420 Square Feet Well Done

Yesterday, I was having lunch with a terrific writer who lives in a 600 square foot 1 bedroom with her daughter and pit bull.  She had just completed a big deal and wanted to treat herself to a Prouve 36" dining table so she and her daughter would (finally!!) have a place to eat dinner every night.  We talked about how she could move her living space around to accommodate it.   That's the kind of decisions small space dwellers face-dining table versus extra living room chair.  It's like Sophie's Choice some days... Today is a video from Curbed showing how Tree Hugger founder created a 1,100 square foot apartment in 420 square feet with his smart design.   He got it all... dining, office space, bedroom... I'll try to keep my jealousy at bay.  

Live large,
Frances

Have a Seat

Heading down to High Point to see miles and miles of sofas, chairs, tables, lamps and rugs at the monster furniture show.  It's always good to see what waves this industry is making.  Trends are started here and these companies set the pace for others to follow.   That said, there's a lot of well designed and well priced pieces out there so sharing a few favorite finds in case you're on the hunt.  These aren't future heirlooms but solid pieces that offer some personality.   Here goes....

Urban Outfitters got this adorable chevron chair that comes in a few different colors and all for under $300.  

Nate Berkus's ottoman is pretty great at $119 from HSN.  Having lugged one home from a trip to Moroccan, I am impressed with this look for less. 

Leave it up to Martha Stewart to try and get us all crafting.  Her table for Home Decorators gets me dreaming about all the projects that I could do on it-the painting, the sewing, the computer surfing.... And priced at $229, it's a "getable" dream. 

Leave it to West Elm to update the already classic parson's table. It's perfect for us who need to consolidate the cords in our lives.  It's a bit pricer at $399 but with it's built in speakers and docking station, it gives small space dwellers a nice two in one piece. 

Live large, 

Frances 

For the Love of Ikea

Have you gotten it yet?  The 2012 catalog arrived the other day and found a renewed place on top of my limited sqare footage resource list.  Small space dwellers rejoice!  On the catalog, it sums up my decorating mantra.  "A home doesn't need to be big, just smart." Amen to that.

Ikea breaks it down into a few key ideas that maximize every inch for us. Here they are:

Idea #1)  Get more storage & counter space in the kitchen with their efficient kitchen islands.

Idea #2) Use your vertical space when looking for more room like lofting bunk beds for additional space below. 

Idea #3) Put your walls to work with hanging shelves, hooks, cabinets etc.

Idea #5) Look for pieces that have multiple uses and don't take up as much room like 2 chaises instead of 1 sofa in the middle of a room.  

Idea #6) Dream big!  Want that proper closet in your bedroom?  Bet they can make it happen so you don't always have to forgo those nesting dreams just because the space is small. 

Check out all their smart ideas at ikea-usa.com/smallspaces 

Best line in the catalog-"With foldable, flexible, stackable, movable and climb-up-on-the-topable furniture, a small room can transform into whatever you need it to be."

Live large, 

Frances

Wacky Settes

In a world full of  beige interiors and rooms devoid of personality, I'm celebrating those colorful settes that can fit into a small space and add just the right dose of cheer.  Most aren't hard on the wallet and bring serious fun to the room.


Case in point, the Kiss created by Hellar Studio 65 and it can be used indoors or out.  Made with resin and is the little sister to the famous 1971 design "Bocca" sofa.  $800

Not one to stand blushing in the color, this is one piece that demands attention. J. Roaman creates patchwork pieces with loads of color and cheer. 

Right on trend, this small sofa brings a hit of ethnicity to an interior place but in a way that's easy to design around.  Made with a dhurrie rug so no two pieces are exactly alike it creates a sense of world travel. 

Certainly no wallflowers, this sofette would bloom in a boring space.  Who needs to look at flowers when you can sit on them?

Even Louie would like this updated version to his french settee.  The modern fabric feels really fresh and pairs well with the traditional frame. 

Live large,

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Favorite New Furniture Company

The High Point Furniture Market always has a few new comers with great style and ideas. This past Fall market was no exception.  One company that caught my eye was Carolina  George.  They specialize in multifunctional pieces which is gold to a small apartment dweller.  The pieces, however, didn't look like Ikea or CB2.  They were well designed with attention to detail like the "5 o'clock slipper chair" with a small table that pulls out, perfect for holding a drink.  Or the small end table that pulls out into a cool (extra) chair should you suddenly need.  They've also had fun with their colors.  The bright hues really sang while walking the hallways looking at one brown piece of furniture after another.

The Pendulum Console is just lovely. I dream of such pieces when having friends over for dinner and surface space is a premium. 

Live large (and with good furniture),
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