Dear Madelaine,
I’m finally ready to redesign my apartment, but with all the design inspiration on Instagram and Pinterest I feel a little lost. What trends do you think will be relevant for the next few years, specifically for small spaces?
While I love scrolling social media as much as the next gal, I cannot overstate that your home should be a reflection of you, and not what’s popular this minute. That being said, there are some small space with big style themes (I hate the word trend!) that have come up across multiple projects recently that I’m happy to share.
1. Hidden screens
One of the biggest shifts we’ve seen in small spaces post-covid is the desire to truly transform a single space between the multiple functions it now needs to serve. Screens tend to be large and dominant elements in any room, and clients are increasingly asking for creative ways to cover them when not in use. This is true for both tvs and computers, fostering an ability to genuinely unplug without distractions.
2. Multipurpose Furniture
One of my all time small space hero pieces is the flip-top storage ottoman. Tiny, mighty, and versatile, they tidily store living room necessities like extra blankets, provide a place to put your feet up (especially valuable if you can’t fit a sectional), convert to a coffee table with the flip of hard bottom lid, and offer extra and easily movable seating (particularly handy for guests at holiday parties). They are available in a variety of styles at a range of price points, and are also a great way to add a little extra color or texture to your space without a big commitment.
3. Special Ceilings
As much as I love a fabulous wallpaper or a brilliant paint color, in a small space they can be a little overwhelming. Enter the fifth wall, aka the ceiling. Ceilings are a magnificent opportunity to add color, texture, pattern. depth, and drama without over stimulation or compromising the functionality of a room. If you have the height (looking at you prewar 12ft ceiling apartments) you can even add coffering (a grid of decorative beams/molding) to create more interest. Pro tip: you can also use the coffer structure to conceal electrical wiring to add decorative lighting!
4: Skip the Dollhouse Furniture
While it may seem counterintuitive, filling a small space with small pieces can make it feel fussy, cluttered, and even smaller. Going too big, even in a large room, can also feel uncomfortable. The key is balance, using a combination of smaller/low-profile pieces with larger/taller/more impactful ones, while maintaining harmonious proportions between adjacent elements. One of the most common scale mistakes is the too tiny media credenza, which should be large enough to have at least 10-12 inches on either side of the tv, for a balanced composition.
Pro-tip: with at least 12″ (but preferably 15″) on either side, there is enough room to add wall sconces flanking the tv. Make sure they are dimmable with a diffusing shade (you shouldn’t be able to see the lightbulb), and they will add terrific ambient lighting, in addition to some classical symmetry, to the space.
Want to discuss more specific strategies for your home?
Book a call and we can figure it out together!
Till next time…
Madelaine
PS – Do you have design questions? Send us an email at info@designbyadroit.com and we will answer it as quickly and completely as possible in an upcoming blog post!
