“I truly believe in a luxurious bed,” Milwaukee-based interior designer Beth Applegate Liebl says. “You should have a down comforter and down pillows. It should feel like such a treat to sleep in.” – Photo: Ikea’s Complete Bedroom Collection
Pint-sized glamour
Thursday, 31 December 2009 08:39
Who says you can’t have a fabulous place even if your budget — and space — is pint-sized? After all, some of the biggest stars come in small packages. We polled two of the area’s top designers and found out that a lack of money and space don’t have to be limitations.
Here are six key strategies to follow:
Color your world. “People have this tendency to think that they have to have to have a light color on the wall in a small room,” says Milwaukee-based interior designer Beth Applegate Liebl. “That’s not the case. If you paint the walls a dark color, it makes the walls go away and does make the room seem larger. Also, walls in darker shades are really very comforting. We have so many cloudy days here in Wisconsin, color can really set a mood.”
Liebl recommends rich colors — chocolate brown, cobalt blue, moss green, gray, and even black — for a small room. She follows her own advice: Her small den is painted black and her kitchen features gold walls and a blue ceiling.
“Definitely paint the ceiling — it’s fun. And put some shine on your walls. Any kind of luster in the paint makes it reflect more. Buy some polyurethane and put it over the paint so it’s shiny — or at least use an eggshell finish.”
Put your furniture on a crash diet. “You can’t have oversized recliners and big leather sectionals in a room that’s small,” Liebl says. “You need to feel like you can walk around.” Less is more, which is good news for your budget.
Liebl recommends purchasing a sofa with clean, straight lines and one or two really beautiful Chinese or French chairs.
“If you need extra seating for entertaining, pull in some occasional chairs or put pillows around a large coffee table,” she says. “Another idea is to invest in some nice bamboo folding chairs. In smaller spaces, you should be able to move things from room to room.”
Get glam with lighting and accessories. While furniture in a small room shouldn’t be oversized, the objects in the room can be, says Chicago-based interior designer Alison Pickart.
“Go over the top with a killer accessory,” she recommends. “CB2 has a firefly pendant lamp that is totally glam for just $199. Double up and hang them two in a row over an island.” A shag rug in an unexpected color, like chocolate brown, is another great way to liven up a small space. “Big textures in bold colors add a huge amount of punch to a room,” says Pickart, who has numerous clients in Wisconsin.
Artwork is yet another way to add drama. “One of my favorite tricks is to grab your best friend and go to the nearest mall photo booth. Then frame the pictures using Pottery Barn large matte 16 x 16 frames. It’s an easy and inexpensive way to create a black and white photo wall.”
Fake it till you make it. Don’t have a home office? In need of a dining room or den? It’s possible to have it all in a small space, but your furniture — and rooms — may have to serve several purposes.
“In a living room, you can put a desk behind the sofa to use as your office,” Liebl says. “Or turn your dining room table into an office with a laptop. If you don’t have a separate dining room, you can create one by making one half of your living room a sitting area and the other half a dining/office area. If you have a guest room, definitely repurpose it as an office or den. Most people have guests only a few times a year, so it’s nice to be able to use that room for something else.”
Curtain call. Windows are one of the biggest focal points in a room, so it’s important to play them up as much as possible with window treatments. Even small windows can seem larger if you employ the right technique.
“Hang side panels as tall as you can — almost to the ceiling, so it gives height to the window,” Liebl says. To save money, make the panels yourself. “Just go to any fabric store, buy a width of fabric for each panel and have them hemmed, she says. “They don’t need to cover the window, they’re purely decorative to soften the space and add some height.”
Layer on the luxury. Just because you live in a small space doesn’t mean you have to scrimp on luxury. Layering pillows, fabrics and objects creates a feeling of sumptuousness and abundance in any size space.
“I truly believe in a luxurious bed,” Liebl says. “You should have a down comforter and down pillows. It should feel like such a treat to sleep in.” According to Liebl, decorative pillows and throws — from wool to faux fur — can add depth, color and texture to sofas and chairs.
Coffee tables are another place to add eye candy. “Fill it with beautiful coffee table books and objects you pick up at resale stores, Liebl says. “Make it look like you’ve traveled the world.”
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