HomeWorx by Cheryl von Tress – July 2012

SMALL SPACE SOLUTIONS

Whether your home is oversized or currently downsized, sometimes you find yourself wondering what you can do with a small space.  This topic has a myriad of possible ideas.  For now, we’ll focus on furnishings and storage solutions.

SEATING OPTIONS

For an oversized living room or great room, creating conversation areas and zones for personal lingering is a strong design solution.  A fireplace beckons the primary area.  Seating options include: four chairs surrounding a large square or round cocktail table; a sofa of optimal size (7′-8’+), two chairs and a loveseat with appropriate accent and center tables; or two loveseats facing each other with matching or individually collected chairs and tables and so on.

Beyond the primary area, other conversation and lingering zones are designed with chairs, settees, benches, chaises and adequate table surfaces, desks and lighting.

For the downsized home dweller, armless furnishings and ‘leggy’ furniture (pieces without skirts or upholstery to the floor) create visual openness.  Even the introduction of a single armless piece or two will keep upholstered pieces from overwhelming a small area.  Another option is one over-scale piece in a small area, complemented by armless accent pieces.  Another advantage of armless and leggy furniture is their lighter weight and movability.  Company coming?  Bring in benches, dining chairs or small accent chairs to expand the seating capacity.

 STORAGE SOLUTIONS

Shelves:

A small room dedicated to a single or dual purpose requires good planning to make the best use of space.  Floor-to-ceiling shelving (built-in, floating, or cabinet-style) makes full use of an open wall.  An upper shelf running around the room is another creative option.

Open, modular-style shelving has multiple use possibilities:  a wonderful room divider for a two-person home office, a soft barrier between a sleeping area and home office in a guest room, a faux entry wall when the front door opens directly into the living room, and it works well to delineate space in an oversized room, instantly creating zonal purposes.

Armoires:

Armoires come in many sizes, wood finishes (stained and painted) and storage configurations.  If a small room needs an extra closet – voila! an armoire is perfect and requires fewer dollars than construction costs.  When you want things stored out of sight, use an armoire.  A mirrored door will also add visual space and reflect light.

Armoires are great solutions for business and personal needs – they hide both medium-sized TV panels and computer stations – and they have shelving for ancillary equipment and supplies.   A former entertainment armoire can be converted to hang clothing by changing out door hardware (when necessary) and installing a tension rod.  Baskets can be added to former media unit shelves to provide easy-access storage.

Stackables

A strong current trend in housewares is stackable glassware and dinnerware.  Hasn’t dinnerware always been stackable?  Yes, however, the new products take even less vertical or horizontal space because of their efficient design.  Stackable glassware saves shelf space and doesn’t stick as is common when stacking pieces not designed for this purpose.

Racks and Hooks

Cloth napkins are easily stored in a deep drawer when housed in a rack typically used for upright plate storage.  Each pattern is visible and simple to find when stacked side by side rather than on top of each other.  Dinnerware and multi-level shelf racks maximize space and allow quick access to items.

Closet racks make the best use of space, especially when combined with baskets and bins.  Skinny storage options allow you to take your items all the way to the ceiling above and store  beneath hanging items.  Labels are especially advised for opaque-sided bins.

Decorative hooks or a hook rack make strong use of wall space.  A bench seat with storage, a shelving unit or a cabinet beneath your hooks provides almost full use of available wall and floor area.

Cheryl von Tress, principal of Cheryl von Tress Design Group, offers full-service interior design and hourly consultation in Southern and Coastal Oregon and Northern California.  www.cvtdesigngroup.com  You may sample her design work at Jacksonville Barn Co. in the Orth Building, 150 S. Oregon Street, Jacksonville.