Small House Gets Big Style

The couple has been trying to renovate the living and dining area since day one, but after hours of labor, sweat and tears, they have run out of steam.

After working themselves into an unhappy state of emotional and physical exhaustion, they contacted Divine Design with their "Design 9-1-1." So I sent out an all-points bulletin to my whole crew to see if we could rescue this half-finished renovation and give the couple some breathing space.

The intention here was to use every inch of available space and make the tiny living/dining room area (previously two rooms) seem bigger than its boots. I set out to accomplish this with a variety of space-expanding ideas, involving sophisticated and unique ways of using color, fabrics, flooring, lighting and furniture.

People tend to think a particular color will help make a room look larger or smaller. In reality, it is the contrast, not the color, that adds space and dimension. In Hanem and Cameron's room, I used low-contrast colors for the walls, fabrics and draperies in order to allow the eye to move fluidly around the room and not get stuck on any one area.

I painted the walls a soft sage color (with cream for the ceiling and trim), chose linen and silk fabrics of tan, cream and sage, and selected light beige and cream colors for the main pieces of furniture.

To help the room appear larger, I also put down a dark, walnut-stained hardwood floor that flows continuously from the dining room into the living room and then carries over into the foyer, where I put down a gray and brown ceramic tile.

Lighting also helped the miniature space appear larger. After upgrading the wiring, I added soft, recessed lighting around the perimeter of the room to accent certain areas and added a contemporary fixture above the dining-room table.

The only natural light in the room came from its one small window, so I created a window treatment consisting of both cream sheers and linen panels with horizontal bands of tan and sage that hang far outside the actual windowpane to provide the illusion of size.

When it came to choosing furniture and accents, I kept a few older, antique favorites that were near and dear to the couple, but also chose other, more contemporary, pieces that helped to maximize the space. These included a large, beige sectional, a loveseat and chair without arms, a full-size floor mirror, and comfy, upholstered dining room chairs that can transition into the living room if extra seating is needed.

Perhaps the biggest space saver in this area was the complete transformation of a quirky bulkhead area into a wall of cabinetry, shelving and a new, elevated, electric fireplace that is visible from the dining-room table.

The final touches included building a small closet to hide any disorder and choosing a few small accents such as vases, candlesticks and throw pillows that add dimension--but not clutter--to the room.

By using low-contrast fabrics and finishes, a cool and compact fireplace/storage unit, and the perfect scale of furniture and lighting, the once-cramped area is now a comfortable room that is both big on space and style. How divine!

(Interior decorator Candice Olson is host of Home & Garden Television's Divine Design.)