Reading Corner Design Ideas For Small Space

We realized we haven’t paid any attention to good books lately, which is why we decided to make a post especially for them. In our opinion, every home should be enriched by a bookcase, no matter how minimalist its design would be. Most people prefer reading in bed before sleep or taking a good book outside and find the coziest park bench. But what if you could have the perfect “erudition” place within your reach, conveniently integrated in your own crib? In this post we decided to showcase some of the most beautiful reading corners we encountered while researching for Freshome ideas. We narrowed it down to 35 amazing photos of reading corners that we find extremely inviting. Some of them feature stylish armchairs, others just interesting floor arrangements. We even have examples of reading corners which were improvised on the windowsill. Enjoy the photos!

Small Home Office Design Ideas 2012 From HGTV

Whether placed in the corner of a room, along a wall or in an unused recess, these small spaces can make ideal home offices for those lacking square footage. Check out some of our favorite home offices that make the most of small spaces.

• Brenna Elrod  

Corner Office

A desk tucked into a corner of a loft bedroom provides a quiet space to work, while surrounding shelves keep the space cozy and add an efficient storage solution. Design by John Gidding.

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Bedside Muse

Black furnishings are sleek additions to this bedside workspace. Artwork leaned against the wall and an elegantly crafted lamp provide simple inspiration for guests. Design by David Scott.

Playful Divide

Even in a larger room, you can set aside a small amount of space for a chic home office. This space uses floor-to-ceiling shelving in a playful arrangement to partition the room. Design by John Gidding.

Closet Space

A small space between closets is just enough room for shelves and a simple desk insert. White paint keeps the space fresh, and the modern office chair of thin, bent wood beckons you to take a seat. Design by Brian Patrick Flynn.

Walled Study

If you have an empty wall, you have the perfect spot for a small-space home office. A wooden desktop atop white cabinets provides ample workspace. Extra-long wall shelves are accentuated by painting their interior red, adding a pop of color to the mostly white space. Design by RMS user just-beachy.

Work Cycle

Multitasking opportunities abound in this home office creatively placed in the laundry room. A built-in desk overlooking the deck provides a spot to catch up on e-mail and bills while waiting out the laundry. 

Clean Finish

White walls and varied wood tones conspire to make a sophisticated office space tucked into a hallway. Dark wood floors add richness to the space, while the light wood drawers alternate with a white work surface to differentiate functions. A narrow wall niche provides shelving to display objets d'art for a splash of color. Design by Andreas Charalambous.

Tucked Away

Robin’s-egg blue is a sweet backdrop for this office nook, while layers of offset shelves create an informal mood above. A molded plastic Eames-inspired chair completes this tween workspace. Design by Sarah Richardson

Small Kitchen New Decorating Ideas 2012

Colorful solutions , smart storage and cabinetry tweaks can add big character to small kitchens.
 Hopefully you get new ideas to beautify your Kitchen in the house. I hope you like it . Enjoy !

Color-Coordinated Cabinetry 

Selecting a different hue for upper and lower cabinets is a great way to help a small kitchen break out of its boxy mold. A sunny yellow keeps the wall cabinets in this kitchen feeling light and airy, while blue base cabinets anchor the room. A yellow island helps balance the color-blocking scheme. Painted crown molding takes the color scheme right up to the ceiling.

Hide Kitchen Clutter

 Try a nifty panel system in an open floor plan. There's nothing relaxing about sitting down to dinner with a stack of dirty pots and pans staring back at you. But when dining or living space opens directly off a small kitchen, what choice do you have? Stain-resistant all-weather fabric easily slides closed to hide this kitchen's prep area while leaving the oversize island open for dining.

Add an Island 

An antique table injects instant charm and serves as an island in this kitchen. It acts as a rustic counterpart to the new cabinetry. The table introduces valuable prep space where a cook can work without the worry of overhead cabinets getting in the way.

Behind Glass Doors 

Glass cabinet doors help to visually open up a small kitchen, but if you're not the type to keep things looking neat and tidy, consider frosted glass. It adds an opaque quality while still brightening the space. If you'd rather hide the contents of your cabinets, suspend shirred fabric inside traditional glass doors to achieve the same effect and inject a bit of color and pattern at the same time.

Open a Wall

 Open a boxy small kitchen to the rest of the house without a major remodel by cutting a window out of a partition wall. Frame the window in substantial molding, attach a small matching countertop, and slide in two barstools to turn this pass-through into a breakfast nook. Set it off with a display of pretty collectible plates on the wall above the opening.

Simple Cabinet Configuration

Sometimes it's more effective to reorganize existing cabinetry than to gut a small kitchen. Replacing the upper cabinets flanking each side of this window with open shelving makes it feel more open and inviting. Extending the countertop in an L-shape to the refrigerator boosts prep room and storage.

Open to Color 

Open shelving adds a sense of spaciousness to this small kitchen. Getting the look can be as easy as removing doors from existing cabinetry. Paint the inside of the cabinets a favorite hue to create a pretty backdrop for dishes, glassware, and storage baskets.

Vertical Wall Storage 

Avoid a monotonous row of boxy cabinetry by installing upper wall units with varying heights and widths. A variety of tall cabinets provides much-needed storage space in this small kitchen. A wire storage system hangs on the backsplash, organizing spices, seasonings, and utensils. Versatile folding barstools at the peninsula tucks snugly under the bar-height counter.

Cabinetry Makeover 

Give outdated cabinetry a new lease on life with paint, your simplest and most affordable tool in a small kitchen update. Sanded, primed, and painted, the cabinets in this kitchen now gleam apple green on base cabinets and soft teal on upper wall cabinets. Appliances and storage bins in yellow add a citrus pop to the kitchen.

Versatile Island Option 

A rolling kitchen cart becomes a versatile island in this small space. In a modest footprint, the cart offers extra storage and can be wheeled to any corner when not in use. The finish mimics the stainless appliances. White cabinetry, open shelving, black countertops, and a deep stainless-steel sink give the small kitchen a tailored look.

Tiled Backsplash 

Create an eye-catching focal point in a small kitchen without spending a lot by lining the wall behind the range with decorative tile. Most 1x1-inch tiles come already attached to a 12x12 mesh sheets, making installation and custom-fitting easier. Slab cabinetry doors on base units and frosted glass doors above contribute to the clean, and streamlined look of this small kitchen.

Open Shelving 

For a low-cost, high-style backdrop for showcasing your pottery and dishes, consider replacing wall cabinets with shelves. The open wall draws the eye upward, stretching the visual dimensions of a small kitchen. Paint the wall or beaded board an accent color to make the shelving and dishware stand out.

2012 Christmas Decorating Ideas for Small Spaces

There's no need to downsize your holiday expectations with a small space to decorate. Our space-saving ideas bring the merriment of the season into even the tiniest corners.

Go Small with Displays

Ornaments have tons of pop -- utilize their glitter and glow for a small-space display. Glue an ornament to a small, round plastic or glass disk. Remove the hanger and tuck in mini blooms or sprigs of berries. Group the vase ornaments on a tray for a centerpiece.

Enhance a Chair

Instead of leaving extra chairs empty, place beribboned packages on, under, and around them for a small-scale version of under-the-tree package bonanza.

Use Window Space

Simplicity is key for small-space decorating. White pillar candles, placed on a silver tray, add elegance to a windowsill. Two faux dwarf evergreens, wrapped in burlap, add a bit of color to the wintry scene.

Decorate with Small Wreaths

Large and impactful are typical design credos for wreaths, but small can be equally as mighty. Hang a mini wreath with a velvet or satin ribbon from shelves or drawer pulls.

Fill a Corner 

Nooks, crannies, shelves, bookcases: All are great spots for diminutive seasonal decor. If there's no space for a full tree, put a single dwarf version -- with a few presents -- on a midheight shelf. In place of lights, decorate with small-scale ornaments.

Fabricate a Faux Tree

If you don't have space for -- or just don't want -- a real tree, you can get the same feel with this evergreen idea. Start with a wide branch; hang on a hook from the wall and decorate with treasured ornaments.

Create a Hanging Window Display 

Look out on something pretty -- a basic painted frame strung with ribbon and hung with ornaments jazzes up a window and requires zero rearranging.

Use Space by the Stairs 

A small table by the stairs is a prominent small-space spot to start your Christmas merriment. Add a little, lightly decorated tree and a modest display to the tabletop. To give the evergreen a bit of height, place in a tall silver vase.

Brighten a Hanging Picture

You've already decorated your home with personal pictures -- give them a holiday touch with a sprig of evergreen. No special crafting tools required.

Use Wall Space

That lovely solid-color wall in your living room? The perfect home for a holiday display. Here, miniature grapevine wreaths add texture to a green wall. We chose a variety of accents -- faux birds, small ornaments, sprigs of berries -- and glued them onto the wreaths before hanging the displays from a length of ribbon.

Add a Tree in a Bathroom

Don't overlook bathrooms as places to add some merry touches. Here, a small corner offers a great spot for a potted tree decorated with cream and blue ceramic bells and glass balls.

Color Rules for Small Spaces 2013 Ideas from HGTV

When it comes to coloring your apartment, it's definitely okay to go outside the lines.

By : Anne Krueger

True or false: An all white color palette will make an apartment look larger. False! This is a common misconception of small-space design, along with the idea that less furniture makes an apartment feel larger. Instead, carefully placed furnishings and carefully chosen color can create an inviting space with style way beyond its diminutive size.

The number one color rule for a small space? There are no rules  really. If you want your apartment to look like your favorite Pucci scarf, do your thing. The goal should always be to make your rented space personal and appeal to you. Having said that, the experts who deal with color and interior design all the time do know a thing or two. Here are their tips and tricks.

Choose Sharp Colors

One of the best ways to expand a space is with very clear colors, says designer Mark McCauley, ASID, author of Interior Design for Idiots. "Choose a palette of sharper colors as opposed to duller ones. Sharp as in bright chintzes mixed with colorful plaids or really hot reds and electric blues, yellows and greens (with plenty of air between the pieces). Color combinations with negative space in between will enhance the space's clarity and openness."

Color Unexpected Accents

Bring splashes of color to a radiator, the inside of a bookshelf or a windowsill to bring excitement and depth to a room. If you're lucky enough to have a foyer or hall, paint that a dark color and ease into a lighter shades in the living room, which will make it feel more spacious by comparison.

Create a Focal Wall

While some designers frown on the idea of painting one wall a different or deeper color than the others, it can work wonders in a small space, says designer and actress Libby Langdon, a contributor to HGTV's Small Space, Big Style. "Don't be afraid of bold colors," she says. "Sometimes a darker color on one wall can make it recede, making the space look larger."

Connect Spaces With Shades of Color

Just as different wall colors can divide your apartment into different work areas, different shades of the same color can unite all the rooms, as can a pattern that's repeated. "In a small space, in particular, these little touches the pillow that matches the lampshade fabric, the style of the mirror that echoes a side table can all add up to a cohesive space," McCauley says.

Get Spicy in the Kitchen

Apartment kitchens are a great place to use color, says kitchen designer Jason Laudau of Amazing Spaces, LLC (www.amazingspacesllc.com) in New York. "Hang up the china you never use it saves space, adds color and glams up the kitchen," he says. "Or be very bold and paint the walls a trendy color. Red is hot!"

Go Bold in the Bathroom

Sure, something pastel in the peachy-pink palette will look great in the bathroom especially when you look in the mirror and see your rosy complexion. But for major affect, increase the bodacious scale. That's what designer Ron Marvin www.ronmarvin.com (www.ronmarvin.com) did in his New York City apartment bathroom that's painted a rich, chocolate brown.

Vamp It Up

Beautiful faux finishes and specialty techniques can add a lot of character to a small space, says designer Dawn Burns-Pratt, ASID. "Painting the ceiling a darker color and extending the same color down the wall about 14 inches, or using metallic stripes in that same space with a chair rail and lighter color below looks terrific and expands the appearance of the space," she says.

Add Color That Travels

The wonderful thing about color is that it's a really cheap way to decorate, and it can be added in non-paint ways, says designer Alice Fakier, this year's HGTV Design Star runner-up and host of Ask Alice on HGTV.com. "Apartment dwellers can get color on their walls by painting big canvases, hanging fabric or using wall decals," she says. And when you're ready for a larger space? You can take your color with you and go.

Stretch It With Stripes

Draw the eye up with a wall of colorful stripes, says Langdon. Or paint the ceiling a lighter color than the walls to make it seem airier.

Don't Forget Black

Whatever colors you choose for your small space, add one object that is black, says designer McCauley. "The black item  say, in a torchere lamp or a frame  will help ground the space and clarify the other colors. Try it, it works!"

Experiment With Color
Before you start slapping paint all over the blank canvas that is your apartment walls, consider these "baby-step" options.
 Experiment with 2 ounce samples. Many paint companies, including California Paints and Benjamin Moore offer them. That's enough paint to cover a 1’ by 2’ area, which should give you a good idea of what your chosen hue really looks like. Make sure to view it in natural and artificial light.

Small Home Storage & Organization 2013 Decorating Ideas : House Tour from BHG

Do your small spaces feel cramped and uncomfortable? Find simple solutions that you can use to maximize space and make your home feel inviting.

Everything in its Place
Creative storage solutions keep this home organized and provide a place for everything. Collections, such as the homeowner's scores of colorful books, can be used as decorative elements while still staying organized with built in shelves. A blue gray and warm orange palette keeps the space visually cohesive and feeling fresh.

Office Space
Open, organized space is a necessity for the homeowner, who runs a business from her home. The largest room in the house had been underused but was remade into a work space and family art room. The open area and windows provide a spacious and bright work area, and three large industrial tables allow enough room to spread out projects.

Closet Shelves
The work space gained an extra dimension when the closet's bifold doors were removed to create an office nook. Outfitted with a desk, file cabinet, and shelves, the space has been maximized to its full storage potential. Colorful containers provide decoration on the shelves and also help reduce clutter from building up on the desk.

Stow Away
In a home that's short on storage space, these white metal file drawers are staple organizational tools. The multiple drawer cabinets are perfect places to stow away toys and media gadgets, and they work well for keeping art supplies organized in the office.

Hang It Up
Once used as storage for office supplies in the work space, these shelves were repurposed in a toddler's room and now feature a rotating display of wooden toys, pinecones gathered on nature walks, and paintings made with artist parents. The hooks and open shelves make a growing collection of objects simple to display and keep organized.

Out of the Box
On another wall in the bedroom, wooden cubbies are hung for displaying knickknack items. Colorful fabric swatches used as backing make bright accents against the wall. The boxes can be easily rearranged and added to over time.

Low Profile
In the dining room, a low shelf was converted into extra storage space by removing the sliding doors and mounting it on the wall. Perfect for children's books, this shelf also provides a ledge to display and organize objects without taking up floor space.

Racking It Up
Rein in reading material with a stylish magazine rack. This little item is a big help in keeping areas that are short on space neatly organized. Compact enough for small spaces, this magazine rack conveniently fits on the ledge created by the wall shelf and helps keep floor space clear.

Setting an Example
The house includes plenty of storage at a toddler's level so the homeowners' daughter can help tidy her own things. That includes the kitchen, where a low drawer designated for dishes has dividers to keep it organized. Her parents hope to teach her by example  how easy it can be to keep things nice and neat.

On the Shelf
Shelves in the kitchen provide easy access to dishes. And without having to arrange them inside a cupboard, organization is simple. An orange accent piece carries over the color scheme from the rest of the home and ties all the areas together.

Nesting Table Nook
Cozy nooks are all around the house. Storage space is maximized by using furniture with lots of drawers such as the white metal filing cabinet. A wicker basket doubles as decoration and storage. The nesting tables barely take up any space but can be perfect footrests or work space when pulled apart.

Divide & Conquer
While big open spaces are important in the office, little nooks to cozy up in define the rest of the house. Bookcases serve as open dividers between rooms while still providing those comfy nooks with lots of shelf space for storage. Organizing books by color adds an interesting decorative touch.