Banquettes!

One of the things I love about living in a small space is it makes you have to plan for what you really want out of your space. I'm seeing more and more banquettes in magazines these days, and I bet they started out as a need for people with limited space. The great thing about banquettes is they can be designed so many ways. Loveseats, benches, custom built right in to a corner. I've seen them designed in country, modern, you name it! Tons of styles are out there on the net, so if you have a limited area, think about designing your very own banquette!

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Found Space

Often when reading articles about living in a small space, I come across the term "found space." Found space? Well, yes, it can happen! This is when thinking outside the box can come in very handy! For me personally, finding space for my home office was a lot of fun. I've changed my office space about 3 times. It took a few mistakes (wrong desk size, not enough file space) to get it just right. Finding the balance between form and function is key for me. I want my space to look great but work great too. The top pictures is of my own personal home office. A cubby with many compartments has worked great for me! There are tons of options now, smaller desks, compact armoires and tons of shelving sizes and styles. Planning is key so really think through what you want your home office to do for you!

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Style File

I often find myself drawn to many different styles when it comes to home decor. I think a lot of us are not sure what "style" we'd fit under. It would be nice to declare, I'm modern and be done with it. After all, you can like jazz music and country music, and not have to worry about it making your CD player clash! So what do I like? I like funky. I like color. I like white. I like clean but not cold. I like lots of stuff as long as it does not take over. Bottom line, I like a place you can walk in and not worry about getting something dirty. Give me comfy any day!

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Small Space Big Business!

Seems that small space design has become big business. Looking around the net and in magazines, its not hard to find articles or information on "how to make you space look bigger." Companies have figured out that most of us do not have tons of space, and even people who do, often have smaller spaces within them that need ideas. Pottery Barn has caught on and now has a section on their website (and catalog). Furniture that is scaled down to fit small spaces . Of course Ikea has been designing this way and has broke into the US market very well. With baby boomers down sizing and generation X starting out, big business will have a market for "small living" for years to come!

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First Post

I've decided to write about a subject near and dear to my heart. Small space living! I have lived in my nearly 1000 square foot home (with my husband) for almost 16 years. The house was our starter home. We have thought about moving a million times. We've been asked why we haven't a million more. I came to the conclusion this year, I just don't want to. I'm happy here. Our house is close to being paid off. I enjoy trying to figure out how to make the space work better. Its been a joy. I don't need space to make me happy, I need my space to work well. Oh and did I mention we added 2 kids along the way? One bathroom 2 girls. Rock on!

(Picture: Cottage in Seattle)

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Elle Decor Magazine-The Ultimate Design Magazine

Elle Decor magazine is one of our most favorite design magazines in the world! Its features are always original, whimsical, and totally sophisticated. It also use extensive colors, which is our favorite thing to do when it comes to interior design. Neutral is nice, but color is way hotter!

If you like Elle Decor's style, you'll probably like these...All can be found on the home accessories section at Inside Avenue.

This lamp comes in blue (shown), pink, white and black. We just love the shade.

This pendant is a nice touch of colors for your outdoor room. It is available in pink, orange, white, yellow and black.

This set of print is colorful and fun. It's Asian but not overly so... We love these stools. We've seen them at Mondrian hotel in Scottsdale in white. Shown here in green, they are also available in white, black and blue.


And check out this awesome table! It is also available in a longer version (this one is 30" long, the larger one is 48" long). The table is available in blue, yellow and white.

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Cool Wall Decorating

When it comes to wall decorating, the typical solutions are a) paint it with different colors 2) decorate with arts or 3) use wallpaper. Once in a while, though, we find a product that we just love...Check out these wall panels from B& N Industries. They are just way cool!

Typically installed in commercial settings, we find these suitable for residential applications as well. Use them in a bedroom or bathroom and voila, instant chic!

Shown mostly in white, these panels are available in different colors (you can see them on the B & N web site). We love the color options.

Check out this blue one:



We like this white one as well:



This one is quite hip...


To see more of these panels, check out the company web site at www.bnind.com.

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