Closets and Pantries

Many homes have a walk-in pantry and walk-in closets in the master, if not two, and additional smaller scale walk-ins in secondary bedrooms. All of these eat up the standing space that could be part of the open space in the room if it wasn’t in the pantry or closet.  A dream closet idea would be to have several closets facing into the room with mirrored doors and voila!  Open your winter closet complete with wools and boots (maybe cedar lining). Then an all white summer closet.  A third transitional closet would hold the remainder!  If more pantry or closet space is needed, look for an entire bedroom wall that could be build out 2 feet for a wall of closets. You can add shelving, drawers and dividers to make a kitchen area into a pantry.  Storage for can goods, cereal and other boxes can be shallow.  It is easier to see what is in the space and rotate it.

These examples and many more are available on my Pinterest boards.

Area Rugs

An area rug that covers most of the area will make the room look bigger.  An additional benefit is that covering wood or stone floors with area rugs is a must for sound moderation and visual warmth.

Draperies

Surprisingly, draperies to the ceiling will give the room height.

Large Furniture

Fewer pieces of large furniture or accessories will also expand the space.

Get rid of the junk and make the space look orderly.  Remember useful, beautiful, meaningful or it has to go! Proper storage will allow both a great look and easy access to the items you need.

Visit my Pinterest board on Storage to some ideas!

With the rapid changes in technology the key is to keep spaces as flexible as possible! Some design trends to watch for:

• Tablets, SmartPhones, Phablets have made the home office moveable to any room of the house.
• Dining is part of the great room or the kitchen has double islands-one for food prep and another for seating. It is more interesting to look at the view than the cabinets.
• Home theaters are wavering as a TV fully integrated with the Internet in the family room seem to work for many.
• Garages also offer flexible space for hobbies and storage.
• Pets need to be considered as well. A doggie door to a secure outdoor space, litter boxes, etc. Our pets have inside entry and garage access which are totally out of sight. Dog showers are also popular or a hand spray with a tiled area.

 

 

Summer is over and it is time to bring in the orange for fall! As you can see in these photos, it doesn’t take much – a few pillows, some flowers and you have a refreshed look! If you want to change pillows seasonally, cover changes can easily create a new look. Whether they are professionally made or a DIY project, the same fills can be used so all that has to be stored are the covers! This takes up a lot less space and the pillows are always the correct size for your sofa. Orange for fall, a pretty green shade through the winter holidays into spring and a print with a light background for summer and voila! you are changing with the seasons!