Small Space Lifts

Strange but true, I moved into Cynthia Nixon’s old apartment. Understand that the small space which I know call home was the real life Miranda’s home before she was a household name. You learn something fascinating when you take over someone else’s space - in my case it meant kitchen cabinets that were beyond reach (Ms. Nixon has several inches on me), a bathroom that screamed of über modern fixtures and formica cabinets in the bedroom that were a flashback from my childhood.

There was even a leftover shabby chic Moroccan faux blue chandelier right in my entrance way, so the empty space arguable had some eclectic appeal, but not necessarily for me.

I was faced with the reality that there would be no sex in this city apartment living under these circumstances. Change was in order but my budget constraints did not permit a total home makeover. Instead I decided to give my space a lift and here are some quick and easy renovations anyone can do in a dash and on a dime.

1.       Restore/Replace Dated Fixtures:  Take a look around your place –are there small accents that can be swapped out for something a little more up to date? I discovered that new teacup lamp shades can lighten up a dusty chandelier, my kitchen cabinets looked brand new once I replaced the bright blue knobs with pewter handles and putting in a new medicine cabinet in place of the old rusty one gave my bathroom a clean new.

2.       Fake It with Fabrics:  Though unsightly, those eleven foot high Formica cabinets in the bedroom were terrific storage units and replacing them would have cost several thousand dollars. So instead I hung a curtain rod across the room and hid the cabinets behind two sliding bolts of patterned fabric which are much prettier to the eye.  You can use the same technique to divide a small space or add color to a room without the task of painting or hanging expensive art work (consider framing a beautiful piece of material).  You can also use carpeting or rugs to cover up blemishes or scratches on wooden floors.

3.       Don’t Let Space go to Waste: The boxes that covered the radiators in the main and bedroom were cumbersome and space wasters. They were quickly transformed into extra seating space once I added a touch of paint and topped them with thin bench pillows. If you let your imagination run wild you can transform space into the unthinkable – an extra closet can become the home office you’ve always wanted, an empty hall may be a great spot for a makeup vanity and hanging a few bottle shelves, a wooden wine crate or rack can turn a spare corner into a cocktail bar.

4.      Make Pieces Multi-Functional: No need to get rid of all the clutter, just rethink how to use it. A garden bird bath can become a rustic end table --- just fill it with dried flowers and add a glass cover on top.  Likewise, oversized vases and urns make for excellent umbrella stands, an old door can become a new tabletop and if you’ve grown tired of an old mirror, save the frame and use it to display something else like.