Many people find it hard to pack a real punch in a small space. Without a focus, tight living quarters can look cluttered and practicality reigns over embellishment…but it doesn’t have to be that way! Small space living can be both beautiful AND have functional design elements that make living in tight quarters no excuse to give up on style.
I came across this article a few years ago in Canadian House and Home and it has stuck with me ever since. It is the Studio Apartment of Designer Alison Pringle, Principal Designer of Baker Ballard Interiors, that they featured in the September 2014 issue. I was so impressed on how she made the space not only function for her needs, but also did it in such a way that was completely unique and out of the box! Here are a few photographs taken by Michael Graydon of her unique space.
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Image Source
What I love about this space:
The painted blue ceiling is so refreshing! Can you even imagine how drab it would be if it was just plain white?
The large Chinoiserie cabinet that hides her television but also provides storage behind glass doors for the pretty stuff and hidden storage for the not-to-be-seen items.
The wood finish of said cabinet warms up the space while the interior being painted the same blue as the ceiling adds interest and color to the all white space.
It’s blue and white…need I say more?
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Image Source
The use of coral in the headboard keeps the space from looking too overdone in the same hue; sometimes a contrast is just what you need to make everything else just pop!
A touch of black on the accent chairs and wall mounted sconces by the bed add sophistication.
Plates on the wall make the bedroom area pretty and are less typical than artwork.
Using the same blue and white fabric on the drapery, stools, accent cushions and chairs adds the right dose of repetition without overdoing it.
The stools at the desk can be pulled in for extra seating when needed—genius!
The white desk and bedside dressers just fade in the background and allow the color to shine in the space keeping the space visually “quiet”.
Using Ikea dressers as bedside tables take the place of a dresser and add in that much-needed storage!
The overall space does NOT look cluttered, but fresh, appealing and oh-so inviting.
Okay...I can hear you saying to yourselves, “But this is the work of a DESIGNER…I could never do that on my own!” But really, rooms like this are here to inspire and to help us to come up with ideas for our homes that perhaps we wouldn’t have come up with on our own. Yes, some do require the help of a designer to get the job done, but some of you are more than able to source and scour to find just the right piece of furniture or fabric to make your space shine!
A room like this can be done with vintage finds and purchases from big box stores; old pieces can be painted and given new life, and maybe that perfect fabric can be found in the fabric district of your local city for much less than what a “designer” fabric would sell for. It CAN be done!
So don’t let your small space make you think you have to stay with white and neutral décor to make the place look spacious; small space living can be filled with life and color and be anything but boring!
Want to see more? To see a video of this amazing space click here.
