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TABLE OF

CONTENTS 6 12

Stretch Your Space Design professionals share their strategies for making small living areas appear larger.

Make It Yours: Update a Rental Why wait to make a statement?

We share easy upgrades suitable for any space.

14

14

Nesting Instinct

24

Point of Entry

30

Colorful Personality

38

Small-Space Fixes

46

Home on Wheels

Nesting With Grace blogger Brooke Christen employs big ideas to make a compact cottage home sweet home.

Stop clutter at the door! Fashion a mini mudroom in just a few feet with these clever solutions.

A fresh coat of paint, layers of texture, and thoughtful pattern placement revive a formerly dingy cottage.

Budget-friendly can-do solutions settle the disarray of four common problem areas.

Savvy do-it-yourself remedies and an airy color palette take a 250-squarefoot RV from dilapidated to divine.

ON THE COVER

Photographer: John Bessler Producer: Jessica Brinkert Holtam Style and storage go hand in hand in this breakfast area, where everyday dishes decorate shelves and banquette seating secretly stashes cooking gear.

SMALL-SPACE DECORATING 1

52

58

66 74

52 58 66

Walls That Talk Step up the character of your vertical square footage with wall treatments that have something to say.

Winning Formula A Southern California family embrace a small condo, customizing the footprint to make it their own.

Recipes for Success Four resourceful kitchen remodels shine a spotlight on ways to love where you cook.

2 SMALL-SPACE DECORATING

74 80 84

84

Lofty Living Custom-built furniture and reclaimed materials elevate the look and function of an Oregon loft.

Creative Contrast Fresh thinking and thrifty planning bring new life to a dated bath on a budget.

Utility Matters We share smart strategies for organizing the hardest-working areas of your home.

IN EVERY ISSUE

4

from the editor

93

resources

96

weekend project

,

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from the editor

LOVE grows best in little houses.

This is a saying that captured the attention of Nesting With Grace blogger Brooke Christen, whose home appears on our cover, below, and on pages 14Ð23. And it’s a sentiment I can personally testify to.

I grew up in a cozy ranch house, where I shared a bedroom with my older sister. My parents built the house and took great pride in decorating it in 1980s style—think pink shag carpeting, a built-in sofa, oak cabinets, tile countertops, and those fuzzy toilet-seat covers. By today’s standards, the house would be considered small, but for our family of five it felt just right. We had room to explore, but we never felt overwhelmed by space.

Fast-forward several years, and my parents decided that we needed more room. They bought a bigger house on a bigger lot and filled it with more things. I vividly recall the sadness I felt saying goodbye to our little ranch house. I couldn’t shake the feeling that we were letting go of something precious—not just the bank of memories housed there, but the ability and willingness to live with less and be content with that.

Mom decorated our new house with 1990s gusto, and it wasn’t long before the large rooms and vacant hallways warmed up with the activities of family life. But the tug of our old house was strong and, with it, the allure of small-space living. I missed our close quarters and the feeling of togetherness they fostered. I missed how we lived in every inch of that old house. There were no unused rooms or formal spaces, or tabletops for display purposes only. Everything was well-used and well-loved.

Such is the case with all the incredible homes we’re featuring in this issue. Where space is at a premium, creativity soars, and we’re excited to share strategies for adding personality, conquering problem zones, and building in storage from homeowners who have embraced the small-space challenge—and wouldn’t have it any other way.

As for my family’s house journey, we eventually came full circle, selling the large house in favor of a modest two-story that my mom still calls home. We learned a lot along the way about the true meaning of home and the real value of space—and that what you might consider a negative (a shared bedroom!) is often a blessing in disguise.

SAMANTHA HART Editor

4 SMALL-SPACE DECORATING

small space DECORATING TM

Editor SAMANTHA HART Group Art Director NICOLE DEAN TEUT Contributing Editor JESSICA BRINKERT HOLTAM Contributing Designer KRISTIN CLEVELAND Contributing Copy Editor AMY KUEBELBECK Proofreader ANGELA RENKOSKI Administrative Assistant RENAE MABIE

HOME Executive Editor SAMANTHA HART Group Editor ANN BLEVINS Senior Editors BRIAN KRAMER, SALLY FINDER WEEPIE, KRISSA ROSSBUND Senior Associate Editor NATALIE DAYTON Design Directors KIMBERLY MORGAN METZ, MICK SCHNEPF Group Art Director NICOLE DEAN TEUT Associate Art Director JESSICA ENO Assistant Art Director EMILY BUTTERWORTH Senior Graphic Designer BRITTANY MUELLER Administrative Assistants RENAE MABIE, SUE MILLER, KIM O’BRIEN-WOLETT Photography Coordinator ALYSSA RICHARDSON FOOD Executive Editor JAN MILLER Senior Content Manager JESSICA SAARI CHRISTENSEN Senior Editor CARRIE BOYD Design Director STEPHANIE HUNTER Associate Art Director RAE DANNEMAN Administrative Assistant COURTNEY BUSH Director, Meredith Test Kitchen LYNN BLANCHARD Culinary Specialists SARAH BREKKE, JULI HALE, COLLEEN WEEDEN Senior Food Stylist GREG LUNA Food Stylists KELSEY BULAT, LAUREN MCANELLY, SAMMY MILA

GARDEN Senior Content Manager SUSAN APPLEGET HURST Design Director KIMBERLY MORGAN METZ Associate Art Director JESSICA ENO Administrative Assistant KATIE MORT Better Homes & Gardens Test Garden® Manager SANDRA GERDES EDITORIAL ADMINISTRATION Editorial Directors JENNIFER DORLAND DARLING, JILL WAAGE Managing Director, SIM KARMAN WITTRY HOTCHKISS Creative Director MICHAEL D. BELKNAP Assistant Managing Editor JENNIFER SPEER RAMUNDT Copy Chief MARIA DURYEE Senior Copy Editors ERIKA BJORKLUND, MARTHA COLOFF LONG, ANGELA RENKOSKI Business Manager, Editorial CINDY SLOBASZEWSKI Lead Business Office Assistant GABRIELLE RENSLOW Director, Premedia Services AMY TINCHER-DURIK Director, Quality JOSEPH KOHLER Director, Meredith Food Studios ALLISON LOWERY Director, Meredith Test Kitchen LYNN BLANCHARD Director, Meredith Photo Studio REESE STRICKLAND Photo Studio Set Construction Manager DAVE DECARLO Photo Studio Business Manager TERRI CHARTER Premedia Trafficking Supervisor JACQUELINE BEARD Color Quality Analyst BEN ANDERSON

CONTRIBUTING FIELD EDITORS Atlanta Lisa Mowry Baltimore Eileen Deymier Birmingham, AL Cathy Still McGowin Charleston, SC/Savannah Sandra L. Mohlmann Charlotte/San Diego Andrea Caughey Chatham, MA Karin Lidbeck-Brent Chicago Elaine Markoutsas Denver Mindy Pantiel, Elaine St. Louis Detroit/Toronto Khristi S. Zimmeth Jaffrey Center, NH Stacy Kunstel Los Angeles Darra Baker, Laura Hull, Robin Tucker Minneapolis/St. Paul Bonnie Broten, Heidi Pearson Nashville Anna Forkum New Orleans Kimberly Clarke, Margaret Zainey Roux New Paltz, NY Anna Molvik Newport, RI Lynda Sutton Portland, ME Susan Salomon Richmond, VA Paige Porter Fischer San Diego Karen Reinecke San Francisco Sarah Alba Seagrove, FL Eleanor Lynn Nesmith Seattle Linda Humphrey St. Louis Jessica Brinkert Holtam Washington, D.C. Jeanne Blackburn

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STRETCH your space Design experts share their go-to solutions for big looks—and better living—in tight quarters.

Writer Jessica Brinkert Holtam

SHELF LIFE

Shelves don’t have to be deep to be useful.

Most books will fit onto shelves that are just 12 inches deep, which adds up to a lot of utility in not much space. Designer Jennifer Tidwell created a set of shallow shelves bedside in this master bedroom decorated by interior designer Allison Bloom. They turn an otherwise plain side wall into a cozy focal point and storage bonanza for books, artwork, and accessories. Other good spots for this type of storage are the end of a hallway, an upper-level landing, and above windows and doors.

6 SMALL-SPACE DECORATING

CUDDLE UP

Open up floor space by tucking a desk against a wall.

Interior designer Kristin Laing saved even more precious inches by creating an extra-slim desk from a prefab countertop. “At just 20 inches deep, the work top is deep enough to hold a computer, but it’s not a space hog,” Laing says.

IKEA dressers on both sides of the window beef up storage and form a sturdy support system for the countertop. “I took the tops off of the dressers to keep the countertop at desk height and used L brackets to secure the pieces together,” Laing says. “I also cut the lip of the backside of the countertop so it would sit flush against the wall. It was such a super-inexpensive— and easy—project. I love the results and how open the room now feels.”

Small spaces provide the perfect opportunity to bring in pattern and color without busting the budget. Don’t be afraid to introduce personality and be bold. The reward is a room with depth that’s truly special. ÑKristin Laing INTERIOR DESIGNER

Break the rules of what you think you’re supposed to do to create rooms that really work for how you live.

For example, why have a nightstand if a small shelf and sconce would work better? ÑCourtney Warren INTERIOR DESIGNER

SMOOTH MOVES

“Minimize the number of materials you use in a small kitchen,” interior designer Anisa Darnell says. She carried shiplap around the walls of her kitchen, using it to back open shelves, clad the range hood, and conceal a pantry door. Its consistent finish is texturally interesting sans the busyness. “I didn’t want to overwhelm the space with a tile pattern backsplash or high-contrast hood,” Darnell says. Another space-expanding trick: “Opt for clear glass light fixtures,” Darnell says. “They’re pretty and you can pick ones that reflect your style, but they also disappear visually, which is key to a sense of openness and helpful when you don’t want to obstruct a view.”

WHITEOUT

“White makes everything right when you’re dealing with a slanted roofline and small room dimensions,” interior designer Courtney Warren says. Painting the walls, bookcases, and ceiling in her attic space all the same color smoothed out the angles and uplifted the entire space. She rolled out the fun with colorful bedding and vintage pennants that nod to her son’s passion for sports.

“I love how the pennants float on strands of twine and fill in the dead space near the ceiling in a playful way,” Warren says. Using the bookshelves as headboards and nightstands was another home-run solution.

“Wall-hung shelves wouldn’t have worked well because of the ceiling slant, so the bookcases are a great way to show off treasured mementos,” Warren says.

“Plus, my son loves that he can plug in his electronics and have everything close at hand.”

LAYERED APPEAL

“Banquettes are so cozy; they really invite you in for multiple activities,” Bloom says. “Yes, they work for dining, but they’re also comfortable for reading, homework, and game night. This makes them ideal for small spaces, as they can transform a tight area into a mini room.” Tidwell amplified the roomlike feel of this banquette by crowning it with a hanging light fixture and lining one wall with floating shelves. Bloom relaxed the built-in bench seating with a mix of pillows. “Using a variety of pillow sizes and patterns versus a matched set keeps the look informal,” Bloom says, “and it makes design sense, as adults and children can grab and stack pillows to suit.”

SMALL-SPACE DECORATING 9

HEIGHT MATTERS

“Anytime you can draw they eye up, you’ll make ceilings feel taller,” Warren says. She replaced squat medicine cabinets with curvy mirrors to elongate the sink wall in her master bath. “The existing wainscoting helped vertically stretch the room, but I painted it black to amplify the effect and repeat the colors found in the floor,” Warren says. “And yes, a little storage was sacrificed by removing the cabinets, but the mirrors add so much style, it was worth it. I always tell my clients you shouldn’t waste real estate on things you don’t love. There are always options.”

10 SMALL-SPACE DECORATING

DOUBLE THE FUN

Combine two part-time needs—like a kids’ hangout and a guest bedroom—into one always-useful room.

Tidwell freed up floor space for trucks and trains to take a spin by adding a built-in Murphy bed in this room.

Finishing the closed cabinet front with chalkboard paint allows it to serve as another creative outlet whenever the space is in play mode.

A small shelving unit puts a dollhouse at just the right height for little ones but is easily cleared off when guests need a nightstand.

Bloom added an oscillating lamp with an arm reach capable of swinging out around the bed frame.

SEEING THE LIGHT

“I like to use floating shelves to foster a sense of expansiveness,” says Julia Marcum, c0-founder of the blog Chris Loves Julia.

“Anytime you can raise storage elements off the floor, you allow light to travel more freely, which in turn makes a room feel more spacious.” Marcum and her husband, Chris, put this theory to work in their media room, using reclaimed fir shelves—attached to the wall studs with L brackets— to add dimension. The couple capped off the shelves with a header that houses wiring for a trio of sconces. “Layers of lighting are important to the mood of any room,” Marcum says, “but when you can add lighting without taking up floor space, it’s a big win-win in tight quarters.”

For Resources, see page 93.

It always pays to incorporate pieces that can multitask.

Furnishings that can serve you in a variety of ways will never be ‘taking up’ valuable square footage. ÑJulia Marcum BLOGGER @ CHRIS LOVES JULIA

make it

yours

UPDATE A RENTAL Personalize a rental—or any small space—without a permanent commitment with these affordable DIY upgrades.

PROBLEM

There’s no character QUICK FIXES

► HARDWARE Freshen bathroom and/or kitchen cabinets with modern knobs and pulls. (Save the originals for when you move out.) Check out ikea.com. ► LIGHT-SWITCH COVERS For a style boost, swap out old plastic light-switch covers for something different.

Remove the covers when your lease is up or check with your landlord about leaving them for the next tenant to enjoy. Try Nostalgic Warehouse plates at wayfair.com. ► CEILING MEDALLIONS Add prominence to a pretty light fixture by hanging a lightweight plastic medallion on the ceiling above it. Look for two-piece split designs—which slip easily around an existing light fixture—at home center stores.

These lamps dim and adjust for comfy reading in bed.

12 SMALL-SPACE DECORATING

Tile-look sheets stick on for instant style.

TIPS FROM A

SERIAL RENTER Chelsea Coulston’s military family has lived in seven homes in 10 years. Her blog, Making Home Base, chronicles their DIY adventures.

PROBLEM

BLAH BATH QUICK FIX PROBLEM

Dated backsplash QUICK FIX

When your Dream Kitchen Pinterest Board ambitions are out of reach, stick-on tiles are a frugal shortcut to a pretty backsplash. Sheets of Tic Tac Tiles (shown above in Marmo White) come in a variety of colors and styles. The moistureresistant sheets can be cut to fit using scissors or a utility knife, then applied over paint, ceramic tiles, mirrors, or wallpaper. If you need to remove the sheets, warm them with a blow dryer to soften the adhesive backing then peel them off. A nonabrasive cleanser removes any leftover glue. $38 (ten 10×10-inch sheets); tictactiles.com.

Don’t underestimate the power of a new showerhead.

Give your bathroom a spa upgrade for less than $100.

Bonus: If you buy one labeled WaterSense, you might trim your monthly water bill.

(It uses 20 percent less water than the industry standard.)

OK the swap with your landlord or store the original to reinstall. Try Delta’s In2ition Five-Spray Two-inOne Combo Kit, from $70; homedepot.com.

WORTH-IT UPDATE So many rentals have beige or yellowwhite walls. A fresh coat of paint will give your space a clean backdrop.

TALK TO YOUR LANDLORD “If you’re updating in a way that brings value, the majority of landlords will not only approve but be grateful for your work,” Coulston says. She gives her landlord the plan details, including how it will improve the property.

REPURPOSE ROOMS Rethink space to better serve your needs.

Use a coat closet as a pantry or a linen closet to store toys.

PROBLEM

YOUR SPACE FEELS PERPETUALLY DARK QUICK FIXES

► PLUG-IN SCONCES Sure, you could add another table lamp, but sconces also add architectural interest with no more hassle than drilling a couple of holes and turning a screwdriver. Shown opposite: Wray Black and Antique Brass wall lamps, $120 for two; lampsplus.com. ► LIGHT CONVERSION KITS Turn recessed lights into pendants for impact in the entry or above a kitchen sink. Try the Portfolio Polished Nickel Pendant Light Conversion Kit, $23; lowes.com. ► UNDERCABINET LIGHTS A length of dimmable LED tape light under cabinets supplies task lighting. Customize the Plug & Light LED Under Cabinet Tape Light Kit for your space. From $35; aqlightinggroup.com.

PROBLEM

The mirror is naked QUICK FIX

Don’t settle for an uninteresting, unfinished wall mirror in the bathroom. Frame it instead.

MirrorMate builds a custom-size frame that sticks onto the mirror edge with heavy-duty tape. It’s removable, but it’s so good-looking your landlord might ask you to leave it. mirrormate.com SMALL-SPACE DECORATING 13

tune up Anything is fair game for a paint job, according to Nesting With Grace blogger Brooke Christen, including her greatgrandmother’s piano. Painted a chalky pale pink (with a wax top finish), the piano doesn’t take up a lot of visual space within the tight confines of the living room. “I always like the look of neutrals, but when I try them, it feels off,” Brooke says. “This pink is pale enough it mixes well with any color.”

nesting

INSTINCT A young family downsizes to a 1,100-square-foot Cape Cod and upsizes their together time.

Writer Jody Garlock Photographer John Bessler Producer Jessica Brinkert Holtam

family time “A small house doesn’t define you or your worthiness—or even your wealth,”says Brooke, with husband Kevin and kids Ella, 11, Lola, 9, and Finn, 3.

“We just chose a different lifestyle.”

1,100 SQUA RE FE ET CHALLENGES: Finding places in an older house that has tiny closets (or in some rooms, no closets) for the gear an active family of five uses every day.

BEST-LOVED FEATURES: A window seat and banquette, which provide extra seating and concealed storage.

KEY SMALL-SPACE HACK: Using a few big pieces of furniture to make a statement rather than lots of smaller pieces.

SMALL-SPACE DECORATING 1

L

ove grows best in little houses. When Brooke Christen saw that statement on a decorative sign as she was shopping one day, she felt like the artist was speaking

directly to her. At the time, she and her husband, Kevin, were figuring out life in a 1,100-square-foot home in Connecticut with two young children. They were far from family, and their new home was three times smaller than the house they left behind in Utah. “The moment I read it,” Brooke says, “I knew we’d adopt it as our motto.”

For Brooke, the move to the 1950s Cape Cod (which she’d seen only in photos before setting off across the country) meant paring down.

At the same time, she didn’t want to be afraid to bring in large-scale pieces, including her great-grandmother’s piano where her two girls continue to learn to play. “I say go big or go home,” says Brooke, an interior designer who blogs about decorating at Nesting With Grace.

“I find if you use bigger pieces, your house can actually look bigger.”

Five years after the move, and with a third child added to the mix, the Christen house is full to the brim with cozy accents. Going small has simply meant getting creative in stylish ways. “It surprised me that really you don’t sacrifice anything in a smaller house,” Brooke says. “We chose location—close to schools and downtown—over square footage and couldn’t be happier.”

For Resources, see page 93.

fireside chats Although the Christens’ home had loads of charm, one thing it lacked was a fireplace. Brooke got creative in the living room, adding an electric insert framed out by bricks. To get an idea of scale, she taped off the area for the insert and mantel. She landed on placing the mantel at about eye level to make the walls appear taller.

“Putting it closer to the fireplace visually cut the room in half,” she says.

paint to the rescue Concrete primer and bright white paint proved a quick way to pull blah gray concrete steps in line with an updated railing. Brooke took the look up a notch with a black-and-white painted runner. Sporting a coat of pink paint, the new wood door is also an attentiongetter and hints at what’s to come in the house. The marble pebble walkway was a $30 improvement.

16 SMALL-SPACE DECORATING

Add flexibility to a tight space with swivel chairs.

These chairs spin to allow for group chats or quieter moments facing the fireplace.

living large The living room built-ins and window seat sold Brooke on the house when she saw photos of it.

“I love the thought of curling into a window seat with a good book, and I love catching my kids doing it,” she says. The large sofa (with a single cushion for a streamlined look) provides plenty of seating. Brooke opted for a natural linen that wouldn’t overwhelm the room. In the built-ins she pulled out a few shelves to create larger openings that are perfect for holding bigger items—which in turn allow the eye to rest.

Don’t waste space under your window!

Adding a window seat—and built-in cubby below— gives you seating and storage in one. And it’s such a charming detail to add to a room. ÑBrooke Christen HOMEOWNER, INTERIOR DESIGNER, AND BLOGGER @ NESTING WITH GRACE

MIND THE BUDGET Brooke Christen shares insights on how to decorate smartly on a budgetÑand in a small house. ► STREAMLINE WITH PAINT The first thing the Christens did was paint all of the walls (except the master bedroom) the same white. “Doing this gives consistency to a small space—and you can save money by buying a 5-gallon bucket,” Brooke says. ► ADD LAYERS OF LIGHT Brooke loves wall sconces for a boost of light above artwork, by a bed or desk, or in a hallway. Her “magic light trick”: Brooke outfits sconces (or lamps that aren’t near outlets) with battery-powered puck lights instead of lightbulbs to avoid hiring an electrician. ► SHOP YOUR HOME When Brooke wants to change things up for a different season, she gives rooms a once-over to see what she can swap out.

“I’m guaranteed to find something I like since I already bought it once,” she says. “It’s fun to see an accessory get a second life in a different spot.” ► INCORPORATE PLANTS “Plants add so much life, texture, and warmth—they’re one of my favorite accessories,” Brooke says. She suggests starting with something easy to keep alive, such as a pothos or snake plant. Big-box stores and grocery stores are her go-to shopping haunts for affordable options.

18 SMALL-SPACE DECORATING

fresh front

open invitation

The look before was dark and dated. Now it’s light and bright. For Brooke, remodeling the kitchen was a game changer—making the space seem visually larger and lifting her spirits. To save money, the couple kept the existing configuration and the original cabinet bones, opting for new doors and a new white color scheme.

New hard maple butcherblock countertops and brass hardware warm up the white cabinets, appliances, and subway-tile backsplash. A patterned porcelain tile underfoot adds bold interest.

Brooke grabs storage space wherever she can.

To free up cabinet space, the kettle lives on the stove, knives and pot holders are mounted to the side of the fridge, and a big basket on top of the fridge serves as a makeshift pantry for bags of snacks. She’s also ruthless about what lives inside the cabinets. “There’s only one mug allowed per family member, plus two extra for guests,” Brooke says. “When it comes to storage in a small kitchen, you just have to be selective about what you keep. We try to store only things we use daily.”

gather ’round Brooke wasn’t afraid to reassign rooms.

When the dining room became Finn’s bedroom, she carved out an eating area in the kitchen.

“Building a banquette with a round table gave us space to do that,” Brooke says. The banquette provides storage for small appliances and the kids’ craft items. An oversize light fixture defines the eating nook, but Brooke made sure her pick had an airy look so it wouldn’t overpower.

Small floating shelves hold a few bowls and dishes. “I love to use everyday items as decor,” Brooke says.

Add piano hinges to banquette seating to make it easier to access hidden storage.

Two types of peel-and-stick wallpaper—a bird print and faux brick motif—add textural interest.

A sleeper sofa floats in the center of the room, defining the dormer area behind it as the kids’ play area while smartly shielding toys from the main sitting area.

pro multitasker Movie night. Play room.

Guest bedroom. What was originally a bedroom is now a much-used hangout that reflects Brooke’s belief in making rooms work for how your family lives.

“We get our money’s worth out of this room,” she says.

A drop-leaf table—a $10 find at an antiques store that Brooke refreshed with gray paint—has a slim profile, allowing it to work as an end table when its leaves are not extended for playing games. Poufs work as a coffee table or for seating—and are easy to move when converting the sofa into a bed.

double the fun

desk duty

Sharing a bedroom was new to Ella and Lola, who discovered they liked it as much as Brooke liked the comfort of having them together in one room. Brooke broke with space-saving convention, nixing bunk beds for twin beds with storage.

“I’m in love with the look of side-by-side twin beds,” she says, also noting that she likes the accessibility for both girls. Accent walls done with bold wallpaper—usually peel-and-stick for installation ease—are one of Brooke’s signature looks. “The wall behind a bed is one of the best places for an accent wall,” she says. For the girl’s room, she wanted a pattern (and overall look) that wasn’t too childish. The ocean-motif wallpaper nods to the room’s subtle beachy vibe.

Brooke looked to the past to give both girls their own desks and yet still fit in a dresser, tucking vintage-style school desks from Walmart under the sloped eaves of the attic bedroom. She painted the legs—one desk pink, one blue—to personalize each piece.

lucky find Without a closet, the girls’ bedroom relies on drawers for clothes storage. Brooke spotted this pink vintage dresser in a consignment store for less than $100.

“I wanted something with character,” she says.

“Sometimes it takes time to find exactly what you want and for the price you want to pay, but I always find it’s worth the wait.”

SMALL-SPACE DECORATING 21

looking up At 10×11 feet, the master bedroom is far from big.

Still, Brooke didn’t shy away from painting walls a dark moody gray and bringing in a substantial upholstered headboard and footboard.

“I really wanted it to feel cozy,” she says. The ceiling got a makeover with faux wood wallpaper—a relatively low-cost way to cover up odd tiles.

outer bounds The spruced-up backyard deck gave the couple something they desperately wanted: space for entertaining. “It feels like our home doubles in size when the weather warms up,” Brooke says. The couple freshened everything (rail spindles included) with gray paint and used navy and white porch paint to create a striped “rug” that defines the sitting area.

To max out tabletop space, we hung sconces instead of using lamps.

You can figure out a solution 99 percent of the time when you’re dealing with tight spaces.

—Brooke Christen

bathing beauty The couple remodeled the upstairs bath after moving in, but recent changes have made it more livable. A new larger vanity—a counter/sink/base ensemble purchased online— provides better storage. Brooke spray-painted the handles gold to match the faucet and fixtures.

The shiplap-style walls are moisture-resistant PVC boards designed for exterior trim. Wood coat hooks are a space-saving alternative to a towel bar.

22 SMALL-SPACE DECORATING

A vinyl privacy screen attached to garden stakes and screwed to the side of the deck cozies up the alfresco seating area.

point of

ENTRY Two mini mudrooms outfitted with customized storage— plus a gallery of ideas— prove that even small entryways can live large with careful planning.

This combination of crates and shelves takes up only 4×1 feet of space.

mudroom solution #1

modern make

transparent stash

Turn the catchall space by a door into a mini mudroom by pairing shelves with a bench. Solid melamine shelving and a mix of stained and painted apple crates give this space an industrial look.

To keep the bench from sagging, make the length 36 inches or less. Reinforce the shelves with brackets, hidden cleats, and a single metal hairpin leg. Put additional crates to work as ready-made shelves for electronics and bins of outwear. For a splash of color, line the back of the crates with paper- or fabric-wrapped cardboard.

Take a page from traditional office storage and incorporate tiered units so you can see what you need and grab it quickly on your way out the door. This hammock-style organizer keeps sunglasses visible while protecting them from getting scratched.

right at hand Set out a small tray or dish to corral keys, headphones, and loose change as you walk in the door. Use mini drawers to stow shared items like chargers and cords in one place while hiding any mess.

support network Use hooks to keep jackets, bags, and leashes within easy reach. Position the hooks so they’re convenient for all family members. Placing hooks at different heights allows kids to hang up their own items without a parent’s help.

SMALL-SPACE DECORATING 25

catchall cubby Reclaim open square footage by a door with a ready-made cabinet—or build your own.

Customize the cabinet to fit your decor. In this space a bench cushion provides a soft landing spot for putting shoes on and taking them off.

For instant patina, the back of the piece is lined with a peel-and-stick wood plank wallcovering.

An assortment of hooks and shelves makes the most of the vertical space.

Install a shelf to get more usable space out of a cubby.

This melamine shelf rests on hidden cleats screwed into the sides.

mudroom solution #2

Begin any mudroom makeover by taking inventory of all the items you truly need to store by the door. Then build or designate a specific storage spot for each item. divide and conquer Baskets can help organize water bottles, pet paraphernalia, and hats and mittens. A pro tip: Cut an MDF panel to use as a divider for baskets that need to hold multiple items or gear for more than one person.

dirt trapper Set out a waterproof tray to hold shoes while they dry.

It helps catch melting snow, mud, and grass clippings before they’re tracked through the house.

box Õem in Cubbies outfitted with baskets, bins, and boxes can establish places for necessary gear and hide less-attractive items. Here, woven boxes keep clutter to a minimum while reinforcing the mudroom’s cottage style.

Labels ensure everyone knows where items go.

GET OUT THE DOOR ON TIME Ease the time-wasting bottleneck by the door with storage for on-the-go essentials. ► BE CONSISTENT Store everyday items like purses, coats, and keys near the door and in the same place each time you use them. When you come home, hang them from a specific hook so you won’t have to search for them in the morning. ► SIMPLIFY Fewer options can mean easier decisions, which means you can get out the door faster. To cut entryway clutter, find another home for out-ofseason coats and accessories. Edit shoe storage to match daily habits.

SMALL-SPACE DECORATING 27

mudroom gallery

on the up and up Capitalize on wasted square footage by a staircase with built-in bench seating boasting drawers. In this entry, recessed shelves, vertical beaded board, and extra-wide crown molding work together to draw the eye upward, helping the area feel more spacious.

mudroom gallery

ready to work

Allison Allen, who blogs at Deuce Cities Henhouse, converted her entry into a hardworking mudroom by adding tile, coat hooks, and a pair of chalkboards to a short run of wall.

Featuring dark grout to help conceal dirt, the tile makes the wall extra durable and easy to wipe clean.

cubby system

welcome home

straight and narrow

For storage in a jiffy, install a shelving unit with bag hooks. Assign a cubby to each family member.

Use large fabric bins for pet supplies, library books, sporting equipment, or cold-weather gear. Bring in a chair or stool so there’s a place to sit when pulling on boots or tying shoes.

To create a casual-looking entry without sacrificing functionality, Chris and Julia Marcum, of the blog Chris Loves Julia, added a dresser to hold hats, gloves, and dog leashes.

Wallpaper provides a bold accent wall for hooks hung at a variety of levels to serve both adults and kids.

Use tongue-and-groove boards to form a decorative backdrop for a series of handy hooks. To maximize storage, add a simple bench with leg supports that double as right-size cubbies for baskets.

For Resources, see page 93.

SMALL-SPACE DECORATING 29

COLORFUL personality Fresh paint and a happy mix of prints and patterns help a 1924 cottage rediscover its inner charm.

Writer Samantha S. Thorpe Photographer Kim Cornelison Stylist Scott Horne Producer Sarah Alba

BE FO RE

3 SMALL-SPACE DECORATING

mantel makeover To modernize the living room fireplace, interior designers Tish Key and Laurie Bauch covered it with brick veneer. A coat of white paint blends the brick with the walls. A new streamlined mantel echoes the floor’s wood tone. Key selected two smaller-scale sofas and an acrylic coffee table to round out the seating area in a cozy way without crowding the room. A hanging chair adds a bit of movement.

1,250 SQ UAR E F E E T CHALLENGES: Heavily textured walls and dark shutters made this tiny cottage feel even smaller.

An underused third bedroom squashed the layout.

BEST-LOVED FEATURE: The just-for-fun wallpaper in the powder room.

KEY SMALL-SPACE HACK: Painting walls white throughout. The home now bounces light and rooms flow smoothly from one to another, creating a more open feel.

O

n the outside, this Orange, California, cottage looked cute

and appealing. But inside, it was less than cozy. “The house

was really dark and worn, and it had an unusual, heavy texture

on the walls,” interior designer Tish Key says.

Key and her design partner, Laurie Bauch, knew smoothing out

the walls was a must-do—as was replacing a multicolor wall palette with a single hue of white. “Giving all of the walls the same finish gave the house a cohesive feel,” Bauch says.

It also created a blank canvas that allowed the designers to channel a modern bohemian style with layers of texture, including sheepskin throws, plush area rugs, and embellished textiles. Strategically placed wallpapers pump up the personality—even in unexpected places like the ceilings. “When walls are neutral, you need the floors and ceilings to have some personality,” Key says.

Swapping out shutters for matchstick blinds and softening windows with white draperies encouraged the light to pour in.

“The house came alive when we let the light in,” Bauch says.

“Now everything feels bigger.”

For Resources, see page 93.

shine on Brass accents, such as the buffet table in the dining room, introduce a subtle sheen to spaces. “We looked at everything as a balance of masculine and feminine, textural and smooth, and wove it all together,” Key says. “We wanted the rooms to be feminine but not too girly, fun but sophisticated.”

32 SMALL-SPACE DECORATING

high contrast, low color A blend of neutral-color materials—a feathery light fixture, a brass buffet, a wood table—create a playful, lighthearted feel in the dining room. The mood is amplified by a budget-friendly, large-scale equine photo. “Hanging one big, simple image on the wall is less complicated and more noteworthy than putting up lots of art in a small space like this,” Key says.

Translucent furnishings work exceptionally well in small spaces to deliver functionality without adding visual weight.

Vintage elements, such as the tiled backsplash and countertop, feel charming rather than outdated when paired with new appliances.

When you’re designing small spaces, instead of thinking about how to make them feel bigger, think about how to make them feel more alive and cozy. ÑLaurie Bauch INTERIOR DESIGNER

palette do-over Key and Bauch kept the original tile and cabinets in the kitchen but turned the existing red-ribbon backsplash accent into the room’s color inspiration. Fresh white paint and new hardware revived the cabinets—and blended them into the beaded-board-clad walls with space-enhancing results. Overhead, red-and-white wallpaper provides a big hit of pattern without overwhelming.

color tune up B EF O R E

A bright red front door and white window trim added dimension—and vintage appeal—to the Tudor cottage’s original blue-and-beige facade.

PATTERN MATTERS Interior designers Tish Key and Laurie Bauch share tips for putting pattern and texture to work. ► EVERY SURFACE COUNTS Ceilings, walls, and floors all make up a room. Pattern can add interest up high as well as on a wall or floor—and in a small space, going high or low rather than head-on can add pep without busyness. ► INTRODUCE TEXTURE Weave texture rather than color into rooms that you want to feel calm but intriguing. Layers of white and cream—some fuzzy, some nubby, some smooth—uplift a monochromatic bedroom in this home. ► CONSIDER A PATTERN’S INTENSITY The stylish pop of the red-and-gold paper in the powder room is ideal for energizing a small space that people visit frequently but don’t stay in too long. In contrast, the small random brushlike strokes of the khaki-and-cream wallpaper in the bedroom exude a tranquil feel that’s soothing both in the morning and at night.

SMALL-SPACE DECORATING 35

Hanging draperies just below the ceiling, rather than just above the frame, makes walls feel taller and windows feel larger than they actually are.

If space constraints force you to put your bed in front of windows, you might as well turn it into a design statement. ÑTish Key INTERIOR DESIGNER

BEFORE

see-through style

trading places

powder punch

Blocking natural light with a bed is never ideal, but the designers made the best of the situation with an airy iron frame that defines the bed as a focal point while still allowing light to pass through the headboard. Ruching and a sheepskin pillow make the all-white bedding interesting and yet the neutral palette does not compete with the wallpaper.

Bauch and Key improved the functionality of the cottage’s layout by turning a tiny unneeded middle bedroom into a walk-in closet. “The house was designed in 1924,” Bauch says. “Each of the bedrooms had only a coat-size closet, so this transition was significant for everyday living.” Now built-in cabinets, a graphic rug, geometric wallpaper on the ceiling, and a mirrored console match style with function.

The bland powder room needed a pick-me-up. A wow wallpaper was the perfect solution. “The paper makes that little space feel so special,” Key says. “Because people don’t spend much time in a powder room, it’s a good place to try a bold wallpaper.”

SMALL-SPACE DECORATING 3

media storage

small-space

FIXES Four homeowners share how they conquered problem zones and moved from chaos to calm with budget-saving, DIY solutions.

A

what they did

B

PROBLEM

With the TV hung above the living room mantel, there was no place to stash the corresponding electronic equipment, so gear sat on the floor next to the fireplace in a tangled mess.

► THE CABINET Lauren and Robert used a bridge cabinet—the kind typically used over a range, refrigerator, or sink to fill the space between cabinets. Robert cut out the panels in the cabinet doors and stapled on two aluminum sheets to hide the electronic equipment yet allow remote controls to work when the doors are closed. He also cut out a section of the cabinet back to ease access to the TV cords. ► THE FRAME The couple built a base on the floor out of 2×4s to support the cabinet. They mounted the cabinet to the base and added 2×4 vertical supports in each nook corner and around the outside of the cabinet to hold it in place and make it strong enough for seating. They built a plywood face on both sides of the cabinet and reinstalled the old baseboard and quarter-round trim along the front. ► THE BENCH It consists of two boards attached to the vertical supports. One has a cutout in the back corner for the cords.

Lauren got lucky with a ready-made cushion that fit. Bonus: The cushion features easy-clean indoor-outdoor fabric.

C

SOLUTIONS A. Call Lauren and Robert Shaver in-the-box thinkers. To stow electronic components near their television, they made a window seat from a kitchen cabinet. Now their TV receiver, surround-sound receiver, and game console/Blu-ray player hide behind cabinet doors.

The window seat, which took about eight hours to build (and cost $265), gets plenty of use.

“Our daughter loves to sprawl out on it,” Lauren says,“and it’s great overflow seating for guests.”

B. Two fans that plug into USB ports help keep electronics cool in the cabinet. A storage shelf commonly used in the kitchen neatly divides two electronic boxes, allowing the couple to squeeze more equipment under the bench without stifling air circulation.

C. Cord covers guide the TV wiring across the mantel, down the wall, and through a cutout in the corner of the cabinet. Robert and Lauren painted the cords white so they would blend into the walls and millwork.

SMALL-SPACE DECORATING 39

powder room

A

BEFORE

what they did

B

PROBLEM

A closet served as more of a junk catchall than true storage, and guests staying in a basement bedroom had to trek upstairs to use the bathroom.

SOLUTIONS A. Remodeling is a game of inches. In Robin and Ed Hicken’s home, it came down to

► FLOATING COUNTER Robin and Ed cut a laminated pine panel (about $30 at a home center) into a top and an apron, mitering one long edge on both. The counter sits on 2×4 wall bracing. The above-counter sink from IKEA hides imperfections from cutting the hole.

The wide and narrow sink allows the faucet to be mounted on the side. ► UPFLUSH TOILET A macerating toilet, also known as an upflush, is designed for a room without toilet plumbing. Waste is pumped up and out to the nearest plumbing stack so you don’t have to break into the floor—which is ideal in a basement. The space-saver the Hickens chose doesn’t even require a tank. ► BOARD-AND-BATTEN WALLS The couple painted the walls below the counter white, then added strips of pine spaced a few inches apart. More white paint over the strips delivered a faux board-and-batten look.

C

44×43 inches—the dimensions of a closet they turned into a bath near a basement guest room. At 13 square feet, it’s smaller than the 16–20 square feet designers recommend for a powder room, but a floating wood counter keeps it airy. “The counter cost almost nothing to build, looks so cool, and makes the space seem so much bigger,” Ed says. Plus, the 6-inch apron helps hide the drainpipe. Another space-saver is the toilet, which at just 21½ inches from wall to front is 6 inches smaller than most standard models.

B. Robin and Ed, who write about their weekend DIY projects on their blog, Frugal Family Times, spent about 30 hours and $2,000 on materials to create this bath from scratch. One cost-saving measure was mimicking the look of an expensive wallpaper with a stencil treatment.

Robin started by painting a metallic gold base on the walls. When it was dry, she rolled over a stencil with pale green paint.

C. Tongue-and-groove planks add architectural interest to the ceiling. Ed secured the boards to ceiling rafters with a nail gun, then primed and painted the pine boards. Chair railing—chosen for its small scale—stands in for crown molding. Caulk applied between the crown molding and ceiling conceals any gaps.

SMALL-SPACE DECORATING 4

kitchen range

BEFORE

PROBLEM

A microwave above the range was serviceable, but it stole an opportunity to make a design splash with a statement range hood.

SOLUTIONS

A. Move out microwave oven. Your spot above the range deserves something with more style. That’s what Jill Rose, blogger at The Rozy Home, decided when she made over her petite cook zone. She moved the microwave to an island shelf, installed a marble tile backsplash, and shopped for a hood with character.“I fell in love with a bronze range hood that cost, oh, $4,000,” she says. “I thought, Surely, I could do something similar for a lot less.” The wooden hood Jill designed, built, and painted cost just $115 for supplies (not including the fan). “I spent about five hours on it—mainly because I kept redoing the paint to get the right texture,” she says.

“I’m amazed by what you can do with paint and wood.”

B. Jill created the aged look of the range hood with a three-step process using Metal Effects paint products from Modern Masters.

She sealed the wood with a primer then mixed metal particles in bronze paint and applied a coat.

She finished the hood with an acidic aging solution. The more aging solution that’s applied, the stronger the patina.

A

what she did ► MOLDING AND CABINETRY Jill pulled the crown molding off the top of the cabinets before removing the cabinet doors, bottom, and bottom face frame above the range.

42 SMALL-SPACE DECORATING

► SUPPORTS AND SIDES Jill built the wooden hood in place.

She first installed hidden bottom and side supports for the vent insert. Next she cut the sides of the hood from ¾-inch plywood, creating a gentle slope. She attached the sides to the cabinets with a brad nailer.

► FRONT PANEL AND TRIM For the front panel, Jill cut a piece of ⅛-inch plywood and nailed it to the sides, then added decorative vertical strips. She attached top and bottom trim boards with mitered returns. She added beaded molding to the top and bottom edges of the bottom trim board.

► THE HOOD Jill primed and painted the hood to resemble metal using specialty paints.

She tried several application methods before deciding to dab on the oxidizing bronze paint and aging solution with a rag to achieve a mottled effect. She gave black upholstery tacks the same treatment before using a mallet to attach them.

B

play room

A

B

PROBLEM

There was no place to display books in a way that invited little ones to help themselves to a good read—or to pick up afterward.

SOLUTIONS A. No one has to be sent to this corner in Helen and Robbie Thompson’s home. Their three sons, Finn, Bennett, and Jules, happily go to the inviting spot that solved a couple of problems. “We had piles of books in boxes and stacked in closets,” Helen says. ”Our library nook makes finding a good book so much easier.” Key to its use is showing book covers so the kids can identify titles by the cover art rather than by trying to read spines. Books spread out on ledges, slip into the canvas slings of a bookcase, and queue up in a wooden bin.

B. Helen, who runs the online store helenmilan.com, featuring eco-friendly substitutes for single-use plastics, built the wooden storage book bin for about $50. She modeled it after those often found in children’s libraries but upgraded the look by lining the cubbies with wallpaper.

The divided box on legs lets her boys flip through their collection and boasts the organizational benefits of “see it, reach it, put it away,” which helps little ones pick up after themselves. Craft your own unit with our guide at BHG.com/BookBin.

C. Ready-made picture ledges from IKEA make use of vertical wall space that was underutilized for storage. To make a similar set, see BHG.com/PhotoLedges.

For Resources, see page 93.

C

what she did ► BOOK BIN Inspired by ideas on Pinterest, Helen designed and built a book bin that has three sections. Ready-made table legs attach to mounting plates. Painting the bin was the hardest part because Helen didn’t want the knots in the pine to show through.

“I thought a couple of coats of semigloss would do it, but I should have used a primer,” she says.

An alternative to pine is medium-density fiberboard, which takes paint well.

► LEDGES Helen created more space for books by mounting ledges—the kind used to display art and framed photos—on one wall. The shelves nearly fill the space between the wall corner and the window frame for a built-in appearance.

► PICTURE FRAMES Helen kept the wall display kid-focused by showcasing the boys’ masterpieces in a casual arrangement of frames, also painted by the young artists. For ease, the boys painted the frames using sponges instead of brushes.

SMALL-SPACE DECORATING 45

home on

WHEELS Putting her ingenuity into overdrive, blogger Cami Graham called on custom finishes to transform a rundown RV into an inviting home for her family of six.

Writer Caroline McKenzie Photographer Cami Graham Producer Andrea Caughey

46 SMALL-SPACE DECORATING

An oil painting warms up the RV’s neutral palette while creating a “view” in a windowless area.

built to fit Although painting existing cabinets is a quick and budget-friendly way to refresh a dated RV, Cami and Kevin Graham opted to tear out the original kitchen and build custom cabinets to create a more open floor plan.

250 SQ UAR E FE E T CHALLENGES: Transform a dilapidated RV into high-functioning quarters comfortable enough for a family of six to live in full-time while they built their forever house.

BEST-LOVED FEATURE: The vinyl-plank floors, which instantly brightened up the dingy interiors.

KEY SMALL-SPACE HACK: The master bedroom’s floor-sweeping coverlet, which adds visual softness and conceals unsightly storage.

A

dump. That’s what Cami Graham, who

L-shape kitchen in favor of a single run of cabinets

covers DIY decorating on her blog,

Kevin custom-built. “We initially thought we’d use

Tidbits (tidbits-cami.com), and her

prefab cabinets,” Cami says, “but we quickly realized

husband, Kevin, wanted when they set out to

that working around RV pipes, lines, and parts made

purchase an RV for their family of six to live in while

it cheaper—and more practical—to design our own.”

they built their dream home in northern Utah. And

Next the Grahams installed floating vinyl planks

the winning “Tidbits on Wheels” certainly fit the bill.

that have a pale wood-grain look and blanketed

The

with

repaired walls with faux concrete wallpaper,

nonworking appliances, a hefty amount of water

paintable beaded-board wallpaper, and peel-and-

damage, and mouse droppings galore. “We knew

stick tile. To bring the lighter, brighter color scheme

we’d want to customize any RV we bought,” Cami

full circle, all woodwork (both old and new) received

says. “So we figured we might as well find one we

a coat of matte paint in either white or light gray.

wouldn’t feel guilty tearing up.”

“The RV may be small, but we made every inch feel

32-foot-long,

2002

Nomad

came

The first order of business was opening up the main living area by eliminating a space-eating

like home,” Cami says.

For Resources, see page 93.

Chandeliers purchased on Amazon were rewired to accommodate the RV’s electrical system.

Portrait phot ographer: Sa ndy DeGass er

table matters A standard-issue RV dining table would have been hard-pressed to accommodate the Graham family, so Kevin and Cami, above with their four children, built a custom 2×8-foot table from lightweight pine. “The table moves easily if I need it closer to the kitchen for more prep surface,” Cami says. “It also comes in handy when folding laundry, playing games, working, and creating.”

48 SMALL-SPACE DECORATING

Two corbels frame the bump-out opening, adding simple cottage flair.

BE FO RE

easy grab-and-go

triple play

To keep a few pretty pieces in plain sight, Kevin crafted open shelving above the sink for Cami’s favorite ivory dishware. “I like the convenience of shelves versus cabinets for storing everyday dishes,” Cami says.

The RV’s window seat serves as a sofa for lounging, a banquette for dining, and sleeping quarters come bedtime. “We devised a rotation system so everyone would have equal turns on the spacious trundle,” Cami says. New cordless roller shades dress up the windows. “To make the windows seem bigger, we went with wider treatments,” Cami says. “We also mounted the shades above the windows and lined them up—even though the windows do not line up.

This little trick made a huge difference and really helped pull off a seamless look.”

making a splash The Grahams added a sense of airiness to the compact cooking space with a backsplash of faux marble tile. “The peel-and-stick sheets were super easy to install, whereas real tile would have been heavy and a nightmare to cut and fit around the kitchen’s tricky curves,” Cami says.

SMALL-SPACE DECORATING 49

sweet dreams The triple bunks, this photo, proved to be one of the few features the Grahams were able to salvage from the original bones of the RV. Cami updated the sleeping quarters with a creamy new paint job and a trio of wallpaper patterns. “I let my youngest three kids select the looks they wanted,” she says. “They didn’t have their own rooms, but I wanted each of them to have a little corner to express their personal style.”

zone defense The washroom, opposite, top left, barely has room for one person, but Cami made it function for a crowd thanks to impeccable planning. She subdivided the closet into zones and attached individual toothbrush holders to the closet door. Other space-saving elements include a trough-style above-mount sink and wall-mounted shelving.

sheer delight Flowy curtains give the master bedroom, opposite, top right, a romantic boost and conceal homemade nightstands—and the odds and ends that land on them.

two-for-one The Grahams opted to split one deep coat closet into a double-sided storage hero that provides open shelves for the master bedroom on one side, opposite, bottom right, and behind-door shelves on the entry side.

“It allowed us to create storage in the master bedroom where none existed,” Cami says.

BEFORE

The kids’ closet was streamlined and rebuilt to look like a vintage hutch.

More than a pretty header, this beam is open at the back to provide hidden storage on high.

PLAN WITH A PURPOSE Cami Graham chalks up her family’s small-space success to a few key planning strategies. ► LESS IS MORE “You have to live with the absolute basics,” Cami says. “If you have too many shirts to hang, for example, the closet becomes impossible to manage.

We allotted seven days of clothing for each of us.” ► WHAT A CHORE “Two-hundred-and-fifty square feet gets dirty fast!” Cami says. “To keep the space livable, each member of the family had daily chores.

At first the thought of mopping and sweeping every day seemed daunting, but we were all pleasantly surprised how quickly the tasks go in an RV.” ► ME TIME “A large family in a small house means lots of hours together,” Cami says. “Kevin and I made a conscious effort to schedule alone time for everybody. The master bedroom became a favorite quiet spot.” To maintain her sanity, Cami also developed daily planning pages. She’s now converted these into a bound Day Planner, which she sells at tidbitsplanners.com.

SMALL-SPACE DECORATING 51

WALLS thatTALK Bland walls begone! Broadcast your style with treatments that make a statement.

all the right angles

warming effect

Add dimension and keep rooms from falling flat with a geometric wall treatment. This 3-D accent wall— made by attaching 1×1s to a wall—hearkens back to high school geometry class. Plan your design on a piece of graph paper first. Follow your own mathematical muse or do what we did: Divide the wall into a series of triangles and then, within each section, apply boards in vertical, horizontal, or diagonal orientations.

Install a vintage fireplace, no flames required, to create a view where none exists. Cotton Stem blogger Erin Kern cozied up her master bedroom with a vintage fireplace surround that she found on Craigslist for a song. She fitted its interior with plywood spray-painted black. Then she sliced logs into shallow pieces and mounted them to the plywood. The plywood’s dark background disguises gaps between the logs.

SMALL-SPACE DECORATING 53

when math matters Here’s a trick: Any room looks taller when you break a wall into a two-thirds to one-third ratio.

Interior decorator Gretchen Bond created the look of wainscoting by painting two-thirds of her laundry room wall white and installing a crown of white trim. Peel-andstick wallpaper lends panache to the room’s top one-third.

paint to the rescue Not comfortable using a saw or drill, or working with wood trim? Harness the power of wainscoting with paint instead. In this boy’s bedroom, interior designer Jessica Davis extended dark paint three-quarters of the way up the wall to create an architectural effect sans architecture. The result draws the eye upward, which helps make the compact room feel larger.

depth perception A little tile can go a long way on a vanity wall—and it’s particularly helpful in rooms with tall ceilings where drywall might stretch like a boring blank canvas above mirrors and light fixtures. Here, pillow tiles add dimension and a fun pop of color that still manages to feel neutral. A floating vanity fosters a sense of openness.

personality boost Distract from a room’s tiny dimensions with a large-scale wallpaper motif. Interior designer Lucy Penfield called on a bold floral wallpaper in this powder room to add presence to the otherwise unassuming— and super-small—space. Long, narrow sconces in opal-glass and brass help stretch the room, and an open vanity allows even more of the wallpaper to shine through.

SMALL-SPACE DECORATING 55

ship shape Take advantage of the textural beauty of shiplap and install the planks vertically to amplify the visual height of a space.

Cynthia Harper, who chronicles her DIY adventures on Instagram (@cynthia_harper_), clad walls in her entry to create a subtle focal point.

stick to it Typically used to line shelves or drawers, vinyl adhesive paper can also serve as a surprisingly stylish backsplash. It’s an easy-on, easy-off solution for renters or anyone in need of a temporary kitchen facelift. Measure and cut the first strip to the height of the backsplash area.

Line up the next strip, matching the pattern repeat, and cut to size. Remove the backing from the first strip and attach it to the wall. Cut a third strip to match patterns with the second then attach the second one. Continue cutting and hanging strips until the backsplash is complete.

into the woods Blanket a room in warmth by covering a single wall with oak plywood squares. The best thing about this wall? It’s easily removable when you’re ready to move on. Cut 4×8-foot sheets of ¼-inch oak plywood into 2×2-foot squares then sand them. No saw? Buy presanded ¼-inch 2×2-foot oak plywood panels, available at most hardware stores. Use screws, aligned in the four corners of each panel, to secure the boards to the wall.

For a coordinated look, spray-paint the screwheads copper before installing.

For Resources, see page 93.

DO IT YOURSELF You can create your own shiplap wall in a day. Visit BHG.com/Shiplap for a step-by-step video tutorial and master the install with these tips. ► PREP MAKES PERFECT Before shiplap installation, prep your wall, removing any obstructions such as nails and switchplates. Then paint and prime the wall. If you don’t want to see any seams, paint the wall the same color as your shiplap. If you want to turn the seams into a bolder statement, use a contrasting paint on the wall to create “grout” lines. ► MAKING THE CUT You can use many types of wood to create a shiplap look, but one of the least expensive methods is to cut 4×8-foot plywood pieces into 6-inch-wide strips. Measure your shiplap accent wall to determine how long to make your pieces. Use a table saw to make the cuts or ask your local hardware store to rip them for you. Sand edges smooth with sandpaper. ► BOTTOMS UP Start installing planks at the baseboard then work your way up to the ceiling. Use a level to ensure planks are installed straight on the wall. Make sure to secure planks to wall studs. Mini crafts sticks and wooden ice pop sticks work well as spacers.

SMALL-SPACE DECORATING 57

winning

FORMULA A California family passes on a home with more space to give a modern makeover to a compact condo near the coast.

Writer Sarah Wolf Halverson Photographer Edmund Barr Producer Karen Reinecke

hook happy Interior stylist Bri Moysa turned a tiny stretch of wall near her front door into an entry by pairing a console with a row of iron hooks.

The hook board is the first project she and husband Geoff tackled together. It’s made from a salvaged board and black iron hardware from Anthropologie.

vertical reach Geoff crafted a display ladder out of $9 worth of lumber to store blankets in a beautiful way in the great-room.

Shallow ledges on another wall barely intrude into a pathway through the room but still showcase artwork in easy-to-rotate fashion.

1,000 SQ UAR E F E E T CHALLENGES: Rethinking the purpose of each room. The kids now share the larger master bedroom, for example, and the formal dining room was converted into an office.

BEST-LOVED FEATURE: The private backyard. It serves as an additional “room.”

KEY SMALL-SPACE HACK: Use furniture and paint strategically to set off spaces within an open floor plan.

SMALL-SPACE DECORATING 5

T

he Moysa family (Geoff, Bri, Greyson, 12, Emerson, 9, and dog Chopper) share a twobedroom, one-bathroom 1,000-square-foot

condo—and for good reason. “Southern California is crazy expensive, and this is what we can afford,” says Bri, who is an interior stylist and creator of the blog Emerson Grey Designs. “When we decided to buy instead of rent, we had to choose: Do we move inland and get more house for our money, or do we stay close to the ocean and make it work? We opted to stay and make it work.”

fluffing the outdoors

Investing in their condo was worth it because of

condo could be once clad in Bri’s signature tans,

“Our patio is 100 percent an extension of the greatroom,” Bri says. “I tried to make it as cozy and cohesive as the inside.” Armchairs, pillows, a rug, marble table, and wall hangings allow the space to function as comfortably as any interior space.

grays, blacks, and whites.

living the life

two fabulous features: its location (just 15 minutes from Dana Point) and its outdoor space (a nice-size backyard). However, the family did have to look past dated rooms in a sea of baby blue—on carpet, vertical blinds, even the toilet seat!—to what the

The Moysas may have a smaller home, but they feel it’s a fair trade for a spacious backyard (by Southern California standards), proximity to the coast, and a more reasonable mortgage.

Bri is quick to credit Geoff for being an excellent teammate—the perspiration beside her inspiration— in tackling every project that came their way.

Together they tore out carpet, spruced up the concrete underneath, overhauled the kitchen, installed benches and a vanity, beefed up baseboards, and crafted wood shelves for nearly every room.

The cozy condo makes the most of every inch, and it all bears the Moysas’ modern, fit-for-a-family fingerprints. “I have always said that I never wanted to buy a house that’s already done,” Bri says.

“We wanted something we could do ourselves and make our own.”

For Resources, see page 93.

There’s a pride that comes with knocking things out yourself and knowing you single-handedly made your home what it is. ÑBri Moysa HOMEOWNER, INTERIOR STYLIST, BLOGGER @ EMERSON GREY DESIGNS

60 SMALL-SPACE DECORATING

hub of the house A good-size sofa, clean-lined armchairs, and a large ottoman covered in leather provide plenty of seating in the great-room.

Curtains hung nearly at the ceiling visually stretch the space, as do the leggy chairs that let light stream through—design tricks Bri employed to make the room seem more spacious.

Mix scales of furniture to right-size a space. The armchairs, for example, are low-slung and not too deep so their footprints are compact.

Other pieces, such as the sofa and ottoman, are larger and more functional for a family.

worth the wait The old kitchen was a cave of brown tiles and heavy oak cabinets, which the Moysas lived with for years until they saved enough money to revamp properly, top left.

They tore out upper cabinets, repainted lower ones, and installed butcher-block countertops—all on their own. “It was a six-month process for us,” Bri says.

“Talk about a massive high five when we were done!”

neat fix Just inside the front door, top right, what was once a dining room now serves as Bri’s office and the paperwork hub of the house.

She deliberately keeps the desktops clear, stashing bills, calendars, and school papers on the shelves and in the baskets mounted on the wall. The pendant was once a table lamp. Geoff transformed it into a hanging fixture with a kit from a home center.

talking point Bri had always wanted a kitchen that overlooked the great-room so she didn’t feel hidden away when making dinner. She got her wish with this spacious pass-through, bottom right. The counter extends to the dining room area so Greyson and Emerson can pull up seats for a snack or to do homework.

the dark side

You’ve got to make your home work for you.

Four chairs all around a table would have intruded into the walkway of our family room, whereas an L-shape bench along two walls makes maximum use of the snug space. ÑBri Moysa

62 SMALL-SPACE DECORATING

One wall in the great-room defines both the kitchen and eating area with a swath of rich black paint, bottom left.

“That corner needed something,” Bri says, “and paint is an inexpensive way to make a visual impact.

It guides the eye to the kitchen, the benches pop more, the art on the wall pops more. It adds depth and interest to the space.”

Banquette benches not only stash extra kitchen equipment and kids’ toys, but also take up less space than chairs.

cozy corner Smart, stylish strategies saved the day in the new dining area. The oval table is long enough to fit the family but narrow enough to avoid crowding the living area.

Black wishbone chairs slip under the table when not in use, and the handcrafted banquette packs surplus storage in a slim space.

The artwork is a snapshot of Geoff as a teenager.

Bri scanned it, had it enlarged and printed for $5, and framed it. “So many people want to know where I got it,” she says. “I should probably just sell the print!

You’d never know it was just a family photo.”

FINE ART GALLERIES Bri Moysa has a knack for creating cool wall displays, nudging unusual items into art territory.

Here’s how she creates interesting arrangements throughout the condo. ► MAKE IT PERSONAL There’s nothing wrong with store-bought art, but you can elevate a gallery with one or two personality-rich pieces. In the Moysa home, a guitar and hats—which are both used frequently by family members—are stored out in the open as wall art. ► MAKE IT YOURSELF Creating or commissioning art, whether the medium is paint, photography, calligraphy, or something else, is a surefire way to put your stamp on a room. The kids’ bedroom showcases a photo of pup Chopper. It’s from Perkie Prints, a company that turns snapshots of pets into modern art by blotting out the color and background. ► LEAVE EMPTY SPACE In a small house, too much stuff—even beautiful stuff—can overwhelm spaces, so Bri wisely leaves several walls empty “to give the eye a place to rest,” she says. White space, as it’s called, can be just as powerful as a striking display if it’s implemented intentionally.

64 SMALL-SPACE DECORATING

smart art

heavy lifters

pattern play

Bri added panache to the master bedroom with inexpensive framed art (two copies of the same digital download) and a bedside sconce that is simply a wood base looped with a bare bulb on a cord. The hats on the wall aren’t just for show: Fair-skinned, redheaded Bri grabs one almost every time she heads outside.

The home’s one bath marries style with function.

The IKEA vanity, built-in mirrored medicine cabinet, and floating shelves stash towels, toilet paper, and other necessities where they’re needed. Opting for a vanity with legs helps the compact space feel more open. Bri capitalized on the expanse of floor with boldly patterned stick-on floor panels, which mimic expensive concrete tiles but without the thick profile and tricky installation. The panels cut with scissors and apply like stickers.

The laundry room sits in the hallway and is visible to anyone passing by, so Bri wanted it to be pretty.

She covered the walls with an adhesive drawer liner (a mere $3 a roll) that has a subtle pattern to add some visual oomph. A cute framed laundry sign hides the unsightly spot where the water lines connect to the wall.

This olive green “wallpaper” is actually a large-scale stencil. The 2×3-foot stencil makes painting faster than yesteryear’s small stencils, but it still requires a bit of a time commitment.

neutral zone Emerson and Greyson share what was once the master bedroom. Bri kept the decor simple with the same bed frames (a queen with a headboard for him, a twin for her), sheets, and pillowcases. To provide a personal touch, pillows and throws are different. Greyson’s accents use more blues and olive greens, and Emerson’s blush with some pink.

RECIPES for success Four compact kitchens, reworked within their existing footprints, earn high marks for taste with fresh looks and improved functionality.

A pull-down nozzle on the main faucet eliminates the need for a separate sprayer.

A

BEFORE

PROBLEM

This 1977 kitchen had a neat L-shape design that maximized limited square footage, but the cabinets were old—the kind of old where the drawers wouldn’t open without shimmying accompanied by falling sawdust.

SOLUTIONS A. Interior designer Susanna Ward opted to keep the functional layout of her kitchen but reinvent it by replacing nonfunctioning cabinets with dramatic black versions. She lightened the look with white quartz countertops, a white subway-tile backsplash, and burnished brass fixtures.

B. To keep the room from veering too cold or slick, Susanna peppered in warm earthy accents, such as a rattan window shade and a butcher-block-topped island cart.

C. Susanna eschewed wall-mounted cabinets in favor of two floating wood shelves she bought on Etsy. “Removing those upper cabinets really opened up the kitchen and made it seem less cramped and crowded,” she says. “And tiling the entire wall, rather than just halfway up, helped make the backsplash a focal point.”

With its eye-popping pattern, the porcelain flooring has a big impact without a big price tag.

D. A black panel that mimics the cabinetry cloaks the dishwasher. “Because it’s such a small kitchen, I didn’t want to break up the cabinetry with a dishwasher,” Susanna says.

“Now everything looks seamless.” Likewise, she selected a nonstandard counter-depth refrigerator so it wouldn’t intrude into the room.

B

C

D

SMALL-SPACE DECORATING 67

White paint brought out the architectural charm of the original door and seamlessly ties the door to the freshly painted cabinets.

The same strips of oak plywood that dress up the cabinets add a detailed finish to the homemade island.

For symmetry and extra work space, we reconfigured a tall cabinet to the left of the range. It’s amazing what a difference that little bit of new counter space makes when cooking!

—Ashley Thurman BLOGGER @ CHERISHED BLISS

BEFORE

PROBLEM

Heavily grained oak-finish cabinets weighed down this kitchen, and a back door inconveniently opened right into a large peninsula.

SOLUTIONS A. Ambitious do-it-yourselfer Ashley Thurman kept nearly all her kitchen’s original cabinets but made them look like new with rounds of sanding, oil-base primer, and enamel paint. She also ripped out the peninsula to make way for a more traffic-flow-friendly island. A new durable wood-look laminate floor anchors the space, and a white subway-tile backsplash has staying power.

B. Ashley, who blogs about home design at Cherished Bliss, gave her cabinets Shaker style by nailing 2½-inch-wide strips of oak plywood to the flat-panel doors. New knobs, bin pulls, and hinges in an iron finish play off fingerprint-resistant stainless-steel appliances. The new countertops came as three 8-foot lengths of unfinished maple butcher block that Ashley cut and finished with a waterproof, food-safe sealer.

C. The new island has drawers and shelves that face the kitchen. Ashley built the island herself so she could customize the size and tailor the storage.

B

A C

SMALL-SPACE DECORATING 69

Reclaiming formerly trapped hallway space to house the refrigerator helped, in part, to grow the usable space in this kitchen from 68 to 100 square feet.

A

PROBLEM

Cooking at the range in this kitchen was akin to stepping into a closet.

A lack of cabinet storage lead to the addition of a makeshift wire rack, which further closed off the space.

SOLUTIONS

A. As a math coach, Erica Davis is used to solving problems. But for years, she simply stared at the wall that closed her L-shape kitchen off from other rooms in the apartment she shares with her fiancé, Joshua Vasquez.

“My mother always says that a space will speak to you,” Erica says. “I kept looking at that kitchen wall and envisioning the apartment without it.” When she finally got help removing the wall by turning to Sweeten, a company that matches homeowners with vetted general contractors, Erica was able to relocate the fridge to a former closet and surround it with floor-to-ceiling cabinetry and a shelf-lined wall.

B. With the wall gone, Erica capitalized on prep space, seating, and storage with an island. Added bonus: Light bounces around the kitchen and adjoining dining area, making both spaces feel larger than before.

C. A long wood cubby eases the transition between the tall upper cabinets and the short ones along the range wall.

Hexagonal recycled glass tiles add a splash of color and remind Erica of the blocks she uses when teaching math.

D. Deep drawers on the inside of the island provide an abundance of storage. The wood features a lot of movement, which appealed to Erica for its modern warmth and strong contrast with the white cabinets.

B C

D

Black quartz countertops add depth and coordinate with the black-framed windows.

The cramped feeling was gone by knocking down the wall. The amount of light and openness is amazing. I didn’t realize how much joy I could find in a kitchen.

It’s the heart of our home now. ÑErica Davis HOMEOWNER

BEFORE

SMALL-SPACE DECORATING 71

Painting an existing brick column white added textural interest without disturbing the kitchen’s new open sight lines.

A

PROBLEM

B

A wall with a pass-through window cut off this galley-style kitchen from an adjoining living space, making it feel dark and claustrophobic despite a generous-size window.

SOLUTIONS

A. Interior designer Melissa

B. To impart a historical feel

Lee’s first move was to remove the wall separating the kitchen from the living room. She installed an island to provide a subtle delineation between the two rooms and muchneeded storage. Extending the quartz-surfacing countertop beyond the island cabinetry on one side maximizes prep area while allowing a trio of barstools to tuck under the countertop so they don’t steal floor space from the living room.

in keeping with this home’s early-1900s neighborhood, Lee installed gray-tinted Russian oak floors—in three plank widths—throughout the kitchen and living area.

She also added simple cornices and moldings.

C. To make the small run of cabinets on the range wall work harder, a plethora of drawers—rather than cavernous cabinets—were installed. Lee also moved the sink from its original home by the cooktop to the island.

Although moving plumbing added to the renovation cost, the reward was practical countertop prep area on both sides of the cooktop.

Glass-front upper cabinets and an open stainless-steel range hood set off by a backsplash of white subway tile keep the design light and breezy.

For Resources, see page 93.

72 SMALL-SPACE DECORATING

BEF OR E

C

Double ovens instead of a standard range creates space below the countertop for wide drawers that hold pots and pans.

lofty A stylish loft reveals two secrets for small-space survival: resisting the urge to buy too much and being choosy with what you do buy.

Writer Sarah Wolf Halverson Photographer Laurie Black Producer Shannon Quimby

74 SMALL-SPACE DECORATING

LIVING

multitasking made easy Like almost every piece of furniture in Joey and Val Fishman’s Portland, Oregon, loft, the kitchen island wears multiple hats. It corrals colanders and pots, offers seating on one side, and delineates the kitchen from the office and living room. The couple built the piece from plywood, pipes, and lumber to suit the industrial style of the loft.

900 SQ UAR E FE E T CHALLENGES: No closed storage space other than the kitchen cabinets.

BEST-LOVED FEATURE: Most of the furniture is on wheels. It makes the whole space modular and adaptable.

KEY SMALL-SPACE HACK: Commit to living an uncluttered life. Make decisive decisions about what’s important and what’s not.

SMALL-SPACE DECORATING 75

N

ine hundred square feet isn’t much. But Joey and Val Fishman have found that it’s more than enough for them, their large dog, and a few

visitors, thanks to two rules for small-space life. “One is whittling down your possessions to a level that will work inside the space you have,” Joey says. “And two is finding the right furniture to fit. It’s a process—we are constantly having to remind ourselves not to acquire, and whatever we do acquire not only has to fit our aesthetic but also fit a purpose.”

In their loft, that aesthetic has an industrial edge as well as a sense of history, so salvaged and vintage treasures abound.

And in outfitting the loft, the purpose of any new purchase was—no surprise here—to stash the couple’s belongings in style. “Each piece of furniture has a storage component to it,” Val says. “Furniture has to function as storage, and storage has to function as art.” The result: Every item is not just practical— it’s also industrial, historical, and handsome. In other words, each item exceeds even the loftiest of expectations.

For Resources, see page 93.

subtle division Joey and Val multiplied the functionality of their wide-open loft by carving out four distinct spaces: kitchen, office, living room, and bedroom. They used various means to set the spaces apart: an island on casters to border the kitchen, a nook to contain an office desk, an area rug to ground the living room, and curtains to close off the sleeping space. “The energy feels different in each, yet because of the open floor plan, the loft never feels too small,” Val says.

custom fit Joey built the coffee table out of two wooden pallets, with space between for a removable metal bin that stashes loose items so they don’t clutter the surface. Making a few pieces themselves meant the couple could get exactly what they wanted. Tall casters let the Fishmans scoot the coffee table to another “room” if desired.

76 SMALL-SPACE DECORATING

Reusing materials, rather than always buying new, was important to the Fishmans, so an antique theater pendant illuminates the living room and old signage serves as artwork.

In a small house, life just feels simpler.

There’s less stuff to think about and worry about, and when your stuff doesn’t own you, you can focus on other things you want to do. ÑVal Fishman HOMEOWNER

SMALL-SPACE DECORATING 77

A mirror provides reflection— and a view—in a windowless corner.

DO MORE WITH LESS Joey and Val Fishman are embarking on a new project—a 200-square-foot “tiny home”—so they are chest-deep in research for uber-efficient living.

Here are a few ideas worth borrowing: ► MOVABLE WALLS More common in Europe than North America, interior walls on rails in the ceiling and floors allow room dividers to float so you can close off one area or expand another. ► SLIDING DOORS Doors that slide (as a pocket door or barn door does), rather than swing on a hinge, take up less space. ► DISAPPEARING BEDS “We’re considering a living area that doubles as sleeping space,” Val says. “The bed could raise and lower from the ceiling. During the day, the bed would sit against the ceiling, which would give us more space in the living room.” A Murphy bed is another space-saving alternative. Many models convert to a desk, dresser, or bookshelves when the bed is snugged against the wall. double stack

Use drawer dividers to separate a big drawer into smaller compartments.

A tension pole packs Joey and Val’s bicycles in a sliver of space near the bedroom. “Looking up is another key to living in a small space,” Val says. “What storage could you rig in or near your ceiling or on the walls?” This rack keeps the bikes safe, out of the way, and out of the elements. It also neatly transforms them into modern art.

open and shut case Furniture that does double duty helps limited square footage live smarter. A captain’s bed, for example, cleverly keeps clothes, bedding, and other items in drawers without taking up an additional inch of floor space.

put a lid on it A trunk at the foot of the bed gathers extra pillows and linens out of sight until they’re needed. With the lid on, it can slide into the living room for supplemental seating when Joey and Val entertain guests.

78 SMALL-SPACE DECORATING

Applying warm white paint to the ceilings, including the massive century-old support timbers, gave the loft a clean, cozy ambience.

dreamy hideaway The only bedroom in the loft is tucked into a corner and bordered by curtains hung from metal string. “When we close the curtains, we feel like we’re in a fort,” Val says.

“It’s almost cozier than having a door. And then you open the curtains, and you have this whole big space.”

CREATIVE contrast A striking black-and-white color scheme warmed by a hint of wood expands the horizons of a tiny bath.

Writer Katelyn Soults Photographer Julie Soefer Producer Anna Molvik

extended shelf life Interior designer Erin Williamson replaced this bath’s decades-old look with high-contrast accessories and hardware. In a smart space grab, she embraced an awkward bump-out behind the toilet, creating a charming niche for a new floating vanity set off by a backsplash of white subway tile. The tiled wall provides a neat shelf for products, making up for storage lost by ripping out a dated medicine cabinet.

80 SMALL-SPACE DECORATING

open to change A budget-savvy vanity from IKEA, outfitted with custom walnut drawer fronts to add warmth to the color scheme, introduces clean lines and a modern look to the bath. The floating aspect of the unit makes the room appear larger by letting the eye see more of the floor.

BEFORE

BEFORE

updated appeal The bath’s original octagonal window—now with frosted glass instead of its former stained glass—is the only recognizable remnant from the room’s former self. Williamson evicted a pink tub—and the pink tile that went with it—and brought in a new white tub that maintains a classic profile.

black-tie affair A matte black finish on the faucet and vanity mirror frame button up the sharp black-and-white palette.

bold attraction Patterned concrete tile in a graphic black-and-white combination provides an eye-catching focal point. The statement flooring, an early decision in the renovation process, set the tone for the rest of the space.

Mixing and matching items commonly found at home centers or in catalogs is a great way to stretch a bath budget. To personalize the design, add just one or two vintage or custom elements. illuminating addition A gold-and-black vintage chandelier adds pizzazz and one-of-a-kind personality to the bath, elevating other standard home-center material picks.

color match An adjustable showerhead—in the same matte black finish as the sink faucet—offers versatility in the tub-shower combo.

The shower walls feature white subway tile framed by dark grout to create a subtle linear pattern that is a visual complement to the floor’s geometric design.

For Resources, see page 93.

SMALL-SPACE DECORATING 83

closet

A

UTILITY matters Increase the storage capacity of your home’s hardest-working areas with these smart tips for petite footprints.

C

B

PROBLEM

SOLUTIONS

A single rod wastes precious storage potential in a clothes closet.

A. Trade in a single rod for multiple rods and runs of shelving to max out space from floor to ceiling in a closet. This DIY-friendly coated-wire Configurations Deluxe Custom Closet Kit from Rubbermaid is hung extra high on the wall— 86½ inches above the floor—to capitalize on every available inch. Hang like items together from light to dark for a tidier visual appearance that also makes it easier to find specific articles of clothing.

Use the top shelf to hold off-season clothes in see-through bins; add labels for an even quicker read. Maximize space inside drawers by rolling camis, leggings, tights, and T-shirts. Create a workout-gear zone by converting the slots in a hanging shoe caddy into daily outfit holders.

B. Unbox shoes for grab-and-go convenience.

Keep them visible on shelves and in clear cubbies.

Line a wire shelf with a sturdy plastic liner (commonly used to roll out pastries) to stop thin heels from slipping through the cracks.

C. Accessories stored in the open are more likely to be used. Try repurposing office supplies, such as an acrylic file sorter, to hold purses.

SMALL-SPACE DECORATING 85

laundry

Function has to go along with form. If a project isn’t aesthetically pleasing, people will abandon it.

I look at a homeowner’s needs and then make it beautiful and easy to maintain. ÑKathy Jenkins PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZER

A

B

C

PROBLEM

SOLUTIONS

A side-by-side washer and dryer take up valuable square footage in a busy passageway to the garage.

A. Trade out a side-by-side washer and dryer for a stackable combination that leaves more space for storage. This strategy allowed this small laundry room—or more accurately a closet in the hallway between the garage and kitchen—to serve as both a laundry room and a mini mudroom. Professional organizer Kathy Jenkins added built-ins that reach from floor to ceiling around the washer and dryer—adding plentiful storage for laundry essentials and kids’ coats and shoes.

B. The drop-zone portion of the closet features low cubbies to hold shoes, upper cubbies to hold seasonal accessories, and a sitting spot to pull on boots and coats. Hooks are hung at varying heights to make it easy for kids to hang up their own things as they grow and take on more responsibility.

Hooks are hung on both the back wall and side wall to increase the closet’s functionality. A single barn-style door can slide to conceal either the laundry- or the drop-zone-side of the closet without interfering with the high-traffic walkway.

C. Store less frequently used items up high.

Keep a step stool handy to make the area easier to access.

D. Adjustable shelves above the hanging area put harder-to-reach square footage to work.

Cloth baskets with lids capitalize on the depth of the shelves and keep seasonal outerwear in easy-to-get-to containers.

E. The narrow space between the cubbies and the stackable washer and dryer contains a vertical pullout cabinet that was originally designed for kitchen use. It keeps laundry detergent right where it’s needed most, yet it's out of sight to avoid a cluttered look.

D

E SMALL-SPACE DECORATING 87

guest room

A

B

PROBLEM

One room needs to work as a home office, moonlight as a guest room, and conceal all the bits that come with crafting.

SOLUTIONS A. Make clever choices when picking and placing furniture in a room that needs to multitask. Grace Mitchell, creator of the blog A Storied Style and star of the HGTV show One of a Kind, chooses pieces that go up rather than out in her guest room to save precious floor space. Tall, shallow shelving units flanking a petite campaign-style desk take advantage of the 9-foot ceilings. Bonus: Putting the office furniture along one wall helps preserve the guest-room feel.

B. Get double the fun with a daybed, which allows for everyday lounging as well as overnight sleeping.

Grace built a wooden box on casters to hold a queen-size box spring and mattress. To arrange it like a traditional bed when guests come, she swings out one end of the bed, leaving the other end against the wall (which functions as a headboard).

C

C. Convert a bedroom closet into a crafting den.

Grace used the cubbies in a bookshelf to divide and conquer stacks of fabric. A slim bookshelf caddy corrals wrapping paper and decorative ribbons. Vintage accordion-style hangers keep fabric trims neatly sorted and untangled.

D. Chalkboard paint transforms the door to the guest room into a vertical welcome mat.

D SMALL-SPACE DECORATING 89

garage

PROBLEM

Clutter quickly collects in a garage and spreads out over the floor when there’s no place to hang tools and sports gear.

SOLUTIONS A. Use horizontal slats to cover the interior of a

A B

garage. This visually unifies the space and creates a versatile backdrop for tidiness. Various hooks and brackets can be easily repositioned to accommodate a range of tools and gear as needs shift during the year. Here, one long wall houses a mix of garden tools, twine, and outdoor firepit supplies. On the opposite side, bicycles and tennis rackets are stowed vertically and share space with portable recycling bins and canvas bags. The back wall rack places ladders, folding chairs, and a collapsible bicycle up high, resulting in more usable square footage and easier parking.

B. A stack of bins aids in sorting recyclables, and a wagon with beefy wheels transports project supplies or firewood. Casters affixed to plywood create a sturdy, mobile base for the recycling bins, allowing for easy transport.

C. Transfer small odds and ends to a series of matched clear plastic jars. Attach the lids of each jar to the underside of skinny wood shelves.

D. A compact space with workbench, shallow shelves, and pegboard puts essential tools and hardware within reach. Floor-to-ceiling pegboard displays tools around the bench. Keep frequently used items at eye level and position less-used pieces higher up on the wall.

C

90 SMALL-SPACE DECORATING

D

linen closet

B

PROBLEM

Without a clear plan of what goes where, a linen closet becomes chaotic.

SOLUTIONS A. Save the top shelf of a linen closet for those items you need handy but don’t need to access every day. Jennifer Holmes, creator of the blog Dear Lillie, keeps specialty cleaning supplies, a humidifier, and a heating pad tucked into woven baskets up top. Neat stacks of sheets, towels, and pillows look pretty at eye level. The lower shelves are prime real estate for frequently used products.

Store towels, paper products, and first aid gear here. Tuck in containers for extra blankets and add hampers to sort clothes in need of mending. Use smaller baskets throughout to neatly contain odds and ends, such as extra soap and beauty supplies.

B. Clearly label storage bins and baskets so everyone knows what belongs where. Hanging tags are a quick and pretty way to label an assortment of different container styles.

For Resources, see page 93.

A

Treat a closet like its own room where everything has a place. Take a few hours one afternoon to make it organized and pretty, and you’ll be more apt to actually put the towels in their correct spot. Otherwise, it’s so easy to dump them. ÑJennifer Holmes HOMEOWNER AND BLOGGER @ DEAR LILLIE

92 SMALL-SPACE DECORATING

Resources ON THE COVER

INTERIOR DESIGNER: Brooke Christen, Nesting With Grace blog; Instagram: @nestingwithgrace; nestingwithgrace.com.

Wall paint Cloud Cover OC-25—Benjamin Moore & Co.; benjaminmoore.com. Roman shades Belgian Flax Linen Roman Shade in Shale—Barn & Willow; barnandwillow .com. Floating shelves Threshold Real Wood Floating 12" Shelf—Target; target.com. Chandelier Capiz Honeycomb Chandelier, white chairs Tucker, white pillow Montecito Outdoor Pillow—Serena & Lily Inc.; serenaandlily.com. Black-and-white pillows—Woven Nook; wovennook.com. Black diamond pillow cover—H&M; hm.com. Table base Coavas Kitchen Dining Table, round cutting boards Gastro Chic Cutting Boards—Amazon; amazon.com. Marble tabletop— homeowners’ collection.

STRETCH YOUR SPACE

pages 6–11 Page 6 (bedroom): ARCHITECT: Heidi Richardson, Richardson Pribuss Architects, Mill Valley, California; 415/380-0474; rp-architects.com.

DESIGNER: Jennifer Tidwell, Piper Sage Design, San Francisco; 415/793-6135; pipersagedesign.com.

INTERIOR DESIGNER: Allison Bloom, Dehn Bloom Design, San Francisco; 415/569-3860; dehnbloomdesign.com.

Sconce Ava—Lostine; lostine.com. Gray blanket Indian Bedcover—Hollywood at Home; hollywoodathome.com.

Page 7 (office): INTERIOR DESIGNER: Kristin Laing, Kristin Laing Design, Austin; info@kristinlaing.com; kristinlaing.com.

Wallpaper, curtain—Target; target.com. Roman shade Levolor—Lowe’s; lowes.com. Artwork—EBTH Inc.; ebth.com. Shelves, chair—AllModern; allmodern .com. Desk—IKEA; ikea.com. Lamp, vase—West Elm; westelm.com. Accessories—vintage.

Page 8 (boys’ bedroom): INTERIOR DESIGNER: Courtney Warren, Courtney Warren Home, Dallas; Instagram: @courtneywarrenhome; courtneywarren .com.

Bedding, plus-sign pillows, red striped basket— Target; target.com. Plaid pillows—Pottery Barn; potterybarn.com. Pennants, theater chair—vintage.

Page 8 (kitchen): INTERIOR DESIGNER: Anisa Darnell, Truth & Co., Roswell, Georgia; anisa@truthand.co; Instagram: @truthandcodesign; truthandco.co.

CONSTRUCTION: Daniel Harper, Renew Properties LLC, Atlanta; 404/435-0644; renewpropertiesllc.com.

Range, hood—Bertazzoni; us.bertazzoni.com. Faucet Cifial—Plumbtile; plumbtile.com. Cabinet hardware— The Home Depot; homedepot.com. Shelf brackets— IKEA; ikea.com. Barstools—Restoration Hardware; rh. com. Island pendant lighting—Cedar & Moss; cedarandmoss.com. Sconces flanking range—Circa Lighting; circalighting.com.

Page 9 (banquette): ARCHITECT: Heidi Richardson, Richardson Pribuss Architects, Mill Valley, California; 415/380-0474; rp-architects.com.

DESIGNER: Jennifer Tidwell, Piper Sage Design, San Francisco; 415/793-6135; pipersagedesign.com.

INTERIOR DESIGNER: Allison Bloom, Dehn Bloom Design, San Francisco; 415/569-3860; dehnbloomdesign.com.

Banquette cushion fabric Sutton Stripe in Pumice— Perennials and Sutherland LLC; perennialsfabrics.com.

Large pitcher—Crow Canyon Home; crowcanyonhome.com.

Page 10 (bath): INTERIOR DESIGNER: Courtney Warren, Courtney Warren Home, Dallas; Instagram: @courtneywarrenhome; courtneywarren.com.

Mirrors—Pottery Barn; potterybarn.com. Wall tile— Lowe’s; lowes.com. Flooring—Floor & Decor; flooranddecor.com.

Page 11 (Murphy bed): ARCHITECT: Heidi Richardson, Richardson Pribuss Architects, Mill Valley, California; 415/380-0474; rp-architects.com.

Here’s where to find the materials, furnishings, and accessories shown throughout the issue. We cannot guarantee availability of items or services.

DESIGNER: Jennifer Tidwell, Piper Sage Design, San Francisco; 415/793-6135; pipersagedesign.com.

INTERIOR DESIGNER: Allison Bloom, Dehn Bloom Design, San Francisco; 415/569-3860; dehnbloomdesign.com.

Wall paint Revere Pewter HC-172, cabinetry paint White Dove OC-17— Benjamin Moore & Co.; benjaminmoore.com. Beanbag chair Newport Lounger, side table Atelier—Serena & Lily Inc.; serenaandlily.com. Table lamp Antwerp— Lightology; lightology.com.

Page 11 (living room): Visit Julia and Chris Marcum’s blog Chris Loves Julia at chrislovesjulia.com.

Wall paint Pine Grove Green—Clark + Kensington; thepaintstudio.com.

NESTING INSTINCT

pages 14–23 INTERIOR DESIGNER: Brooke Christen, Nesting With Grace blog; Instagram: @nestingwithgrace; nestingwithgrace.com.

Wall paint throughout (except where noted) Cloud Cover OC-25—Benjamin Moore & Co.; benjaminmoore.com.

Page 14 (living room): Wallpaper Tempaper in Feather Flock—Amazon; amazon.com. Piano paint Antoinette—Annie Sloan Interiors Ltd.; anniesloan.com.

Page 15, 16 (exterior): Front door paint Coral Perfection—The Sherwin-Williams Co.; sherwinwilliams.com. Front step base paint Premium Porch and Patio Floor Paint in Ultra Pure White, front step stripe paint Premium Porch and Patio Floor Paint in Deep Base 6300—Behr; behr.com. Front door Therma-Tru, pathway rocks, porch railings Azek— Lowe’s; lowes.com. Siding Cedar Impressions 5-inch in White—CertainTeed; certainteed.com. House numbers Everbilt 5-inch Elevated Black Number— The Home Depot; homedepot.com. Front door hardware Emtek Dummy Keypad Handleset E4017US19—Build.com Inc.; build.com. Exterior sconce Demery 3-Light Outdoor Wall Lantern, Adirondack chair Hamptonburgh Essential Plastic, mailbox Metal Wall Mounted Mailbox, planters—Joss & Main; jossandmain.com. Pineapple door knocker— Wayfair LLC; wayfair.com. Basket on front door Threshold—Target; target.com. Window boxes Fairfield Window Box 4 feet in White and Yorkshire Window Box 3 feet in White, wind chime—Walmart; walmart.com. Pillows on Adirondacks—HomeGoods; homegoods.com.

Pages 16 (fireplace): Fireplace brick paint Pure White SW 7005—The Sherwin-Williams Co.; sherwinwilliams.com. Fireplace insert PuraFlame 26-Inch Western Electric Fireplace Insert with Remote Control, mantel Joel’s Antiques & Reclaimed Decor Floating Wood Mantel Shelf, ladder BarnwoodUSA Rustic Farmhouse Decorative Ladder—Amazon; amazon .com. Thin brick for fireplace Old Mill Brick Rushmore Thin Brick Shingles—The Home Depot; homedepot .com. Artwork—HomeGoods; homegoods.com.

Floating clear wall frames Gold 8x10" Acrylic Float Frame—Brass And Glass Shop; etsy.com/shop/ brassandglassshop. Green armchair Bryce Swivel Chair—Trove Warehouse + Trove Editions; trovewarehouse.com. Pom-pom throw blanket— Woven Nook; wovennook.com.

Page 16–17 (living room): Window shades Arlo Blinds Cordless Whitewash Bamboo Roman Shade, curtains, sofa Maklaine, rug Safavieh Natural Fiber Carrie Braided Area Rug—Walmart; walmart.com. Coffee table Ryker—Wayfair LLC; wayfair.com. Gray pillow Topanga Pillow Cover—Serena & Lily Inc.; serenaandlily .com. Woven ivory pillows—Anthropologie; anthropologie.com. Pink throw blanket— HomeGoods; homegoods.com. Pom-pom throw blanket—Woven Nook; wovennook.com. Window seat cushion—Pier 1 Imports; pier1.com. Window seat sconce Anmytek Iron Color Wall Light Fixture Swing Arm Wall Lamp—Amazon; amazon.com. Clear glass

vases, pink glass vases—Nordstrom; nordstrom.com.

Tray on coffee table, vase on coffee table—Terrain; shopterrain.com. Beach artwork Sandy San Franciscan Steps by Sharon Rowan—Minted LLC; minted.com.

Page 18 (kitchen): Cabinetry paint Mountain Peak White OC-121—Benjamin Moore & Co.; benjaminmoore .com. Cabinet door refacing—Heartwood Cabinet Refacing LLC; heartwoodcabinetrefacing.com. Pendant light above sink Kira Home Belle 9" Contemporary Industrial 1-Light Pendant in Antique Brass, sconce by back door Nauticus Wet Location Bulkhead in Black Finish, cabinetry hardware Atlas Homewares It Pull in Vintage Brass—Amazon; amazon.com. Roman shades Belgian Flax Linen Roman Shade in Shale—Barn & Willow; barnandwillow.com. Faucet Delta Trinsic Pro Single-Handle Pull-Down Sprayer Kitchen Faucet—The Home Depot; homedepot.com. Stove GE Artistry Series—Overstock.com Inc.; overstock.com. White chairs Tucker—Serena & Lily Inc.; serenaandlily.com.

Sink—IKEA; ikea.com. Canisters, marble tray— Walmart; walmart.com. Flooring Artea Porcelain Field Tile—Wayfair LLC; wayfair.com.

Page 19 (banquette): Roman shades Belgian Flax Linen Roman Shade in Shale—Barn & Willow; barnandwillow.com. Floating shelves Threshold Real Wood Floating 12" Shelf—Target; target.com.

Chandelier Capiz Honeycomb Chandelier, white chairs Tucker, white pillow Montecito Outdoor Pillow—Serena & Lily Inc.; serenaandlily.com.

Black-and-white pillows—Woven Nook; wovennook .com. Black diamond pillow cover—H&M; hm.com.

Table base Coavas Kitchen Dining Table, round cutting boards Gastro Chic Cutting Boards—Amazon; amazon .com. Marble tabletop—homeowners’ collection.

Page 20 (family room): Wallpaper Devine Color Textured Brick Peel & Stick Wallpaper in White—Target; target.com. Wallpaper on dormer Daydream in Black—Hygge & West; hyggeandwest.com. Ceiling fan Hunter Indoor Low Profile Ceiling Fan Cranbrook 52" in Black, rug Safavieh Natural Fiber—Amazon; amazon .com. Gold bookshelf—West Elm; westelm.com. Poufs Gina Pouf—Wayfair LLC; wayfair.com. Sofa, brown chair—homeowners’ collection.

Page 21 (girls’ room): Dresser paint Chalked in Blush Pink—Rust-Oleum; rustoleum.com. Wallpaper— Anewall; anewall.com. Sconces The Venice Gooseneck Sign Light, ceiling fan Hunter Indoor Low Profile Ceiling Fan Cranbrook 52" in Mint—Amazon; amazon .com. Bed frames Girona Solid Wood Twin Bed— Overstock.com Inc.; overstock.com. Striped comforters—H&M; hm.com. White bed linens— Beddy’s; beddys.com. Throw pillows, curtains— Anthropologie; anthropologie.com. Desk Flash Furniture Wood Adjustable Height Open Front Desk— Walmart; walmart.com. Artwork above desk Out to Sea by Jess Franks—Minted LLC; minted.com. Wicker hamper La Jolla Basket—Serena & Lily Inc.; serenaandlily.com.

Page 22 (master bedroom): Wall paint Gray— Benjamin Moore & Co.; benjaminmoore.com.

Wallpaper on ceiling—Milton & King; miltonandking .com. Sconces—Barn Light Electric Co.; barnlight.com.

Bed Hooker Furniture Corsica Upholstery Shelter Bed—Hayneedle Inc.; hayneedle.com. Bed linens— The Company Store; thecompanystore.com. Rug Natural Handwoven Jute Birdseye Diamond Rug— RugsUSA LLC; rugsusa.com.

Page 22 (bath): Mirror Ferndown Full Length Wall Mirror, hand towel Ellijay 100% Cotton Hand Towel, bath towels, lighting Climsland 3-Light Vanity Light, vanity, faucet, towel ring, flooring Arabescato Carrara 1x1" Marble Mosiac Tile—Wayfair LLC; wayfair .com. Towel hooks Inhdbox Wall Mounted Wooden Coat Hook Hat Hanger—Amazon; amazon.com. Stool Dip-Dyed Stool—Serena & Lily Inc.; serenaandlily.com.

Page 23 (deck): Privacy screen—The Home Depot; homedepot.com. Beach artwork—Queen B Home; queenbhome.com. Sofa Threshold Fernhill Metal Patio Sofa, pink pillow Threshold, string lights—Target; target.com. Rocking chair, coffee table Ryker— SMALL-SPACE DECORATING 93

Wayfair LLC; wayfair.com. Stripe pillows, throw blanket—HomeGoods; homegoods.com. Tray Wood Grain Melamine Oval Platter, striped napkins—Crate & Barrel; crateandbarrel.com.

POINT OF ENTRY

pages 24–29 Pages 24–25: Wallpaper Mare Navy Wave—Brewster; brewsterwallcovering.com. Hooks—Kvell; kvellhome .com. Rug—Annie Selke; annieselke.com. Magnetic note board enLister—Three By Three; threebythree. com. White metal boxes—Hide + Seek Supply Co.; hideandseeksupplyco.com. Charging dock—Alldock; alldock.com. Tray with headphones Kawabon Tray in Washed Denim—Graf Lantz; graf-lantz.com. Cushion fabric—Jo-Ann Stores LLC; joann.com. Hairpin leg—Hairpin Leg Co.; etsy.com/shop/hairpinlegco.

Bench brackets Ekby Bjärnum—IKEA; ikea.com.

Gray-and-white basket Laguna Cotton Belly Basket, black drawers Bigso Graphite Stockholm Paper Drawers—The Container Store Inc.; containerstore .com. White metal baskets—Hobby Lobby; hobbylobby.com.

Pages 26–27: Hooks J-Hook in Natural Brass— Schoolhouse; schoolhouse.com. Rug—Annie Selke; annieselke.com. Wood paneling Hamptons— Stikwood; stikwood.com. Cushion fabric, journals— Rifle Paper Co.; riflepaperco.com. Dry-erase board— Three By Three; threebythree.com. Mint box Bigso Mint Stockholm Office Storage Box, 3-ring binders Russell + Hazel, woven boxes Natural Pandan Shirt Box, baskets on wall, pink shelf Blush Poppin Magnetic Wall Shelf—The Container Store Inc.; containerstore.com.

Multicolor round basket—Pier 1 Imports; pier1.com.

Boot tray—Target; target.com.

Page 29 (top left): Visit Allison Allen’s blog Deuce Cities Henhouse at deucecitieshenhouse.com.

Page 29 (top right): Visit Julia and Chris Marcum’s blog Chris Loves Julia at chrislovesjulia.com.

Wallpaper—Spoonflower; etsy.com/shop/ spoonflower. Runner—Flor; flor.com. Flooring Nordic Brown—The Tile Shop; tileshop.com.

COLORFUL PERSONALITY

pages 30–37 INTERIOR DESIGNERS: Tish Key and Laurie Bauch, Tish Key Interior Design, San Francisco; tishkey.com.

CONTRACTOR: Haus Werks Inc., Santa Ana, California; 714/343-3990; ochauswerks.com.

Pages 30–31 (living room): Wall paint Simply White OC-117—Benjamin Moore & Co.; benjaminmoore.com.

Chandelier Deco Glam Convertible Chandelier in Bronze CH09048—Shades of Light; shadesoflight.com.

Sconces Superordinate Antler— Roll & Hill LLC; rollandhill.com. Artwork Maroubra Bay Swimmers— Gray Malin; graymalin.com. Drapery Horizons Sun Shades in Natural Matchstick with White Linen— Horizons Window Fashions; horizonshades.com. Sofa Slipcovered Sofa C5285-03—Lee Industries; leeindustries.com. Coffee table Melrose Rectangle Cocktail Table—Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams; mgbwhome.com. Side table Rain Drum in Bronze 6115-34—Palecek; palecek.com. Blue glass bowl on coffee table—Pasadena Antique Center; pasadenaantique.center. Rug Zoey—Madeline Weinrib; madelineweinrib.com.

Pages 32–33 (dining room): Chandelier Feather Light Chandelier—Shabby Chic; shabbychic.com. Table Moab Grange Dining Table 66031—Sundance; sundancecatalog.com. Metal chairs Tolix Marais A Chair, ghost chairs Louis—Design Within Reach; dwr. com. Ghost chair seat cushions Single-Pelt Icelandic Sheepskin Rug—Overland Sheepskin Co.; overland. com. Rug—Anthropologie; anthropologie.com.

Page 34 (kitchen): Ceiling wallpaper Malaya in Red on Almost White—Quadrille; quadrillefabrics.com.

Cabinetry paint Simply White OC-117—Benjamin Moore & Co.; benjaminmoore.com. Flushmount lighting Lundy—The Urban Electric Co.; urbanelectric .com. Pendant lighting Teardrop—Shades of Light; shadesoflight.com. Cabinetry hardware Aubrey Pull in Polished Nickel—Restoration Hardware; rh.com.

Range—Wolf; subzero-wolf.com. Dishwasher— Thermador; thermador.com. Faucet Rohl 94 SMALL-SPACE DECORATING

A1456XMPN-2—Faucet.com; faucet.com.

Page 35 (exterior): Exterior paint Equinox DET616— Dunn-Edwards Corp.; dunnedwards.com. Front door paint Heritage Red HC-181—Benjamin Moore & Co.; benjaminmoore.com. Path lighting—Focus Industries Inc.; focusindustries.com.

Page 36 (master bedroom): Ceiling paint Simply White OC-117—Benjamin Moore & Co.; benjaminmoore .com. Wallpaper Queen of Spain in Warm Silver 5005880—F. Schumacher & Co; fschumacher.com.

Drapery Horizons Sun Shades in Natural Matchstick with White Linen—Horizons Window Fashions; horizonshades.com. Bed Marseille—Charles P. Rogers; charlesprogers.com. Shag lumbar pillow— Anthropologie; anthropologie.com. Silver lumbar pillow Anke Drechsel—ABC Carpet & Home; abchome .com. Lamps—Shabby Chic; shabbychic.com.

Nightstand Small Tanen Inlaid Bone Nightstand FNST-1420 SMTANEN—Mecox; mecox.com.

Rug—Serena & Lily Inc.; serenaandlily.com.

Page 37 (closet): Ceiling wallpaper Channels in Copper Beige—Kelly Wearstler; kellywearstler.com.

Mirror—Mecox; mecox.com. Console—Bungalow 5; bungalow5.com. Ottoman—Neiman Marcus; neimanmarcus.com. Rug Camel Crawford Reversible Peruvian Flat Weave Rug 22542—Jonathan Adler; jonathanadler.com. Page 37 (powder): Wallpaper— Wayfair LLC; wayfair.com. Toilet Kathryn K-3940-0— Kohler Co.; kohler.com.

SMALL-SPACE FIXES

pages 38–45 Pages 38–39 (living room): Wall, bench, and mantle paint Swiss Coffee OC-45, door paint Wrought Iron 2124-10—Benjamin Moore & Co.; benjaminmoore.com.

Sconce Progress Lighting Archie 1-Light 5.75" Venetian Bronze Bowl Vanity Light—Lowe’s; lowes.com. Bench cushion Sunbrella Canvas White Indoor/Outdoor Cushion, metal sheet on bench door M-D Hobby & Craft Aluminum Hobby Sheet in Silver, rug nuLOOM, fans in cabinet AC Infinity Multifan S7, cord cable management kit Wiremold Cord Cover CordMate II Cable Organizer Raceway Kit—Amazon; amazon.com.

Bench Shaker Assembled 36x12x12" Wall Bridge Kitchen Cabinet in Satin White—The Home Depot; homedepot.com.

Pages 40–41 (bath): Wall paint Wabi-Sabi T18-10—Behr; behr.com. Wall stencil paint Rust-Oleum Metallic Interior Paint in Soft Gold—The Home Depot; homedepot.com. Wall stencil Spring Leafs—Stencil Labs NY; etsy.com/shop/stencilslabny.

Sconces Angelina Modern 1-Light Wallchiere—Wayfair LLC; wayfair.com. Sink Hagaviken—IKEA; ikea.com.

Faucet Single Handle Channel Bathroom Faucet—Delta Faucet Co.; deltafaucet.com. Toilet—Saniflo; saniflostore.com.

Pages 42–43 (kitchen): Hood range paint Metal Effects—Modern Masters; modernmasters.com.

Upholstery tacks—Hobby Lobby; hobbylobby.com.

Pages 44–45 (kids’ room): Book ledges Mosslanda— IKEA; ikea.com. Bookshelf Sling—KidKraft; kidkraft .com. Wallpaper in book boxes Dalmatian Spot— Livettes; livetteswallpaper.com. Ottoman—Target; target.com.

HOME ON WHEELS

pages 46–51 Visit Cami Graham’s blog Tidbits at tidbits-cami.com and follow her on Instagram @camitidbits.

Wall paint Chantilly Lace OC-65—Benjamin Moore & Co.; benjaminmoore.com. Flooring Aged Timber Beige and Grey Click Floating Vinyl Plank—The Home Depot; homedepot.com. Bench cushion Rohini Daybed Cushion—Urban Outfitters; urbanoutfitters.com.

Kitchen sink, kitchen faucet—Blanco; blanco.com.

Dinnerware Ivory Element Dinnerware Collection— Cost Plus World Market; worldmarket.com. Cabinetry knobs Marstree, bathroom chandelier Edvivi Amorette 1-Light Chrome, curtain in master bedroom Wamsutta Sheer 84" Window Curtain Panel in Blue—Amazon; amazon.com. Wallpaper in bunks Trowbridge Garden Floral, Felan Plaid & Gingham—Wayfair LLC; wayfair .com. Kids’ bedding Chic Gray, Chic White, Farmhouse, Oh So Boho—Beddy’s; beddys.com. Master bedding

Annabelle—Piper Classics; piperclassics.com. Storage boxes Farmhouse Storage Box—The Container Store Inc.; containerstore.com.

WALLS THAT TALK

pages 52–57 Page 52 (bedroom): Wall paint Composed SW 6472— The Sherwin-Williams Co.; sherwin-williams.com.

Duvet Georgiana Paraschiv For Deny Abstract M3 Duvet Cover—Urban Outfitters; urbanoutfitters.com. Woven throw blanket Solid Basketweave Throw in Nightshade, decorative pillow, white bowl with lid—West Elm; westelm.com. Pink pillow shams Triangle Stitch Pillow Sham by Pillowfort, light green lumbar pillows— Target; target.com. Bedside table Selje—IKEA; ikea .com. Coffee mug—Anthropologie; anthropologie. com. Gold tray, basket—The Container Store Inc.; containerstore.com. Flooring Mannington Laminate Historic Oak in Ash 22100— Mannington Mills Inc.; mannington.com.

Page 53 (fireplace): Visit Erin Kern’s blog Cotton Stem at cottonstem.com and follow her on Instagram @cottonstem.

Sconce Cotton Stem Collection—Painted Fox Home; paintedfoxhome.com. Mantel vintage—Craigslist; craigslist.org. Chair—Joss & Main; jossandmain.com.

Sea-glass bottles, plates—vintage.

Page 54 (laundry): INTERIOR DECORATOR: Gretchen Bond, Livinbond, Wayne, Pennsylvania; info@livinbond .com; livinbond.com.

Wallpaper Devine Color—Target; target.com.

Page 55 (bedroom): INTERIOR DESIGNER:Jessica Davis, Atelier Davis, Atlanta and New York City; 617/833-7244; atelierdavis.com.

Roman shade fabric—Spoonflower; etsy.com/shop/ spoonflower. Bed—Crate & Kids; crateandbarrel.com/ kids. Throw pillow—The Citizenry; the-citizenry.com.

Rug—West Elm; westelm.com.

Page 55 (bath): ARCHITECT: Ben Waechter, Waechter Architecture, Portland, Oregon; 503/894-9480; waechterarchitecture.com.

Page 55 (powder): INTERIOR DESIGNERS: Lucy Penfield and Stephanie Lalley, Lucy Interior Design, Minneapolis and Phoenix; 612/339-2225; lucyinteriordesign.com.

CONTRACTOR: Clairmont Design Build, Minneapolis; 612/961-5692; clairmontbuilders.com.

Wallpaper Dark Floral—Ellie Cashman Design; elliecashmandesign.com. Sconces—Hinkley; hinkley .com. Sink, fixtures vintage—homeowners’ collection.

Page 56 (entry): INTERIOR DESIGN: Cynthia Harper, Cynthia Harper Living, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania; cynthiaharperliving.com.

Wall paint Ultra White 7006-24—Valspar; valsparpaint.com. Bench—vintage.

Page 57 (kitchen): Contact paper backsplash Cornflower Tiles—Chic Shelf Paper; chicshelfpaper .com. Cabinet pulls Goldenwarm Brushed Brass Cabinet Pulls—Amazon; amazon.com. Pineapple cookie jar—Cost Plus World Market; worldmarket .com. Glass bowl with wood stand—At Home Stores LLC; athome.com. Hanging wall planter—Hobby Lobby; hobbylobby.com.

Page 57 (living room): Oak plywood panels—Lowe’s; lowes.com. Settee Barcelona—Thomasville; thomasville.com. Lamp—Target; target.com. Small rug Hand-Woven Brixham Solid Indoor Cotton Rug—Overstock.com Inc.; overstock.com. Area rug Beatrice—Annie Selke; annieselke.com. Liquid dyes used on rug and lampshade Hyacinth and Royal Blue—Rit; ritdye.com.

WINNING FORMULA

pages 58–65 INTERIOR STYLIST: Bri Moysa, Emerson Grey Designs, Aliso Viejo, California; Instagram: @brimoysa; emersongreydesigns.com.

ELECTRICIAN: Blaine Pecaut Electric, San Clemente, California; 949/291-5204.

KITCHEN BACKSPLASH INSTALLATION: Ron Jorge Construction Services, Aliso Viejo, California; 513/623-6952; ronjorge.com.

Window shades throughout Levolor—Lowe’s; lowes .com. Wall paint throughout Light Pewter 1464—

Benjamin Moore & Co.; benjaminmoore.com.

Page 58 (entry): Console Easmor—AllModern; allmodern.com. Ceiling fan—CB2; cb2.com. Hooks for coat rack—Anthropologie; anthropologie.com.

Page 59 (living room): Picture ledges, sofa Farlov, lamp—IKEA; ikea.com. Sofa cover—Bemz; bemz.com.

Page 60 (patio): Exterior wall paint Boat Anchor DE6377—Dunn-Edwards Corp.; dunnedwards .com. Coffee table—CB2; cb2.com. Black chairs, plant hangers, flooring—IKEA; ikea.com. Sunburst mirror—homeowners’ collection.

Page 61 (living room): Black-and-white photography at white console—Summer Sun Home Art; summersunhomeart.com. Photography framing— FrameBridge; framebridge.com. White shelf on wall, drapery, curtain rod, rings—IKEA; ikea.com.

Chairs—AllModern; allmodern.com. Ottoman Palma—Eclectic Goods; eclecticgoods.com. Media console—Rove Concepts; roveconcepts.com. Side table—Target; target.com. Patchwork cowhide rug—RugsUSA LLC; rugsusa.com. Artwork, pillows—homeowners’ collection.

Page 62 (kitchen): Wall paint at pass-through window Carbon N520-7—Behr; behr.com.

Countertops, subway tile—Floor & Decor; flooranddecor.com. Floating shelves—Walnut Wood Works; walnutwoodworks.com. Wood—Reel Lumber Service; reellumber.com. Sink, range hood—Wayfair LLC; wayfair.com. Faucet—Pfister; pfisterfaucets.com.

Pendant lighting, cabinetry pulls—Amazon; amazon .com. Cabinetry knobs, barstools—Target; target.com.

Page 62 (office): Desks, chairs, sheepskins, shelving brackets—IKEA; ikea.com. Lamp modified for pendant lighting, black lamp, hanging plant— Target; target.com. Black-framed prints—Gathered Nest Designs; etsy.com/shop/gatherednestdesigns.

Boston terrier print—Minted LLC; minted.com.

Reclaimed wood for shelves—U.S. Reclaimed Wood; usreclaimed.com. Wire wall pockets—HomeGoods; homegoods.com. Deer print, antlers—homeowners’ collection.

Page 63 (dining area): Pendant lighting Basket Weave Bamboo Pendant Lamp—Cost Plus World Market; worldmarket.com. Mirror—Target; target.com.

Table—Rove Concepts; roveconcepts.com. Chairs— Inmod; inmod.com. Benches Trofast—IKEA; ikea.com.

Bench cushion fabric—Ecocon Linen; etsy.com/shop/ ecoconlinen. Pillows, black-and-white photography—homeowners’ collection.

Page 64 (master bedroom): Wall paint Decorator’s White PM-3—Benjamin Moore & Co.; benjaminmoore .com. Artwork Mid Century Style Woodblock—The Printable Studio; etsy.com/shop/theprintablestudio.

Sconce—West Elm; westelm.com. Bed—IKEA; ikea .com. Blanket—June + Blue; juneandblue.com. Throw pillows—The Ivory Gull; etsy.com/shop/theivorygull.

Nightstand—Target; target.com. Rug—Surya Inc.; surya.com.

Page 64 (bath): Lighting—The Home Depot; homedepot.com. Vanity, round mirror, shelving at toilet—IKEA; ikea.com. Vinyl floor stickers Citadel—Quadrostyle; quadrostyle.com.

Page 64 (laundry): Wall paint—Vista Paint Corp.; vistapaint.com. Shelf liner used as wallpaper— Target; target.com. Artwork—Lettered & Lined LLC; letteredandlined.com. Hanging rod—IKEA; ikea.com.

Baskets—HomeGoods; homegoods.com.

Page 65 (kids’ bedroom): Wall stencil Beads Allover—Cutting Edge Stencils; cuttingedgestencils .com. Beds, ottoman—IKEA; ikea.com. Duvets— Amazon; amazon.com. Artwork of Chopper—Perkie Prints; perkieprints.com. Nightstand—HomeGoods; homegoods.com.

RECIPES FOR SUCCESS

pages 66–73 Pages 66–67: INTERIOR DESIGNERS: Susanna Ward and Elaina Myers, Design 4 Corners, Encinitas, California; 760/696-0502; design4corners.com.

Wall paint—Benjamin Moore & Co.; benjaminmoore .com. Lighting—West Elm; westelm.com. Window shade Provenance Woven Woods Collection—Hunter Douglas; hunterdouglas.com. Backsplash, countertops Carrara Quartz, flooring Cementine Black and White—Arizona Tile; arizonatile.com. Cabinetry

Laxarby—IKEA; ikea.com. Cabinetry hardware Hampton Collection Bar Pull in Amber Gold—Cool Knobs and Pulls; coolknobsandpulls.com. Shelves— Etsy Inc.; etsy.com. Faucet Royden Single-Hole Kitchen Faucet—Signature Hardware; signaturehardware.com.

Pages 68–69: Wall paint Palladian Blue HC-144— Benjamin Moore & Co.; benjaminmoore.com.

Countertops—Lumber Liquidators Inc.; lumberliquidators.com. Countertops sealer— Waterlox Coatings Corp.; waterlox.com.

Pages 70–71: Sconce Morland—SavoyHouse.com; savoyhouse.com. Flushmount lighting Modern Ceiling Light with White Glass in Satin Nickel Finish— Destination Lighting; destinationlighting.com.

Backsplash Halcyon 3D Hexagon Recycled Glass Tile—TileBar; tilebar.com. Cabinetry hardware Contemporary Metal Pull—Richelieu Hardware; richelieu.com. Cabinetry knobs Jeffrey Alexander Sonoma Square Cabinet Knob in Satin Nickel— PullsDirect.com; pullsdirect.com. Faucet Talis HighArc—Hansgrohe; hansgrohe-usa.com. Range 30" Slide-In Gas Range—Frigidaire; frigidaire.com.

Refrigerator Maytag 30"-Wide Bottom Mount— Maytag; maytag.com. Barstools—CB2; cb2.com.

Dinnerware Reactive Glaze Serveware, marble-andcopper mortar and pestle—West Elm; westelm.com.

Place setting Westport in Alabaster—Simon Pearce; simonpearce.com. White pot Kaico, chef’s knife Cangshan—Amazon; amazon.com. Canisters—Crate & Barrel; crateandbarrel.com. Green bowl Flared Bowl Large in Wasabi—Mud Australia; us.mudaustralia.com.

Woven containers—Aero Studios; aerostudios.com.

Pages 72–73: KITCHEN DESIGNER: Melissa Lee, Bespoke Only, New York City; bespokeonly.com.

CONSTRUCTION: Dominik Szubart.

Wall paint Stonington Gray HC-170, molding, ceiling, and chimney wall paint White Dove OC-17—Benjamin Moore & Co.; benjaminmoore.com. Light fixture— Restoration Hardware; rh.com. Blinds—The Shade Store LLC; theshadestore.com. Subway tile—Milestone Kitchen & Bath Corp.; milestonekitchenbathcorp.com.

Cabinetry Lidingo, bin pulls Fågleboda, pulls Fintorp, cooktop Dåtid, hood Luftig, wall and microwave ovens Nutid—IKEA; ikea.com. Countertop—Quartz Master; quartzmasters.com. Stools—White on White Furniture; whiteonwhite.com. Faucet—Riobel; riobel .ca. Flooring—Siberian Floors; siberianfloors.com.

LOFTY LIVING

pages 74–79 Pages 74–75 (kitchen): Red stools—Fred Meyer; fredmeyer.com. Cutting board—Epicurean LLC; epicureancs.com. Island—homeowners’ creation.

Pages 76–77 (living room): Black pendant lighting—Old Portland Hardware & Architectural; oldportlandhardware.com. Phone booth artwork— IKEA; ikea.com. Sofa—Christopher David; christopherdavidhome.com. White pillow with shape of Oregon—Stacey Coleman Pillows; ssnow27@ comcast.net. Black stripe pillow, red stripe pillow, red desk chair Henry in Red—Rejuvenation Inc.; rejuvenation.com. Galvanized tray in coffee table, red fabric boxes in shelving—HomeGoods; homegoods .com. Shelving racks—Cost Plus World Market; worldmarket.com. Produce crates with chalkboard labels—Amazon; amazon.com. Rug—West Elm; westelm.com.

Pages 78–79 (bedroom): Pendant lighting—The Home Depot; homedepot.com. Double bike rack— REI; rei.com. Artwork—HomeGoods; homegoods.com.

Curtains—IKEA; ikea.com. Bed—Restoration Hardware; rh.com. Duvet and shams Organic Cotton Pintuck—West Elm; westelm.com. Black-and-white lumbar pillow Threshold Black Global Oversized— Target; target.com. Side table lamp Anglepoise— Rejuvenation Inc.; rejuvenation.com. Basket with lid— Cost Plus World Market; worldmarket.com.

CREATIVE CONTRAST

pages 80–83 INTERIOR DESIGNER: Erin Williamson, Erin Williamson Design, Austin; erinwilliamsondesign.com.

Mirror—Wayfair LLC; wayfair.com. Subway tile—The Home Depot; homedepot.com. Vanity—IKEA; ikea .com. Vanity drawer front—Semihandmade; semihandmadedoors.com. Drawer pulls—Atlas Homewares; atlashomewares.com. Vanity faucet, tub fixtures—Brizo; brizo.com. Tub—Kohler Co.; kohler .com. Shower curtain, towel holder at sink—Target; target.com. Black pots—Nannie Inez Inc.; nannieinez .com. Flooring Tulum—Cement Tile Shop LLC; cementtileshop.com.

UTILITY MATTERS

pages 84–92 PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZERS: Aby Garvey, Simplify 101; simplify101.com; and Deborah J. Cabral, The DeClutter Coach; decluttercoachdeb.com.

Closet organization system Configurations Customizable Closet kit—Rubbermaid; rubbermaid .com. Top-shelf storage containers—Target; target. com. Dividers Like-It Portrait File Sorter, fabric storage cubes Poppin 2x2 Storage Cubes, sweater shelving dividers Elfa Ventilated Wire shelf dividers, stackable shoe bins, premium stackable shoe bins—The Container Store; containerstore.com. Hanging organizer used for workout clothing Charleston Closet Organizer, sold in packet of two from the Better Homes & Gardens® Collection—Walmart; walmart.com.

Pages 86–87 (laundry): PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZER: Kathy Jenkins, Come to Order, Richmond, Virginia; 804/310-6068; cometoorderva.com.

CONTRACTOR: Eric Engels, Just Right Construction, Altoona, Iowa; 515/313-3078; jrcdm.com.

Wallpaper—Graham & Brown; grahambrown.com.

Washer, dryer—Whirlpool; whirlpool.com. Pullout shelving Wood Tall Filler Pullout 432-TF45-6C—Rev-AShelf; rev-a-shelf.com. Blue wall hooks—Urban Outfitters; urbanoutfitters.com. Baskets, hamper— Walmart; walmart.com. Glass canister with mint ceramic lid—Cost Plus World Market; worldmarket. com. Rug—Shades of Light; shadesoflight.com.

Pages 88–89 (guest room): Visit Grace Mitchell’s blog A Storied Style at astoriedstyle.com and follow her on Instagram @astoriedstyle.

Wall paint Capitol White CW-10, desk paint Decorator’s White PM-3—Benjamin Moore & Co.; benjaminmoore.com. Trim paint Teresa’s Green No.236—Farrow & Ball Ltd.; farrow-ball.com.

Curtains—Cowtan & Tout; cowtan.com. Window shades—West Elm; westelm.com. Sconce Mist Double Sconce—Rejuvenation, Inc.; rejuvenation.com.

Artwork—Again & Again; againandagain.com.

Bookshelves, chair, tray Acrylic Clear Square Tray— CB2; cb2.com. Storage boxes Bigso—The Container Store Inc.; containerstore.com. Calendar—KellyKay; kellykay.com. Hanging rattan chair—Serena & Lily Inc.; serenaandlily.com. Side table—Simple Things; simplethingsfurniture.com. Desk, hand sculptures, mirror, lady statue on side table, rug—vintage.

Bed—homeowners’ collection.

Pages 90–91 (garage): CONTRACTOR: The Works, Portland, Oregon; 503/331-0103; theworkspdx.com.

SHELVES AND BRACKETS BLACKSMITH: Jon Fyre, The Sellwood Blacksmith, Portland, Oregon; 971/235-5869; sellwoodblacksmith.com.

Green wagon Gorilla Cart—Lowe’s; lowes.com. Small clear jars with lids, gray stacking bins—Olcott Plastics; olcottplastics.com. Wheels for bins—Uline; uline.com. Slat wall and hooks—The Home Depot; homedepot.com. Wall-mount bike bracket Racor Bicycle—Amazon; amazon.com.

Page 92 (linen closet): Visit Jennifer Holmes’ blog Dear Lillie at dearlilliestudio.com and follow her on Instagram @dearlillie.

Tags on bins and baskets Boxed Gift Tags, patterned towels Taupe Medallion Scarlett Sculpted Bath Towel— Cost Plus World Market; worldmarket.com. Pillows Elodie Pom Pillow—Nordstrom; nordstrom.com.

SMALL-SPACE DECORATING 95

weekend project

Grow a garden in a tight space by reaching up instead of out.

Writer Laura Wallis Producer Jessica Thomas Photographer Adam Albright

free fall Take advantage of the vertical reach of even the smallest patio, balcony, or porch by growing a garden in containers that you can hang. Clip together a series of containers to form a “wall” of green. (We joined two sets of three containers by clipping two additional containers in the middle.)

Fill the planters with annuals that share the same light needs. Here, shade-loving Waterfall blue lobelia, Breathless euphorbia, maidenhair fern, and hostas mingle for a neutral yet texture-rich look. Galvanized Hanging Triple Planters, $55 each; Galvanized Hanging Single Planters, $20 each; gardeners.com.

96 SMALL-SPACE DECORATING

Small-Space Decorating™ (ISSN 2575-7660), 2020. Small-Space Decorating is published once a year in April by Meredith Corp., 1716 Locust St., Des Moines, IA 50309-3023. © Meredith Corp. 2020. All rights reserved. Printed in the U.S.A.

GREEN screen