Unknown.
DCL
If square footage is at a premium where you live, you can still make the most of your living space-and learn to live with less-so you don't feel like you're squatting in a glorified closet. Here are some tips from the authors of The Nest Newlywed Handbook (2006, Clarkson Potter) on how to make design work for you:
1. Choose one paint color: Paint the walls, trim, and detailing in different shades of color. It will make the space seem more open and diminish edges.
2. Hang mirrors: A collection of mirrors will open up your home. Even mirrors with surface imperfections can give a room great atmosphere.3. Get perspective: You can trick your eyes into thinking your living room has depth by hanging pictures of expansive landscapes with vanishing perspectives.
4. Think big: It's easy to think you should decorate for scale-but a few large pieces will work much better than lots of small, cluttering ones.
5. Space out: Trying to save space by shoving furniture against the walls? Stop. When it's placed at an angle or surrounded by nothing at all, furniture has room to breathe, which makes your entire space feel less crowded.
6. Multitask your furniture: Invest in pieces that do more than one thing, such as an ottoman with built-in storage for stowing magazines and books.
7. Use glass: Glass-topped tables and glass shelves take up less visual space than dark, opaque pieces. Since you'll need to be neater under a glass coffee table, the surface does double duty.
2006 © Clarkson Potter
Difficulty level: Easy
