15 Small-space Decorating Tips

At the height of Seattle's real estate market in 2003, when Leah and Chad Steen bought their first home, the property was far from picture perfect. "There was no landscaping; the previous owners even left us a note about the sad-looking Charlie Brown tree in the front yard," says Leah, who owns Revival Home & Garden (revivalhomeandgarden.com), a shop in Capitol Hill. "But the house had tons of character, and there weren't holes in the ceiling, like other places we'd seen."


Inexpensive mingles with high-end
Inexpensive mingles with high-end


Mix high and low
Inexpensive furniture mingles with high-end touches in the living room: Ikea curtains hang on plumbing pipe behind a $1,200 chandelier from Leah's shop; custom pillows sit atop a bargain (at $579) settee from Urban Outfitters; a hand-painted chinoi­serie coffee table rests on an old Pakistani rug ($85 on eBay).
How to decorate in a global style


High class with a couple of coats of paint
High class with a couple of coats of paint


Update secondhand furnishings

A $10 framed mirror from Goodwill reads "high class" with a couple of coats of high-gloss red paint.
Decorating with second-hand finds


Just $2!
Just $2!


Find treasures at thrift stores

This large oil painting was just $2 from Second Use (seconduse.com).


Updated with fabric
Updated with fabric


Add fancy touches in small doses

The back of a $40 thrift store couch was updated with just a few yards of Leah's favorite fabric (Chiang Mai Dragon in Alabaster by Schumacher; $206/yard; fschumacher.com).


The benches provide storage
The benches provide storage


Create multi-purpose areas

With no proper dining room, the breakfast nook functions as such--and doubles as an art table for the Steens' two daughters. Thankfully, the vinyl cushions are specially treated to resist ink "and basically everything known to man," says Leah. The benches provide storage space under their hinged lids. Bold wallpaper (Chinatown Toile by Flavor Paper; $150/15-ft.roll; flavorleague.com) accents a single wall. "In a small house, sometimes touches have to be small, like with patterned wallpaper and fabric," Leah says.


An old table becomes an island
An old table becomes an island


Repurpose furniture

An old candy making table serves as a mobile kitchen island.


A tray holds ingredients for cocktails
A tray holds ingredients for cocktails


Create attractive storage space

A tray atop a narrow storage cabinet between the living area and the kitchen (really one continuous room) holds ingredients for cocktails.


A fire hydrant serves as a sculpture.
A fire hydrant serves as a sculpture.


Mix art

A mix of inexpensive art--from eBay, Goodwill, and 5-year-old Piper--hangs above an old (and well-washed) fire hydrant that serves as a sculpture.
More creative ways to display your art


A nice technique for a small space
A nice technique for a small space


Use wallpaper as artwork

In 2-year-old Romy's bedroom, playful wallpaper graces a single wall--a nice technique for a small space.


A happy hue on rainy days
A happy hue on rainy days


Be bold with color

Five-year-old Piper's bedroom is a cheerful orange--a happy hue on Seattle's rainy days.
More tips on making paint work for you


Try local second-hand shops
Try local second-hand shops


Shop salvage

The windows and door of the garage-turned-guesthouse came from Second Use (seconduse.com), one of Leah's favorite local secondhand shops.


Split concrete becomes pavers
Split concrete becomes pavers


Reinvent materials

Split concrete from the former backyard parking strip becomes pavers.
More home-decor reinventions


Built from salvaged metal
Built from salvaged metal


Showcase artful reuse

The side yard gate was built from salvaged metal.


A barrel becomes a rain harvester
A barrel becomes a rain harvester


Recycle materials--and resources

A discarded syrup barrel becomes a rain water harvester.



Plumbing pipe becomes a garden gate
Plumbing pipe becomes a garden gate


More clever reimagining

Plumbing pipe from Pacific Indus­­trial Supply (pacificindustrial.com) becomes a garden gate.
Read on for more tips on living in a small house