Simple Decorating Tricks For Small Spaces And More
Here are seven simple decorating tricks for small spaces that I actually used last week. My sister owns a two bedroom condo in San Diego with lots of natural light and our daughter and her husband just bought a 1600 square foot home with views of downtown Los Angeles. Here is what we did to maximize their small spaces with unique style.
And there’s more favorites since its Sunday with Annie and Cindy like a book your bookclub will like and why my trusty watch may be good for you, too!
Embrace Natural Light And The Outside
Heavy curtains and window coverings can enclose smaller spaces. Consider simple treatments that blend with the walls.
Light Paint Colors On Walls
Light or white walls can give the illusion of space. Painting the walls one color or in the same color palette, especially when open to other rooms makes a small room more expansive.
Additionally you may like: Great Reasons For Painting Walls And Trim The Same Color.
Adding Architecture With A Bookcase Or Other Focal Point
In my sister’s case, we were able to make the living room architecture have more visual interest with a wall-to-wall bookcase. Some of you asked what was on the other side of the room when I posted about this.
Here you can see her living room.
Large Mirror For A Feeling Of Space
This round mirror makes a focal point while enlarging the small area. (the mirror is actually attached to the wall now about four or five inches above the console).
Traffic Flow In A Small Home
Larger walkways like the entrance should be at least 36″ wide (see by the front door below). Space around a coffee table can be around 16 to 20″.
It’s fine to use larger pieces like the sofa (that both my sister and daughter have) if you make sure you have enough room to easily get into the room. (notice that Alexandra is using the canvas drop cloth that I recommended for extra stain protection).
Right now, our daughter doesn’t have a coffee table. She could probably use an ottoman that is about 42″ by 28″ or less so that there is room to get around but still put your feet up. And actually with a 2 year old and a baby on the way, she may want to wait and use the floor space.
Accent chairs with a small footprint add additional seating with limited square footage.
Complementary Furniture Pieces
They could use a couple of counter stools. I recommended these walnut and camel leather stools as they blend with island but make a statement.
Our daughter’s dining room is so narrow, that it makes sense to use her small table that we bought at the Brooklyn Flea Market when she was in college (flea markets and family hand-me-downs are excellent ways to add character to small apartments). Since then it has also been used as desk and as an entry table. And now it’s back to being a dining table pushed to the side with a bench. (I forgot to take a photo–next time).
Banquettes are a great way to make a room feel larger with the furniture pushed to one side. You may also like: BANQUETTES: Everyone’s Favorite Place to Gather.
The Importance Of Negative Space For Visual Breathing Room
You do not want to make your small home or studio apartment feel like a cramped space! This applies to counters in a small kitchen. Edit and put away what you can.
The good news is even if you have a small living space you can have a comfortable room with the right balance of color, light, walkway space and comfortable seating!
Glazing A Tiled Backsplash
Alexandra didn’t love the bright yellow backsplash and to be honest, it distracted your eye from the garden view beyond. Her realtor recommended a professional tile glazer. You might want to DIY it but it is a several step process.
I recommended a few shades that I thought would look good and told her to order them from: Samplize Paint Stick On Paint Samples.
They ended up selecting Sherwin Williams Oyster Bay.
Why You May Want An Apple Watch Like Mine
I use my Apple watch to track my steps and check my texts. And once when my phone battery had died, I was able to use it to call my brother to get the code to his neighborhood gate to take him to an important doctor’s appointment.
Additionally, this was a comment from a fellow reader Valletta:
I just wanted to reply to this post about the Apple Watch. I highly recommend getting one! It actually saved my in-laws’ lives. They were in a bad car accident and it alerted all of their kids, with a map of their location (a mountain road along the coast). It also was able to call 911 while they were immobile in the car! Can’t recommend enough.
This is my Machete watch band that I like (a Mother’s Day gift).
Shop the Post
What To Read: James, A Novel by Percival Everett
This is a powerful novel from the point of view of the slave, Jim, from The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.
It’s in development as a feature film to be produced by Steven Spielberg. As soon as I (quickly) finished it, I recommended to my husband. And now to you!
If you would like to receive this series every week, please sign up HERE.
Let’s see what my friends have discovered this week:
Cindy Hattersley Design
Most Lovely Things
Mary Ann! I love what you’ve done with both Theresa and Alie and Luca’s home! The painted tile looks so beautiful! It looks like it always should have been that color. It’s so restful looking!
You always have the best tips!
Xo
Annie
I did not know you could reglaze tile. What an improvement! The West Virginia resort looks interesting too. Thank you Mary Ann.
What a great idea glazing the tile! That yellow was awful! The kitchen looks beautiful now!
In Australia, Apple ran ads on how the watch saved 2 lives. One was a gentleman out cycling on his own in the bush and was knocked unconscious by a kangaroo, the watch alerted his wife and emergency services. Another was a teenage girl who kept receiving alerts that her heart rate was low, they actually thought it was a good thing, however, decided to have a doctor examine her and she had a heart blockage and required a pacemaker.
Wow…I am not sure I am taking advantage of the heart monitoring. Thanks, Rita.
Thank you for so many inspiring ideas! In an earlier post this summer, you showcased some cordless lamps in your outdoor space. I would like to purchase these lamps am wondering if they have held up well over the summer and if you would recommend them. Thank you!
Yes. The hold up well! you just need to fully charge them (that can take a while) but they still look good.
here is the link (they are 40% off): https://amzlink.to/az0y1tdO3qVfJ
I found those cube ottomans that have a top that can flip to soft or hard really helpful when my son was little. The soft side was safer for him but allowed him to pull up, nice to flip over to hold a drink after bedtime. Also hidden storage! Love the painted tile- great eco friendly recommendation.
Great idea, Ava!
I’m a huge proponent of Apple Watches, too. Mine notified me of my very first AFIB episode the day before I was supposed to have hip replacement surgery. That certainly got my attention- and postponed my surgery! It can also run an EKG strip and send it to my cardiologist, check my O2 level, and keep track of my heart rate. My cardiologist highly recommends that his AFIB patients wear one. He says you can trust it to be right.
I enjoy your posts very much. Keep up the good work, Mary Ann.
Amazing, Joy!!
SORRY for the difficult return home! Last summer, it took us 3 days to return from Lisbon right before 4th of July, despite being seasoned travelers. Sometimes, despite best efforts, it can be a losing-sleep proposition.
I am thinking about the Apple watch after reading Valletta’s comment a week or two ago. And I love your watchband.
I’m glad your kids have started their equity-building via home ownership — that’s how to do it in expensive housing markets like California!
They are so happy, Joan. It’s nice when you can make improvements (like they are with the yard) and not feel bad like you do when renting.
Thanks for all the ideas! I will look into the tile glazing as it would be less expensive than retile would be. I also am interested in the Apple Watch but am small like you. It would be a health and safety feature for me. We are both down with COVID right now so not shopping 60 miles away at the Apple Store. I always enjoy reading your blog.
Sydney H
Thanks, Sydney. I hope you and your husband feel better soon!!
This article is very timely, Mary Ann… after the sale of our lovely rancher just 5 minutes from a beach on eastern Vancouver Island, and final weeks of negotiations for our ‘grey’ divorce, I am radically downsizing to an older 900 sq ft patio home no longer close to the water. But I will bike there for visits to my favourite 🪵! I have some lovely English oak pieces , including a welsh dresser , ( previously my parents’ ) along with tables and a smaller sofa from Crate & Barrel that are more modern. I plan to recreate the living room here into my new space ,which also faces east , so seeing some of your ideas was very helpful, especially painting walls & trim the same colour. (Pin that article) As I plan to replace the 80’s baseboards, that can be done then. I also hope to find wall cabinet pieces somewhat like your sister has, but perhaps less expensive, and have it made more substantial with trim work , before painting the pieces the wall colour, so it recedes and lessen the amount of dark wood. More storage is definitely required and that could really provide a lot. Definitely be deciding where to hang my beautiful mirror in the living / dining area along with a collection of art work… many scenes of the English countryside. Thanks for giving more inspiration.
Congratulations on the fresh start! It sounds like your new place will be a beautiful mix!
What a great post today. Is that your SF fiddleleaf fig? I think I recognize the container. If so, The plant is still flourishing and your daughter inherited your green thumb. That’s a great color on the back splash too.
It IS the same tree! God bless her! I trimmed it while there.
Wonderful for her to inherit it! Moving and large plants is always difficult to navigate: glad the Fiddleleaf Fig could move south!
Hi Mary Ann,
You always create great suggestions for visual interest and comfortable living. Your suggestions for your sister’s condo and daughter’s new home are so good. The new backsplash looks wonderful, I’m with your daughter on the bright yellow .
I have very tiny wrists, do you find your Apple Watch is heavy on your wrist and the band your family got you for Mother’s Day?
You and Howard are the best travelers. You are so tolerant of all the delays and cancellations of planes. I guess you don’t mind airplane travel.
My son took some of the links out and it fits well. Not too heavy. I was just with my friend, Debbie and she loves hers too!
Love all those small space ideas! The glazed tile looks so good.
What are you thoughts on mounting the TV to the wall and how high above the TV stand/sideboard should it be?
I like mounting so you can angle it when you want. They mounted the tv after I took the photo.
Is there a guideline of how high to hang the tv from the sideboard like there is for pictures? I’m guessing it might be the same.
I think just a few inches, Sandy as you don’t want the television too high so that you have to tilt your head too much.
Thank you!
I love the color samples your daughter got from Sherwin Williams. Could you tell me the name of the color sample to the far right in the picture.
I don’t have that right now but they are all in the color range on the Acacia Haze chart.