Markus Andrews

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    Daytrip transforms east London terrace house into understated apartments

    Design studio Daytrip has taken a less-is-more approach to the renovation and extension of this Victorian terrace house in London’s Clapton, which is now home to three separate apartments.

    The 250-square-metre Reighton Road development was designed as a “minimalist sanctuary” that could act as a blank canvas for residents’ belongings.
    A two-bedroom flat takes over Reighton Road’s ground floor and two basement levels (top and above)”A good home should be flexible and speak of its owners,” explained Hackney-based Daytrip. “The ability to cultivate and populate it over time with art, objects and personal items makes the home unique.”
    The largest of the flats has two bedrooms and takes over the building’s ground floor as well as two new subterranean levels, which are illuminated by a number of lightwells.
    Another apartment is self-contained on the building’s first floor and a third occupies the second floor and a new loft extension.

    Walls in the apartment’s kitchen are finished with tadelakt plasterIn the bottom apartment, the first basement floor accommodates a pair of spacious bedrooms, both of which were finished with poured concrete floors.
    Below that, the second subterranean level is meant to serve as a versatile studio-like space, where the residents can do home workouts or indulge in artsy hobbies.
    The kitchen’s rear wall is finished with grey bricksThe ground floor houses the apartment’s main living spaces including a new kitchen suite with handleless alabaster-white cabinetry.
    Save for a grey brick wall at the rear of the room, surfaces were washed with creamy tadelakt – a traditional lime-based plaster from Morocco.
    “It’s a purposely minimal and subdued kitchen, reserving the chaos to the cooking,” the studio said.
    The living room features white-oiled oak flooring and restored cornicingAt the front of the kitchen are wide glass doors that can be slid back to access the garden.
    London-based landscape design studio Tyler Goldfinch was brought in to give the paved outdoor space a wild, textured look using tiered planters overspilling with different types of grasses.
    There is also a silver birch tree surrounded by a circular bed of pebbles.

    Daytrip digs beneath east London townhouse to create contemporary living spaces

    Unlike the rest of the apartment, the living room was finished with white-oiled oak flooring while the ceiling’s original cornicing was restored. These same features also appear throughout the other two apartments on the upper floors.
    To create a sense of cohesion, all three flats were styled by East London galleries Beton Brut and Modern Art Hire, which carefully curated a mix of Italian and Japanese furnishings for the development.
    The other apartments on the upper floors also feature white-oiled oak flooringMany of the pieces were crafted from velvet, boucle or raw timber, bringing a sense of warmth and tactility to the interiors.
    With this aim, all of the bathrooms were also finished with tadelakt walls and limestone floors.
    All furnishings were selected by Beton Brut and Modern Art HireThis is the second residential project in Clapton from Daytrip founders Iwan Halstead and Emily Potter.
    In 2020, the duo overhauled a five-storey townhouse in the east London district by turning its dated 1970s-style rooms into serene white-washed living spaces.
    The photography is by Jake Curtis.

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    Home Studios' Laurel Brasserie and Bar brings European dining to Salt Lake City

    This bar and restaurant in Salt Lake City is designed by Brooklyn-based Home Studios as an updated, American take on the brasseries of Europe.

    The Laurel Brasserie and Bar opened in February 2022 inside The Grand America Hotel, a palatial building on South Main Street in the heart of downtown Salt Lake City.
    Laurel Brasserie and Bar is designed as an American take on European brasseriesThe hotel was built in 2001 with interiors based on classic European styles. Home Studios retained these influences for the brasserie, but with a contemporary spin to create bright and colourful spaces for casual family-style dining.
    “The menu is fueled by the client’s love for European food, culture and design, filtered through a decidedly American sensibility,” said Home Studios founder Oliver Haslegrave.
    The main dining room features cherry-red leather banquettes”So we sought out to create that environment and treat it like an extension of the client’s home, where a collection of European heirlooms and treasures have been passed down from generation to generation,” he added.

    The establishment is split into several rooms, each of which has a distinct design and colour scheme.
    An adjoining patisserie, Bonne Vie, serves to-go treats from a pastel-toned spaceFor grab-and-go coffee and pastries, Bonne Vie features duck-egg-blue millwork, a checkerboard marble floor, and crushed velvet chairs in pastel tones.
    Opal globe lights mounted on brass fixtures continue from the patisserie into the main dining room, where cherry-red leather covers banquette seating that forms a strip down the centre.
    The bar faces both the restaurant and a separate area for cocktailsA symmetrical procession of columns with chamfered corners are wrapped in reclaimed tile and connect with sculptural ceiling beams.
    The wood-panelled bar faces both the restaurant and an adjacent seating area for enjoying cocktails, surrounded by tall arched windows framed with green marble.
    Marble frames the large windows of The Grand America Hotel, in which Laurel is located”Laurel is grounded in the present but full of history — and thoroughly unique,” Haslegrave said.
    “We incorporated a wealth of materials to elicit an upscale brasserie with approachable warmth.”

    Wisconsin train station becomes The Harvey House restaurant by Home Studios

    An additional dining space is decorated in a spectrum of blue hues. A bold floral-patterned carpet and illustrated wall coverings are joined by velvet chairs and walnut-topped tables.
    This room also features a green blown-glass chandelier and olive trees placed between the windows.
    Reclaimed tiles, wood panelling, and opal and brass lighting all add to the contemporary flairAntiques and vintage pieces are also scattered through the interiors, overall creating a “transportive guest experience that feels right at home within the context of the Grand America Hotel”.
    “We sought to create a distinctly modern and American spin on the classic all-day brasserie, built to delight and inspire locals and tourists alike,” said Haslegrave, who set up Home Studios in 2009.
    Another dining space is decorated in blue, including illustrated wall coverings and a floral-patterned carpetThe firm has a growing portfolio of hospitality projects across the US, with recent additions including the Alsace LA hotel with Mediterranean influences and The Harvey House restaurant in a Wisconsin train station.
    The photography is by Brian W Ferry.

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    Ten living rooms with sculptural furniture pieces

    For our latest lookbook, we have selected 10 living rooms from the Dezeen archive that feature sculptural furniture, from plump and rounded sofas to reclining wooden chairs.

    The interiors in this lookbook are filled with curved forms, soft angles and artistic shapes, giving them a gallery-like feel.
    Each living room has a unique collection of sculptural pieces, with some playing host to lightweight minimalist items that echo their pared-back interiors while others house fluffy, dense items that reflect the tactile home in which they belong.
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks of homes with welcoming terraces, sleek co-working spaces and well-organised bedrooms.
    Photo is by Scott Frances6A, US, by Brad Ford

    This double-height living room with expansive windows is situated within Cast Iron House, a historic building in New York’s Tribeca neighbourhood that is being turned into apartments by Japanese architect Shigeru Ban.
    Directly beneath a sculptural hanging mobile lies a low slung bench-style seat in tan leather and a low coffee table showcasing a selection of homeware items.
    One of 13 residential spaces inside the building, the show home is kitted out by interior designer Brad Ford who hoped to compliment Ban’s striking work with vintage furnishings and neutral tones.
    Find out more about 6A ›
    Photo is by Ishita SitwalaMumbai Apartment, India, by The Act of Quad
    In this high rise flat in India’s capital Mumbai, spherical curved tables and orbed shaped sculptures are dotted all over, punctuating the otherwise minimalist space.
    In the open-plan living room, a circular coffee table surrounded by curved benches provides a playful element that contrasts with the neutral-hued tones, wooden materials and soft curtains.
    Find out more about Mumbai Apartment ›
    Photo is by Sean DavidsonAmity Street Residence, US, by Sarah Akkari and Rawan Muqaddas
    Three pieces of seating furniture take centre stage in the living room of this apartment on the fourth floor of a building in Brooklyn, with a circular lamp and marble table acting as supporting characters.
    Architectural design studios Sarah Akkari and Rawan Muqaddas transformed what was once a neglected apartment into a “minimal but warm” residence typified by creamy colours and soft furnishings.
    Find out more about Amity Street Residence ›
    Photo is by Simone BossiMA House, France, by Timothee Mercier
    Architect Timothee Mercier built what he refers to as an “intimate refuge” for his parents in Vaucluse, France, in what was previously an old farmhouse.
    Tasked with converting the ruined and dilapidated building into a light and airy residence aligned with the rural landscape, Mercier chose rustic furnishings in neutral tones and natural materials like oak wood and raffia.
    In the central living room, he added a pair of cane armchairs with high backs and a round wooden coffee table that was sourced in a Parisian flea market.
    Find out more about MA House ›
    Photo is by Stephen Kent JohnsonOne Manhattan Square, US, by Jamie Bush
    American designer Jamie Bush packed this New York apartment full of eclectic furnishings in a kaleidoscope of styles, colours and textures.
    Bush’s mix of old and new elements is particularly evident in the living spaces where items such as a black 1972 Hoop chair by Piero Palange and Werther Toffoloni is paired with an undulating rust-coloured sofa.
    Find out more about One Manhattan Square ›
    Photo is by The Fishy ProjectThane Apartment, India, by The Act of Quad
    Thane Apartment was designed by The Act of Quad anf is easily distinguished by its cobalt blue accents seen on the furnishings and fittings.
    Located in the Indian city of Thane, the 101-square-metre home has a number of bespoke items including a grey L-shaped sofa, a padded swing and a quartz-topped dining table.
    The striking blue colour scheme is continued in the living room, where the shade crops up on rounded piping and bead-like attachments on the stools.
    Find out more about Thane Apartment ›
    Photo is by Paula Abreu Pita for Standard ArtsThe Bryant apartment, US, by Standard Arts
    Constructed inside British architect David Chipperfield’s residential tower The Bryant, this two-bedroom model unit is furnished with playful decor and colourful artwork.
    In the living room, curatorial firm Standard Arts added sculptural foam and plywood chairs and a curving, acrylic floor lamp from Objects of Common Interest. Like the rest of the interior, the studio wanted it to “appeal to the uniquely curious mind”.
    Find out more about The Bryant apartment ›
    Photo is by Sean DavidsonWest Village apartment, US, by Olivier Garcé
    Designed by New York-based interior designer Olivier Garcé, this contemporary show space is set within a pre-war brownstone building in the West Village, New York.
    The designer aimed to turn his apartment into a gallery space for his friends’ work, which includes a coffee table with three carved wood legs and Ian Felton’s Kosa Side Chair.
    Find out more about West Village apartment ›
    Photo is by Nicole FranzenAmagansett House, US, by Athena Calderone
    A cosy, intimate feel was incorporated into this mid-century Long Island dwelling Amagansett House by way of linen fabrics, vintage finds and plaster walls.
    New York designer Athena Calderone, who owns and lives in the apartment, revived the interiors with a pale palette and a combination of contemporary and vintage pieces that include sculptural ornaments, urns and candle holders.
    Find out more about Amagansett House ›
    Photo is by Denilson MachadoDN Apartment, Brasil, by BC Arquitetos
    A walnut coffee table with triangular legs framed by a curved sage green sofa is the focal point for this São Paulo apartment by Brazilian studio BC Arquitetos, which houses a collection of mid-20th century art.
    Designed for a landscape architect client, the 230-square-metre apartment is wrapped in natural walnut wood, interrupted only by original faceted concrete columns.
    Find out more about DN Apartment ›
    This is the latest in our series of lookbooks providing curated visual inspiration from Dezeen’s image archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing compact bedrooms, basement conversions and interiors with innovative room dividers.

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    Sella designs “post-pandemic” offices for Sidewalk Infrastructure Partners in Brooklyn

    London studio Sella has created office interiors for tech company Sidewalk Infrastructure Partners in Dumbo, New York City, with a focus on flexible and collaborative space to entice employees back to the workplace.

    The 3,000-square-foot (280-square-metre) office has a prime waterfront location at 10 Jay Street, inside a former sugar refinery overhauled by ODA Architecture in 2019.
    Sella designed the Sidewalk Infrastructure Projects offices with a focus on communal spaceDesigned during the coronavirus pandemic, the workspaces for Sidewalk Infrastructure Partners are open and flexible — more akin to a members club than a traditional office.
    “Sella sensitively evolved the design to create the first-generation post-pandemic office space, championing the merge of the workspace and membership culture within private office environments,” said the studio.
    The interiors are more akin to a members club than a tech startup officeTravel restrictions also meant that Sella had to execute the project from the UK, in collaboration with the New York office of architecture firm Gensler.

    Sidewalk Infrastructure Partners is a startup backed by Google’s parent company Alphabet, and a spin-off of smart cities initiative Sidewalk Labs.
    A kitchen area is arranged around a curved plaster wallAt its offices, the building’s industrial heritage is celebrated through exposed brick columns and poured concrete floors.
    A large area in the centre of the plan, for both employees and guests to congregate, is arranged around a tree.
    Taps are built into the wall for a minimal effectCustom banquettes, upholstered in fabrics by Dedar and Maharam, offer casual seating against the wall and beside the greenery. Opposite, the kitchen area is set against a gently arced partition between two brick columns.
    The curve is continued in the shape of walnut-fronted cabinets and a white, oval island that reaches bar height. Beer and kombucha taps and other hardware are plumbed directly into the wall for a clean, minimalist finish.
    Another curved wall leads to private work areasAnother new textured-plaster wall curves behind the kitchenette, leading employees to the more private work areas.
    “These casual break-out spaces linking with the more private, formal moments within the office were sensitively considered by Sella to push the brief of an office based on connection, born out of the pandemic,” said Sella.

    Sella Concept applies “cocoon of rich materials and colour” to interiors of east London office

    Meeting rooms are positioned along the glazed facade, overlooking the East River.
    An engineered bronze conference table with a leather-like top can be rolled along a track in the concrete floor, to facilitate larger board meetings when needed.
    Meeting rooms overlook the East RiverWarm neutral colours in all of the spaces are complemented by lighting from American brand Allied Maker, while quirky details include cabinet handles by UK-based Swarf Hardware.
    “With the ease of working from home, an office now needs to work harder to entice employees to connect with each other and with clients – thereby Sella’s design aims to incentivise behaviour with connectivity at its heart,” the studio said.
    A brass floor track allows conference tables to be joined together for large meetingsSella was founded by Tatjana von Stein and Gayle Noonan, and works across interiors, furniture, branding and set design.
    Interchangeably known as Sella Concept, the studio has also completed the London headquarters for fashion brand Sister Jane, a co-working space in the UK capital and a collection of curvaceous furniture.
    The photography is by Sean Davidson.

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    Sulkin Askenazi arranges yellow school interiors around wooden tree

    Splashes of bright yellow, round openings and a giant timber tree are among the playful touches Mexican design studio Sulkin Askenazi has included in Ikigai Sisu, a school in the Dominican Republic.

    Sulkin Askenazi arranged the elementary school around a central wooden tree in the lobby, which provides a playful feature for the children to sit on when learning indoors.
    Sulkin Askenazi has added yellow hues inside Ikigai SisuCalled Ikigai Sisu, the 500-square-metre school opened in September 2021 and is located in the town of Punta Cana on the eastern coast of Dominican Republic.
    Sulkin Askenazi was informed by Finnish schools, where shared recreational areas are given par with traditional learning spaces such as classrooms. The school is designed to encourage learning through play and exploration.
    Rooms are arranged around an artificial tree in the lobby”The origin of the project is aligned with the Finnish educational model, where recreational spaces play an important role in the development of children by providing a stimulating and inclusive place that fosters ties, curiosity and interaction,” said Jack Sulkin, co-founder of Sulkin Askenazi.

    “We wanted to design a school where the entire space felt connected and flexible and not too divided or fractioned into isolated spaces,” he told Dezeen.
    An area for physical education is at the back of the buildingAt the heart of Ikigai Sisu is a trunk made from locally sourced white oak slats that children can sit on. Also in the lobby is a reception desk, a climbing wall and soft stools clad in yellow and grey fabric.
    Classrooms with wooden tables and chairs line the front of the building while at the back there is a soft play area for physical exercise lessons. A kitchen can also be found in one of the main classrooms.
    Classrooms are coloured in the same yellow schemeSulkin wanted the colour yellow, which is the school’s colour, to act as a sensory stimulus. Yellow tiles are found in the bathrooms while sunny hued paint continues the colour theme in the classrooms.
    The yellow is countered with grey accents which appear on soft furnishings such as rugs, pouffes and activity mats.

    Walls with integrated furniture and yellow nooks encourage play in Madrid school

    “We wanted the project to have a more vibrant monochrome look and feel; an aesthetic that alludes to the school’s philosophy,” Sulkin explained.
    “The vibrancy of yellow, applied to our ever-flowing spaces through the school design, unquestionably triggers imagination and the ever changing minds of young children who roam the space.”
    Cubby holes and rounded openings are dotted throughoutAccording to Sulkin, the other “main character” in the school is the use of wood.
    “The project has two main characters, the first one is the colour yellow, and the second is the low thick wooden ribbon that organically flows throughout the project,” Sulkin explained.
    “We tried to instil a free-flowing, interactive, energy invigorating space with Ikigai,” he added.
    The bathroom is clad in bright yellow tilesDotted throughout the low slung school are little wooden cubby holes set at different heights and cushioned nooks that allow children to hide and peek through.
    This same wood forms an array of shelving units to display learning material and cabinets for storage.
    Bright colours are a popular feature in contemporary educational architecture around the world.
    Dezeen rounded up 10 colourful kindergartens that encourage kids to crawl, jump and learn including a pastel coloured learning centre in Melbourne by Danielle Brustaman and a hot pink kindergarten in China by Crossboundaries
    Photography is by Thiago da Cunha.

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    Yinka Shonibare and India Mahdavi bring “a warm feel of Africa” to London restaurant Sketch

    British-Nigerian artist Yinka Shonibare and architect India Mahdavi have redesigned the Gallery dining room at London venue Sketch, adding site-specific artworks, warm golden colours and textured materials to its interior.

    The project, which is the latest in a string of artist collaborations from Sketch, features a series of 15 artworks by Shonibare dubbed Modern Magic. These were designed specifically for the space.
    The Gallery at Sketch is now covered in warm yellow huesMahdavi incorporated sunshine-yellow and golden colours to the interior alongside textured materials informed by Shonibare’s installation, including a copper skin on one of the walls.
    “Yinka’s artwork was a real inspiration and enticed me to work differently,” Mahdavi told Dezeen. “Textures have transcended colours by using a strong palette of materials.”
    “I used elements that have allowed me to extend Yinka’s artistic exploration of culture and identity, and bring a warm feel of Africa to the space and furnishings.”

    Artworks by Yinka Shonibare decorate the wallsMahdavi was also responsible for choosing the colour that previously dominated the interior of Sketch’s Gallery – a pale pink hue that became an Instagram favourite and remained in the room for eight years.
    “The Gallery at Sketch has been linked to the colour pink for such a long time that it was very challenging for me to overcome this success,” she said.
    This time, Mahdavi aimed to change the focus away from just the colour.
    “I didn’t want everybody to ask me what the new colour at the gallery is and therefore, I really worked on textures and materials that are evocative of the richness of Africa,” she explained. “Warmth is the new colour at Sketch.”
    Designer India Mahdavi worked with different textures for the interiorShonibare’s Modern Magic installation includes five hand-carved wooden masks as well as 10 framed quilts, which replicate African masks collected by Spanish artist Pablo Picasso.
    “Picasso was interested in appropriating from another culture and I also appropriate from European ethnic art,” Shonibare explained.
    “Cultural appropriation can be a two-way street,” he added. “This collaboration with Sketch has given me an opportunity to expand my creative process – creating a different environment to encounter and experience my art in a fun and relaxing setting.”
    Pieces were designed especially for the spaceThe artworks are complemented by tactile furniture pieces and accessories designed for the Gallery.
    “I chose yellow fabrics and leather to cover the banquettes,” Mahdavi said. “It is the colour of sun and happiness.”
    “The subtle shades of yellow vary from one piece to another carrying different patterns of weaved raffia, which were chosen within Aissa Dione’s collection of fabrics and specially woven for the project in Senegal.”

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    “The walls are covered in metallic copper paper by De Gournay to radiate the room and the wall lights are made in Ghanaian wicker by artist Inès Bressand,” she continued.
    “It was my way of helping Yinka take over the room without interfering with his work.”
    A copper wall reflects the lightMahdavi believes the new Sketch interior is more suitable for a post-Covid world.
    “The pink Gallery at Sketch lasted eight years instead of the two years initially planned,” she said.
    “I really believe that the pink room belonged to the pre-Covid era,” Mahdavi added. “It was fun, feminine and there was a certain lightness to it. The new Gallery at Sketch has more depth, the textures imply the feeling of togetherness.”
    “Textures have transcended colours,” Mahdavi said of the designSketch’s most recent artist collaboration was with UK artist David Shrigley, whose black-and-white drawings stood out against the pale pink colour of the Gallery and were also emblazoned on a collection of ceramics.
    Mahdavi, who is one of this year’s Dezeen Awards judges and will sit on the interiors design jury, was recently among a group of designers who reinterpreted Dior’s Medallion Chair at Salone del Mobile.
    Among Shonibare’s recent work is a set of bespoke stamps designed for the Royal Academy’s 250th anniversary.
    The photography is by Edmund Dabney.

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    Amity Street Residence is a “minimal but warm” New York apartment

    Interior design studios Rawan Muqaddas and Selma Akkari have renovated an apartment in a 20th-century building in Brooklyn, New York, adding warm and natural materials to the residential space.

    Amity Street Residence is located on the fourth floor of a stone building that was built in 1910, overlooking a quiet but central corner of the city at the intersection of Amity and Clinton street.
    Amity Street Residence has been renovated into an open plan apartment. Photo by Clement PascalNew York studio Selma Akkari collaborated with London studio Rawan Muqqadas on the 1,400 square-foot interiors, which have been updated from a “neglected” apartment into a space filled with warm colours.
    As part of the renovation, the studios rearranged the rooms to create space for an additional third bedroom if required.
    Rawan Muqaddas collaborated with Selma Akkari to create a warm interior”A dialogue of opposites was the main theme behind the creation; minimal but warm, understated yet rich,” said Rawan Muqaddas, founder of eponymous studio Rawan Muqaddas.

    “We wanted to retain the essence of the 1910 building by reinterpreting the original traditional details, which we were excited to build on,” she told Dezeen.
    “The previous owners of the apartment called this their home for decades, leaving behind layers of history and some areas that were left neglected.”
    Stained oak shelves line the back of the dining areaThe two studios transformed the single floor apartment into an open-plan living, kitchen and dining area. A handful of original features, such as the decorative cornice and bold skirting, were preserved.
    The living space now boasts views across the street from the two large bay windows, which had previously been obscured.
    Cream coloured paint lines the walls. Photo by Clement Pascal”The first thing that caught our eye was the 30-foot apartment frontage composed of the width across both bay windows,” recalled Muqaddas.
    “As it stood, the windows felt shy and in hiding; we wanted to do the opposite and celebrate the curve.”
    Large bay windows were made into a focal pointFloors in the apartment have been covered in warm wood, while the walls were painted in a creamy neutral colour. A couple of contemporary chairs frame the window and let the inhabitants enjoy the street views.
    “A warm colour palette was deployed to unify the spaces by way of gentle oak floors, cream-hued walls that contrasted with dark stone, and stained wood inset bookshelves,” said Selma Akkari, founder of Selma Akkari.
    A study area sits at the back of the room and could easily be swapped for a third bedroom if necessary, the designers said.

    Rawan Muqaddas designs Sloane Street Deli to be a “classic neighbourhood spot”

    The studios also retained the apartment’s curved interior arches that run through its core. These openings help create a feeling of space.
    “To encourage a dialogue between the interior and exterior, we wanted to carry through the historic curved facade into the curved interior arches,” Akkari told Dezeen.
    “This was the guiding theme throughout the process: opening up the front area as the living and dining space and dedicating the quieter area to the more private spaces at the back.”
    The apartment has oak flooringThe apartment now has an airy aluminium-clad kitchen with an island counter and a long marble shelf in place of overhead storage cabinets.
    “We were very attracted to contrasting and unexpected colours and textures, in particular, the brushed metal counter topped with a veiny marble, with a backdrop of dark smoked oak shelving,” said Akkari.
    The same warm palette is continued in the bedrooms. Photo by Clement PascalThe warm material palette continues in the master bedroom and second bedroom, where the same flooring and beige furnishings can be found.
    More Brooklyn interiors include a townhouse with a striking staircase by New York studio Space4Architecture and a family-friendly townhouse called Bed-Stuy by Brooklyn studio Civilian.
    Photography is by Sean Davidson unless stated otherwise.

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    Small Space Storage Tips + Making Room for What You Love

    One of the most important space considerations for me in our kitchen remodel is addressing our need for dish and hospitality storage. Our house isn’t huge (nor is it teeny!) so I need to be mindful of how we will use our space. I don’t like clutter, but I do love pretty objects to enjoy and use for hospitality.
    To me, clutter is defined as stuff you don’t use or love. If you don’t have room for it, it gets lost and starts to feel like clutter and you don’t use it.
    When we moved into our last house, our movers called us “book and decor” people. Ha! Apparently some people are decor folks. Some are book lovers. And we are the special ones who happen to love BOTH! Don’t I know it! Had he looked in our boxes, I might also have been called a DISHES person! 🙂 I don’t have as many as some people do, but I definitely love to have a few sets of mix and match dishes and serving pieces like cake plates, vases, platters, pitchers, etc.

    Think of a smaller space as FREEING, not limiting!
    Honestly I would probably keep a lot more if I had a bigger house :). With a smaller space, I have to make peace with the fact that I don’t have room for all of the things I *might *enjoy. Those thoughts probably sound limiting, but for me having less space can be freeing. Having less is actually one of the reasons I like having a smaller home.
    Perhaps you have a small house right now, or a small kitchen or are thinking of downsizing. I will say it can feel limiting if you decide to dwell on not having “enough” room for all of the things, but it’s also so FREEING to have some boundaries and priorities around how you’ll use your time, budget and space.
    Don’t get me wrong, I loved having bigger houses in the past for different reasons as well. Love whatever home you have and embrace what it is! Having less space gives you the opportunity to live differently, not necessarily better or worse! It’s all what you make of it and how you use the space you have.

    With a smaller space, you have come up with creative ideas to use your space really well. You are more likely to assess what you really need and love, versus what would be just fun or convenient.
    I find a smaller space gives me some helpful boundaries to focus on what I love the most, so that is exactly what I’m doing as I’m planning my kitchen remodel! I won’t have EVERYTHING I could ever want, and yet, I love that. It brings me peace to have less.
    Let your space help you define what you keep!
    Defining the space you have available or are able to use for certain activities or belongings can help you decide what to keep! When you don’t have room for it, you can’t keep it! It’s as simple as that if you don’t want clutter. Sometimes letting go of stuff seems so hard until you make peace with the fact that you simply do not have room. The more space we have, the more we might tend to hold onto even if we don’t use it very often. So having limited space isn’t necessarily a bad thing, use that mindset to help you pare down to what you really love and need.
    I’ve given away a lot in the past year, but we still have more than our new house can currently hold with the storage we have. Therefore, I will definitely need to pare down, especially once we have remodeled! The remodel will help us define more boundaries as far as what I can keep. Either I will have room for it, or I won’t. I don’t want to store things we don’t love or use regularly.

    Out of sight, out of mind can turn into more clutter
    Create storage that is useful and accessible so you can stay organized without getting overwhelmed by, losing or forgetting what you have! Having a basement or garage or storage room can feel like a blessing, but also a curse. Storing a lot of things means I don’t use things because I either forget I have them or don’t want to go on a hunt for them even if I love them!
    Of course, particularly in a smaller space, you also can’t keep everything accessible or out in the open or your house will also feel messy and cluttered. So the trick is to decide what storage you need or have that is easily available and to be honest with yourself about how much you are able to use and keep track of.
    Case in point, I still have lots of things in storage boxes right now from the move. It’s too much, so right now it both overwhelms me and I know I won’t use things because I can’t get to them easily. If we cannot create specific useful easy to locate places for the contents of the boxes in our remodel, they’ll have to go!

    Plan for a mix of open and closed storage
    Knowing I want to keep my dishes easily accessible, I’m planning to add lots of dish drawers and even some glass front cabinets and/or open shelves in or near my new kitchen so I can enjoy some of my favorites as decor. Having a mix of open and closed storage is important to make sure your spaces don’t feel cluttered, but still allows some you room to display the pretty things you love!

    Better utilize the space you have!
    I’m also planning to find ways to better organize and utilize our current mudroom (see more of our mudroom here) as well as to create storage in our new dining room. We won’t necessarily have room for everything I want to keep right in our kitchen, but we can use spaces nearby for them so they are still accessible. I can’t wait to show you some of the ideas we want to incorporate!

    Use freestanding cabinets for extra storage and charming display
    Right now we use the white freestanding glass cabinets that are really helpful. I’ve often used them in our homes to keep items accessible without creating clutter. If you don’t have enough storage or built ins, freestanding cabinets can be so handy! You’ll find a recent post on freestanding cabinets and similar sources HERE.

    Click HERE for cabinet sources above.

    So if you feel limited by a small space or overwhelmed by too much stuff, remember it can be so freeing to have less and to let go of what you don’t really need!
    More storage isn’t always a good thing if you end up with too much stuff.
    Less stuff is always a good idea, but you don’t have to be a minimalist to have a tidy house! Simplifying is rewarding, so make the process a gift to yourself.
    I wrote a book on simplifying your home called Make Room for What You Love and in it I talked about some of my own struggles with stuff as well as how I have learned to create more order in my house. It’s an ongoing process, especially if you are book and decor people AND are downsizing or changing your lifestyle like we are as empty nesters now :). Believe me, it’s not about doing it all perfectly! But it really is rewarding to feel in control of your home. If you haven’t read it, you can find it here. I hope it will encourage you to make more room in your home for what you really love.

    Looking for more ideas? You’ll find lots of organization posts HERE, and small space inspiration posts HERE! More