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Clever Solution for Small Spaces 2014 Ideas

Don't let your home's little footprint define it; learn how to do more with less! Maximize the tiniest of rooms with these smart decor choices and small space solutions.
These rooms show you that small spaces can be super efficient without sacrificing style.

I hope you find these ideas useful and inspiring to you ...... Enjoy it !!

Tiny rooms need to be deft multitaskers, so this living room features a long sofa that moonlights as a guest bed. And the ottoman gets a helping hand from a tray, allowing it to double as a coffee table.

With its pale walls and light furnishings, this neutral oasis was the perfect candidate for a color transformation. A few bold pillows, a rug, a throw, and DIY artwork turn up the heat in this compact living space with little effort.

Trading dark upper cabinets for a sparkling wall of vintage look tiles turned this kitchen luminous. Open stainless steel shelves let the tile backdrop take center stage while keeping dishes within reach.

Integrating a recessed daybed into this room's design maximized limited floor space and eliminated the need to buy additional furniture. Cushions and pillows covered with plush fabrics make this alcove cushy and inviting, and overhead lighting offers illumination.

Don't let a tight space cramp your style choices. Instead, look for furniture that can pull double duty. A secretary offers storage and workspace in this small living room, yet neatly tucks away when it's not in use.

Hang an oversize mirror in a dining area to make the room appear larger than it is. Position the mirror opposite a bank of windows to maximize the amount of natural light reflected throughout the space.

An open vanity in this long, narrow bathroom keeps the space airy but doesn't allow for storage. A bumped out ledge and shelving along a nearby wall offers space for bathroom necessities and display items.

Restore order in a playroom with simple strategies to keep toys off the floor but in plain sight. Matching baskets beneath a tiered coffee table satisfy both kids and parents by combining storage and decor in one convenient location.

Elegant Decorating Ideas for Small Spaces with Budget

Nesting tables are perfect for squeezing a lot of storage out of minimum space. Pull out the lower table when you need an extra surface for holding drinks or reading material, then tuck it away when you're done. On the lower shelf, a stylish fabric covered bin keeps DVDs accessible but contained.

Set a casual, family friendly mood for meal times by mixing and matching chair styles. In this dining room, a bench accommodates multiple people and takes up less space than a group of individual chairs. The pieces around the table can easily segue into the living room for hosting a crowd.

In an open living room, create subtle division with a shelving unit. This floor to ceiling bookshelf separates the open floor plan into two distinct rooms while offering ample display space.

Transform the often-unused space at the top of the stairs into a destination. Built in bench seating capitalizes on the sunny window of this second floor landing, creating a cozy reading retreat. Divided compartments under the bench cushion provide clever storage for reading material.

This bedroom uses the space under the bed for storage. But, rather than allowing that space to become a tangle of stuff, well made drawers with dividers keep clothes neat.

Most people slap a coat of white paint onto their ceiling and call it quits, but creative use of the space can reap room enlarging results. A beamed ceiling takes this room to new heights, while board and batten paneling adds substance to the room's sherbet color palette.

Turn a closet or nook into a work zone. In this space, drapery panels slide along a curtain rod to make it easy to conceal the clutter. Even without an architectural niche or bay, you can duplicate this effect by curtaining off an area across the width of a room just hang the drapes from a rod or thin wire suspended from the ceiling.

Opting for a narrow, shallow refrigerator netted more counter and shelf space in this compact kitchen. A tall cabinet with a mix of shelves and deep drawers maximizes storage space.

Get big style from a small space through careful design. Tall cabinets stretch to the ceiling, and a mixture of light woods and reflective stainless steel keeps the space clean and open.

Reclaim wasted space under a staircase for storage. Wide-trim molding turns these staggered shelves into a strong architectural feature. Baskets add eye pleasing texture as they keep linens and other kitchen odds and ends corralled.

Easy Ideas for Decorating Small Spaces

Decorating a small space has it’s own set of challenges. Today I have 7 ideas to help make the most of your space even if it’s not that large. Through the use of color, the right accessories, proper furniture placement and a few other decorating tricks, you can turn your small space into a fabulous space.

Paint an Accent Wall. Dark colors make a wall recede giving the illusion of more depth in a room. Paint one wall a contrasting color then carry that color into the room through accessories and fabrics.

Create a desk in a niche. Utilize small nooks or niches to add a shelf to use as a desk. Decorative corbels and trim help to give it a finished look.

Choose furniture you can see through. Clear chairs and a glass top table help to visually expand a small dining area and keep it from feeling cramped.

Choose furniture that is multi-functional. A daybed functions as a sofa during the day and a bed at night. This is an excellent solution if you live in a studio apartment or don’t have the space for a guest room.

Use smaller armless side chairs. Lightweight chairs without arms work better in smaller spaces because they are easier to maneuver in and out of and they can easily be moved from one room to another.

Keep your kitchen storage open. Heavy upper cabinets can sometimes make a small kitchen seem even smaller. By using open shelving, the eye is tricked into believing the space is larger.

Select furniture that doesn’t weigh the space down. This bed offers a great focal point in this room and the height brings the eye up. Like the clear furniture mentioned above, the sleek style doesn’t take up too much visual space. Keeping things light and airy helps to make the space feel larger.

By Peggy Pardo

2011 Ideas for Small Spaces Decorating

learn how to make the most of your small-space situation with these creative design ideas.

Curtain Divider

A simple, sheer curtain is a great way to easily divide two spaces. Designer Vanessa DeLeon incorporated a sheer, silk curtain panel into this Asian-style apartment to add a dramatic element and visually separate the living room from the dining room.

Well-Worked Window Treatments

To make a small living room appear more spacious, add floor-to-ceiling window treatments. This eclectic living room features extra-high ceilings, despite its small floor plan. This simple addition will automatically draw eyes up the wall for a much larger feel. Design by Lori Dennis

Clever Kitchen Storage

While regular kitchen cupboards serve a useful purpose, there's something eye-catching and appealing about these open (and organized) storage shelves. Designer John Gidding wanted to separate the kitchen from the dining area but still keep the entire space open and airy. By adding the small wall divider, he was able to turn a small kitchen into two separate rooms. Plus, the floor-to-ceiling shelves are the perfect place to store and display favorite items and pretty glassware.

Bathroon Storage

Narrow wall shelves are an excellent way to store bathroom essentials in a stylish way. Invest in attractive canisters to hold cotton swabs, cotton balls and your favorite lotion, and place unsightly toiletries under the vanity. Small wicker baskets can also be placed on the shelves for additional, hidden storage. Design by John Gidding

Multipurpose Space

Sometimes, a multipurpose space is unavoidable, and your home office and guest bedroom must inhabit the same space. To make the best of this situation, use the surrounding walls to your advantage. Designer John Gidding created a simple desk unit and added a collection of shelves above for necessary storage. Connected to the desk, a stylishly concealed Murphy bed can easily pull out for those occasional guests. During the day, store the bed for a creative and spacious workspace.

Keep It Light

To make your space appear larger, avoid using dark hues. This eclectic living room features a gray focal wall for a punch of color but keeps the rest of the space light and open with crisp, white furniture and white built-in units.

Beneath the Stairs

Any space can be enhanced with additional (and stylish) storage solutions. Designer John Gidding added a shelving unit directly below the stairs to take advantage of the awkward, extra space. Located adjacent to the kitchen, he turned the unit into a mini bar, storing bar essentials and other accessories. These shelves would also be an ideal place to display an abundant book collection.

Get Creative

Whether you have small children and a lot of toys or just need extra shelves to store books and display items, creatively use the extra space between two floor levels for a unique shelving unit. With six separate shelves and floor space below, designer John Gidding provided the perfect place for visual storage. These small canvas bins are great for keeping toys stored away and out of sight.

Add a Mirror

One of the best (and easiest) tricks in the design world is adding a full-body mirror to visually expand a space. Surrounded by neutral draperies, this tall mirror adds dimension to the space and makes the small bedroom appear much larger. Close the curtains and hide the mirror for a more intimate and enclosed space.

Color Rules for Small Spaces 2013 Ideas from HGTV

When it comes to coloring your apartment, it's definitely okay to go outside the lines.

By : Anne Krueger

True or false: An all white color palette will make an apartment look larger. False! This is a common misconception of small-space design, along with the idea that less furniture makes an apartment feel larger. Instead, carefully placed furnishings and carefully chosen color can create an inviting space with style way beyond its diminutive size.

The number one color rule for a small space? There are no rules really. If you want your apartment to look like your favorite Pucci scarf, do your thing. The goal should always be to make your rented space personal and appeal to you. Having said that, the experts who deal with color and interior design all the time do know a thing or two. Here are their tips and tricks.

Choose Sharp Colors

One of the best ways to expand a space is with very clear colors, says designer Mark McCauley, ASID, author of Interior Design for Idiots. "Choose a palette of sharper colors as opposed to duller ones. Sharp as in bright chintzes mixed with colorful plaids or really hot reds and electric blues, yellows and greens (with plenty of air between the pieces). Color combinations with negative space in between will enhance the space's clarity and openness."

Color Unexpected Accents

Bring splashes of color to a radiator, the inside of a bookshelf or a windowsill to bring excitement and depth to a room. If you're lucky enough to have a foyer or hall, paint that a dark color and ease into a lighter shades in the living room, which will make it feel more spacious by comparison.

Create a Focal Wall

While some designers frown on the idea of painting one wall a different or deeper color than the others, it can work wonders in a small space, says designer and actress Libby Langdon, a contributor to HGTV's Small Space, Big Style. "Don't be afraid of bold colors," she says. "Sometimes a darker color on one wall can make it recede, making the space look larger."

Connect Spaces With Shades of Color

Just as different wall colors can divide your apartment into different work areas, different shades of the same color can unite all the rooms, as can a pattern that's repeated. "In a small space, in particular, these little touches the pillow that matches the lampshade fabric, the style of the mirror that echoes a side table can all add up to a cohesive space," McCauley says.

Get Spicy in the Kitchen

Apartment kitchens are a great place to use color, says kitchen designer Jason Laudau of Amazing Spaces, LLC (www.amazingspacesllc.com) in New York. "Hang up the china you never use it saves space, adds color and glams up the kitchen," he says. "Or be very bold and paint the walls a trendy color. Red is hot!"

Go Bold in the Bathroom

Sure, something pastel in the peachy-pink palette will look great in the bathroom especially when you look in the mirror and see your rosy complexion. But for major affect, increase the bodacious scale. That's what designer Ron Marvin www.ronmarvin.com (www.ronmarvin.com) did in his New York City apartment bathroom that's painted a rich, chocolate brown.

Vamp It Up

Beautiful faux finishes and specialty techniques can add a lot of character to a small space, says designer Dawn Burns-Pratt, ASID. "Painting the ceiling a darker color and extending the same color down the wall about 14 inches, or using metallic stripes in that same space with a chair rail and lighter color below looks terrific and expands the appearance of the space," she says.

Add Color That Travels

The wonderful thing about color is that it's a really cheap way to decorate, and it can be added in non-paint ways, says designer Alice Fakier, this year's HGTV Design Star runner-up and host of Ask Alice on HGTV.com. "Apartment dwellers can get color on their walls by painting big canvases, hanging fabric or using wall decals," she says. And when you're ready for a larger space? You can take your color with you and go.

Stretch It With Stripes

Draw the eye up with a wall of colorful stripes, says Langdon. Or paint the ceiling a lighter color than the walls to make it seem airier.

Don't Forget Black

Whatever colors you choose for your small space, add one object that is black, says designer McCauley. "The black item say, in a torchere lamp or a frame will help ground the space and clarify the other colors. Try it, it works!"

Experiment With Color
Before you start slapping paint all over the blank canvas that is your apartment walls, consider these "baby-step" options.
Experiment with 2 ounce samples. Many paint companies, including California Paints and Benjamin Moore offer them. That's enough paint to cover a 1’ by 2’ area, which should give you a good idea of what your chosen hue really looks like. Make sure to view it in natural and artificial light.

Christmas Decorating 2012 Ideas for Small Spaces

Add something new to your standby Christmas decor. Alongside your sentimental ornaments and favorite pieces, introduce an updated centerpiece or a fresh take on stairway decor, and you might find a new decorating tradition!

Add Bits of Texture to a Banister

Texture can play a key role in boosting the visual interest of a small space. Here, a simple swag of evergreen boughs and three stockings in three different materials spruce up a short banister.

Swap Out Curtains

Think outside the box when it comes to your small-space decorating. In place of everyday kitchen curtains, swap in a few spray-starched Christmas aprons and add a cluster of faux trees.

Create a Tiny Village Display

Tiny wrapped boxes provide a base to a few glittering paper houses that take up very little space. To make "trees," wrap squares of scrapbook paper into cones and glue the edges; cut off the bottoms to be level. For extra sparkle, place the grouping on a silver tray.

Accent Your Kitchen Windows

Open, airy windowpanes dance with color, thanks to these colorful snowflakes. Hang similar ones in a pattern or at random; add the final touch with a simple swag of greenery overhead.

Use a Basic Tree and One Accent Color

A bare-bones tree is a treat for a small corner, and choosing just one accent color is a good way to cut down on visual distractions. For the base of your tree, wrap a small box with a dish towel and fill the base of the box with stones (disguised with a layer of pearl-white ornaments) to hold in place. Add a few more wrapped boxes in a variety of papers and ribbons.

Make an Impactful Wall Display

Old photos are great conversation starters, particularly at the holidays, and this display takes up only minimal wall space. Start with baby photographs; cut them in a circle, mount on foam core, and arrange in a tree shape. Little space, big impact.
Editor's Tip:
For a great together-time activity, have family members guess who is who in each photo.

Decorate a Tabletop Tree

Even if you have more expansive spaces, a small tree can add charm and whimsy to small rooms, such as an entry. Tuck a small tree in a bright container and string garland and ribbon ornaments as well as a few round ornaments. Include accents that are similarly scaled down, such as small presents or containers of candy canes.

Craft a Mini Tree

There's no need to overdo accents in downsized spaces. Go for impact, such as this tiny twinkling tree, made by drilling tiny holes into a stick and inserting lengths of pipe cleaners.

Play Up Your Dining Room

Look to your dining table to display holiday merriment. A tiny wrapped box offers a warm welcome at a place setting. Best yet? It fits inside a teacup.

Creative Interior Design

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