10 Tricks to Make Your Home Look Bigger/Woman’s Day

No matter how generous your home’s square footage, chances are, at some point it will seem like the walls are closing in on you. Perhaps you favor bulky bedroom furniture or painted your dining room walls dark maroon on a whim. Or maybe your knickknack collection mysteriously multiplied and has taken over your living room—seemingly overnight. Whatever the reason, your rooms appear smaller than they actually are. The good news: You don’t have to take this downsized version of your life lying down. Whether you’re ready to do a little remodeling or just want a $20 something-or-other to help visually clear out a room, our decorating experts have 10 easy tips to help you reclaim your living space.

1. Trick the Senses
Just like pinstripe pants make your legs seem longer, a striped floor will make a room appear to go on for miles, says designer Kelly Edwards from Style Network’s Tacky House and HGTV’sDesign on a Dime. Use an oversize mirror to enhance the effect. “Go big or don’t bother!” says Christine Brun, interior designer and author of Small Space Living. See-through furniture—either glass-topped tables or pieces molded from Lucite or acrylic—will also fool the eyes. A trio of acrylic nesting tables ($95;InteriorExpressOutlet.com) provides endless surface space without cluttering a room visually. Prefer more substantial furniture? Pieces that match your wall color within a shade or two take up less visual space, says Sabrina Soto, one of Target’s Home Style Experts.

2. Clear Out Clutter
“This is the simplest, cheapest thing you can do,” says Brun. “Purge, streamline and reduce clutter.” It will be much easier to keep a room tidy—and clutter-free—if there’s a place for everything, as the adage goes. Outfit every closet with a hanging shoe organizer Amazon.com($19.99; ), which can hold not just pumps, but magazines, stuffed animals and beauty supplies, as well. An inconspicuous shelving unit ($72.50; IKEA.com) that fits behind a bedroom door is ideal for stowing anything that usually winds up on the floor, including board games and books.

3. Make a Statement with Paint
“The lighter your walls, the better,” says Soto. While darker paint colors do make a room seem cozy, they often give the illusion of less space. The reason: Light colors reflect and multiply light, while dark colors absorb it. To make a room feel airy, Soto sticks with cream, beige, light grayish-blue and lavender.

4. Edit Your Collections
Less really is more. “You simply cannot display everything you own and love,” warns Brun. Instead of showcasing all of your ceramic vases, for example, divide the collection into four groups and rotate in a new set every season. The individual pieces will appear more dramatic if they’re not lost among the masses. Soto follows what she calls the cantaloupe rule: “Decorative accents that are smaller than a cantaloupe cramp a room.” Opt for a single, statement-making piece instead.

5. Opt for Storage Furniture
“Dual-use furniture creates more room by increasing the function of each space,” says Brun. An entryway bench with storage space Busy-Kids.com($97.97; ) is the perfect perch for putting on shoes as well as a convenient spot to stow the things you usually forget on your way out the door, like reusable grocery bags, and seasonal accessories, such as umbrellas. A flip-top ottomanTarget.com($79.99; ) holds the bedding for a foldaway couch or out-of-season throws until you need them.

6. Create Unexpected Furniture Arrangements
Don’t be afraid to break the rules: Create a furniture arrangement that’s “different.” For example, you don’t have to have a sofa and love seat in your living room just because everyone else does. Instead, try four comfortable armchairs. In the bedroom, if your bed works best when it’s covering part of a window, so be it. “There are no design police waiting to issue you a ticket,” promises Brun. An unexpected setup might make your space more useful—perhaps giving you room for a dresser or desk that wouldn’t fit in a traditional arrangement.

7. Lighten Up
Light-colored countertops in kitchens and bathrooms make surfaces seem more spacious, says Edwards. Even if you’re not ready to revamp a whole room, you can redo your countertops over a weekend. “The darker the tile, the more cramped the surface will look,” warns Edwards. On a smaller scale, look for light-colored storage pieces that blend in with your existing wall color. A white storage bin ContainerStore.com($11.99; ), tucked in a corner, unobtrusively holds clutter.

8. Stow Accent Pieces Until You Have Guests
Of course you’ll need more surfaces when you’re hosting a get-together—but you needn’t clutter your everyday space with unneeded tables. “Use small, foldaway pieces to convert a room for a party,” suggests Christopher Grubb, an interior designer and the founder of Arch Interiors. Folding side tablesTarget.com($41.30; ) are great for holding hors d’oeuvres trays. If you’re hosting a dinner party, set up a bar or buffet on a foldaway banquet table.

9. Upgrade Your Lighting
Don’t rely on overhead fixtures, which pool light in one spot. Try to have several lighting elements in every room. “They draw the eye around, giving the illusion of more space,” says Edwards. Soto puts soft pink bulbs ($4.99 for 2; LampsPlus.com) in every fixture. “I love the way they warm up a room,” she says. To take advantage of natural light during the daytime, do away with heavy drapes.

10. Take Advantage of Vertical Space
If you’re going to splurge, custom built-ins are the way to go, says Brun. Lofty rooms reach their full potential with one-of-a-kind shelving units that reach from floor to ceiling. Custom storage also helps you maximize out-of-the-way nooks, like the area under a flight of stairs. Not ready to commit to a contractor just yet? Easy-to-install floating shelves ($29.99; ContainerStore.com) hung above bathroom and bedroom doors are great for bulky items, like spare towels and winter sweaters.

By Kimberly Fusaro Posted May 06, 2010 from WomansDay.com

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Gold Leaf

This past week I spent some time in NYC and had the opportunity to peruse the 7th floor of Bergdorf Goodman.  Holy Macaroni did I see some amazing things.  I was especially drawn to designer Eduardo Garza and his beautiful gold leaf pieces like these coasters and bookends.  Of course, it reminded me of the Design on a Dime days of using the gold leaf that we found at our local craft store.  While searching online I found some instructions on how to create this look at home on RealSimple.com.  They give instructions on how to create gold leaf bud vases, but I say use it on whatever your little heart desires.  Go ahead…get your craft on!

Gold-Leaf Bud-Vase Trio

Makes: 1 gift 
Total time: 15 minutes (plus 1½ hours drying time)

What You Need

• 3 glass bud vases of different shapes
• gold-leaf kit
• scissors
• 2 small, soft paintbrushes

What to Do

1. Dip a paintbrush in the adhesive (from the gold-leaf kit) and paint loose, slightly irregular upward strokes to cover the outer rims of the vases. Set aside for an hour while the adhesive becomes tacky (it will turn clear).
2. Cut sheets of gold leaf into 1- to 2-inch strips. Press the gold leaf onto the adhesive. Peel off the paper backing. Dust away any excess gold leaf with the clean paintbrush.
3. Apply the sealer and let dry for 30 minutes.

White Castle Candles!

Look what I found…White Castle candles that even smell like the sliders!!!  I can’t even believe it!   For those of us that grew up in Chicago, White Castle was a staple after a serious night out. Or in my house growing up, one of my dads favorites and a perfect tool for a little bribery.   If I was coming home a little later than I should on any given night, I would slip in with a bag of sliders for him and it wouldn’t matter if it was 10 pm or 2 am…all talks of grounding were strictly out the window.  Yes, we can call it a little slider trickery, but it worked and I can’t thank White Castle enough for how many times they got me out of a serious grounding. As if the outside slider package isnt enough, these things actually smell like sliders too!  I wonder what I could get out of my dad if I sent these candles to him for fathers day?  HMMMMM…..

Here is some info I found on these steaming little nuggets of sobriety…

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

What a day to celebrate in fun fiesta fashion.  This picture from Domino mag (R.I.P) is exactly how Id like to be celebrating in my backyard right now.

Is this not the cutest ever!

I found this on Apartment #34 blog. I had to post.

Cool Pieces for Your Next Sunday Funday Brunch!

Jayson Home and Garden Bone China Farmers Market Baskets $20-$38

$15 Half Pint Glass Creamer www.fredflare.com

$58 Shoe Butter Dish www.jonathanadler.com

$6 Bon Jour French Toast Stamp www.fredflare.com