Make It Count
/A good friend of mine introduced me to this lovely thought – and I couldn’t agree more! You know when that dreaded moving day comes along and you find yourself packing that old vase your mother-in-law friend’s cousin (once removed) gave you? And as you are carefully packing this ugly, never once used vase – you think – I’ve always hated this vase, why do I still have it?! Well, I officially give you permission to charitably donate this vase! (Insert sigh of relief here.) As William Morris said, “Have nothing in your home that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.” This is especially true when living in or designing a small space.
My first tip for living/ designing a small space – Live with what you love! Free yourself of items that are not functional for you and your family. These un-loved items are just taking up space – precious space that could be used for something personal and beautiful to gaze at. This newly acquired spot could also just be used for a little extra breathing room. “White” space in a room is just as important as filling it with a beautiful object.
My second tip for living/ designing a small space – Mirrors can be your best friend! Mirror, mirror on the wall, who’s the fairest of them all? (No, not exactly that kind of mirror!) Any time you add a mirror to your space, whether it’s on the wall in your Entry or just simply the top of your side table, it creates the illusion of more square footage. Mirror reflects light throughout the room and gives the illusion of an additional window. Antiqued mirror is one of my favorite design tricks. It adds a smoky, organic layer to an otherwise clear mirror and gives the room a little edginess, a little sexiness. And let’s be honest – who doesn’t want a little of that in their life?!
My third tip for living/ designing a small space – Go big or go home! Often times we have the tendency to select small items for a small room. Makes sense – right? Wrong! Do exactly the opposite. By playing with scale, the eye will think the room is bigger than it actually is. Do something over-scale and daring. Add a larger than life piece of art over your sofa. Trust me, you and your room will thank me!
And lastly, always remember (no matter how big or small the project is) whatever you put in your home - make it count.
