Living Room
Tricky space 3: Small space, no entrywayThe solution: Don’t bother trying to squeeze a teensy table behind the door. It will only bug you, and it won’t be big enough to hold much. Instead, look for the first available open wall and place a larger desk or storage piece there, letting it do double duty as an entertainment center or workspace. If there is literally nowhere to put a table, try using a few small, sleek wall-mounted pieces instead. A few hooks for keys, coats and bags and a floating shelf or sorter for mail are all you really need to manage the essentials.
Tricky space 5: Living room with multiple doors and windowsThe solution: If your living room has an element (door, window, fireplace, radiator) that prevents you from placing furniture near the walls, try pulling the arrangement toward the center of the room instead. Use the symmetry of a matching pair of sofas to counteract the chaos of the entries and exits, and add a cozy area rug to anchor the conversation area.Get guidelines on using area rugs
Small stools, cubes or chow tables are perfect as options for coffee tables in narrow spaces. Notice that they also used a loveseat and chaise facing each other and perpendicular to the length of the room similar to photo No. 5. This is a very compact furniture arrangement that would work in all types of small spaces.
If your space is long and narrow, but not especially big, you can still get away with a single grouping. “Just add a couple of chairs with a round table between them, so you have another place to go,” says Charleston designer Alix Bragg.In this example a table and chairs are set behind the rear sofa; more chairs augment the main seating group. A daybed takes the place of a second sofa, allowing views into the space and making the seating group seem more welcoming.
The fireplace features original tiles created by Ernest Batchelder, a renowned tile artist in the 1920s and 1930s in Southern California. Naturally, Troyer left them alone. “Those are worth a fortune now,” he says. Troyer handled all the lighting design, tilework and millwork and helped his clients choose colors. Sconces: Rejuvenation; ceiling fixture: Restoration Hardware
Tricky space 9: Small living roomThe solution: It's a bit counterintuitive, but too many itty-bitty pieces can make a room feel cluttered and cramped. Strike a balance by choosing pieces that look substantial but have sleek lines (no rolled arms!). Substituting an upholstered ottoman for the usual coffee table is an easy way to sneak in extra seating, and a pair of petite armchairs can fit in the space of a single overstuffed version. Finally, be sure to place lighting all the way into the back corners of a space — nothing shrinks a room faster than poor lighting.
Q