Furniture Arrangement Tips for Small Living Rooms

 Image via: Marco Cecotto

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Know the Size of the Room

For you to be able to arrange furniture well, you have to know the size of the room. Measure the dimensions of the room with a tape measure as well as the dimensions of the door, hallway, and stairs that lead to the room. If you only measure the living room, you might end up buying furniture that can’t fit through the door. Make sure the furniture you buy is small enough to fit through the entrance and door.

Image via: Material Girls

Select Furniture That is Visually Light

To make your living room look bigger, focus on the visual weight of the furniture and not just the size. Light colored furniture pieces with legs appear lighter than dark upholstered ones. The legs of the furniture offer views of the floor making the space to feel more open. In addition, use a neutral palette throughout the room so as to push back the walls visually. Eyes can roam freely through a neutral palette hence a room looks bigger.

 Image via: Addo Decor

Mix Furnishings of Different Sizes

Every piece of furniture has width, height, and depth. Add visual interest to your living room by mixing furnishings with different characteristics. For example, you can mix a large sectional with small armchairs to create a lively space.  However, if you prefer a serene look, only use similar furniture pieces. These are ideal for relaxation and recovery rooms.

Ensure the Room is Well-Lit

Lighting is a vital element in any space and your furniture placement should maximize the light in the room. Spread the sources of light around the room and ensure every corner is well-lit. Additionally, make sure that the light is well distributed. If you want to make the room look tall, incorporate tall lamps.

 Image via: Cozy Living Room Ideas

When you implement these furniture arrangement tips, your tiny living room will be user-friendly and attractive. Take time to consider your daily lifestyle and your storage needs to create a gorgeous living room that increases your home’s enjoyment. Your family will thank you for it.

How do you arrange furnishings in your living room?

For more living room ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

These days, small spaces are in and easier to care for than before. Decorating small spaces in your home or apartment is becoming more essential and is cropping up every day to meet the needs of modern homeowners. While small spaces are more sustainable than expansive ones, they can look cramped when left neglected. By organizing the space well and adding personal touches, you can make your small home a cozy nook you are proud of. Here’s how to go about it.

Decorating Small Spaces: Home Ideas to Use Now

Image by: Amber Tolman

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Use Rooms for Multiple Purposes

The key to making the most of your space is becoming creative. If you have no playroom for your toddler, create a corner in your living room where he can play. If you happen to have a dining room but no library, arrange the room to serve both functions. You can add library shelves for books or even a home office and use the room for different purposes. Set the house up for what you really need and make it work for you.

Let in as Much Light as Possible

If you have window coverings, ensure they don’t interrupt the flow of light when they are open. Make sure the whole pane is clear and avoid hanging curtains inside the window frame. Hang them from the ceiling as opposed to the window top as this creates a sense of height.

Image by: Alessandra Rosa

Use Mirrors to Make Rooms Look Larger

Glass and mirrors bounce light around and help create reflections. They maximize light and make small spaces appear bigger. When getting a coffee table for your living room, get a glass one instead of a wooden one. Hang art in glass frames and tuck mirrors into corners to create reflections.

Maximize Space with Built-in Furniture

Nothing takes up as much space in a small home as free standing furniture. Tuck in built-in pieces to the walls of your home or use free standing pieces that fit just like built-ins. For example, you can replace tables and chairs with built-in benches with a table. Place these in your kitchen and create the perfect eating spot.

Image by: Rebecca Mackintosh

Make Use of Vertical Space

When hanging shelves, art, or placing furniture, make use of vertical space. You can use the space to display your art and to draw people’s eyes up making it feel larger. Vertical space is often forgotten especially in closets, behind doors and in kitchen pantries. Vertical space can be maximized by installing shelves on the walls and by installing hooks to hang clothing, aprons, pots/pans and any other hangable items. Remember your home has more space than you imagined.

What are some tips that work for you when decorating small spaces?

For more small home living ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

Decorating with a Christmas Tree in your Small Home

Make the outline of the tree

It’s all about decorating. To have a simple outline of the tree, use chalk and draw it on the wall. You can also use some twine, yarn, a seasonal ribbon or even washy tape to make the shape of the tree. Using simple and beautiful ornaments and some garlands that will complement the entire decoration of our house you’ll be able to achieve impressive trees. Of course, don’t forget the lights! What would a Christmas tree be without the lights?

Use personalized ornaments

It does not always have to be shiny, costly ornaments. Simple ornaments that were made by the kids or other loved ones, or items that are of importance to us, often make the best decoration for a Christmas tree. Use frames with pictures, handmade ornaments, Christmas cards and items that remind you of all the beautiful moments of the years past, will make your tree unique and the centerpiece of attention.

Make a tree that gives gifts

A wonderful idea if you have people over at Christmas Eve is to create a Christmas tree using tubes, in which you can place simple gifts and ornaments for your guests to take home as the evening comes to its end. Colorful painted tubes would give such a tree an even more joyful accent.

An earthly Christmas tree using wood

Using different sizes of wooden logs mounted on the wall, create a beautiful, natural and completely environmental-friendly Christmas tree. You can use the logs either as selves or for hanging some matching ornaments from them. Add some Christmas lights and it will for sure add warmth to your home.

As beautiful as the traditional Christmas tree is, there are a lot of different ways to celebrate and decorate for the Christmas Celebration, even in the smallest of homes. Christmas is after all about sharing special moments, regardless of the size of a tree. Use these simple tips when decorating with a Christmas tree in your small home.

For more Christmas ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

Today we continue Stagetecture’s feature ‘Olioboard Inspiration‘. Last week you enjoyed – ‘Dramatic Autumn Bedroom Ideas‘ from Tabitha Loudon. This week I feature Mirella Parer who is a member of the Facebook Olioboard Fan Room group and she shares ideas for making the most of your small apartment. Clever ideas for organizing, decorating your small abode!

If you’re interested in being featured see details here: How to be featured on Stagetecture’s Olioboard Inspiration‘ series.

To see all the past Stagetecture’s Olioboard Inspiration members on Pinterest click here.

Olioboard Inspiration #39

‘Creative Small Apartment Decor Ideas’  

  Mirella Parer

In a small apartment it is necessary to evenly distribute the space.

The colors for the walls and the floor must be clearly divided and equal throughout the apartment,keep to the lighter colours as dark colours will make your apartment look even smaller .

The use of mirrors helps to give the illusion of space, especially useful in small apartments.  Place mirrors on a wall opposite of a window wall and see how the view is multiplied times ten throughout the rest of the space

Small apartment decor ideas

Instead of the hassle of trying to fit in all your pieces of furniture together in a small space opt for convertible furniture. Convertible furniture is furniture that can serve for two or three purposes simply by moving around several parts. These pieces of furniture can be extremely convenient for a small space as they fill several functions, thus enabling you to get rid of unnecessary furniture and save space in your apartment

Divide the room into zones according to their function : dining kitchen and bedroom / living room. There are many great pieces of furniture available for just this purpose,bookcases, curtains and dividers can create distinct areas, as can different types of lighting — spotlights over your cooking area, for example, and lamps around the seating area. Besides making these areas more functional, such separations actually make your apartment look larger.

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Creative tricks for your small apartment

The two areas in my project, a small apartment of 35 square meters in a town house, are separated only by a rug to give the illusion of a larger space . The sofa-bed  is near the only window and on the longest wall beside the sofa is a closet with sliding mirrored doors which reflects the light from the window and gives the impression of a greater breadth to the room. In front of the sofa is a small table / bench which is easily moved for the opening of the bed. The continuity between the living / kitchen area is achieved  by keeping the floor and the walls similar throughout.

The kitchen/dining area is a fitted out with a black and white kitchen  with plenty of vertical storage so as not to waste an inch of space and full height cupboards, use these for the kitchen towels and all your kitchen utensils. The extend-able glass topped dining table does not visually interrupt the area and the chairs are stackable. To illuminate the table a chandelier is used to give a glittering and romantic  aura.

The personal touch is added by the use of color through accessories, the white linen sofa bed made from a coarse textured fabric is dressed with soft cushions that mirror the color of the exquisite cabinet beside it. The raw silk curtains and another texture to the space and are kept to a neutral color. The c lamp with a gray shade and lavender base compliments the glass droplets of the chandelier above the dining table , giving the room a feeling of freshness and elegance. Even the kitchen accessories such as bowls, glasses and vases are lavender shades and add a further note of transparency and freshness.  The free wall behind the sofa is painted lavender to make it the focal point amongst the other walls which are white, a white frame is painted on the feature wall in which my modern graphic is hung thus adding interest and more color.

P.S. Olioboard is for me a fascinating creative play.

Mirella Parer is an Italian artist and lives in Liguria (Italian Riviera) and you can find her on her website and on Olioboard.

If you are planning to rent an apartment, chances are that you won’t be able to customize it much. Often, rental agreements put restrictions on how much a tenant can change the looks of the apartment. But, that does not mean you have to live with bland carpeting and beige bare walls. Here are few simple ideas to personalize your temporary sanctuary and feel like at home.

Image via: Jeff Jones Snap It 

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Add color

If you are going to stay in the same rented apartment for a while, personalize it by painting the walls. Don’t be afraid to seek permission from your landlord. If you are not picking something too over the top such as fluorescent green or pink, you will most likely get the approval to give your apartment a fresh coat. Alternatively, vinyl wallpaper is a great way to spruce up your walls. They are easy to remove and mostly residue free. Plus, they are so thin that they almost look like a paint on the wall.

Area rugs

Most rented apartments come with the standard bland carpet. Even though you cannot remove it, you can always perk it up with a beautiful area rug. Apart from hiding flaws of outdated carpeting, these rugs will help you add interest and color to the room. There are so many styles and designs available that you will not have any trouble finding the one that suits your personality.

Similarly, add a fun welcome mat outside the entrance door, under the kitchen sink, and outside the bathroom door. Small creative touch ups like this can go a long way when it comes to personalizing your rental apartment.

Image via: Clifton Leung Design Workshop

Use Accessories

Rental or not- accessories are one of the easiest ways to personalize any space. Throw pillows, lamps, shower curtains, planters, and tablecloths in interesting colors, textures, and patterns can quickly change the appearance of your apartment. To get the best deals, look for them at garage or yard sales. And remember you can always swap them easily when you crave for a change.

Image via:: Tamar Schechner

It’s always a challenge when it comes to personalizing your rented apartment. However, if you can get a little creative and think outside the box, you can certainly make a world of difference!

For more home decor ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

If you are getting ready to downsize your home to a smaller one or you are interested in creating a more minimal life for you and your family, there are many benefits. From less housing costs to getting better organized, your smaller home can be a blessing in disguise.

Image via: Home Decor Interior Design

Having a small home should not be frustrating, but should rather have it as a challenge. In fact,  there are so many advantages in having a small home.

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If you want to know some of them, here are the benefits of having a small home and how you can enjoy its limitations:

Quick and easy housekeeping

Who needs a helping hand in cleaning your home. If you have a small space, you can actually do it by yourself. It won’t even spend your whole weekend to finish the cleaning – or probably won’t sweat you out. This is a huge advantage in terms of time and efforts. You can spend more quality time with your family rather than doing all the chores.

A small home is easier to afford

Lesser space, lesser furnishing, lesser expenses. Isn’t that a huge boost in your savings. With limited space, you will never be tempted to buy those luxurious and bulky furniture with a huge price tag. Of course, there’s no space for that in your home. But this doesn’t mean you can’t have a luxurious and elegant look in your interior. The fact is, minimalist home design is getting popular these days.

Image via: Pinterest

You can find household items easily 

Everything is visible and accessible. You will definitely not encounter problems like losing a remote control or a pair of slippers. Things are easy to find in case you have misplaced them. Just imagine how much time and arguments are spent when something is missing. With smaller home, this is never a problem.

These are just some of the benefits you can get from a smaller home. So, think about it. Be proud of what you have and think of the positive side. Besides, it’s the people inside that makes a “house” a “home”, right?

For more small home ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

]]> https://stagetecture.com/have-to-move-to-a-smaller-home-heres-the-great-benefits/feed/ 0 49879 https://stagetecture.com/how-to-choose-furniture-for-your-new-small-home/ https://stagetecture.com/how-to-choose-furniture-for-your-new-small-home/#comments Wed, 26 Sep 2012 18:14:55 +0000 https://stagetecture.com/?p=34304 What homeowner doesn’t love planning for a new home? Whether you just got married, and upgraded from renting an apartment, or you are new into the “real world” and are ready to start homeownership, this is an exciting time. The part of moving into a new small home that may not be as exciting is choosing furniture. Whether you are unclear on what pieces you will need, or you need help on estimating the size of your new home, here are helpful tips to choose furniture for your new small home.

How to Choose Furniture For your New Small Home

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Do research before you buy:

It is easy to get caught up in the euphoria of owning a new home, but many new homeowners buy furniture that is too large, and too many pieces without assessing their home first. If you still have the home information from when a Realtor or previous homeowner sold it to you, room sizes may already be available. Ask the developer if you’re moving into a newly built community, so you can start off with real dimensions to take with you to the store. This step in itself will save you money and costly time in choosing the wrong sized furniture.

Determine how much furniture you need:

Before you go and buy out your favorite furniture store take an assessment of each room and how much new furniture you need. You may be bringing existing furniture to your new home, and it should be accounted for too. Small homes can be comfortable and cozy but they can quickly feel cluttered and tiny. Examine your lifestyle and how much new furniture you truly will need. This step can also be done before you sell your home by www.exchangetoday and enable you plan in advance before moving into your new home. Home ownership can be enjoyable but learn to plan before buying as a general rule, especially when it comes to furniture.

Use these helpful tips when planning for your new small home. Regardless the size of your home, ensure that your new home will satisfy your needs for the entire family. Bedrooms and living spaces should be thought of first and then consider getting furniture for other rooms as your budget and time allows. Enjoy your new home and buying furniture for it!

For more home furniture ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

Whether you are a college student, friend of a college student or a parent, everyone knows that back to school time is officially here for colleges and universities. Creating the perfect dorm room is on everyone’s mind! I remember in college everyone wanted to “hang” in my room because I was the one with colorful bedding, lamps instead of using the awful fluorescent lighting and my room was always clean!

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While a cool dorm room is the end result, how do you make a designer dorm room without having to spend a lot of money to do it? Let’s face it, when you go to the store – there are so many choices! Today’s DIY Saturday, learn how to create a color coordinated dorm room without being a designer. Watch a video where two designers use everyday finds found at big box stores to create a gorgeous dorm room.

Then use the Dorm Checklist to find your favorite finds and essentials you will need for college.

You Tube Video – DORM ROOM Room Tour Decorating Ideas

Dorm Room Checklist – Essentials for Study, Relaxing & Sleeping

Don’t forget your dorm room essentials! From your study area to relaxing and sleeping. Your dorm room will now become your home so make it personable, functional and enjoyable to party, study, and sleep in! Here’s a checklist of important dorm room items. Check them off to make sure you are ready for school!

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STUDY

• Desk – Don’t have enough room, get a smaller desk for organization.
• Furniture Risers – Lift up your furniture to get more space!
• Lounging Bean Bags – Have a place for all your friends to hang out and sit!
• Desk Lamp – Dorm rooms don’t usually come with desk lights.
• Bookcase
• Docking Station
• Book Light – Don’t wake up your roommate while studying late at night.
• Computer
• Printer
• Extension Cord

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RELAX – SLEEP

• Bed Linen (Twin) – Dorm Room in a Box (Comforter, Sheets, Pillowcases, Pillows, Towels all in one)
• Bed linen (Twin)  – (Comforter, Sheets, Pillowcase)
• Bed Risers
• Pillows
• TV
• TV Mount – Save space and mount your tv to the wall
• Lounge Chair
• Wall Clock
• Alarm Clock/iPod dock – Wake up on time for those early classes
• Microwave

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DORM ROOM DECOR

• String lights – Make your dorm room look cool!
• Room Divider – Keep your privacy and still make your room look great.
• Magnetic Bulletin Board – Keep all your papers in one spot to keep organized
• Area Rug – Dress up your concrete dorm room floor with a warm rug
• Full length mirror – Make sure you look great everyday with an easy wall mountable full length mirror

Image via

Personalize your dorm room with string lights, colorful artwork, and bed linen that makes your dorm room uniquely yours!

For more dorm room ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

Want more cool dorm room ideas? Click here to visit www.DormCo.com

Ikea has a number of great items for small apartments. From furniture to accessories, watch this You Tube video showing how to install

You Tube – How to Install a Room Divider – Studio Apartment

How to maximize space in your studio apartment

Studio apartments have a challenge because all of your living needs are easily viewable in one space. In order to maximize space you will need to learn new techniques for saving space. From using multifunctional furniture, to getting creative with utilizing vertical space and under bed storage there are endless ways to create more space.

For these helpful tips for decorating or organizing a studio apartment I turned to Tiny House Blog for tips.

1. Provide enough storage

Try to find furnishings for your apartment that will do double duty. You can even find chairs and ottomans that have storage areas inside of them. Just lift up the top and there you will find space for blankets, pillows or other items.

2. Use dividers for larger apartments

You can find beautiful dividers in both thrift shops and high end furniture stores. Use them to enclose various areas of your space. I saw an episode on HGTV where they used four beautiful wooden dividers to make a separate bedroom. It not only provided a private sleeping area, but also created another wall on which to place furniture.

3. Keep clutter at bay

When you have a small area, clutter is not an option. Too many knick-knacks and too much furniture crowds everything together too much. Keep your necessary items, such as extra bed linens put away in a dresser or wicker baskets. Kitchen counters should be kept clean with everything in the cupboards if possible.

4. Another trick for a small space is to buy furniture with legs and that are higher off of the floor

Your eye will look under these pieces of furniture and add visual space. Furniture that is blocky and low to the ground makes a room appear more crowded.

5. Ensure there is plenty of light in your apartment:

Whether you are painting with lighter colors, using lighter colored furnishings or ensuring natural light pours into your space. Light will make your small studio apartment feel brighter, airy and less claustrophobic.

For more small home ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

People have an obsession with size. Bigger is thought to be better. Everyone seems to want more. Sometimes, however, more is less, and bigger is a gigantic waste of money and space. Sometimes it is better to be smaller, tidier, sometimes it is better to be brief. Nowhere is this more evident than in the size of your home.

Most people associate downsizing with financial reasons. They attach the term to individuals who overextended themselves on a large domicile and can no longer afford to pay the hefty mortgage and exorbitant property tax bill. While downsizing will save you money in this regard, it can also enhance your overall quality of life. The following are 5 such advantages of downsizing your home:

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1. Cleaning and Maintenance

A large home means a large space to care for. Dust and dirt compile all over the house, which can be bothersome from a cosmetic standpoint as well as bad for your health. Entire days must be devoted to cleaning a big home, only to watch as the inexorable march of dirt envelopes your space once more. A smaller house makes cleaning a more manageable chore, and forces you to dispose of excess clutter. Whereas in a large home there is always some place to stash your junk, a smaller space provides the motivation to rid yourself of the stuff you don’t need.

Image via: Coastal Living

2. Family Time

Families who live in cavernous homes spend little time together, as each person can retreat to his own space. Like an underground warren, these homes also tend to have numerous exits which allow residents to slip in and out without even saying hello. A more compact home with a single entryway means foot traffic often intersects. The cozy living room area makes it the perfect centerpiece for family entertainment. Overall there is more interaction and a warmer, cozier ambiance.

3. More Neighborly Atmosphere

A big house is typically built on a huge lot. Simply waving to your neighbor requires a set of binoculars and a giant foam hand. A smaller house means you are more likely to get to know your neighbors, especially if the two of you have children of similar age. Although much of it depends on the neighbor, the more intimate atmosphere is usually more agreeable than being stuck on an isolated concrete island, and certainly is less awkward when the kids swing by for Halloween.

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4. Filling Space

Just as a smaller home will help you dump your clutter, it will also prevent you from making unnecessary purchases. Part of the burden of owning a large home is having to fill it. Every space must be designed, decorated, and upgraded when the stuff you just bought becomes fashionably and technology out of date. A smaller home means a more concise decor.

5. Good for the Environment

Small homes require less building materials and consume less energy. Purchasing one therefore reduces your carbon footprint. These homes are generally built in more compact communities, which means you will be able to walk to areas rather than driving every time you need to purchase a carton of eggs.

All of these benefits come in addition to the monetary advantages that come from buying a smaller home. You will have lower property taxes, mortgage payments, and a smaller debt obligation to the bank. This extra purchasing power can be spent on trips, activities, and good food. With the extra financial flexibility, you can make the world your home, and your house merely the place you sleep.

Mike Edwards writes for EquityRelease.net covering a wide range of retirement finance topics.

For more downsizing ideas on Stagetecture, click here.