Small Space Solutions for Kitchens and Living Rooms

Online lifestyle editor Briana and mobile developer Buzz fully maximized every inch of their 700-square-foot Brooklyn loft thanks to great space planning and smart, space-saving solutions.

Although the tight living room of Briana and Buzz's Brooklyn loft only has 10-by-12-feet of useable space, it seems open, airy and spacious thanks to a great space plan and a plethora of space saving solutions — some simply practical, others decorative.

Starting with an apartment-sized, three-seater sofa centered on the left-hand wall, Briana and Buzz arranged the space around it to maximize the flow of their loft's living room. They took focus off of the room's lack of space by grounding the area with an oversized area rug featuring a bold, graphic print. Instead of adding a bulky, horizontal bookcase to the spatially-challenged room, the couple opted for tall, metal book towers they placed by in the window. The vertical arrangement instantly turned their cherished photography books and novels into a sculptural focal point while still keeping the collection neatly organized.

Briana and Buzz decided to keep the majority of their living room's walls white to help bounce light around the room and create an open, airy aesthetic. The couple relied on color, however, to delineate the seating area, painting the wall behind their sofa in a cool robin's egg blue tone. They employed this designer's trick to redirect attention away from a room's lack of space and onto an intended focal point.