano is my library/nick-knack shelf. Not only is it a great storage for my books, it also holds my vintage camera (all found at thrift stores) old photos, projects from my school, and my computer. It also divides the bedroom area from the piano area. I rescued the chair from a thrift store, it’s the perfect height for my keyboard and the perfect height for my computer all I have to do is swivel and tap away!

I hope you enjoyed the photo tour of my small studio space!

Note: Wow, Antonia. I did enjoy the tour. You are certainly utilizing your design skills. Who wants a big place when they can have your studio apartment? Talk about a small piece of heaven. I’d trade in my two-bedroom for your studio apartment anyday. You are definitely gifted. Thank you for supporting the site by sending in the gorgeous photos of your studio apartment!

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Small Homes: Julya’s Comfy Cozy Living Room

ttnorris — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 11:30:30 +0000

Our apartment is what New Yorkers like to call “RailRoad Style” so there is no room in the house more than 10.5′ wide. So you can imagine how tiny our living room is.

Highlights of Julya’s Room

I think we’ve made beautiful use of this 10.5′ × 12.5′ (I am not joking!) space by angling the couch in the longer direction to fool the eye to thinking the room is bigger than it really is. We have a gorgeous faux fireplace that sits across from the couch so that when you are in the room, it stands as the center.

We are very grateful to friends and the community for the other furniture we have. The “couch” which really is a (broken) futon was taken from our parent’s basement, along with the two orange armchairs. The chest is borrowed from my aunt and the other wooden table was found on the street. The rug was bought for $5 at a charity yard sale and the curtains were recycled from our parents. Nothing really matches and if HGTV saw the room, they would probably laugh, but as 24-year-old recent graduates trying to start our careers in this big city, this is home, no matter how small.

Note: Julya, I think your living room exudes warmth and I’d be right at home in it. Maybe it’s not HGTV-perfect but most small homes rarely are since most of us have to account for budget and aren’t design experts. But you’ve done a nice job with what you have and feeling at home in your small place is what counts. Thanks so much for sending photos of your lovely living room and supporting FFSS! It is always appreciated.

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Small Homes: Karen’s Chic Studio Apartment Layout

ttnorris — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 10:56:03 +0000

When I first saw this space, I was sad and wondered how I’d ever be able to live in it… it was so small and had zero character.

This is the studio apartment I moved to after my husband left me a few months ago. I call it the Fonzie Room because it’s on top of a garage attached to a house like the Fonz lived in on Happy Days above Mr. & Mrs. C’s home.

Highlights of Karen’s Room

My husband and I had a nice 4 bedroom home, so it was a real challenge to feel comfortable in the confines of the Fonzie Room. I had a lot of things and wanted to keep as much as I could without paying for storage on top of the apartment expense.

With a little creativity, I was able to reuse a lot of things I already had and made it work beautifully. The dark blue window accents, for example, were shower curtains I had sewn for our old house. We had 2 full living rooms before and I was able to incorporate most of that furniture with my bedroom in a way that is both functional and appealing to the eye. Strategic use of mirrors helps a lot with feeling like your space is larger. A trip to the fabric store allowed me to match all of my throw pillows for under $20 and really softens the room. I try to keep core items in neutral colors so I can easily modify the theme with small inexpensive touches like pillow fabric and small blankets.

I don’t have a kitchen so I used my bakers rack as a kitchen outfitted with a toaster, microwave etc. I finished the kitchen (top of the stairs wall) with a small refrigerator and coffee pot… that’s all I need. There’s room for a small desk at the top of the stairs opposite the main area where my computers can sit under a window with a nice view. I really can’t complain. There’s a lot to be thankful for.

I love my small space and while I may be going through some rough personal times, it’s nice that I can enjoy a cup of tea and feel relaxed in the comfort of my Fonzie Room

Note: Wow, Karen your room is impressive. If only I could decorate as fabulously as you do. I did a bang-up job. Kudos, for such excellent work!

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Small Homes: Cerella’s Warm and Cozy Oasis

ttnorris — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 13:00:46 +0000

When I moved into my new space, I was bemoaning to a friend how small my bedroom felt… to which they replied, “Well, itâ��s no wonder — youâ��ve got like an entire apartment squeezed into this one room!”

Highlights of Cerella’s Room

A few weeks and some rearranging later, I found myself extremely satisfied with my 11â�� x 12â�� bedroom in the 3-bedroom house I shared with my roommates. I managed to create a layout that is quite cozy and not at all cramped — I even have enough floor space left over that I can fit a spare mattress on the floor when company calls!

By utilizing every square inch of my corners and wall space (placing a bookshelf behind the entry door and even a second bookshelf by the closet door), the room is cozy without being cramped. I rarely use my desk so I opted to keep the storage space from the desk drawers but now use the surface as a TV stand. I have a very small stand I place my laptop on so that I can move around the room (to the bed or my itty-bitty sofa) with this mobile â��workstationâ��. Iâ��ve even managed to squeeze three different lamps into the room in addition to my overhead light so I get plenty of great lighting without cluttering the place.

Itâ��s small and quaint, but itâ��s home! And it certainly feels like an entire apartment nestled comfortably into a small space!

Note: Cerella, thank you so much for your beautiful entry. The paint in the bedroom looks fabulous. It really brings out the beauty of your room!

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