As an empty nester, I have recently downsized to a much smaller home. I love having less area to have to clean and maintain but how can I make the most of this smaller space?
Look for pieces of furniture that are multipurpose, advises Lindsey Brackett, a sales associate with Pottery Barn in Little Rock.
Planning in advance makes all the difference. In the dining room, choose an expandable table which allows the table to remain compact for everyday meals but also offers the option of expanding it with extensions or drop-leaves to make room for company. A fixed pedestal table can free floor space and offer enough legroom for diners. Regardless of the size or type of table, make sure to allow at least 2 feet of tabletop space for each place setting and leave at least 3 feet between any furniture along the nearby walls and the table, the design experts at Pottery Barn advise.
A table that includes built-in shelves underneath or drawer space provides storage space for napkins, flatware and other items. Consider using wire baskets on the table’s lower shelf for even more space saving.
Another space-saving strategy is to think vertically, implementing a combination of closed cabinets and open shelving to store and display culinary and dining-related items.
When it comes to decorating the modest space, adding personal touches and creative details such as bright, festive chair cushions or interesting wall art such as a botanical print can help to accentuate and personalize. Finally, dramatic lighting by a unique chandelier takes up no additional room but adds visual interest while a dimmer switch offers mood lighting options.
Trick the eyes, using mirrors to increase the natural light in the space - a wide wall mirror across from a window adds maximum effect.
In this room and throughout the rest of the house, downsize on the amount of furniture. Decide what is truly needed and get rid of the rest.
Have one nightstand beside the bed instead of two; in place of the second, have a dresser or a chest of drawers.
Keeping the clutter to a mini-mum and possessions organized goes a long way to freeing up space and opening up living areas.
“Once you start putting things in a closet, that space is going to fill up quickly,” Brackett says. One solution is to use pieces of furniture that are double-duty.
“A good example of that is a steamer trunk that is also a coffee table,” she says.
Trays, which can be used to sort, organize and then put away, also help contain clutter.
Use labels to help organize and maintain items following the basic rule of making sure that everything has a storage place.
Get rid of anything that’s not regularly used. If you want to keep it, find an out-of-the-way storage place, such as the attic, Brackett says.
When it comes to decorating this newly cleared space, don’t forget empty walls, looking for unifying themes. If you’re creating a collage of framed photos, unite them in some way, she says.
“Use similar colors or mediums. For example, make them all vintage or all black and white or all the same subject matter - something to tie them all together.” While you’re at it, plan ahead. Before punching holes in the walls, lay the frames out on the floor to see how it will look, Brackett says.
Do you have a decorating or remodeling question? We’ll get you an answer from an authority. Send your question to Linda S. Haymes, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, P.O. Box 2221, Little Rock, Ark. 72203 or email:
HomeStyle, Pages 35 on 08/31/2013