Living Large in Small Spaces
In the Bay Area, many of us dwell in small places or live high-tech lives in low-tech spaces. More than half of San Francisco's housing was built before 1939; another 25% dates from 1940 to 1950 - before computers, big screen TV or food processors.
Making our lives fit our dwellings can be a problem, especially when multi-tasking days leave little time for decorating, shopping, organizing or moving. Whether you're remodeling, downsizing, or
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just trying to get comfortable in a small room, interior designer Nicolette Toussaint can help you find solutions.
Nicolette, the veteran of multiple home renovation projects, is happy to solve small space problems such as:
- Disorganized rooms
- Lack of office or desk space - papers and books everywhere!
- Poor lighting - shadows falling on your reading or counter space
- Cramped hallways and passages
- Disorganized closet space, clothing clutter
- Visually unappealing rooms
- Inadequate work or table space
- Bumping into furniture due to lack of circulation space
Solutions for Small Spaces
If you live in an older house, a small house, an apartment, or live a multi-tasking life, chances are one or more rooms in your house winds up with a hyphenated name: the living-dining room, the office-dining room, and the office-guest room are common examples.
Well-planned storage and lighting are essential to making such dual-purpose rooms work. Screens, curtains and storage hassocks will also help de-clutter these rooms. Cabinets and shelves with doors can quickly hide the function that's currently unwanted.
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Another way of making these spaces work is to build or buy furniture that fits perfectly. Tables can be made to contract and expand in multiple ways, not just by adding a leaf or opening a gateleg panel. There are also multiple types of stacking chairs. In addition, some furniture can change form to suit multiple purposes.
The old-fashioned Murphy bed, which is now sold in modern versions that fold into desks, open out from library walls, and drop-down tables, is the most familiar example. The "Doc bed" shown below goes one better, changing from a loveseat to twin bunk beds - perfect for older adults who need to occasionally change their library into a guest rooms for visiting grandchildren.
Closet Problems Solved!Why did 1930 contractors build closets just 10 to 12 inches deep? That's far too shallow for hanging clothes! Here, a new closet was built at the end of a room, allowing enough space for clothes hangers to dangle perpendicular to the bar, keeping garments neat. The room's ten foot ceilings allowed us to add extra storage space above the clothing closet, while triple mirrored doors prevent the room from looking closed-in. Shoe ClosetAn existing 12-inch deep closet was remodeled; it now offers convenient storage for shoes, belts, and (unseen) bags and sweaters. |
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Heads Up on Bathroom Storage
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