If your small place is furnished, you may have to think of getting rid of furniture that does not serve the purpose of is not practical for the space.  Sell it, donate it, or give it away.  Look at the different rooms and ask yourself if they serve the purpose according to your lifestyle.  For example, if you never have any staying- over guests ( and think that this will not change much in the future) but you work at home a lot, then get rid of the guest bedroom and convert it into an office.  Buy a small size sofa bed that you can convert into a bed if the need arises.

Look at every piece of furniture and ask yourself if you really use it, or need it.  In this process, you will have to pare down some things and declutter your home.  Most important, you will have to get rid of any doubles.  By doing this, you will find that you do not need some pieces of furniture that were just storing extra stuff.  Get rid of any piece of furniture that has become an extra, and pieces that are too big or clunky, for the space.

Take a look at each room, identify the purpose for the room, and now select the furnishings for it.  If the room serves a double purpose, because you live in a very small cottage – such as living room and dining room together – then, think of practicality and convenience.  Instead of a sofa and loveseat, you may need a love seat and a chair.  On the other side of the room, you may place a small round dining room table or a long skinny table.  Use chairs that are comfortable and easy to move to the sitting area if you need more sitting.  Use chairs in neutral fabrics or that coordinate with your loveseat and chair to create unity in the room.  Aside from those furnishings, what else do you need in that room?  A coffee or end table may be needed.  In addition, a small cabinet to store some electronics, if you truly use those.  Follow the same procedure for every room in your home and eliminate any piece of furniture that does not fit the purpose.

These are some ideas for you to follow to create a more comfortable and cozy cottage.  Practicality and purpose will serve as the background, and relaxation will follow.

How to Measure for Blinds

1. For outside the window recess, you can choose to put the blind on the window frame itself, or to
   measure approximately 5-10 cm on both sides of the recess and 5-10 cm above and below.
2. If measuring within the window recess, measure the width and drop of the area. Make sure to choose three different spots along the width of the window – and choose the narrowest measurement to ensure the blind can move up and down without hitting the sides.

When choosing blind or curtain material, consider your current decor. While polyester blends tend to be crease resistant, cotton, linen and even silk make excellent drapery choices. But keep in mind that silk, while gorgeous and decadent, is easy prey to sun and water damage.

•    Take note of where the clothing pole in your closet is placed. Often it is placed in the center of the closet, neglecting the space in front and at the back.
See if you have enough space for two poles, by moving the “single” pole forward or backward and placing another one in front or at the back.
•    Is there space above your first clothing pole for a pole placed higher up, for blouses and jackets? Many women have placed such a pole above the first clothing pole for shorter garments, and have found it very useful.
Garment bags take up space because they are often bulky. You might be better off keeping your garments in the plastic covers that come from the cleaners.
•    Use thin hangers in your closet. The old hangers are wide and bulky and take up so much space.
•    You can store shoes in several ways. You can just place them on the bottom of your closet, in rows. You can purchase a shoe stand that has raised prongs for each shoe. You can also use shoe boxes and label them clearly on the outside, so that you know what is inside. Then place them one on top of the other on your closet floor or on a shelf. You can also buy a shoe bag and place it on the inside door of your closet.
•    Buy an over-the-closet door attachment which has a metal piece that fits neatly over the door top and has an attached metal garment rack that will hold as many as a dozen lightweight garments.
•    Buy old-fashioned coat hooks in your hardware store and place them on the sides and in the back of your closet to hang up bags or lingerie.
•    Notice the shelf up above your closet. Can you extend it forward by adding another board? Can you place another board above it for more space? The second board above the first should be recessed for easier accessibility.
•    Try to arrange your closet so that your outfits are coordinated. For example, place the dress, then the shoes that match it and the bag and the scarf that you wear with it, either above or below the dress.
•    Save space by storing some items in boxes that can be placed under your bed.

If you follow the above tips you will never suffer a lack of space in your closets again.

Good interior design includes many processes: painting, wallpapering, tiling, carpeting, lighting schemes, artwork, and furniture to name a few. Modern interior design is constantly evolving, and that’s a good thing. Wouldn’t it be weird to have a house that was exactly like the typical ranch house of the 70s? New design should always take into account some of the best of past designs without recreating them in their entirety.

If you think that you have to have a large home for it to be stylish, you couldn’t be more wrong. If anything, smaller space forces you to be more clever, so that you have the floor space you need, but have the things you need at hand too. The main thing you need a lot of when updating your house is creativity.

Don’t worry about a shopping spree yet. We’ll get to that, I promise. First you should visualize how you want each room to look. Think about the big features first (the bed in a bedroom, sofa in the living room, table in the kitchen, etc.) and then think of the smaller accoutrements that go with them. How can you make a nice mix of textures without making the room look overly busy. You should also take into account how the room will be used, and by whom. I don’t have to tell you that if you have young kids white furniture and carpet isn’t a good idea. But the great thing is, if you have small kids (or rowdy dogs), you have a great excuse to go for that richly colored carpet. It hides Kool-Aid stains better.

Consider linens, secondary furniture, wallpaper, and lamp shades. You can find some of the most amazing lampshades at thrift stores. Lamps, too! In fact, many thrift stores don’t mind if you take a shade from one lamp and the base of another. Be careful when choosing wallpaper. It can be gorgeous, but it can just as well look dated.

A lot of people have been picking up elements of the Art Deco style of the 1920s and 30s. It’s characterized by clean lines, black and white, and a sophisticated elegance.

The bold and colorful designs picked up from various Asian styles are also popular, and they’re great for making small spaces look bigger. Carved wood and hand painted details about in Asian style, and even if you’re just buying paint for the walls, there’s nothing more serene and beautiful than a soft bamboo green.

Eclectic style is great. It’s a way of saying: “This is me. I like elements of many styles, and I combine them to suit my taste.” Some of the most beautiful living spaces are done in an eclectic style.

Don’t forget the importance of lighting as part of your interior design. While you don’t have to match style with style, it might look a little odd to have fussy Victorian lamps in a retro-mod style living room that looks like something out of The Jetsons. Then again, who am I to judge?

Whether you use your computer for your job at home or if you only use it for paying bills and such. Your computer needs a stylish work area to call it’s own as well. Many home improvement stores can supply you with the necessary items for putting together a home office, others will be envious of. If your short on money and don’t have the money or means to design and create a whole new home office space, then spend what you do have allotted for things such as file cabinets, work space organizers and accessories that will spruce up the area and give it a whole new look. By using your imagination a little, you can surprise yourself and come up with some pretty amazing ideas to give your home office a whole new look and arrangement.

By simply moving certain pieces of furniture or your desk around, you can find ways to use them like never before. A couple of simple milk crates, a piece of plywood or an old door with the knob removed and a table cloth with colors that match the room can become your new desk. That changing screen in your bedroom that no one ever sees can create room divider and a section for a whole space that can be dedicated to your new home office. There are many different things you can find just lying around the house and garage that can be incorporated into your new creation for a fully functional and stylish home office. All you need to do is look.

Tulips, hydrangeas, daffodils and narcissus are all very fragrant flowers that make a wonderful spring statement throughout your home. These flowers come in a variety of colors so you can always find something to suit the rest of your design. Try combinations of yellow, blue, white and pink for a fresh spring look.

The most logical place to use spring flowers is on your table as a centerpiece. You can use a tall glass vase to display your flowers. Make sure to trim the stems of your flowers once you bring them home, if you’re purchasing a bouquet from a store.

Fill the vase up with chilled water so the flower stems will be covered with about an inch and a half of water. Change out the water every few days to keep your centerpiece as fresh as possible. You can also make a centerpiece with a pitcher or bucket. For these items, you’ll need to use the same watering instructions.

If you’ve grown your own spring flowers and want to make unique arrangements, you can find a wide variety of instructions online. There is a certain art to making your spring flowers arrangements look professional and polished. By following basic instructions for color choice, size and pattern you can create your own unique arrangements that will bring spring into your home.

Your blankets should be the first thing to be swapped out. If you keep cozy blankets draped over your chairs or sofa, you can swap these out for decorate quilts or throws with bright spring colors. On your bed, store your heavy comforters and bring out light duvets or quilts.

If you prefer dark wood accessories, you can change them out for light pieces. Try light pine picture frames and accessory boxes. You can also change out dark colored candle holders for light colored or silver holders. Put away your pine, vanilla and cinnamon scented candles for gardenia, clean linen and lavender. These scents will make your house smell like spring.

Your art work can even be swapped out to mark the change in seasons. Look for floral prints, bright blocks of color or watercolor paintings to update your walls for spring. You can change the frames to suit the new season. If you have plates on display, you can also use them to reflect the season.

Try fresh white, bright yellow and zesty orange to bring spring into your home. Floral patterned dishes are also a good idea. Consider changing your drapes out for white, yellow or pastel colors. Putting away heavy drapes can really give your home a fresh spring feel.

Bring in the spring flowers! From your own garden, or buy an arrangement at the local florist. A few splashes of gorgeous spring pastels around your house will definately remind you and your family of spring.

You don’t have to do all of these interior design tips to make your home look like Spring, but doing just a few of them will help you welcome spring into your house.

The rule of three applies to many different things in design. It can be applied to color choices. You should have three colors represented in a room in order to make it look interesting without being cluttered. Your main color goes on your walls or in the carpet. Your secondary color can be used in furniture or large accent pieces. The accent color should “pop” and add interest to the room in the form of paintings, throws and decorating accessories.

The rule of three applies to accessories as well. Although using pairs of mirrors or candlesticks is common, you should try to group all other accessories in bunches of three. You can add a bowl or greenery to the pair of items to avoid making it look too “matchy.” Use three different sizes of vases in complimentary colors for a great look.

Keep this interior design tips in mind when you are decorating and you’ll always have professional looking rooms.

1. Pay attention to color. We use color everywhere in our lives and it affects nearly everything we do. For the cooler months, darker, richer hues are ideal for creating a cozy, winter look in your living room. Rich browns, burgundies and dark greens and ochres are perfect for making it feel warmer inside, but you don`t have to run out and buy new furniture. Slip covers make it very simple to change the palette of a room, as do curtains.

2. Use plenty of texture. Clean and smooth is the way to go for hot weather, but once the snow starts to fall, it`s time to get nice and warm and fuzzy. Texture adds a lot of personality to a room and you can use as little or as much as you like, depending on your taste. This can mean anything from throwing a couple of warm fleece blankets over the back of the sofa or adding some fuzzy pillows to bringing out extra throw rugs and hanging up heavy oil paintings. Thicker curtains can also help warm a room.

3. Bring the outdoors in. Just because it`s cold and wet outside doesn`t mean there`s nothing interesting in nature. Try creating an arrangement of stark branches to place on the mantel, or find seasonal plants that can be brought indoors during this time. Like you would decorate with flowers in the spring, do the same with what you have at hand during the winter, albeit less colorful. A tall collection of reeds or decorative dried grass, for example, can lend a natural winter feel to a living room and keeps things from getting too bare.

4. Literally warm it up. If you have a fireplace, real or electric, now is a great time to fire it up. Keeping things cozy and warm with flames automatically makes the living room a place that feels like a retreat from the blustery world outside. But even if you don`t happen to have a fireplace, you can still create that homey feeling with candles. One or three candles (odd numbers tend to look better) set on the sideboard or on a low shelf are perfect if you just want to add a touch of warmth, but for a real comfort zone, try lighting a dozen or more around the room.

5. Change the decorations. Flat surfaces such as mantels, windowsills, coffee tables and shelves offer a multitude of decorating possibilities that we often forget to alter. What works for a summer layout isn`t going to work for winter, so take a good look at the decorations and centerpieces that you have and make some seasonal changes. Winter scenes make a great alternative to floral paintings, while crystal jars and such are a great way to decorate a shelf.

Transitioning from a summer look to a winter one with these interior design tips should be a piece of cake. Think about what makes a room feel warm and inviting and then add that to your living room to create the perfect hideaway for cold, wintry days.