Make the Most of Small Spaces

Let the Light In

When curtain rods extend beyond the window frames, it allows in more light and draws the eye outward. “Windows are the eyes of the room,” says Maxwell Gillingham-Ryan, the author of Apartment Therapy (Bantam, $15, amazon.com. “When you cover them up, you make your place smaller.”
 

Center the Room

“People in small spaces often try to get the room they want by moving stuff to the edges,” says Gillingham-Ryan. “But it kills warmth.” To enliven the space, he suggested a sociable triangle consisting of a Chris Madden classic sofa, a Room & Board Flynn club chair, and a slipper chair moved from the bedroom. The neutral-colored Ikea Inez rug helps unify the room. Pier 1 Imports Lijang hexagonal trunks are combined to form a coffee table (unfortunately, these items are no longer available).