Georgia Interior Design

Design Sleuth-Downsizing with style

For many, downsizing a home can be an exhilarating experience.  It often means lowered expenses, reduced maintenance, more discretionary income and more free time.  It also means smaller living spaces.  Instead of searching for large furniture to fill and decorate large rooms, you find yourself trying to figure out creative ways to maximize small areas without sacrificing style.

To use your reduced space most efficiently, designer Nathan suggests purchasing sofas and chairs that are armless.   According to Nathan, “Armless furnishings create a more streamlined look in small spaces.  They also weigh less than more traditional furnishings and make it easier to redecorate and change the look of your rooms when you want to try something different.  Slipper chairs, for example, can easily be moved from room-to- room adding extra seating where and when you need it.”

Nathan also recommends buying furniture that can serve a dual purpose, such as ottomans that double as footrests, chairs, TV trays, or a flat surface area for a game of cards.  The Hekman plasma lift mentioned in an earlier blog is another piece of furniture that serves two functions.  When the television set is not in use it disappears, and the room instantly becomes more spacious and less cluttered. 

“Instead of end tables,” Nathan says, “consider buying nesting tables or lamps with built-in tables.  And, in order to make your furnishings most portable, use a matching color palette from room-to- room.  This way everything matches no matter where it’s placed.”

Talk with you next week! 

Deborah
A.k.a. Design Sleuth

Design Sleuth-Family Rooms

Family rooms are usually one of the more popular rooms in most people’s homes.  For those without separate home theatre or game rooms, it is often where you’d put the television set, the gaming equipment, and in some cases, the family computer or home office.  In many families, both kids and adults entertain their friends in the family room.  I know at our house, we’ve always tried to make the family room appealing to our kids (often to the detriment of its style!) because we wanted it to be a comfortable place for them to hang out with their friends—and it sure beats having them spend all of their free time in their bedrooms.

According to designer Nathan, there is no reason for families to sacrifice style in their family rooms, even when they have kids and/or pets.  The key, he says, is to focus first on where the kids and the pets are going to be in the room, and then buy comfortable, dual-purpose furniture.  According to Nathan, family rooms are often one of the rooms that can really benefit from de-cluttering.  “Because the room serves so many different purposes for different family members, it’s easy for this room in particular to end up with too many furnishings.”  For that reason, he believes that it is important to keep the family room furniture classic, durable, and simple.  He suggests buying furniture with tough fabrics, such as polyester and blends, and keeping the colors neutral.  Instead of using occasional tables consider using cocktail ottomans that will double as extra seating for parties, a place for snacks, or an additional work surface when needed.

Nathan recommends replacing any loveseats with two or three chairs.  “In a casual setting, love seats are often only used by one person at a time, so it’s more practical to replace them with separate chairs.  And when you have chairs, it also makes it much easier to re-decorate and move them around when you’re ready for a new look.”  Sofa and chair pillows should also be purchased with a dual-purpose in mind. “If you know your kids will be spending a lot of time on the floor,” Nathan says, “it’s a good idea to buy sofa and chair pillows that can be tossed on the floor and sat upon or used as armrests.”

Next Tuesday I’ll be sharing some tips with you on how to furnish a smaller home.  Nathan has some great ideas.  Talk with you then!

Deborah
A.k.a. Design Sleuth