The makings of a Murphy Bed...

 (source here)

I am a transplant.

Which, loosely interpreted, means that all of my family (and my husband's) lives more than three hours away from us. So, when they come and visit they are in need of a bed...or two. And we don't have a guest room...

In the past, they have rested their weary heads on our futon, a cot, Sophie's bed or ours. It all winds up feeling like a serious case of musical beds, and it really wasn't working very well for anyone.

The handyman to the rescue!!!!!!

(This is the handyman):

He is also my husband, for those who might have been 

wondering.

Anyway, he is very handy. He buys us coffee:

 He fixes things and, more importantly, builds me things:

 And he is a very good father:

 

 But don't go getting the idea that he is perfect.

He is very messy, and he can never find anything!

Can yours?

Well, this handyman is also a problem solver and to solve our lack of a guest room issue he has built us a Murphy bed!!

From Wikipedia:  A Murphy bed (a North American term only), also called a Pull Down Bed, is a bed that is hinged at one end to store vertically against the wall, or inside a closet or cabinet. To achieve this, the mattress is attached to the bed frame, often with elastic straps.

  

I have secretly always wanted a Murphy bed. After seeing them on television shows in the late Seventies, I hankered for one of my own. And a futon just didn't cut it!

If you search Murphy beds on Google images you won't find anything all that inspiring. Because, let's face it, they are a hulking piece of furniture, aren't they? On a recent episode of HGTV's Bang for Your Buck, the homeowners spent more than $10,000 on making one that more seamlessly blends in to the room, mimicking an armoire/entertainment unit.

Well, ours is costing decidedly less than that (we purchased the mechanics at Lee Valley), and the handyman is going to do his best to make ours looks as handsome as possible. We hope to have it completed within the next two weeks and I will reveal the final product then. This is the only example that is appealing to me at this point:

(source here)

After costruction is totally complete, I will just have to paint it, dress it in pretty bedding and tell some guests to...

"Come on Down!"

Storage...like no other

Storage. We all could use more of it, and would need less of it if we could only bite down and purge. Still for those of us who can't seem to make do with the storage space we have, yet seek stylish options to do so, here is a round-up of storage ideas that pack not only great functionality, but superb style in every cranny.

Stylish and creative concealment:

Awkward corner meets fabulous built-in:

Statuesque floor-to-ceiling catch-all...for those pesky pillows...

Bookshelves that not only store collectibles, but do double-duty as a headboard:

Bumped-out niches make for beautiful built-ins:

What is your best example of finding creative storage solutions in your own home?

Photo sources:

image one: Cottage Living.com
image two: House to Home.com

image three: Windsor Smith

image four: Country Home.com

image five: Rate My Space.com

Ending on a small note...

Well, so much for signing on to do a series of posts. Remember way back when I began my series on small space decorating and didn't finish it? I guess I'm too flighty to commit to a series of anything, at least on a daily basis...

I guess it also makes me a serial failure, or something like that...

Luckily for me, some of you came to my rescue. When I asked for reader input, I actually got a couple of contributions, which did well to prod me into finishing what I started.

Vee of A Haven for Vee sent me these photos of little tricks she pulled out of her sleeve to tackle storage issues in her lovely home. I don't know if I'd consider Vee's home small, but it is most definitely cozy!

As Vee explains, "I have a small home even though it has a basement and a second story...a story and a half house "the carpenter" tells me. Anyway, those knee walls can be interesting. One side of the roof was raised with a dormer that runs nearly the length of the house creating some unique spaces with unusual angles.

One of those spaces is behind my bed. I disguise and use it this way. A screen purchased from HomeGoods several years back sits right behind the bed. Behind that screen is the awkward space, which proves just enough room for Christmas storage."

Continues Vee, "Also included is the picture of an old handbag...broken zipper...that I use instead of a nightstand...it's just enough for the remote, a few tissues, my lip balm, even a book. This saves me a lot of room!"

While visiting my sister's blog the other day, I was reminded of this ingenious use of the space under the eaves, so common in Cape-Cod style homes. This little nook is a walk-in closet for those under four feet tall. It is like a secret little hide-away for little girls who love clothes!

Ohdeedoh is one of my favourite sites to glean inspiration when decorating a kid's space. This home-owner made perfect use of the floor space in her child's room by elevating the bed and using the space underneath for cool storage. Can you say, Ikea storage unit? Brilliant!

Many of you have seen this example of red and white perfection in the pages of Country Home:

It is my all-time favourite home office eked out of a living room, no less! I love it all: the skirted desk area (hiding the ugly elements of an office, no doubt), and the red storage boxes. Even bills would look pretty in those!

Another of my readers was very generous with her small space living ideas. Jen of A Thousand Words is a South African girl living in England. She writes: "Organising is one of my passions. Since we live in England I've had to come up with creative storage solutions to maximise the limited space that the houses over here afford. I've been inspired by projects online as well as come up with my own ideas."

And great ideas they are!

Check out the little pantry she carved out of her basement stairwell:

I love these little buckets she hung in her foyer to stash keys, cell phones, etc.:

She also did this:

Says Jen, "I cut down empty 2-pint plastic milk bottles and used them (and a cut-down cardboard box) to organise our stationery baskets"

**Follow this link to see how she organizes plastic containers and lids.

This next idea is genius, yet simple.

(before)

(after) According to Jen, "It took me fifteen minutes to quickly put up a bar between the cupboard and the wall and add a hanging shoe organiser from IKEA. "

Next Jen tackled the dreaded toy storage issue...even more dreaded when residing in a smaller home. The toys sit happily in this unit...just waiting to be played with.This idea speaks to the importance of incorporating built-ins when living within a smaller blue-print.

Jen has more great organization and storage tricks up her sleeve. In fact, next time, I think I'll just hand the baton over to her and get her to write any further small space living posts. She is clearly the expert here!! In fact, read this post for more great organization tips!

So, that's it for now. I will return with more solutions for living large in a small home...I just won't commit to a time-table! Thanks to those who offered up their own inspiration, and for those who still think living well in a small home can't be done:

I mean that in the nicest way, of course!!

A Small Offering...

I am a bit under the weather, so here is my paltry attempt at a post on small space storage ideas:

I have the same bucket storage piece (from Ikea):

(top three photos: Country Home...sniff)

Don't you love this creative use of what looks to be a towel bar or curtain rod?

photo: Jelte Photography (used with permission)

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Oh, and for those with larger spaces, check this out: image:

Jelte Photographie (used with permission).

Dreamy, no?

To see more great photography, check out her blog!

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Back soon!!

Big solutions for small spaces... (Part 3)

Now that we've all decided that small homes can serve up ample comfort, let's examine how we can stretch the boundaries of our less is more rule.

One of the most common complaints I hear from home-owners is the lack of a mudroom or catch-all area for those coming and going though our door(s). Because I have already examined this exact issue, I will simply refer you to this post...and this one, and show you great examples of optical illusion mudrooms:

photo: Coastal Living

photo: Jean Allsopp

photo: BHG.com

These old lockers, reclaimed from a school, make excellent storage and take up very little room. They could serve as not only a mini-mudroom, but also a pantry, utility cupboard and more.

photo: My Home Ideas.com

A separate laundry room is often another fantasy of small-home-owners. Many older homes relegated the laundry area to the basement. As if the endless flow of laundry isn't dreary enough! If you have the budget to hire a plumber, check to see of you can install your machines in a closet on the upper floors. If your linen closet is ample, perhaps you can invest in stacking machines, which still enables you to have some linen storage space. The example below is an ideal example of a recessed laundry area. The front-loading appliances allow for a counter-top to be installed...offering up a surface to fold clothes, store laundry supplies or, alternately, even serve as a seasonal wrapping station!

When space is at a premium, having a home office can seem like a pipe dream. However, if you give up the notion that your office needs four walls and a large desk, you just might be able to squeeze one in. If you can spare it, empty out a little used closet and install shelving, a small work surface and a task light, and you will have the perfect place to catch up on emails, do online banking, or read...blogs!! If every closet is in use, then start tapping! Investigate whether there are any recesses that can be hollowed out (not a technical term) and retro-fitted with your future office space! The photo below best illustrates just how great an idea this is. I love the use of curtains on a simple cafe rod to hide computer guts, filing cabinets, and the inevitable jumble of electrical cords that come with the territory. Simply pull up a stool, and get to work. A similar set-up can also work well as a craft/wrapping area, child's homework station, or message center for a busy family. In this example, a hallway or pass-through serves as a very useful command central for all the members of this family. Remember, when space is limited, go up! Use the vertical spaces in your home to your advantage. In this case, books, photo albums, photos, and magazines are neatly tucked away, but within easy reach when needed.
Another great example of how hidden storage areas are lurking within one's walls is shown over at Chris' Just Beachy blog. Chris went poking around and solved a storage issue she was having in her bathroom.Chris is a master of transforming a smaller home into a home that lives large. She uses each and every nook and cranny to its best advantage. While her home is not small, it also is not considered large by many standards. High ceilings help it to feel more spacious and airy, and Chris has maximized the functionality of her home with true finesse. She even offers up a great solution for organizing the overflow of magazines so many of us have.

An actual guest room to put visiting family is something I can only dream of. At present, we only have a futon in my husband's office where we retreat to when company comes. I always insist that our parents use our bed (as we all know how comfortable they are), but the situation is less than ideal. When just our mothers visit (one at a time, of course), we often give them Sophie's room, and she piles into our bed. Another less than perfect solution! So, I am in search of a better solution. I love this glorious, decadent daybed, which has a pull-out trundle. Great for sleep-overs for friends and cousins, but somehow I don't see my father sleeping comfortable on that! Not to mention, it is in a huge room...in an obviously huge house!! Still, I threw in that photo for our viewing pleasure...~sigh~

I think the ideal solution to this problem is to have a Murphy bed. Some even multi-task as a slick office area and bed. I saw them at a home show a while back, and they seem like the perfect solution. Now just to find a pretty one...or the plans to make one. Paul...???

Liz at Violet Posy shared her solution to this common small space dilemma: "...when we upgraded our double bed to a super-king, we gave the old double to our then 3 year old daughter. It means that if we have guests to stay they can have her room and she has the princess blow up bed in our room." As the British say, brilliant! Right, Liz??

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In keeping with my tiny house tours, here is the most amazing link to the most adorable, tiny homes. It was brought to my attention by Jen. Go tell her thanks for making us all feel better about our small homes!!

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Next time, we will look at some survival tactics for dealing with the (ahem) shortcomings of living in a smaller space. Storage, furniture selection, colours, organization. We are on the case!!

Living Small (part two)

Small space living has become (although not restricted to) a catch-phrase for those who desire to live in trendy, up-scale areas of a city (or decent apartments in any major city). Those who simply live in a small house because that's what they can afford or because they actually like nesting in a smaller house, don't really call it anything...except maybe, home. As I mentioned yesterday, small homes were the norm for middle-class families when I was growing up (in the seventies). The eighties,and its tendency to embrace excesses like Southfork, shoulder pads, and teased hair, saw an up-swing in those wanting more space. More space to entertain, finished basements to corral teenagers, man-rooms (I hate that term), and walk-in closets to house those shoulder pads. We became entrenched in the belief that bigger is better, and the lines between what we wanted and what we needed became blurred indeed.

The 21st century finds us in several camps: those who want cosy yet functional homes that serve our need for creativity, comfort, and function; those who wish to reduce their environmental footprint and actually take clear steps to do so; those of us who straddle the fence in-between; those who either cannot afford or care not about such things; and those who continue to live large because it works for them and their family. With the mortgage crisis as it is, it will be interesting to see where the next ten years will take us - and its impact on the homes we choose and how we live in these homes. Will we embrace alternative heating methods, environmentally benign building materials, and return to more modest blue-prints when building/choosing our homes?

Alas, that is another topic for another time...

Next up: the fun and challenge in making a small home work for you and your families. I will be offering up inspiration, ideas, and tips, but will also be looking to you to share your input, ideas and photos. I am particularily looking for photos of any of your homes wherein you carved out functional spaces where you didn't think you'd find them. Storage tips; built-ins; how you overcame obstacles like lack of guest rooms, laundry areas, play areas...all ideas are welcomed!

**Email me your ideas, photos, links, or simply leave a comment sharing your solutions to the challenges of small-space living.

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If you think the other house I showed you yesterday is small, check this one out. It is actually ridiculous, but there just might be someone dumb enough to buy it! Or maybe they're smart...what do I know? If it gets them closer to Hugh Grant, they might actually be genius..I just don't know where they will put him!