Teeny Tiny!

 All Photos Courtesy of Apartment Therapy

This cottage is 350 square feet.  Yes, you heard me.  And you thought your house was small.  Tsk, tsk...that'll teach you to complain about your storage space!

This 1930's bungalow is fortunate for the element of light.  It is bathed in natural light and that gives this small space the feeling of being outdoors, larger, more open.  By keeping the room fresh and white splashes of bold, vibrant color, the homeowner embraces the beach cottage feel and makes it her own.

When asked what the biggest design challenge was for this homeowner, she replied " My greatest challenge has been finding storage that serves the dual function of killer design and smart hiding place."  She repurposes items such as kitchen shelves, armoires, and a media cabinet to house her television and her wet bar.

By hanging curtains at the very top of the ceiling the owner of this small space distracts the eye and draws our attention up creating more space.  She also uses a neutral floor covering to trick our eye.

The next time you feel like complaining about your lack of storage, consider this small space and breathe a little easier knowing you can stretch your legs!

~Amber

House Tour!

Even Hollywood actors are taking advantage of small home living and downsizing!  Actor Tony Shalhoub, from the television show, Monk, and his wife Brooke Adams spend every summer at Martha's Vineyard in a tiny 1930's cottage with 2,500 square feet of family togetherness.

When remodeling the bungalow to fit their personality, they did minor structural repairs because they wanted to keep the history of the cottage in tact.  They preserved the architecture with the respect of homeowners who truly love their abode.

While this cottage is not how most Americans picture famous Hollywood actors living, it helps to know that even stars need to feel grounded and get back to the basics of life.

Photos Courtesy of Country Living

Art on the Farm

 Photo Courtesy of Apartment Therapy

When Sean Scherer bought an old 1,000 square foot, run-down farmhouse, the last thing evident to the visible eye was a work of art.  But to an artist like Mr. Scherer, who is well-known for his Russian Suprematism and American Minimalism style what he saw in his head was different.

  Photo Courtesy of Apartment Therapy

Thus his labor of love on a 90 acre farm was born!  “Most people couldn’t see the vision,” Mr. Scherer said of the house. “But frankly, this was what I’d been waiting for my whole life.”

  Photo Courtesy of Apartment Therapy

Be-friending the small artistic community in his new neighborhood, he transformed the down at the heel farmhouse into what he saw in his mind's eye.  With the help of his new friends whose occupations ranged from artists, antique dealers, sculptors and architects he rebuilt his home.

  Photo Courtesy of Apartment Therapy

It was important to Mr. Scherer to furnish his home with the humble farm furniture native to the area.  

 

  Photo Courtesy of Apartment Therapy

“I don’t care about pedigree,” he said of the 19th-century furniture that fills the farmhouse. “I like the fact that the objects were made for a specific purpose. They may be a little crude but they also usually have clean, modern lines.” 

  Photo Courtesy of Apartment Therapy

His eclectic collection of 19th-century pieces is sprinkled with contemporary art, anatomical sculptures, botanical prints, mercury glass, old mirrors and tintypes that he started collecting when he moved to the area.

  Photo Courtesy of Apartment Therapy

His "clutter" doesn't seem as such, more as an artistic display presented to stimulate the mind and senses instead of just another object to dust around!

  Photo Courtesy of Apartment Therapy

  Photo Courtesy of Apartment Therapy

One of the most striking combinations, however, is in the master bathroom whose walls are plastered in Soviet posters bought in Moscow in 1989 and one of his Kasimir Malevich-inspired canvases from the 1990s.  Mr. Scherer wants his home to be a reflection of his beliefs, his art and his lifestyle. 

 

 Photo Courtesy of Apartment Therapy

Art isn't always found in the modern apartments of a big-city metropolis, but often as not tucked away in a small farmhouse in the country.

~Amber 

Fall Decorating with Pumpkins

There's a chill in the air here at our little Jewel Box Home!  The leaves are slowly changing and some are drifting downward in the breeze.  Last weekend I tackled the dreaded Closet Chaos and brought the sweaters and long-sleeved fall wardrobe down from the attic.  There was a Harvest Moon last week and all these seasonal changes has my fingers itching to decorate my home for Autumn.

 Photo Courtesy of Country Living

This time of year makes me think of Halloween and hayrides, backyard bonfires and bowls of chili, friends and football, caramel apples and crunch leaves.  

 

 Photo Courtesy of Country Living

Some of my very favorite ways to decorate my little house is to use what I have to bring the outdoors inside!  I love these carved pumpkins on this candelabra!  Instant votives to set the mood for your outdoor gathering.  

 

 Photo Courtesy of Country Living

What better floral arrangement for your table scape than a bunch of colorful Autumn leaves?  I also love the side table in the background that displays pumpkins filled with greenery, catkins and mums.  Autumn at its finest!

 

 Photo Courtesy of Country Living

Of course who can resist the urge to purchase pumpkins during this festive season?  I am a sucker for the bumpy, lopsided dis-colored ones that others pass over.  They just seem to have more character to me and they are perfect for carving and poking little twinkle lights into to make vases or lanterns!

 

 Photo Courtesy of Country Living

Big brambly wreaths on the front door, mums on the porch, pumpkins and gourds leaning lazily on the front steps!  Welcome Fall!

 

Photo Courtesy of Country Living

Who says only floral wreaths and greenery can grace your stoop?  This homeowner has embellished her entryway with pumpkins galore.  Even on the wreath!

 Photo Courtesy of Country Living

Autumn, to me, says candlelight...table lamps as opposed to overhead lighting....fires in the fireplace...the soft glow of an oil lamp.  

 

 Photo Courtesy of Country Living

Pumpkins under glass, in bowls, on shelves, displayed in baskets?  Yes, please!

 

 Photo Courtesy of Country Living

Don't forget to use old quilts as tablecloths, afghans draped over the arm of the sofa for instant snuggling, baskets of books for cozy nights indoors and a ticking clock.  

Fall essentials!

Happy Autumn!

~Amber   

No Mess Makeover!

 Photo Courtesy of  Country Living

One thing that always annoys me about some remodeling projects featured in magazines or online is the massive construction efforts required to complete the "look" that the homeowner wanted to achieve.  I don't know about you readers, but my family isn't always up for knocking a wall down here, installing granite countertops there or re-wiring an entire upstairs level just to achieve a vision in my head.  

 Photo Courtesy of  Country Living

Living Area Before

 The thing that most attracted me to this bungalow remodel was, not only the small size of the home, but the fact that remodel was done on a (gasp) budget and there were no major renovations in the form of construction that were performed to achieve their goals. 

Photo Courtesy of  Country Living

Living Area After

With the simple addition of some paint, a rug and a few artfully placed accessories, this living area was transformed into an airy, but cozy room that welcomes each visitor into the home with open arms. 

 

 Photo Courtesy of  Country Living

Dark furniture and an abundance of wall art gave the appearance of too much clutter in the small breakfast/dining nook.

 Photo Courtesy of  Country Living

 By swapping out the old table with a new, round one that fits the area and placing it on a rug with some new light, airy window treatments, this dining area was transformed with no heavy demolition.

 Photo Courtesy of  Country Living

The guest bedroom's striking architecture went unnoticed, due to the dull wall color and outmoded linens.

 Photo Courtesy of  Country Living

With the simple addition of some wallpaper and new, inexpensive linens guests will be thrilled to spend a weekend in this charming space!

 

 

 Photo Courtesy of  Country Living

No room for a claw foot tub or jacuzzi?  No budget for installation of a curtains-free shower?  Not me!

 Photo Courtesy of  Country Living

This dull bathroom now has pizzazz with just a little wallpaper and the replacement of standard fixtures with some unique implements.

I'm not up for major construction.  Please...no dust and demolition and excavation and months of rebuilding!  I love the thought of a new look achieved with some fabric, new fixtures and artful re-arranging of furniture!

~Amber 

Closet Chaos

Before treating you to a wonderful post about closets from Amber, I just wanted to let you know that posts from me may be infrequent for awhile.  My wonderful husband is still out of work and it's taking a toll on the family.  I am especially feeling the stress as we consider our options and whether to sell the house.  But as you know, Amber will take very good care of our little 'Jewel Box Home' community and you can expect to hear from her on a weekly basis.  

And now for Amber's insightful and funny post about closets in small houses.  She also has some great tips!

Photo Courtesy of JD Organizer

Is this your closet?  Do you have ample space for perfectly hung apparel and labeled boxes of shoes according to season?  Do you have a folding station in your closet and floor to ceiling mirrors?  Is there a separate cabinet for jewelry and accessories?  Shelves for handbags?  This is not my closet.  My closet is tiny and things fall out of it when you open the door.  I have stacks of handbags and shoes and hats piled on the shelves right up to the ceiling and there are belts hung on a rack that slide off each time I take just one off which means that I normally just go without a belt because I don't want to pick them all up!

Fall weather is quickly upon us and I have been staring with dismay at my sad little closet these past weeks, knowing full well that I need to sort through it as I do each season to weed out summer clothing and replace it with fall and winter wear.  But I don't wanna!!  It is an all day task for me and I just sigh and lean into the door as I close it hoping I can just wear a jacket over short sleeves for the rest of the week.

To get myself motivated to tackle the chore, I have been perusing others' lovely organized storage spaces.   

Photo Courtesy of Better Homes and Gardens

I have decided the key to closet organization must be cleverness.  You can't let the small space beat you!  I think the trick is to have the correct storage solutions on hand.  This hanging shoe rack is an inexpensive way to keep shoes out from under the bed or on the closet floor.  

Photo Courtesy of Better Homes and Gardens

These basic, stick-on utility hooks cost less than $2 for a pack of three and help utilize every square inch of closet space while providing a place for hats or bags to hang without crushing them!

Photo Courtesy of Better Homes and Gardens

Out of season clothing or even just items that can't be hung like sweaters or jackets can be stored in these decorative cardboard boxes and stored underneath hanging clothes or at the bottom of a stack of storage boxes.  You could even store winter boots in these cute containers.

 

Photo Courtesy of Better Homes and Gardens

My belts may stay hung on this coat rack!  Perfect for scarves too.  I better put this on my list. 

Photo Courtesy of Better Homes and Gardens

My problem often lies with mixing my belongings up with my husbands in our tiny space.  I find that being diplomatic is hard with my jeans are mixed in with his jeans!  My goal this season is to ensure we each have our own space in the closet and no inter-marrying of clothing happens by accident any more!  I love the canvas totes in this closet.  What a perfect way to store purses and bags.  And the shoe cubbies can be used for his hats too!

Photo Courtesy of Better Homes and Gardens

By sliding a jewelry organizer into the cubby, this closet owner ensured that she could accessorize easily.  You could also purchase silverware containers for jewelry use to maximize space as well.

 Photo Courtesy of Better Homes and Gardens

This wall-mounted trouser hanger may be the solution to my jean connundrum.  For less than $10 I can keep our slacks separate and nicely ironed!

I think I'm motivated and passionate about my closet chaos now!  I can do this...I'm ready!!

~Amber  

Upon Reflection

In memory of September 11th, which also happens to be my birthday, Amber has beautifully captured the true meaning of living in a smaller home through a lovely poem by Florence Bone and a collage of stunning images.  Thank you Amber for the wonderful birthday treat!

Genevieve

 

"God send me a little home;

To come back to when we roam...

"One picture on each wall,

not many things at all.

"Wooden floors and fluted tiles;

wide windows, a view for miles

"Red firelight and deep chairs;

Small white beds upstairs.

"Great talk in little nooks;

soft colors, rows of books

"God send us a little ground;

Tall trees stand 'round.

"Homely flowers in fertile sod;

Overhead, they stars, O God.

"God bless thee when winds blow;

Our home and all we know."

~Florence Bone