Showing posts with label Decorate. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Decorate. Show all posts

Tuesday, February 11, 2014

What can you do with just 600 square feet? An super efficient floor plan containing a great room, bedroom, and full bath, cleverly constructed cabinets, and multifunctional furniture makes this small one-story home live large.


Decorated in crisp white and blue with pops of spring green, the inviting open living area not only serves as living, dining, kitchen, and work space -- it can also host up to three guests thanks to a trundle bed/bench squeezed into a window niche and a traditional pullout sofa. An ottoman serves as a coffee table with hidden storage beneath its upholstered lid.


Drawers pull out from under the daybed to reveal clever storage for games when the homeowner is entertaining. Store items near the place you are most likely to use them for an easy and convenient way to stay organized.


A wall-hung TV frees up space for media equipment on shelves below. Storage baskets mix the room's color palette  green and blue  and add more pattern, playfulness, and storage to the room.


With the help of wall-mount file pockets and a portable file box, a small table in a corner of the living room easily goes from dining to an impromptu office. Swivel stools tuck neatly under the table when not in use, saving space in the small quarters.


Hallways are for more than navigating through a space. By borrowing just a little square footage from surrounding rooms and making the hallway wider, you can greatly multiply storage options. Here, floor-to-ceiling shelves line the walls surrounding the curtained bedroom entry. Or, if you already have a wide hallway, consider adding banks of shelves around the doorway or at the end of a passageway. Add cabinet doors to lower shelves for hidden storage.


The petite bedroom features two skinny closets that flank the entry and four deep drawers below the bed. A bounty of baskets and boxes adds another layer of shipshape organization to this miniature marvel.


A nightstand-headboard at one end of the bed packs extra storage under the eaves, while four drawers built into the base of the bed store folded clothes and shoes without taking up additional floor space.


A pair of narrow closets provides ample storage for clothing and shoes. Baskets corral socks and shoes, while hooks for laundry and tote bags maximize back-of-the-door space.


Don't skimp on style when outfitting a small space with storage. Find solutions that blend beauty and function. In the bathroom, a vanity features storage for bath items in the cabinet and on an open shelf below. A pair of pretty glass canisters house cotton balls and swabs.


Cabinets in the hallway near the kitchen house office supplies. A bamboo stationery holder, stacking flip-top bins, and an acrylic organizer stash small items such as paper clips, pens, and computer cords, while larger canvas bins hold notepads, printer paper, file folders, and gift-wrapping supplies.


Open shelving, small scale cabinets, and a slender pantry work together to create an efficient galley kitchen featuring a two-burner cooktop and a sink. Baskets hold bulk items and take advantage of the extra space near the ceiling, while boxes above the cooktop contain dish towels and napkins.


The pantry keeps the microwave and toaster ovens hidden yet accessible. Baskets and wooden bins hold packaged food and beverages on adjustable shelves; clear acrylic canisters provide airtight storage for snacks. Sets of canisters come in uniform sizes so they can stack together nicely, the way a hodgepodge of food packages often don't.

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Natural materials and found items make inviting fall decorations for your favorite outdoor room

Fall is here, and with it a new season of activity as a prelude to the holidays. If you can find a free afternoon, spend just a few hours sprucing up your porch or patio with seasonal spirit before your trick-or-treaters arrive.


General Fall Porch Style 

Natural textures layered next to found items can create a cozy outdoor seat for watching the leaves change. Using a hay bale as a temporary coffee table is an inexpensive and functional way to cozy up your outdoor space. Try using a small tray or basket as a sturdy, flat surface to hold a beverage or book.

Here, a rustic chair doubles as a side table for a vintage cola crate holding pink mums.


Make over tin cans with paint and fill them with your favorite seasonal flowers. A generous neighbor let me pick these from her garden.
Use your arrangement to freshen up any space, from an entry to a tabletop.



A wood crate provides extra display space and storage. A stack of old paperbacks bolsters some mini pumpkins. Lavender sprigs in a vintage milk jug add both a pleasant aroma and height to a wooden-crate-turned-side-table.


Simple Burlap Pillow Cover 

Burlap or linen sacks make for an easy pillow cover during the holidays. This small burlap sack was one of those "I'll find something to with this one day" items that found a new (and temporary) purpose as our porch swing cushion. If you don't have one, you can just cut some burlap to length and sew one up.


Stuff your pillow into the sack and tuck leftover fabric into the open end, hiding the pillow inside.


Wrap a ribbon around the sack and tie it. Of course, if you are using an indoor pillow as the filler, bring your pillow inside if the weather gets too damp.