12 Ways to make a small space look and feel bigger.

Small spaces when executed well can be zen-like and cozy. But on the other hand, If you’re a hoarder or have a lot of wordly possessions, your space can end up cramped, claustrophobic, cluttered and an unappealing.

In this post, I will be giving out 12 tips on how to make your small space feel and look bigger and a lot more functional.

Expanding a small room is all about fooling the eyes by employing three simple concepts : LIGHT, SCALE and MOVEMENT.

1. DE-CLUTTER: This is no rocket science.. There is nothing that makes a small space feel more cramped than having too much stuff. If you don’t need it, haven’t used it in a year and won’t buy it now, please! LET IT GO! Yes i see you hoarders rolling your eyes thinking this babe doesn’t know what she’s talking about but hey! You know its the truth. KEEP, TOSS, DONATE. In that order.
   

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2. LET NATURAL LIGHT PREVAIL: In a small space you need all the airiness and light that you can get. I know majority of us are of the opinion that you must have curtains or a form of drapery against your windows. Welcome to 2016! Please ditch that mentality now! (As a matter of fact, there are so many things we need to ditch in 2016.) A major element in Interior decorating is functionality. Leave the windows open to create a sense of depth and if you’re worried about your privacy, you can use simple and minimalist roman blinds, sheer white drapes or lightweight shutters for an airy feel that will keep prying eyes out.
   

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3. AND IF YOU MUST USE DRAPES: Use floor to ceiling curtains and drapes and in the same colour as your walls. Your choice of fabric is also very important, avoid heavy fabric that absorb light. Linen is a perfect example of a material that will increase the airiness in the room.
   

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4. WHITE AND NEUTRALS: We all know about the reflective qualities of white. The same way wearing a white pair of jeans will make you look bigger, having white walls and floors in a small space opens it up and makes it feel calm, serene, airy and bigger. Stick to neutral colours like cream, beige, pale greys, and light blues.
   

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5. KEEP THINGS OFF THE FLOOR: Think floating shelves, furnitures with exposed legs.. Creating the illusion of more space is all about creating a sense of openness and movement.
   

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6. SMALL FURNITURE IN SMALL ROOM: Like i said earlier, one of the concepts to employ in making a small room look bigger is scale. Its all about proportions, Avoid weighty and visually heavy pieces that take up space.
   

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7. ART IS AN EXCEPTION: Make sure you use one large piece of art as opposed to several small pieces. Instantly add a  focal point to your room by using a large artwork that has an interesting story and can easily draw attention away from the size of the room. Or use a large abstract art to introduce colours and personality to your space.
   

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8. MIRROR MIRROR ON THE WALL: Mirrors reflect both natural and artificial light and trick the eye into perceiving more space. In your bedroom, Place mirrors in strategic places like a closet door, or for example in the photo below an architectural designer Elizabeth Roberts cleverly positions a mirror so that it looks like another mirror.
   

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9. GLASS, ACRYLIC AND LUCITE: Transparent furniture don’t take up visual space, and are actually totally in style now. They are functional and do a great job of fooling the eye into thinking theres more space than there is.
   

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10. MULTIFUNCTIONAL FURNITURE : Storage ottomans that serve as storage for keeping away clutter or towels and other knick-knacks, as a coffee table, and an extra seating all at once. Isn’t that Genius?
    

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11. PRINTS AND PATTERNS : Sorry to reiterate but SCALE AND PROPORTION my dear friends. If you have to do patterns and prints, make sure to use small and simple prints. Big and busy prints in a small space tend to be overwhelming and take up the visual space. Just like wearing clothes  with vertical stripes, Striped floorings or striped area rugs  will elongate your space and make your room look like it goes on forever.
    

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12. GO AHEAD! BREAK ALL THE RULES: Just because its a living room doesn’t mean you need to have the usual sofa and coffee table. Its all about priorities and allocating accordingly. Bring personality into your space,  make it fun, open and a space that you would love to come home to at the end of a crazy day. Its 2016, You don’t have to decorate your home the traditional way. If you want a large bean bag as your sofa or a hanging chair, DO THAT! Or maybe you’re not a big dining table user and would prefer a work desk in your living room. By all means. Whatever works for you. Its your home after all. NOW GO AHEAD! BREAK ALL THE RULES AND LOVE YOUR SPACE.
    

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Happy decorating!

Ciao!

Lami.

Monday Motivation : THE DIAMOND STUDDED SOFA

Hi guys,

Happy Easter to you and yours.. I hope you’re all having a great one.

Today is monday and as promised, I’m bringing you MONDAY MOTIVATION.
Today’s spotlight is on the AYMANTION DIAMOND STUDDED SOFA. 🙂

This amazing sofa is designed by a french firm PLUME BLANCHE known for making exclusive furniture. This handmade sofa is 2.22-meters long, 1.11-meters high and 0.85-meters wide. The Plume blanche sofa is made with pure mahogany wood, the richest leather and a lacquer finish.

Guess what? This sofa is a limited edition and only 50 pieces is being created for customisation and It can be customised with several options of diamonds and other precious stones, 60 leather colours and 500 colours of lacquer which will determine the price of “YOUR” unique sofa.

To cop one of these sofas, you need to be able to cough up a MODEST $141,940 (28,253,157 Nigerian Naira) *cough cough*.
Pretty reasonable for a unique sofa that only you can boast of having isn’t it?

Lol.. Let me know what you think..

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Ciao!

Lami.

Monday Motivation.. LUXURY FIND OF THE WEEK!

So i wanted to bring you guys monday motivation. Every monday i’ll feature a luxury interior brand, furniture piece, unique home gift items to keep you motivated at work or school. Whatever it is you’re doing.. work hard/work smart so you can afford these someday! 🙂

Today’s spotlight is on YVES KLEINS TABLE D’OR GOLD LEAF COFFEE TABLE.

YVES KLEIN is a French artist who is considered an important figure in post-war European art. He originated his own color International Klein Blue (IKB) in 1960.

This coffee table is crafted of glass, plexiglass, wood, and steel and 3,000 sheets of gold leaf. (D’or means “of gold” in French). It measures 14.50″ x 49.25″ x 39.25″ and you get a placard of authenticity affixed to the underside when you purchase one.

The visual power of the Table d’Or can not be snubbed with its 3,000 gold-leaf sheets glittering below a plexiglass surface, it is in fact a stunning representation of luxury extravagance. The Yves Klein Table can be considered the grand piece of contemporary art as modern furniture adding an exclusive statement of timeless luxury to the style and decor of any home.

The price of the new Yves Klein coffee Table starts from a modest $20,500 USD 🙂 and can be purchased on ARTWARE 
Wait for it…A 1963 edition Yves Klein Table d’Or recently sold for $125,000 USD on June 11, 2014 at a Design New York Auction.

According to designer David Netto,  “You’re not living until you have an Yves Klein coffee table.

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The Table DOR is not the only colour you can choose from the yves klein table collection, It is available in 2 other options: ‘Table Bleue’ (filled with Klein International Blue pigment), ‘Table Rose’ (filled with rose pigment).

The table blue is considered the most popular of the Yves Klein coffee tables obviously because of his signature International klein blue (IKB)

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The INTERNATIONAL KLEIN BLUE (IKB)

If you are feeling rather adventurous, check out this DIY method of making your own YK coffee table here using plexiglass box, metal furniture legs, and coloured sand.

Ciao!

Lami.

Interior Decorating 101 – The beginners guide : Decorating like a PRO!

One thing I’m certain about is most people who check Interior Design blogs to learn a few tips here and there obviously don’t want to read things like “harmony and unity, rhythm, emphasis, balance, proportion and scale” blah blah blah and all those big words (lol).

Trust me, I know what you want..

STRAIGHT TO THE POINT!

My blog is here to serve you the nitty-gritty, the basic principles of decor in simple words that explain exactly what and how to decorate your space like a PROfessional!

This is Interior Decorating 101 – The beginner’s guide : DECORATING LIKE A PRO!

So you just paid for, moved into a new apartment or you’re thinking of redecorating your house which you’ve been living in for years.. Now what??

Decorating can be quite a challenge, considering the fact that you’ll have to make some decisions that might end up haunting you for years..(pocket wise)
You find yourself asking questions like What style is right for me? Should i do it myself or hire a professional? how much should i spend? Which artisan (carpenter, plumber, electrician etc.) should i use in order to get fantastic results?
Then the other series of mind-boggling questions like What colour should i use? What patterns can I use together? where do i shop for furniture? what type of furnitures should i get? how should i arrange my furnitures? what area should i splurge and where should i save?

OH MY!!! Overwhelming right?
Calm down..
ITS NOT THAT SERIOUS!

LETS GET STARTED.

1. TAKE A LOOK AROUND.

Have a good look at your current home. What do you like about it and what do you dislike? the colours? fabric? the decor? lighting? the tiles?

Take a cue from that. Repeat the things you like and DON’T repeat the things you don’t like simply because you’re familiar with them.

2. CREATE A WISH LIST.

You know how we all have that list in the notepad of our iPhone of the 5000 USD Chanel bag and 2000 USD Giuseppe shoes we want to buy and just can’t afford YET? YES THAT! Do the same for your interior. Write down everything you would like to do and have If Money Was No Object. Then figure out what you can do now and what can wait. This makes it really easy to prioritize.
I believe in economics it’s called “The Opportunity Cost.”

3. COLLECT PHOTOS.

Hmmmn this seems like a lot of fun right?  Personally its the most challenging. Boy! There are so many amazing photos on the internet that will leave you confused, and wishing your father was DANGOTE! ( Africa’s richest man) LOL!

Visit websites like HOUZZ, HGTV, FRESHOME or simply GOOGLE it! HOUZZ has this amazing feature called an IDEABOOK. where you can create idea books for the different rooms or for different aspects (kitchen backsplash, wall paper, flooring, etc.). Trust me it would make your life so much easier. Thank me later 🙂

Compile your photos. Don’t be in a rush, it shouldn’t be done in days, it should take you weeks or months as what you thought you were so in love with on day 1 might not appeal to you anymore by day 15. With all the pictures you’ll be seeing, your taste will definitely evolve. I promise you!

Personally I like to create mood boards and material boards but let’s stick to idea books. It’s easier and more practical for you.

4.  GET YOUR LOVED ONES INVOLVED.

Now when I’m talking about loved ones, i mean your spouses (if you’re married), kids, boyfriends, girlfriends, your housemates, mum, dad.. well you get the gist. As long as you’re sharing the space.

Ask for their opinions.. most husbands or boyfriends will usually say OH do whatever you want!

ABORT MISSION!
DO NOT do whatever you want! I repeat DO NOT do whatever you want!

The thing is as soon as you start painting and buying furniture, “Mr. No opinion” will suddenly start catching feelings and having an opinion. Oh I don’t like the colour of this room, why did you buy this type of Sofa???

Hmmn No, Thank you! We don’t want any conflicts.

Get him involved from the beginning, Let him look at photos of interiors with you.. Ask him what he likes about a certain room and what he doesn’t. This will help you to find a balance.
Alternatively, both of you can collect photos independently then scan through them together to figure out your similarities and differences.

A FAMILY THAT DECORATES TOGETHER, STAYS TOGETHER.

Don’t say i never told you!

5.  I DON’T KNOW WHAT I LIKE.
Believe me when i say You are not alone in this. Many people find it difficult to articulate what they want, but don’t let that bother you. Let the photos you’ve collected do all the work.. Look at those teeny-weeny bits of characteristics that keep coming up in the photos: the colors, the style of furniture, the arrangements, the materials, patterns. Let these characteristics guide you.

6.  FORM SHOULD FOLLOW FUNCTION.

One thing i learnt in design school is “Form Should Follow Function”.
I fell in love with this statement the first day i heard it and i now apply it with almost everything i do.
It’s only human to be drawn towards beautiful things even if they aren’t exactly the right choice in the moment. This same logic weaves seamlessly into interior design.

You could walk into a store and purchase every stunning piece of furniture and accessories and when you put them all together in a room it becomes clutter. You don’t want to fall into a trap of creating a space full of decorative items that generally serves no purpose.
YOU WANT TO create a space that is not only appealing but equally Efficient and Functional.

Ask yourself what activities will go on in the space, for example if you’re recreating a family room, and you have toddlers and kids you would need plenty of floor space for crawling and may want furniture that can easily be rearranged for impromptu gaming. etc
You determine the primary function of the room and this will allow you to easily pick out the type of furniture you need.

6. GO NEUTRAL.

YES “VARIETY IS A SPICE OF LIFE” but hey!
I’m obsessed with neutral colours.. I just love how it gives the room a very modern, clean and contemporary look which is hands down my favourite decor style!
I usually like to go neutral with the big pieces such as the sofa. This is a wonderful tip because it allows me play with the other aspects of the decor like lighting, and accessories.

Another option is to keep all the walls WHITE! Or a pale creamy colour and treat each room separately in terms of style. As long as the surrounding envelope is neutral I think you can have it all.

Bottom line is you can never go wrong with neutral colours!

However, If you can find a colour theme you feel confident that you can blend the styles you love GO FOR IT! Pick a dominant colour and two or three others to highlight. That way you can tie it all in through your main colour and groupings of your highlight colours.

7.  TAKE A FINAL LOOK AROUND.

Now that you have the style you want in mind, its time to start making a list of things that should stay and things to go.
If you love a piece of upholstered furniture (e.g. sofa covered in leather, suede etc.) but you hate the fabric, it can be upholstered by your local furniture maker (carpenter). Wood pieces can be repainted or stained.
Also keeping in mind the fact that your tastes change much more frequently than your budget allows, you can try to keep your more expensive pieces (such as your couch) more neutral so you can change again in a few years without having to break the bank. And if there’s an inherited piece that has great sentimental value but you can’t stand to look at it … well,Life’s too short to live with things you don’t love. 🙂

Life’s too short to live with things you don’t love.

8.  ALL AT ONCE OR ONE AFTER THE OTHER?

This depends solely on your budget.

Do you have enough to do it all at once? If the answer is no, Start in phases. One room after another. My advice is to start with the painting of the walls. If you are not sure of the colour of the rooms yet, paint all the rooms white. Then as you start you can change the colour to what you want. Don’t go starting one room THEN leaving it half done because i promise you it would only leave you frustrated and feeling like you can never accomplish anything in life. LOL.
Start with the living room, then bedroom, kitchen.. just let it flow..

Last BUT not the least..

Be Original! Stay true to who you are.
LESS IS MORE! or wait maybe MORE IS MORE! The choice is yours..

LIVE WHAT YOU LOVE!

I hope you enjoyed reading AND Happy Decorating!

Please leave your comments and DO share your favourite tips with me from past and present projects!

Ciao!
LAMI

WELCOME!

Hi beautiful people..

This is my first ever attempt at blogging and I’m actually in disbelief that i decided to start a blog for you guys. it has been on my mind for some time now and you have no idea how glad i am to finally have to balls to start this. I guess its not right to have all this ideas and not share.

Well let me start by giving you a breakdown of what this blog is about.

I know a lot of us out here are looking for ways to make our spaces :  homes/offices/boutiques etc look like a million bucks without breaking the bank. I’m pleased to let you know that this blog will bring you everything from

Modern decorating tips and ideas.

Luxury interior pieces and their “look for less” (Yes!! affordable options!) 🙂 Man is it hard out here in this economy of ours? especially with the skyrocketing dollar rate. sigh! 

DIY tips and a lot of  HOW Tos..

Themed rooms and how to incorporate them in our spaces without going overboard.

Stylish interior inspirations.. for bathrooms, kitchens, living rooms, bedrooms. etc.

Interior colour schemes.

Maintenance tips and general tips for every room from home to Garden.

I would also like to let you know that Idespacio Interiors also does BESPOKE FURNITURE. If you have a picture of anything that catches your eye or an idea, be sure that we can bring it to life and you need not worry about the QUALITY.

PLEASE feel free to use the comment section to ask for advice on any troubles you’re facing with your personal interior projects. I’ll be more than willing to help.

I’m open to your wonderful tips and ideas too.

With that said.. GET IN HERE and keep coming back for more!

Ciao!

Lami.