Need advice on furnishing and decorating a small home

11 years ago

last modified: 11 years ago

My new home for my two boys (8 & 12), our small dog & myself (Dad), looks and feels like a cabin in the woods. It's approx. 550 sq', with a detached 1 car plus storage garage with (W/D). It has just been remodeled and updated with a new kitchen, bath and floors (tile in kitchen/bath & hardwood throughout the rest).
The family room is approx. 11x11, the two bedrooms are appox. 9x8.5 not including the small closets, the bathroom is cramped with a full bath, toilet, pedestal sink & medicine cabinet. There's a small guest closet in the family room and a gas fireplace as well.
Would love some advice on making the best of our new space to call home. My boys will live with me 50% of the time.
I have yet to purchase any items for the home. I'm thinking they'll need to be multifunctional i.e. sleeper sofa, coffee table that doubles as a dinning surface, inflatable mattress that can be stored away when not in use, bar stools at kitchen counter. My hope is to have one bedroom dedicated for sleep and the other to be an office/study area with optional sleeping.
Choosing styles, colors and shapes is hard for me unless I see it all put together.
I've attached some photos to give a sense of the current look and feel.
Thanks for your advice!

Featured Answer

Nancy Travisinteriors

11 years ago

Check World Market, former Cost Plus. For small furniture. Right now they have ad running for a small sofa with a end chaise. Get a round coffee table 24" in a metal, for easy clean. 2 bar stools for your very nice remodeled kitchen. Go a color, then add that color to sofa in pillows. In office I would instead do bunk beds. With a small high boy dresser. Let the boys pick bedding and art for their room. In Master next to Queen bed, add a small desk and chair for computer ect. Use that as your office. Add a small table on other side of bed with a lamp. Add lamp to desk. Get bedding in a bag. That way it's easy to do. Go a color, simple. Bed, Beth n Beyond good source. IKEA also a good source for furn and price is good. For living rm go a low media in dark wood for flat screen TV. Get a big screen 50" it will work even in small room. It's good for games. Are floors carpet or wood? If wood area rug 5x7 to go home n front of sofa is nice. Also by beds. Don't forget sheets get high thread count over 600. So they are soft, the higher the number the softer the sheets. Buy good towels, always buy white sheets and white towels. Just easier to wash. Also dishes go white. IKEA a good place for that too. Ck art at IKEA there's a big skyline in black and white which would look good over sofa. Hang 7" above top of sofa. a small chair for life living rm. end tables next to sofa small just get one side and n other put a floor lamp. Go a contemporary look stainless is good. Again IKEA. In your bedrm a floor mirror you can lean on wall 6 ft wide dark frame IKEA. good for getting dressed. Buy end tables that have storage, you will need it. Under the bed storage is always good too. I would not do air mattress, not comfortable and to temporary. Make your kids feel this is their home to, with real beds and some of their belongings they can leave there. Good luck.

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Comments (30)

PRO
karen paul interiors
11 years ago
Do you have furniture to place? Also, where would you like to begin? We really need more information and guidance.
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zazfuzzroc
11 years ago
last modified: 11 years ago
If your family room is smaller, I would look into possibly a love seat or smaller sofa and chair, instead of a large sofa. Same look, but better fit. I like the wall color. I think the kitchen is nice. I really like the backsplash tile. Love the door in the kitchen too. A nice roman shade on the door would be cute. Also match that on the window or a coordinating fabric valance. Hope that helps a bit. It's a nice home. I wish you and your boys many happy times there. Good luck! Anything else, ask away. ;)
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lavidadesign
11 years ago
I think multifunctional furniture is a great idea, but before purchasing anything, don't forget to take accurate measurements of your space! Scale and proportion would be very important as you have small space! I think sliding door solutions can help too! We have a house with very similar conditions and we are going to apply sliding doors in many places to save space. Also gallery bed would be great idea for the boys! Underneath they will have space to study and/or play! In terms of colours you should maybe post more photos to get better advice on it! :)
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zazfuzzroc
11 years ago
Yes, please measure. That's great advice for any space, big or small. :)
zazfuzzroc
11 years ago
Possibly a trundle bed for your boys would be a great space saver. Good luck! :)
zazfuzzroc
11 years ago
They do have coffee tables that have a top that can raise for eating. It's hinged. :)
stryker
11 years ago
I would think that with the boys spending 50% of the time with you that you would need to have both bedrooms be bedrooms. My guess is that an inflatable mattress or sleeper sofa would be out all of the time. Too much work to put it away, leading to too much clutter. You won't be able to walk! It would be like parkour. Obstacle courses belong outside.

Can you measure things out and provide us with a floor plan? Grid paper makes that easier. Do you have any idea of what style you like? Or hate? Colors?

Cute house.
zazfuzzroc
11 years ago
Any thoughts on your space yet? :)
z2a6025
Original Author
11 years ago
Wow - Thank you so much!! Great advice!!
apple_pie_order
11 years ago
The boys need their own bedroom with real beds. Use bunkbeds, there isn't room for anything else. Ikea makes inexpensive, well designed things, including small dressers. You can get bedding there, too.
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lucidos
11 years ago
Hi z2. Yes please give us a floor plan no matter how rough it is. Hand drawn even. Include windows and doorways. It can be a close approximation.

Since you will have the boys a good chunk of time - I suggest that your home feel just as real to them as the other home they live in. Kids shouldn't feel like afterthoughts. For the room that they will be sharing I would suggest stacked Murphy beds.

There are so many space savers it all depends on how your place is laid out.

But yes sketch it all out including the laundry area and lets work some magic.
lucidos
11 years ago
Oh and if money is an issue then you can create something like this with a bit of ingenuity and a drill and saw. There is also great 3 Amigos seating so everyone has a place to be.
z2a6025
Original Author
11 years ago
Thank you to everyone for all the great advice! Here is a sketch of the layout and some more pictures. Thanks again!!
z2a6025
Original Author
11 years ago
More Pictures of the interior
lucidos
11 years ago
last modified: 11 years ago
I plotted out the rooms and tried a number of configurations for furnishings. Trying to give as much storage as possible. So along with my initial picks I came up with a chair closet and either a storage bench or a computer armoire at the entry. The folding dining set (with chairs) would be great and it will tuck in a corner easily.

The best layout for your living room - so as not to create a traffic issue and to have everyone comfortable was the recliner I listed earlier and adding a screen on the living room side of the counter to put the TV and media center.

Also a storage bed with drawers under the bed for the master bedroom. This way you can put a double bed in the room...possibly a queen.
apple_pie_order
11 years ago
@lucidos: kind of you to draw the plan out in 3-d. How would bunk beds fit in the boys' bedroom?
lucidos
11 years ago
I'm thinking the fold away bunk beds as I pictured earlier in the post. The white unit is sized to represent that in the 3d rendering. Just not sure of the window locations in the bedrooms.

Here is another version..If you can build the structure yourself the pneumatic kits cost about $ 300 per bed.
stryker
11 years ago
I vote for bunk beds in the small bedroom. Unless z2 and his kids are unusually neat, those beds will be down all the time and it didn't look to me like there was enough room to have two twins.

It looks like the cable line is coming out of the solid wall by the windows. The tv might need to go there. How about putting a long low storage unit on this wall, the tv on top, and a 7 foot couch facing that? When you walked in the front door you would be walking behind the couch.

Eating could be done with lucidos' folding dining set or just little folding or nesting tables in front of the couch.
lucidos
11 years ago
Rendered
PRO
Cancork Floor Inc.
11 years ago
I love the "bunk bed" murphy bed! Awesome idea!
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stryker
11 years ago
Still looking to see if z2 likes our ideas.
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zazfuzzroc
11 years ago
HAPPY CANDY DAY!!!! :D
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z2a6025
Original Author
11 years ago
I really appreciate all the ideas and feedback I've gotten from everyone!!
The 3D rendering & murphy bunks are awesome!!
Do to space limitations, I'm considering putting a queen size sofa sleeper against the front door that will face the wall that's next to the fridge - put a TV & storage units along that wall and using the kitchen door only for entering/exiting. The kitchen counter next to the stove facing the family room extends out and can be used as a seating/eating area as well.
Since we won't really have a place/room to call our own I'm thinking of setting up zones. The zones will be the two bedrooms, family room, and garage. I want three great areas to sleep, study, have time together & alone. Thanks in advance for everything!!
lucidos
11 years ago
I think you made a great choice Otherwise you will be tripping over each other and everyone needs a space that's their own. Problem is which kid or does dad get the common area :)
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z2a6025
Original Author
11 years ago
The sleeper sofa's that I'm considering for purchase come in a matera seafoam green (leather), veelife cappuccino (fabric), & matera chestnut (leather). Thoughts??
zazfuzzroc
11 years ago
Hi, personally I love my leather, cleans up real easy. I'm not sure where you live, but it does have a chill to it in the winter months. Although it becomes acclimated to your body temperature within minutes. I'm always cleaning up and worrying about material, but that's just me. :) But I think your smart, if you go the material route, I personally would go dark. Like your posted picture. Good luck! :)
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PRO
Judith Grossman Decorating
11 years ago
Just an FYI, be careful about blocking exits from your home. If there is every a fire, you want all exits available. With that said, you can get love seats that are sleepers and full size chairs that fold out to a bed, all adding extra sleeping spaces for your needs. I do agree with everyone that the kids need to have a space that they can call their own, even if they don't use it regularly. Also, I love the coffee table/dining room table option. My husband and I often eat in front of the TV while watching a moving. I know there is a lot of talk about dinner/eating around the table providing needed family communication, but it can be accomplished around the entertainment center too.
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lucidos
11 years ago
Unless you plan on adding a sofa loving beast to the mix either is fine. Word of caution though make sure the sleeper sofa mattress is the thick I'm going to be using it every night type memory foam 5 1/2" with a zip off cover or that it can fit one.
z2a6025 thanked lucidos
Sid Wax
10 years ago
I definitely like the loft-bed idea (someone referred to it as a gallery bed. Lots of college kids have them, and it is like having an extra bedroom. Any of the fold-up ideas, Murphy bed, trundle bed, or folding sofa get very crowded at bedtime in a small space, and for half time that would be inconvenient. Bunk beds avoid thge bedtime conversion, but take up more floor-space. The loft bed, with say a desk underneath, takes up very little extra floor space.