Posts filed under 'Apartment/Small Space Decorating Tips'
Dear Sara Beth,Â
In a recent attempt to assert her independence, my 16 year old daughter moved downstairs into the spare room. It’s a small unfinished room with very little space, but she insists on making this her new bedroom. I don’t want to spend a lot of money on this (since she has a whole bedroom upstairs filled with nice furniture), but I’d like to make her more comfortable down there. The room is literally 6.25′x15′. It has a dark brown carpet, and two walls covered with wood paneling (see picture). The built-in closet is across from the windows. Can you help?
Carolyn, WV
Dear Carolyn,
Ahhh teenagers! Aren’t they a barrel of monkeys. While raising them is your own challenge, we can help with a few decorating ideas.
You can actually use the different wall textures to your advantage by introducing two slightly different styles. This will give the room a larger appearance and visual appeal.
Put the bed in the corner where the two wood panel walls meet. Wood is calming and makes a good backdrop for sleep. Wood also lends itself to a rustic theme, and that’s what I’d suggest for this half of the room. Use linens, a scenic poster or an authentic log nightstand to complete the look. This one is the perfect addition, though you may want a drawer for a smaller room.On the other half of the room, an almost contemporary-lite style will transition well with the wood. I would recommend painting the walls a hazelnut color. This will give light to the deep wood and dark carpet without being washed out. A computer desk or small table can go against the opposite wall from the bed. A full length or large wide mirror will also create a larger room image. Hang on the door or on the wall opposite the bed. If there is room next to the bed, a full length mirror will go nicely there as well.With such little floor space, you have to make use of the other space options, including walls, corners and ceiling. Corner shelving has always been a fabulous space saver. Since these shelves fit snuggly into the corner, you are maximizing whatever little space you have. Secure a shelf to the wall a few feet below the ceiling. This shelf can be used to mount a TV or entertainment system so a large table will not take up your precious floor space. If the walk in closet is enough for all your daughters belongs, great! If not, under bed drawers are the best space savers ever invented. They also keep your belongings fairly well organized. If this is not an option, how about putting a quilt chest at the foot of the bed and covering it with cushioning? This doubles as a seat for company. For smaller items, I say shelves, shelves, shelves. Anything you can put on the wall is off the floor, leaving more room for moving around.Finally, use a nice soft material in a cream or champaign color for the window treatments. Maybe drapes or honeycomb blinds. These window coverings should soften the entire look of the room, and filter light and sun.
Good luck, and thanks for writing in!
November 11th, 2007
We recently came into the ownership of several mirrors. My neighbor’s daughter was getting married, and she didn’t want any of them in her new house. I’m not a pack rat, I just can’t see throwing out a perfectly good object without seeing if it works in my home first. So now I had all these mirrors, and, with my husband tapping his foot in the background, it was time to get creative. Not to toot my own horn, but I think I came up with some pretty good ideas! First let’s look at all the benefits that a mirror can offer, and then we’ll play around with some application.
• A mirror both reflects and enhances light
• A mirror can expand the room size
• A mirror has obvious practical uses
We can make use of all of these. Here are a few creative decorating ideas that take advantage of the versatility and class of the average mirror.
- Place a rustic log mirror in the front foyer or on a wall near the door so that you can give a quick check before walking out the door (no lipstick on your teeth, no food in your hair- aren’t kids the best!)
- Situate a mirror opposite a focal point to accentuate or highlight the item
- Put a mirror behind a set of candlesticks. Glass is an easy surface to clean from the smoke or soot of burning candles, and the reflecting flames creates a dramatic effect
- Turn your window into a periscope by placing two mirrors (one above and one below) the pane. Watch as a beautiful scenic view is reflected right into your home!
- Floor to ceiling mirrors add depth to any room, transforming even a closet into an area of vast distance.
- As funny as this sounds, a nice decorative mirror can hide an unsightly imperfection on the wall (like that ugly oil stain that won’t come off after your kids had a spaghetti tossing contest- just the best!)
- Mirrored placemats for dining or end tables help heighten any meal, and emphasize even a simple piece of ornamentation
- Mount a mirror on the ceiling to make the room look taller or to produce a skylight effect!
- Hang a mirror to match your bedroom set.
- Scrape away some of the glue backing and silver color from the edges of the mirror so that the wall shows through or paint on the chipped away area for a unique frame.
More fun with frames:
- Windowpane frames- Using wood, fashion window pane-sized spaces all around the border of the mirror. Then, fill each pane with your favorite magazine ads or pictures of the family.
- Recycled broken ceramics- Here’s a good one for all you environmentalists. Next time a dish or a project breaks, sand down the sharp edges, and glue around a mirror for an interesting frame idea.
- Grouping mirrors for added effect- A row of the same size and shape mirrors makes an impressive statement, or use a variety for a bit of excitement
- Paint a picture- Take a simple frame in a light shade of wood, and paint on it with watercolors. You can paint a picture, personalize, or continue a theme
Mirrors have tons of diversity and can be used in any room in the house. You can have so much fun letting your imagination run with this creative decorating opportunity. Add a splash of character and class with a new and unusual mirror.
July 8th, 2007
When you’re decorating for space, you have to look at every angle and every possibility. As you all know, I’m always trying to fit as much sleeping room into my home without creating a cramped or cluttered feeling. So before I started shopping (online, of course) I pulled down my pad and pen to make a list called futons vs. bunk beds. Since these were the two pieces that offered the most of what I wanted, I narrowed my wider list down to these final contestants. So here is what came of my futons vs. bunk beds comparison shopping.
Futons vs. Bunk beds
Futons
Versatility: Futons and futon mattresses are comfortable and flexible. Frequently used as a relaxing couch, futons are easily converted into a bed in no time. Futon mattresses come in a variety of patterns and firmnesses, and accenting pillows can brighten up an entire room. Futons come in delightful finishes ranging from light-shaded Beachwood, walnut, log (natural white cedar) or medium oak, to deeper more sophisticated teak, mahogany, and black.
Some people find the arm rests a pleasure, and others view them as a curse. I’ve heard people grumbling that their feet got caught up on the armrest of a futon (is this really a common problem?), and I’ve seen others using it as a comfortable pillow rest. Regardless, futons come with or without arm rests, so this is only a matter of personal taste.
Futons are longer and wider than the average bunk bed. As such futons are suitable for tall adults or for sleeping several children at a time.
Styles range from modern to classic, from contemporary to rustic, and even playful.
Futons come with a variety of features. Add extendable side panels for additional arm support or drink/snack table, underside drawers for storage, and a magazine rack for the latest issue or novel you are reading. Guests will appreciate many of these fun extras.
Bunk beds
Bunk beds give you two beds in one. That is, you can sleep two people while only taking up the floor space of one bed.
Bunk beds are exceptionally fun for children because they offer the diversity of top and bottom bunks. Some people choose to give preference to the eldest child, while others consider it a given that the older one will want the top bunk. The top bunker is allowed a certain level of privacy that the bottom bunker lacks, but the bottom is certainly easier to fall into.
Bunk beds are made from ¾ inch thick aspen boards that are strong and sturdy. Once they’ve landed, they’re not going anywhere!
Bunk beds offer additional features. They can have side shelves for books, pictures and games; underside drawers for clothing, shoes and storage; and drawer chest for clothing and storage and an additional bench or work surface.
In addition, bunk beds come with the option of a full-sized bottom bed, giving you additional bed spaces.
Summary
In closing, my futons vs. bunk beds review seems to suggest that futons are good for bedrooms, living rooms, and dens. Bunk beds provide a more permanent sleeping arrangement for two people. It’s a tough decision, I know! Let me know how it works out.
July 1st, 2007
As I sat relaxing on my newly relocated couch, I took in the scene. I saw that the move was just the beginning. I wasn’t being pessimistic. But now that everything was in it’s place, I could see all the imperfections. This area needed a paint job. That room needed curtains, and this one was lacking the proper lighting. And so the list went on. Needless to say, I was despondent. Fortunately, I’m married to the greatest man in the world. He took my hands into his, and gently explained that with a little work, we would make this new place home. We would tackle each project one at a time, and in the end, our home would be even better than we could have imagined.
So I did what any woman who is trying to feel productive does; I made a list! Each room got its own section, and within each section, I wrote down all the areas that needed to be attended to. With everything organized and clearly spelled out, I was already beginning to feel a little better.
With half the day wasted on my whining, I decided to tackle the smallest room first. It was located upstairs in the back of the house. This room presented a real problem. It was a long narrow room with a door to a balcony porch. I couldn’t put any of my kids in it because the access to the balcony made me too nervous, and anyway it was really too small to make a decent-sized bedroom. But it was too big to be a closet or storage area. After a few minutes of chin rubbing and head scratching, I found my vision! The small size made it cozy, and the door made it light and airy. All signs led to one point; this would be my new sitting room.
I furnished this pint-sized room with a comfortable gliding rocker and ottoman (a present from my mom after the birth of my first child- she mentioned something about ‘if he grows up like you, you’ll need a nice easy chair to collapse into.’ Not quite sure what she meant. . .), and a hearth rug to match the blinds (which we’ll talk about in a later blog). A small round table was placed next to the chair for convenience. On the wall opposite the door, I hung a picture that my father had penciled back when he was in college. It’s of a little girl sitting on a log and playing a banjo, and to this day is one of my favorite possessions.
The picture did a lot for the ambiance, but it was still missing something. The room needed another piece of furniture, one that made an impression, was functional, and didn’t take up a lot of space. With such a limited space, furniture juxtaposition was difficult. Luckily, I found the perfect thing. Corner shelves were exactly what I needed. Shelves served the purpose of both functionality and aesthetics, and these fit snuggly into the corner, hardly taking up any space at all!
Though I haven’t decided yet if I should add a coffee table to this set up, my sitting room is a quiet and peaceful haven. Just the thing after a hard day’s work!
May 13th, 2007