Modern Furniture

In a small space, the right plan can artfully incorporate more furnishings than you might expect. Stacked white storage cubes draw attention upward and make an under-eave space appear taller, while providing ample room to store clothing. Camp furnishings, such as folding tables and chairs, are flexible and have a slimmer profile than indoor items. A secretary serves as both desk and nightstand, and closes to hide clutter. A restored steamer trunk offers seating and storage. Anything that can serve more than one purpose is especially welcome in a small space. Much of this room’s special appeal derives from its surprising structure, hut you could easily replicate its visual punch in an attic room or loft.

Every item in a small space must work hard to make the most of the floor plan and to add to the overall sense of space. The simple painted gray floor here is left unadorned, with a narrow band of white offering the barest definition of a summer “rug.” Connecting indoors with outdoors works especially well to expand small spaces, whether through a window, porch, or entryway. Borrowing space from the outside can make a small space feel larger and more gracious. Take an informal approach inside and out, with casual pieces that set the tone before you enter.

Create extra space with a fanciful take on a guest house. This outdoor bedroom optimizes one-room living with space-saving solutions, abundant light, and well-planned storage. With room enough for a bed, desk, and dressing area, the confines of a tent never seemed so sumptuous.

Architectural wisdom says that a good design must be well built and useful - and offer a large measure of delight. This tiny warm-weather bedroom, built as a permanent tent with removable canvas walls, incorporates much to delight in, with all the comforts of its indoor equivalent. Despite its small size, the room conveys a remarkable sense of spaciousness, thanks to its use of efficient organization, small-scale furnishings, and whimsical decor.

To make any room appear larger than it really is, the first trick is to use effective lighting and a pale, subtly varied color palette. Fitted with glass windows and a French door, this tent also receives plenty of illumination through its fabric walls, which fill the space with light during the day. Although fabric isn’t generally an option for indoor walls, you could achieve a similar effect with pure white walls and sheer curtains or linen shades in any room with good sun exposure. The daytime effect of light filtered through canvas walls repeats at night, when lamplight filters gently through the canopy of mosquito netting hung above an iron bed. A kerosene lantern, hung outside from the eaves, lights the entry and serves as a welcoming beacon to visitors.

The placement of furniture dictates a bedroom’s flow of traffic and defines sleeping, dressing, and conversation areas. It helps determine whether the room has a snug, secluded feel or an open, airy one. Warm colors, plush textures, and casual clutter make a room seem more intimate, while pale colors, sleek surfaces, and minimal styling make even the smallest room seem spacious.

Lighting has a powerful effect on our perception of space. Fluorescent bulbs cast a cool and contemporary light; incandescent lamps give off a warm glow. Bright light, especially natural light, makes a room seem more open, while candlelight creates a sense of intimacy and drama.

Large bedrooms demand a different approach, especially if your aspirations include a sense of intimacy. Start by delineating discrete areas with an arrangement of sofas, chaise longues, or easy chairs. Define a reading nook or dressing space with an area rug in a rich tone. Pull your bed out from the wall, and drape it in layers of fabric.
Whatever the size of your bedroom, little touches count for a lot. Flowers on the night table scent the air. A plush rug eases the cold on winter nights. A chenille throw folded at the foot of the bed invites an afternoon nap. It’s not a showcase you’re creating, but a personal haven. Make it inviting, make it soothing, make it yours.

So,  you move into a new home. The empty space is the blank canvas that you get to work with. An empty room can be as challenging to a homeowner as a blank page is to a writer - and just as satisfying once you’ve figured out what you want to say. If you’re designing your dream home, you may have the luxury of deciding how many square feet will go where. But most of us work within existing rooms, squeeze favorite possessions into new spaces, and see the spaces transformed. The size of a room may determine proportion, but it needn’t limit your imagination.

Making a success of a small space remains the greatest challenge for many of us, but the imagination and ingenuity required often result in unexpected charm. Every part of the room offers storage possibilities - overhead and under furniture, on floors and on walls. Look for items that can be hung, tucked beneath the bed, or stored up high out of sight. Dual-purpose modern furniture like daybeds and nesting tables also help make economic use of limited space, while floating shelves (rather than solid bookcases) and hanging lights (instead of standing lamps) expand visual space.

Get to know the building thoroughly before you moke any major design decisions. Ask yourself these questions:

• which direction does it face?
• which rooms (ace the road/overlook the garden/have other views?
• which rooms get most light at which times of day?
• Which rooms are the quietest?
• Which rooms have the most wall and floor space?
• Which rooms have the highest ceilings?
• Do any rooms lead into one another?
• Are there any wasted comers or unusable spaces?
• Are there any doors that open awkwardly?
• Are there any narrow corridors causing obstructions?
• Are there any doorways or corners that make furniture access unnecessarily difficult?
• Which walls are structurally supporting and which are partitions?