Pump up the wow-factor in your small space with a little element of surprise.  In this tiny bedroom loft, right next to the “wet” bar, is my version of a shoe bar!

Every girl loves her shoes and instead of locking up precious pairs behind closed closet doors, display your sexiest, most colorful heels as art.

Go to your local lumber store and have them pre-cut wood molding and finish them off with a hot, bold color with a high gloss finish. Think pink, red, aqua or chartreuse.

Try to keep your heels around 5” or they will not hold as well. The project is easy and affordable, takes up very little wall space, and adds a bit of panache to your pod!

Break open the champagne! My friend Beth's NYC sleeping loft makeover is finally unveiled!!! The winning look is a touch of Hollywood Regency meets French country, and the best thing is she loves it. Now her 12’x11’ tiny sleeping loft looks and feels luxurious with lots of layers of shearling, linen, and silk, gold, silver and crystal. Not to mention turquoise and camel and yellow, oh my!

With ceiling clearances of four feet and less in some places and low-lying stucco beams, I had my work cut out for me. The key was to bring in color, pattern, texture and lots of light!  To make it feel bigger than it is, I created lots of little “rooms” or zones within this tiny space.  Look, there’s even a bar!

I’ll be posting many more photos with lots of small space decorating tips you will want to steal. Stay tuned for much, much more!

When you’re making every inch count in your small space, it’s time to take a clear point of view. Think Lucite, glass and acrylic. One of my favorite go-to places is CB2 for affordable acrylic console and coffee tables. I used one in my friend’s apartment as a desk for her computer, and it is thick and substantial and does not visually take up valuable real estate.  And because it is “clear” and “space neutral,” it can serve double duty as a wet bar or buffet table when she hosts parties for friends and family. I accessorized her table with a French crystal lamp and a crystal paper weight.

I have a six- foot glass desk in my tiny New York rental and because it is glass, it just seems to float in the room. I chose a big table lamp but because it is also transparent, it refracts the light in a beautiful way and doesn’t obstruct the lines of the table.

I also love Lucite trays that you can buy inexpensively and with an added engraved monogram, you can elevate it instantly to “tray-chic.” Acrylic cubes also look great with stacked books or collectibles underneath. Check out store display closeout warehouses for these.  There are many online.

Interior decorators always talk about creating areas in a room where the eye can rest, and I couldn’t agree more. But when you live in tight quarters, it’s hard not to pack everything you have under one roof. With key pieces chosen in glass or Lucite, you can go “big” and still strike a balance between maximizing the space without obstructing it.

Burlap may be a humble fabric but there are so many ways to kick it up to couture.

Check out your local flea markets and auction sites like eBay for vintage French grain sacks in burlap. They range from $40-90 depending on how old they are, and some designs are more coveted than others. Some of the sacks have a duplicate design on the inside so you can get two for one.

I decided to use two different French burlap sacks to cover inexpensive ottoman stools and finished them off with green grosgrain ribbon and antique brass upholstery tacks. Absolutely no sewing was involved and they look terrific.

I also like using burlap for the backs of decorative pillows, especially if you are on a budget and want your expensive silks and linens to go a bit further. With these pillows, I used vintage yellow damask fabric and turquoise gingham shantung all backed with burlap. It gives the pillow an instant French country look.

NUTSHELL TIP: Make sure and pre-wash your burlap before you cut, tuck or sew because there will be shrinkage.

Inspiration for design can come from many places....even your wallpaper! I love the design of this flora and fauna wallpaper by Schumacher, so I cut out a few of the flowers and birds in the design and used them as a template for a wool appliqué pillow. I just happened to have a wallpaper remnant around, but you can easily download your favorites online and enlarge them. Don’t worry if the image becomes pixilated because you will only use them as an outline template.

Use a very light layer of spray mount on the back of your paper cut-out pieces and place them on the back of your contrast fabric so that any residual adhesive will be well hidden. I decided to use an off-white wool felt for the appliqué on a turquoise wool background. With the wool felt you won’t have frayed ends and threads to deal with. My secret is to use sharp manicure or embroidery scissors for precise cutting around tight corners in the design. 

Once you cut out your pieces lay them out on your pre-cut pillow fabric.  My finished pillow is 20x20”, so I cut my fabric to measure 21x21” around to allow for a ½” seam allowance.  One rule of thumb to remember is that your pillow form is always going to be 2” bigger than your finished pillow to fill the pillow case out properly and plumply!

To make sure my design was aligned, I used tailor chalk down the middle vertically and horizontally so I always knew where my center was.  The chalk line can just be rubbed off afterwards with your hand or a lightly damp cloth. If you do not sew, just use a light dab of Fabri-Tac glue to adhere your pieces to the front of your pillow.  This glue dries clearly and is washable and only costs about $5 for a 4 oz bottle.

I am so thrilled to have a pillow that is so personal and so beautiful, and that looks like I could have bought it in an expensive boutique. The key for me is to make sure and use high quality fabric. You only need ¾” of a yard for a pillow this size so this project will fit most budgets. Let me know how this project works out for you!

The next time you are looking for inspiration for your small space, take a dip in the kiddie design pool. Many of the 20th Century’s top designers have gone “miniature” with their creation of children’s versions of modern furniture classics that would add a fun little twist to any grown up space!

I’ve always loved Philippe Starck’s iconic Ghost Chair, but the $400 price tag steered me way until I discovered his little Lou Lou version for children.  His kiddie couture chair, an exact replica of the original, costs a quarter of the price and it is still very collectible and worth the investment. I use my mini-Philippe as a nightstand in my bedroom, and accessorized it with a little faux fur to give it a feminine touch. Use your mini-moderns anyway you would use a footstool...to stack books or hold a little lamp.  I just adore my touch of petite posh and so will you!

When I was looking for the perfect sconce that was not only going to fit my design budget but had to look “luxe for less,” I was happily surprised that Target.com had many to choose from.

I chose this circle sconce with mirrors for $44.99 but didn’t love the black iron metal so I painted it antique gold. I am not the neatest painter, so I used this product called Treasure Gold in the Renaissance Gold tone which is more like a gold leaf paint in a creamy paste form. This product does not drip and it just adheres to the metal so well and goes on like butter! It costs around $3.00 and you will end up using very little for a project like this and as a plus...it had very low paint fumes. I also love the mirrors which offer a lot of reflective light into a rather dark bedroom that I have been redecorating for my friend Beth.

I am always leery about using real candles in a bedroom because of obvious safety concerns and particularly in my case, the bedroom has very low ceilings (5 feet and under in some spots) which made me nervous.  But I recently discovered one of the best flameless candles on the market.  There are so many out there to choose from but some of them look too faux... and the LED light bulb is not well hidden. I love these from flamelesscandles.net, which are made from real wax, have a blackened wick and flicker much like a real candle would. You can also get these candles with an automatic timer which will turn on the light at the same time every day. They run anywhere from $12 on up and they are exactly what I used for the Beth’s new bedroom space.

Pantone, the company that makes its business forecasting colors for the fashion and style industry, just unveiled its Color of the Year for 2010....drum roll please, and the winner is TURQUOISE!

It’s a fantastic coincidence because I just finished painting a bedroom Benjamin Moore Poolside Blue with a semi-gloss finish, and it was love at first sight. This bedroom gets very little natural light so I needed a color that would not turn too green or blue on me, and this color is beautiful in any light.

My inspiration for the room’s color scheme came from this picture frame I saw in a magazine.  I love the creamy beige with the turquoise, so I mixed the turquoise walls with this gorgeous wallpaper.

The bedroom is still a work in progress so check back for the latest style updates!

The smaller the space, the bigger and bolder you can be with your style choices. That’s my Living in a Nutshell mantra and with my friend Beth’s small, unappealing bedroom closet, I saw it as an opportunity to make a strong style statement. She is an “out of the closet” shoe girl so I found this 1950’s Hollywood photo of Joan Crawford looking through her personal shoe closet with some help from an adorable four-legged friend.

I simply made a visit to my local digital printer and had them enlarge the photo onto a wall decal adhesive paper.  I added a crystal door knob from anthropologie.com and it gives the bedroom a glamorous and sophisticated touch.

Stay tuned for my next design installment in Beth’s bedroom...so many surprises you’ll just love!

I am only a few days into redecorating a friend’s sleeping loft in the city but with a little wallpaper and a fresh coat of paint, we’re off to a fabulous start.

The sleeping loft has a very short ceiling height of 5 feet in most places and a little less than 4 feet if you are ducking under the beams that run across the ceiling. The list of challenges is pretty daunting:

1)  Make a small, dark space look big, bright and inviting with bold color and patterns.
2)  Camouflage an unsightly popcorn ceiling and large beams.
3)  Increase air circulation in a space that gets very warm.
4)  Create new storage that will fit in odd shaped spaces.
5)  Add glamorous, luxurious and romantic touches to a decidedly feminine space.
7)  Do all of the above on a tight budget and without bumping my head on the ceiling!

The wallpaper is by Schumacher and the color I chose is fawn which provides a gorgeous contrast to the newly painted turquoise and white walls. I just love the birds and the paper actually has a letterpress type of texture which makes it look very luxe.

The best Living in a Nutshell design tip: Extending the wallpaper design over the beam that hangs across the bed tricks the eye into thinking the ceiling is a little higher than it really is.  It also creates a beautiful “canopy” of sorts over the bed. We had to get rid of the popcorn stucco that was on that beam, and for a little extra the wallpaper guy was able to wet it down and scrape it off.

Check back often and see how I transform this sleeping loft into a glamorous Hollywood Regency inspired space complete with a mirrored lounge bar, gorgeous new bedding, tufted linen headboard... and just wait until you see what I do with the closet!

Here’s a quick change style idea for your living room. I wanted to give my accent table a little touch of fall so I topped it off with a “vintage” painting from the 1950’s.

I was so inspired by artist Leslie Oschmann’s chairs which she transformed with old, humble flea market paintings she found in Europe. You can find out more about her collection on her website swarmhome.com.

Her furniture sells between $400 for a chair and up to $4,000 for a table.  I knew I didn’t want to spend that much so I checked out Ebay for a cheaper alternative.

I’ve always been fascinated with paint-by-numbers and found quite a few paintings that would be perfect as a new topper for my pewter accent table. I decided on this lovely country scene with a deer frolicking near a lake.

I used an Exacto knife to cut out a circle to fit the table top. This particular paint-by-numbers was painted on a thick cardboard stock so it was fairly easy to cut. Just make sure and seal it with a clear matte paint sealer to keep it preserved. My new table art makes me smile every time I walk by it, and it adds just the right touch of country kitsch to my city apartment. The best news is that the total project cost less than $20.

Scout’s honor!  You’ll get a special badge for creativity if use vintage Boy and Girl Scout first aid tins as whimsical yet practical decorative accessories in your space.

I bought my tins from Ebay and didn’t spend more than $12.00 for each.  These particular ones are dated from 1945-1956, and I decided to hang my Girl Scout tin on the wall in the bathroom.  

You can use them to hold hair bands or nail polish, and are perfect to hide away certain unmentionables.... I used foam tape to hold the tin securely on the wall.

In a friend’s kitchen, I put a vintage Bell Telephone first aid tin on the wall (these were once carried in the telephone crews’ trucks) and hid a corkscrew inside in case of a cocktail emergency! No need to call 9-1-1.

Good lighting can make or break a small space... and can help trick the eye into “seeing and believing” that your place is a little bigger, a little warmer and a little more glamorous than it really is.

My favorite project is to take a cool photo of a chandelier, enlarge it and print it out onto Duratrans photo paper with the help of my local digital printing shop. Depending on the size of your image, it can cost you between 50-80 dollars. Plain white battery operated LED Christmas lights (the ones with the flat head bulbs) hidden from behind the photo turn it into an instant illuminated piece of art.

I poked little holes in a stretched painter’s canvas in the places where I wanted the lights to shine through behind the photo. I used spray mount to adhere the Duratrans onto the front of the canvas. Use white gaffers tape to keep the light cords in place and tape the small battery pack to the back side of the canvas frame.

Make sure and use LED lights because they keep cool and will not melt the Duratrans.

My need for storage has spilled over into my hallway and the only way to keep my open shelving from looking like a garage sale is to keep things labeled and uniform in color.

I had orange chalkboard paint left over from a kitchen project so I painted chalkboard “tags” using a paper tag as my template. I taped off the shape of the tag and used a round sticker to tape off a hole for a ribbon. Make sure to use a primer before you use the chalkboard paint to make sure it adheres to the metal surface.

I tied brown grosgrain ribbon with a white dash border as homage to my
Hermes inspired table which is just around the corner in my living room.

Nutshell Tip: Use a pencil sharpener to sharpen the tip of your chalk so your writing can be crisp and clear.

In my tiny foyer, there’s not a lot of room for extras, but I desperately needed a place where I could sit and take my shoes off before entering my apartment.  I grew up in a Korean home where street shoes were not allowed inside, and it’s a custom that I honor especially living and working in gritty New York City.

I found a great photo of a chair and had it enlarged and printed on what is called “photo-stick” paper and basically it transforms any photo into a removable and repositionable decal. My decal cost $50 from a local digital printing shop and they pre-cut the entire perimeter and shape of the chair.  There are some companies that customize decals online like wallbusters.com but check your local printing shop for the best prices. The decal was really easy to apply and true to the company’s guarantee, it is repositionable without danger of stretching out the image. The decal will not hurt your wall and you can wrap it back up in the paper packaging it came with for safe storage and for use in your next space..

Then I painted a small white stool I bought at Ikea to match the colors in the photo decal so it would have a trompe l’oeil effect. I wanted the stool to look like it was the actual seat of the chair. The legs of the stool were painted gold to match the decal, and I glued on some simple decorative wood molding on each leg for a little more glamour.

I love the way it turned out and because the stool sort of blends in with my “faux” fabulous chair, my foyer doesn’t feel cramped. 

Living in a small space, I am constantly looking for home accessories that have reflective surfaces---mercury glass, silver, Lucite, gold, and mirrors of any kind. They’re like important accessories for a plain outfit---attracting much needed light, shimmer and luminance. I just road tested a new Krylon spray paint which turns ordinary glass into a decorative mirror surface. It’s called Through the Looking Glass and a six ounce will run about $9.00.

I used the glass from an inexpensive frame and after spraying about six very light layers of paint, I soon had a mirror-like surface on the reverse side. The reflective surface is more like a slightly cloudy antique mirror but that style fits perfectly with my vintage looking frame.

Here’s a little inside tip: the paint splattered a bit on my first layer so I just used nail polish remover and wiped the glass clean and started over. It was very easy to do while it was still wet. So, have no fear and give it a try.

Before you toss out your sagging, drooping, tired out sofa, re-plump and revitalize it with inexpensive poly-fill and batting. For my friend, I re-stuffed her Ikea slipcover sofa and matching chair for about $60. You can find bargains online if you buy a minimum of 15 pounds of poly-fill, which start at around $35.00.

To add a little more structure to the seat cushion I also added layer of inexpensive batting.

The sofa and chair now look and feel brand new --- an easy “green” tip that’s gentle on the budget and on the planet Earth.

Channeling a bit of Julia Child in my last mini-kitchen makeover, I soon realized the beauty and practicality of the ordinary peg board. I re-painted an old one with a lovely shade of green from Sherwin-Williams (verdant green #6713). I bought it in the glossy finish for extra shine and an easy to clean surface.

I bought two-dimensional cardboard letters that I decoupaged with contrasting paper and glued everything onto the peg board. They cost about $2.00 a piece. I bought Asker glazed stoneware cups from Ikea for $6.99 each that I hung with simple hooks. I filled them with flowers, takeout menus and spoons. You will find that these cups are very sturdy.

For a finishing touch, I hung an inexpensive accordion mirror on the backsplash, which I just love because you can see who’s sneaking up from behind (a feng shui “DO”) and it gives you a chance to check your makeup before you head back out with your tray of appetizers. Finally, tangerine orange chalkboard paint from Hudson paint gives you a place to jot down recipes and your to-do list.

 

 

 

 

Click on Image to Enlarge

I thought if a picture is worth a thousand words then magnified 5-10 times would be that much better, right?
This idea was inspired by two treasured photos of my older brother and sister in Korea from the 1950’s, but the original copies are very small.  They only measure about 3x4”, so I thought it would be amazing to somehow attach a magnifying glass on the outside of the frame to help illuminate the finer details of the photo. I thought it would also make the photo viewing experience interactive and more intimate. 

Click on Image to Enlarge

I found these bi-focal lenses and screwed them into an inexpensive frame I found at a close-out store.  The frame cost $7.99 and the bi-focal lenses were $2.50 for the pair. They easily adjust up and down to see different angles of the photo. You can also find vintage optical loops at thepaperfleamarket.com for $3.00 each. Because the optical loops don’t come with a screw, just hang those from a thin black grosgrain ribbon affixed by a decorative tack across the top front of your frame for a truly personal touch to your home. These frames really make wonderful gifts for someone special in your life.

My brother-in-law, Paulo, needed some help with a very outdated kitchen in his New York City rental.  His tenant just moved out which gave me two weeks to do a quick makeover with a tight budget of $500.  Paulo is planning on totally refurbishing the entire kitchen next year but needed a quick fix until then.

My first line of attack was the cabinet doors. There was no money in the budget to replace them so I bought cotton fabric from Ikea ($5.99/yd) and decoupaged them onto the front of each cabinet using contrast fabric on the silverware drawer.

The fabric had a fun 50’s retro hip design which played off of the oak trim. The key is to lightly sand the surface of the melamine cabinets so a paint primer can adhere better.  You don’t need a lot of elbow grease to get the job done and it goes fast.  Just use a tack cloth and wipe off all of the dust. Next step: paint one layer of a white paint primer, let it dry and then use Mod Podge decoupage glue to adhere your fabric.  Cut your fabric slightly bigger than your cabinet and brush Mod Podge all over the fabric and on the surface of the cabinet. Make sure and smooth out any bubbles.  Let the fabric dry completely and then cut it to fit with a sharp blade or scissors.

For a professional finish, wet sand in between decoupaged layers using a super fine steel wool. I did three decoupage layers and finished it with two layers of high gloss polyurethane to seal everything and to give the cabinets a nice shine.

I topped the cabinets off with black and white enamel knobs also from Ikea. Total price for the project was $30.

I just love the look and drape of a balloon window shade, but when you live in a rental you don’t want to spend a lot on curtains if you know you’ll just move to a new space with completely different window requirements. My solution was to create fabric shades out of inexpensive fitted sheets for my current small digs.

 

I bought two sheet sets at Home Goods for $19.99 with the perfect green trellis design I was looking for.   I couldn’t believe my luck! Measure your window...mine are 70” tall and 41” wide. One fitted twin sheet is about 80” long and 40” wide so I used one fitted sheet per window. A queen fitted sheet measures about 80” long and 60” wide.  You can usually get two window shades out of one fitted queen.

I just cut off the top of the fitted sheet and sewed a finished hem leaving room for my curtain rod. I used a small safety pin to keep the elastic in place. I used two rows of green grosgrain ribbon for each shade to tie it all together.

 A small hint...tack the ribbon in place (by hand stitch or glue) about 20 inches
from the top so it doesn’t move around a lot when you do tie it up.

I am just crazy about the finished look. Chic and budget friendly!

For a modern twist on a classic Victorian silhouette, I decided to surprise my friend Beth with one of her very own in colors of pink and brown. I took a photo of her profile (she had no clue why) and printed it out onto photo paper. I cut out her image and then used it as a template to trace onto brown paper. Make sure to include little details like eyelashes, eyeglasses, a crooked smile etc.

Once I cut the silhouette out of brown paper, I glued it onto a pink background.  I framed everything in an inexpensive shadow box from Ikea that came with a white matte.  I loved the idea of trailing my friend’s long ponytail outside of the “box” ... or matte in this case.  It is the easiest project, and it would be loads of fun to do one of your family, favorite pet or friend. Try fun color combinations like yellow on green, turquoise and white or orange and brown. They really make great personalized gifts too!

I love to mix it up when it comes to different design styles in a space especially when it’s shy of vital square footage. A little vintage here, a smidge of art deco there... keeps the eye entertained and keeps the mind away from a room’s shortcomings.

I searched everywhere for an inexpensive rococo style frame with lots of curly shapes and dramatic molding, but they were just too much for what I wanted to spend so I found an easy way to make my own.

I found a plain white, flat frame and ordered pieces of decorative molding from wishIhadthat.com
http://www.wishihadthat.com/crown-molding.aspx

Each piece cost between $2.50-3.50. I used hot glue to attach the molding in place. Then I used papier-mache (my favorite is Celluclay that you just mix with water) http://www.createforless.com/search/search.aspx?txtSearch=celluclay
and filled in all of the empty spaces between the molding. After that dried, I applied a skim coat of a product called Paperclay. http://www.createforless.com/search/search.aspx?txtSearch=paperclay

It’s a smoother air-drying clay that will give the frame a more finished look. Let that dry one or two days and then paint on two layers of gesso and finish with two layers of white paint.

I know it may sound like a tedious process, but it really is kind of therapeutic and the result is so satisfying. Use your new frame around a mirror to make any hallway or bedroom look important. It will make you go absolutely cuckoo for rococo! Watch CBS clip.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Everyone has a trophy they don’t want to throw away but don’t know what to do with. I transformed some inexpensive trophies I bought from eBay for $2.00 and painted them turquoise for a more kitschy pop effect. Now they are whimsical pieces of “faux” sculpture that would look great on a bookshelf or dressing a mantel. I mixed in my new turquoise blue “statuary” with a collection of vintage beauty pageant trophies I absolutely treasure from the 1930’s. I also like the idea of giving “Best in Show” dog trophies a second life and painting them a glossy white. They would be a humorous and sweet nod to man’s best friend and a great way to add personality to a library or study. Look out for them at flea markets and yard sales. They are everywhere.

Recently, I was asked by a friend to bring new life to her living room.  She had 16 foot tall walls... and a very short budget to work with. I decided to create these beautiful butterflies as art for the wall, and I laminated them for strength and structure. Here is a good laminator for under $40:
http://www.mybinding.com/.sc/ms/dd/ee/52259/GBC-Heatseal-9-Inch-Creative-Pouch-Laminator-1701870?utm_medium=shoppingengine&utm_source=shopzilla&cvsfa=693&cvsfe=5&cvsfp=pn-32052259

I cut them out of French inspired gift wrapping paper...You can find the paper at Kate’s Paperie for $4.50 a sheet: http://www.katespaperie.com/store/category/giftwrap___packaging/giftwrap_paper/item/E0000662/cavallini_gift_wrap_birds_/

 ... and because I really am not good at drawing, I used an inexpensive butterfly cookie cutter as my template. Here is a good one for just $.75: http://www.shopbakersnook.com/m5_view_item.html?m5:item=4259

I put my handy heat seal laminator to good use and laminated each butterfly. If you don’t have one... a big office supply store like Staples or Kinko’s can laminate them for you. I called Staples and they will laminate an 8x10” sheet for $2.00! You can fit 8 butterflies on one laminating sheet.. And at 25 cents a butterfly that's a bargain!

I then cut out each laminated butterfly, folded them slightly in the middle so the wings would take a two dimensional shape and adhered each one with a Velcro dot. You can find the dots at drug stores and office supply stores:
http://www.joann.com/joann/catalog.jsp?CATID=cat2853&PRODID=prd49458

The great thing about using the Velcro dots is that once you put them on the wall, you can adjust the position of the butterflies at any time.

The best part is that my friend smiles every time she sees these butterflies. They were so easy and inexpensive to make that these butterflies are almost flying “free!” Give them a try in your space.

Even experts at the Color Marketing Group agree that when the Dow Jones takes a dip, people embrace big, bold color.  That is exactly what I did in this apartment I designed for a friend in Manhattan working with the tightest budget. Benjamin Moore’s Pink Corsage gave this room the most dramatic impact for the dollar—the best investment yet in my design portfolio.

The moment this paint went on the wall I knew it was perfect and even when the light changes during the day, this shade of pink stays true and never becomes harsh or jarring to the senses. And maybe, more importantly, it casts a flattering hue on everyone’s complexion. Here’s a tip: buy the Pink Corsage in the Aura blend which is one of Benjamin Moore’s richest, premium performance formulas of paint.

http://www.buyaurapaint.com/1349.html  
That way you get intensity of color with just one or two coats.

I like thinking of this shade of pink as a neutral because so many colors look so fabulous with it: brown, gray, yellow, green, blue, red, purple, silver. Think pink!