Decorating Small Spaces

As I've previously mentioned in July I moved to London to start my first job and live as an independent woman. Turning to Spare Room I found a beautiful old house super close to work that was ideal, the one hitch? The room was pretty small, and so I got to work making the most of my small space!
When it came to storage my bed (yes a single bed, in all my 21 years only 1 year of that was spent sleeping in anything bigger then a single, ahh second year university memories) came with two large underbed boxes. Don't underestimate under bed storage, I keep things like bed sheets and towels under here, things I don't need day to day I can pull out when need be. Before moving in me and my mum took a visit to IKEA. Is any house move complete without a trip to IKEA? Probably, but I love an excuse to go. Here we picked up the furniture for my new place.

 I would like to stop and brag for a moment here that I put both these units up by myself, yes I almost cried at one point because my hand hurt and nothing seemed to quite be fitting correctly...but I did it, and they're still standing! The tall unit was especially perfect because of the folding mirror in the top, with the smaller drawers underneath it this provides the perfect place for me to do my makeup in a morning since I have no dressing table.

Storing my makeup this way means everything is visible, there's no sad blusher at the bottom of a drawer I forget about so that's a plus! My makeup brushes are kept in pots behind the mirror as well as my clear lipstick holder (which with the addition of my Charlotte Tilbury lipsticks is only one slot away from being full!). Unfortunately there was no room for a wardrobe which means I really had to streamline my wardrobe before moving. You should have seen how many bags of clothes I sent to the charity shop, shameful. I fold as much as I can and keep things I wear day to day aka my work wardrobe, and anything that would crease hung up on my door.

Hooks on hooks on hooks... I'm pretty sure I picked up both these things at either Primark or Wilkos and together they provide me with ample places to hook clothes hangers and coats etc. This obviously isn't ideal but with no other options is a great way to utilise space and keep the majority of my clothes wrinkle free.

While at IKEA we also picked up a shelf which gives me more surface space to keep things like my books and my box of nail varnishes. Things that I don't want stored away but without book shelves or dressing tables don't really have anywhere else to go. Since my room's pretty thin I placed this one above my bed so it didn't feel like it imposed on the small bit of walkway I have by my bed.

I have quite a bit of artwork in my room since I like walls to be full. By my shelf I used washi tape from Tiger - though I'd recommend getting some from Paperchase if you can, it's way stickier - to stick up three posters I bought from Paris years ago and have somehow managed to stay intact through University. One day I'll probably frame these but at the moment I like the contrast they provide against my framed prints on the opposite wall.

On my main wall I have a selection of framed pictures. The ones in the top photo were all postcards I got while in Oia which I absolutely adore. The three black and white photos are copies of old photos from various Greek islands and I think they look pretty cool next to the old map of Santorini. I got these frames for £1/£2 at Tiger and the postcards themselves were only a euro a pop, proving you don't have to spend loads when it comes to decorating. I then have two much larger photos and these Norman Parkinson prints are actually from IKEA believe it or not, which has a surprisingly good range of photos, prints and canvases (if I'd had more room the Klimt canvas would have been mine).

I wouldn't say there's a particular scheme when it comes to my room but as you can probably tell a lot of my furniture is white. Right down to my white wicker bin and the small white woven box which I keep my shoes in. I like to add colour through accessories like my green glass lamp and these bright cushions which were from IKEA and the Matthew Williamson collection at Debenhams which I adore. If you want bright boho homeware definitely head to Debs to check it out. As time goes on I'd like to inject more colour into the room but at the moment I like the simplistic style I have going on. My bedside is where I store all my jewellery on a Kath Kidston tray I picked up in the sale, there wouldn't really be anywhere for a jewellery box and I quite like having it all out so I can easily pick out what I want to wear that day.

And of course what room would be complete without a bit of greenery? I now live in fear of forgetting to water and thus killing this baby orchid, really a cactus probably would have been a better option...

And there we go, a sort of room tour come advice on how to make the most out of your small room. Just try and maximise what storage you have and be tidy, nothing makes a room feel smaller then clutter and mess (so do what I do and hide it all under the bed, top tip there.) If you know anywhere in London or online that sell interesting prints send em my way because I'd love to pick up some more to fill out my walls!

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Labels: Lifestyle