Small City Spaces

In cities where space is a premium, if you live alone, try giving the room a look that reflects you. If you are the happy type, try bright vibrant colors and if you are the passionate type try darker, richer shades that reflects your character. Remember, your imagination is the limit so play around to get the look you do desire to achieve. Don�t have much for new furniture, walk around the block and look for garage sales and thrift store where you can get stuff that still works but at half the price. Weekend markets where all kinds of stuff are sold is a good place to get theme pieces that will accent your space. An antique lamp, a brass candle holder you fix onto the wall whatever you might fancy you can get in them, just remember the limited space you have for a good buy might just find it’s way back to the place it came from. If you own stuff you don�t like, get rid of it for it acts as a sort of reminder of how much you hate it everytime you see it.

No problem for the weekend interior designer that is you. Try to use multifunction furniture that serves a multitude of purposes. A single sofa-bed that turns into a couch and recliner would be a good addition. Try small desks and hanging cabinets so your space down below can still be used. Old room, give it a splash of new paint and try replacing hardware (cabinet handles, Door handles, etc.) with modern ones to give them a sudden modern look. Try furniture on casters that you can move around easily so if you ever decide on changing the look of your room it becomes a breeze to do so.

An old fireplace can house a television or fit a small refrigerator within it’s cavity. Got an antique refrigerator heirloom form the old house that doesn’t work? Use it as a Television rack. Get those glass tops you mount from the sides like clamps and store away. Light plays wonders in a small room. Use mirrors and allow a lot of natural light in to make it look spacious even if it really isn’t. Want to save more space with the TV? Get those projector type ones that hang on the ceiling projecting the image onto a blank white wall, no space consumed at all? TV addict with no space, mount them on swing arms so you can turn them anyway allowing you’re to move is as you move around to cook, work and sleep.

One sure way to maximize space is canvas closet dividers/organizers that hang from the ceiling. They come in all configurations with bag cubicles, and other space for lots of other stuff. You could even get one with closing flaps to prevent dirt from entering your clothes and other stuff. For a more durable look, you could opt for wooden screw on organizers that come in kits complete with fasteners, wall hangers, and shelves and other hardware that allows wasted space to be divided into several smaller and more useful spaces. Wood is more durable and will last a lot longer than canvass but it will also cost more.

Ever wonder what’s under the corner of your counter top that goes on a right angle? Well, if the drawers and other storage space all face in the same direction, then there’s nothing there. If you want to use that square meter or so of space that is wasted, try to look for corner Suzan’s. Remember that round thingy’s in the middle of the round family tables of old; they were called lady Suzan’s for they allowed everybody on the table to reach everything on that round table that swivels around. Now add a couple of layers and you have a corner Suzan that would fit most corners with an angled door.

However small your space may be, lighting plays an important part in the overall look of your home. Ambiance lighting focusing on your home’s unique aspects such as artwork and other unique stuff brings it to light taking out attention on the unwanted parts such as closets. High ceilings can be given some dramatic effects by using several multicolored LED lights focused on the ceiling blending into unique hues playing around as you shift from space to space. Read the rest of this entry »

City life has become very difficult, jobless rates on the rise and not enough jobs to go around for the millions who lost them since the economic crunch began. There are lot of simple yet very effective green tips for small city spaces such as apartments and similar spaces that can be easily upgraded to green status. Changing the bathroom fixtures with water saving fixtures that use less water or selecting water recycling sinks that sends wash water to the water tank of the commode, for use in flushing down solid waste. Read the rest of this entry »

People who want to take part in the greening of the city can do more than just having plants all over the place to ease the impact of those harsh cinder block walls. Green toilets that have wash basins on top as cover saves you a lot in terms of flushing power for the water you wash with is the same water you use to flush your toilets. Water saving toilets are also around that are more efficient than older models yet can flush even the heaviest dinners easy with more powerful jets that use half the volume of water.
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We’ve emphasized it again and again, green is in. Not just with respect to the building and materials used but with respect to gardens that can be grown anywhere. From pots and pans to purpose built planting boxes from garden supplies, they allow city slickers to bring in the green.
Plants have a good influence on your overall health due to their ability to produce oxygen. They also have the ability to filter the air within such confined spaces making it healthier and green is pleasing to the eye soothing those tired souls from a long day’s work. Gardening is also proven to be a stress-buster for it takes your mind away from your regular stress loads allowing you to enjoy and marvel at the beauty of nature.

Image Source:pro.corbis.com

1. Floor. Rugs in each of the areas in your loft is a nice idea to keep your toes warm and fuzzy whether first thing in the morning or at night. Don’t forget the welcome mat in your front door, to keep the dust away.
2. Walls and Windows. Depending on the size and location of your window, you can use either blinds or shutters or sheer curtains to regulate the amount of light coming into your loft and to provide privacy. Some lofts are quite dark, while others are flooded with light especially in the morning.
3. Hang painting or pictures on your walls vertically to take advantage of wall space.
4. High Ceilings. Loft usually have high ceilings with exposed duts and beams. To lower your ceiling visually and hide the exposed ducts and beams, paint it a darker shade.

The beauty and excitement in decorating lofts lies in the fact that there are no rules to follow!