Small Space, Big Design

I often hear friends and clients say they don't want to hire a designer for their small living room, or guest bath because of it's small size in comparison to the remaining rooms in the house. However, designing a small space is equally as challenging as designing a large open space.

Many homeowners don't know where to begin and find themselves buying the wrong furniture or artwork, or whatever it may be. And they are left scratching their head trying to figure out where they went wrong...the space either feels too cluttered or like the furniture just doesn't fit.

Trust me, it certainly takes practice, skill and a little leap of faith to design a small room. Just because it's small, doesn't mean that it can't be stylish, functional and serve a useful purpose!

+1 Kindesign posted 51 Inspiring small living rooms using available space. Be sure to check it out. The photos you will see will just about prove that everything you were doing to decorate your small room is all wrong! These beautifully designed rooms use all available space without making you feel claustrophobic!

Here are a few tips I like to keep in mind when designing a smaller room for my clients.

Embrace the space!
While your room may be small, it does have it's benefits too...I won't begin to mention the cost savings in heating, lighting etc. What I'm talking about is it's coziness. A room full of intimacy and charm.

Think about how you will use the space.
It's always best to plan ahead, especially in this case. Think about the functionality of the room before you begin your design. How are you going to use the space? Do you need seating areas, or is it a small bedroom? Do you need storage? If so, how much?

Furniture and Lighting.
You don't need to buy mini pieces because you are designing a mini space. But you do need to make sure your furniture is appropriately compact and that it 100% serves the function you need it to. Think of pieces that can perform double duty, like an ottoman that can also be storage. And clear furniture (i.e. coffee table) can work wonders! I used a clear table in this small cottage and I think it looks fabulous!



As for lighting....think lots of it! In a small room you really need to maximize the lighting because shadows and dark corners can work against you and make the space feel smaller. Think of multiple light sources and lots of lamps!

Paint and Color:
Don't be afraid to be "loud and proud"! Often times clients hesitate to use a bold color in a small space, but I say "Go for it!" As long as there is unity in your color scheme, a high impact color can work well. Use a glossy finish so that the light will reflect off the walls. Artwork is another way to add a statement. I tell clients that "bigger, is most often better when it comes to artwork" It will actually make the space feel bigger, where smaller pieces have the opposite effect and will tend to make your space feel smaller.

Wallpaper is another great way to make an impact and trick the eye into thinking the space is much larger than you think!

If you need more inspiration check out this post from +Style Motivation with great ideas for small bedrooms! Click here! They also did a great piece on functional and creative design for small apartments

You can also see some more of my design work for small spaces on Pinterest!

And remember small space CAN mean big design!

Until next week,

Renee

What Really Counts and What Really Makes Cents.

 

Week two of our bathroom remodel brings us one of my favorite parts....the guts! I love opening up walls to find out what's inside. It speaks so much about the care that was, hopefully, taken and what needs to be done if it hasn't been done already.



Something I love to see here is that even though most of these walls are interior, you will notice that there is still insulation.

 

Insulation isn't just for temperature control, it also acts as a sound barrier, which can be a really important feature in a bath reno.



Whenever you open walls, take the opportunity to examine your insulations. Is it adequate for your interior and exterior walls? If not, now is the perfect time to beef it up! If you don't have extra room, consider spraying in some extra and don't forget to spray around those medicine cabinets.

 

If you live in an older home and open up a wall and find that the studs run all the way up the walls (balloon framing), by code, you must put horizontal blocking in to prevent the quick spread of fire. The devastating fire in Boston and the recent church in Newfields might have been aided by this life saving structural change.

Also make sure you have horizontal blocking for anything you are handing up such as towel racks, toilet paper holders, medicine cabinets and showerheads. So much nicer than trying to find those "never placed in the right place" studs later on. Also, I love to see a clean, safe place.

Make sure your contractor takes proper precautions to insure your safety and a healthy living environment. Completely covering the flooring and installing plastic zip walls cuts down on the wear and tear to walls and floors.

Another wonderful feature is the particulate removal machine that helps pull out the dust and allergens, ensuring healthier breathing.

 

So let's talk a moment about BUDGET. My husband once warned me never to tell them the budget because they will always find a way to spend it. A good contractor or designer will use your budget to help realize your dreams and your realities, and there are always realities...!

Building a bathroom or kitchen is like making a small house. You have to tap into all the systems, i.e.; electrical, mechanical, plumbing, and finishes, to make it work. Sit down with your designer and talk about the non-negotiables, the nice to haves and the reaches. Kind of like applying for colleges. You also don't want to be looking at stuff that you know you simply cannot have. Take into consideration ROI. According to the +National Association of Home Builders, a new bath can increase the value of a home by 20%. On a renovation, one can expect to recoup about 60% of costs. Go to www.remodeling.hw.net to plug in your area and get resale values for the most common improvements such as kitchens, baths, even generators!

There are items to purchase at every price point. Some are fine to negotiate on such as lighting. Can we find something that looks that opulent, but for less?

Either of these stunning options gives us the look we want, but at a fraction of the cost of our original design.

 

Some things should not be compromised, such as plumbing fixtures. Look alikes from box stores can have the same name but use all plastic parts inside, hence keeping the cost down, but compromising the integrity and lifespan of the product.

 

Budgets always need to be fluid. Count on the 20/20 rule. Twenty percent more for mid-stream changes and/or things that may be encountered along the way. Also plan for it to take 20% longer. That way you can be pleasantly surprised when you are on time and on budget (and have the satisfaction of knowing you would be the first project to accomplish that!).

 

On our own project we sheetrock this week and start the pretty stuff...tiling. We will post some more pics next week on our progress. So far, so good!

 

Best,

 

Renee!

 

Ready to take your design outside?

Spring has finally sprung...I think!

I don't know about you, but for me these past few days with bright sunshine and warmer temperatures in New Hampshire have surely put a spring in my step and lifted my mood. With only a few patches of snow left to melt in my yard, I am inspired to begin designing outside!

I like to think of the outdoor spaces in my yard as an extension of my home. Here in New Hampshire, our season is pretty short so I like to be sure to make my space functional and pretty.

 However, there are so many things to consider before you head down the path (no pun intended!) to landscape design! Before I even meet with clients to discuss outdoor spaces, I ask that they do the following:

• Make a list of needs and wants. This is important to really think about. Do your children need a place to play? Perhaps they'd enjoy a fairy garden like the one I created here?

• If you have a dog, you may want to consider a special area just for your pet!

• Are you thinking of having a vegetable garden? Would you like a patio or a porch? Also think about where the sun is during different parts of the day and when you are likely to be using the patio or porch. You don't want for it to be blazing hot every time you head outside, otherwise it won't get used.

• Consider the direction of the sun and wind. Before you decide to construct a fire pit, you best know which way the wind comes from, otherwise you'll be left with a whole lot of smoke and not a lot of fire!

• It's also a good idea to write down the types of plants and trees you love, or even the ones you don't want to see in your yard.  Are there certain colors you like, or a certain feel that you want your yard to evoke?

Today we have so many wonderful choices in indoor/outdoor rugs, furniture and accessories. It's no longer just wicker or plastic. I love to create a space that will really get used. Whether it's to host a cookout on the porch or relax on the patio there are many ways to design.

So while the sun is shining on us think about how you want to use your yard and begin creating an inviting space for the outdoor space that surrounds you. Believe it or not, designers and landscapers begin to get booked out several months this time of year. So if you are hoping to share margaritas on your deck with friends for Memorial Day, you better get planning!

May the warm sun rays shine down on you today and every day!

Renee



Add some splash to your bath!

We've all heard the advice by now, updated kitchens and baths are a great investment for your home. And it's true! No one wants a dated kitchen and you certainly don't want to start your day in an ugly bathroom!

 

I love to recreate bathrooms because you can really have some fun in this (usually) smaller space. I'm not afraid to mix old and new, or to utilize some spunky colors. Take this 1850's Farmhouse bathroom I designed. The last update this bathroom had seen was in the 50's. We pulled the old Formica counter and base and replaced it with one of the homeowners cabinets. We topped it with a remnant piece of black honed granite and then placed a wonderfully hefty marble vessel sink atop. The real splurge was a  chrome faucet from +Brizo Faucet to help bring a bit of contemporary to the space.

 

 

Photos by Jared Saulnier

The walls were in bad enough shape that it gave us license to throw a splash of wallpaper up to liven up the space. Classic dot tile round out the room and keep it feeling period.

 

 

Here again I mixed the old with the new in another bathroom in this family's farmhouse. It's likely that this bathroom started out as a large closet or perhaps a birthing room. We had several hutches that seemed the perfect solution for vanities. We plated the back of the upper hutch with mirror and replaced the old wood top with a honed absolute black granite remnant.

 

The splurge was on the +Brizo Faucet fixtures and was worth every penny. Combining modern with old, two mini pendants drop from the ceiling to add extra light. Classic subway tile fit perfectly with the river rock floor and zebra stripe accent. A wall niche offers extra storage place and keeps things tidy.

 

Photos by Jared Saulnier

For anyone looking to update their bath, the possibilities are endless. Consider the style of your house and the feeling you want to evoke as you start and end your day.

It doesn't have to be boring. Go ahead, make a splash!

Renee

What does your favorite color say about you?

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How many times have you been asked, "What's your favorite color?" My guess is that it's probably been quite a few times! And through the years your favorite color may have changed. As a child you may have loved the color pink or blue, but as you got older it changed to something else, like yellow or red. Why is that you wonder? Have you ever thought about what your favorite color says about you? It's really quite interesting and quite fun if you think about it!

Take a look in your closet. What color(s) do you see most repeated throughout your wardrobe? Does one certain color rise to the top of the heap? Are you colorful or very muted?

If you ask me what my favorite color is, I'd quickly respond with "red, of course!" It's the color I wear on the inside. I don't tend to decorate with it much, but it is my motivator! When it comes to decorating I lean more towards red's more playful and gregarious sister, orange!

So what does this say about me?

To find out what your favorite color says about you click here and you'll be taken to the I love color! Board on Pinterest.

When it comes to decorating are you a little bit more "color-phobic"? Or do you find yourself infusing you home with your favorite color too! Just for fun click here and take Better Homes and Garden's color personality quiz. You just might surprise yourself and learn that your favorite color to decorate with is quite different than what you'd answer the question, "What's your favorite color?" with. 

So often I hear people say that they are tired of decorating with the same old beige or off-white, but are too nervous or don't know how to add some "pops" of color without "overdoing" it, or without making an expensive mistake.

Fear no more! I am a certified Dewey Color System Design Consultant. Working together we can identify what colors are you "comfort colors". These are the hues that sooth and inspire you. From there we can mindfully select a paint, fabric and accessory color palette.

California Paints has an excellent section on their website about color theory and how colors make you feel. Take a look and see if the color of the room you are sitting in sets the mood you wanted to achieve. California Paints Color Theory.

Before I select a color for a client, I ask many questions so that I can understand how they want to feel in the room we are working on, serene in a bedroom, lively in a playroom, creative in the kitchen.

Don't be afraid of taking a walk on the wild side, or at least crossing the street to a new color scheme. And if you need someone to hold your hand and guide you through it, I'm here for you!

Colorfully yours,
Renee