A Very Stylish Small Space

I have a love of small spaces.  I honestly think most of us think we need more space, but in fact we really need less stuff.

Have you ever noticed that the bigger the purse you carry the more crap you put in it?  When you're all dressed up for the evening, you usually select a small beautiful purse to carry and somehow you manage to pare down to what you absolutely need in order to have the priveledge of carrying a small beautiful bag right?  So why don't we do that with our homes?

In any event, I have many examples in my style files of small spaces I find exquisitely beautiful and thought I would occasionally share one or two with you.

Often these small gorgeous spaces are in large cities where real estate is scarce and super expensive and people have learned to live with less.  This particular example is the 250 square foot apartment owned by California designer Grant Gibson located in historic Nob Hill in San Francisco (from the November 2005 issue of Better Homes and Gardens).

In the past I've always shied away from white walls, but you can see why they were the perfect choice for this space.  With all the colors from the dark woods, black accents, rich rug and gold and silver, white is the perfect backdrop to these well chosen possessions.

I love how he uses his collection of silver trophy cups for plant life.  In the article, Grant comments that "When you live in a studio apartment, you can't simply display all your beautiful things.  You decide which pieces really matter, whether for sentiment, function, or both."

I love how he painted the wood on that curvy chair.  I have a similar upholstered off white chair with blonde wood that I've wanted to stain or paint dark for ages and revisiting this photo convinced me that I need to make the jump.

This photo (below) just gives a hint at his kitchen but it looks so cool - wish they had shown more.  

Another great quote from Grant, "A huge focus in my design is to keep a timeless look, and part of that strategy, whether a space is big or small, is being selective.  My favorite quote is one of Thomas Jefferson's.  It says, "That which we surround ourselves with becomes the museum of our soul and the archives of our experiences.  Hold onto the things that have stories.  It's OK to mix styles and periods, because that mix allows for a beauty that can be appreciated for years to come."   Well said :-)

Make the most of your space and go purge something you don't need.  You may make some money from selling it or, at the very least, contribute to your tax deductions.