Interior Design Tips by BluLabel Bungalow: Small Spaces and The Luxury of Less

Today I am thrilled to have Erika Ward of Atlanta-based, Erika Ward Interiors as a guest blogger.  Erika is passionate about interior design and it shows on her lovely blog, BluLabel Bungalow. I've also had the pleasure of meeting Erika while in New York to watch The Nate Show. She is delightful! I also think you will love this post... tip #2 is my favorite :-)

In the House Beautiful July/August 2010 issue, they pose the question, "Is Small the New Big?" Initially, I was irritated by the question simply because it sounded like yet another trend. In 7-10 years will we once again be in love with sprawling estates?

Naturally, small is the new big when so many are downsizing due to current economic conditions. While everyone is not in financial straits some have chosen to reduce their living space in order to be more ecologically responsible. The article examines three homes, the largest a mere 650 square feet, and concludes that living large is all about quality and not quantity.

When visiting potential clients, I find they have enough furniture and accessories to furnish two homes. In fact, most of us have more than we really need. My first inclination is to grab a box and begin removing excess from the walls and mantels, but I know better than that. We are sensitive about our stuff, aren't we? Instead I offer the following suggestions, applicable to both large and small homes, when practicing "The Luxury of Less" principle:

 
via oly studio

Edit Your Space

Perform a "healthy purge" and keep only what you love. If you can't bear to part with your knick-knacks, consider a wall display or arranging them together in a curio cabinet. This works best when you have a collection of one or two items.

via canadian house and home

Seek Help With Organization

Living with what you need requires you to know what you need. Perform an assessment of each space noting the function of each room. If an item in the room does not serve a relevant need, then remove it. Be sure that each remaining item "has a home" or an assigned place when not in use.

via Lee Industries

Choose Dual Purpose Furniture

Shop smarter. Choose furnishing that serve two purposes, i.e. a ottoman that serves as additional seating as well as a coffee table.

via canadian house and home

Seek Help With Space Planning

The wrong furniture arrangement can kill a space.  Employ designer tricks to find optimal seating arrangements and traffic flow in the room.  The House Beautiful article lends two pieces of advice:

1. Keep the seating arrangments pulled away from the walls. Creating spaces beyond the furniture adds volume to the room.
2. Use furniture with exposed legs. This creates air space and a feeling of openness you cannot achieve with upholstery that goes to the floor.

via Summer Thornton

Buy the Highest Quality You Can Afford, Fake the Rest

Your budget is small, but you splurge on your dream wallpaper. You don't have money left for a custom bed so make one. There are countless tutorials on the web that guide you through the steps of making an upholstered headboard. Give your headboard an expensive look with tufting and/or framing.

 

via BeeLine Home 

Inject Interest with Color and Patterns

Using colors and patterns provides eye candy and really draws you into a space. Painted floors, playful wallpapers, artwork, and soft fabrics help to bring the room to life and establish the personality of its owner.

Do you find satisfaction in living with less? 

How have your made your life simpler this year?