Decorating Trends 2012 Smaller Homes

Decorating Trends 2012 Smaller Homes
You can live beautifully in a smaller home. The magic is in the color and details.



Sarah Susanka is a visionary architect who published The Not So Big House in 1998, at a time when the trend was to build the biggest house you could get. "Not so big doesn't mean small. It means not as big as you thought you needed."

When you reduce the size of your home, you have more money to spend on details, like beautiful cabinetry, wood floors and furnishings. When you're not supporting and maintaining an enormous home, you have more time and money to do the things you love to do, and that's where joyful living happens.

Smaller homes that are designed well can create an enormous sense of well-being and cozy comfort

• More sunlight in every room

• More exciting locations in renovated city neighborhoods close to great shops and restaurants

• A more conscious way of living on our planet

Tips for Living Large in a Smaller Home

• Create a sense of space and flow by keeping wall colors light and consistent from room to room

• Add drama with up to three strong accent colors (The Golden Mean and the 60-30-10 Rule)
  
  
• Include some large scale pieces like a really comfortable sofa and bold graphics for the wall

• Keep window coverings light and blended with the wall color

• Ground the space with a few dark brown or black pieces

• Put your walls to work with attractive storage and open shelves

• Create distinct zones for living, sleeping and working

• Add lighting that doesn't require floor space, like wall lamps and lanterns hung from the ceiling

• Expand space with mirrors hung to reflect a window or a pretty part of the home

• Remove upper kitchen cabinets and replace with open shelving

• Splurge on beautiful marble or quartz counters for kitchen and bath

• Engage the senses with lovely fabrics and textiles

• Include healthy, fresh plants

• Keep only the things you find useful and beautiful

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