Full Transcript for Make your small space feel bigger

especially in a small space, one room does have to 40 00:01:46.840 --> 00:01:49.040 perform multiple functions, and then you have to think about, 41 00:01:49.040 --> 00:01:50.599 like what is my priority here. 42 00:01:50.760 --> 00:01:52.959 I have a word for you. The word is zoning, 43 00:01:53.519 --> 00:01:55.599 and the idea is that you could have though even 44 00:01:55.599 --> 00:01:56.879 if you have just one space, if you have an 45 00:01:56.879 --> 00:02:00.959 open floor plan, zoning just means like you can zone 46 00:02:01.000 --> 00:02:02.599 off different areas of the open floor pat There's no 47 00:02:02.599 --> 00:02:03.840 reason why you can't have a dining room and a 48 00:02:03.840 --> 00:02:06.480 living room and a kitchen and a movie area all 49 00:02:06.480 --> 00:02:08.599 in that one open room, all right. 50 00:02:08.599 --> 00:02:10.560 Well, coming up on this episode of Life Kit, we're 51 00:02:10.560 --> 00:02:13.080 going to talk more about floating your furniture. We're going 52 00:02:13.120 --> 00:02:16.520 to talk about zoning, about floor arrangements, about how to 53 00:02:16.560 --> 00:02:17.120 hang your. 54 00:02:17.159 --> 00:02:21.000 Art, lots of low budget and non permanent solutions to 55 00:02:21.000 --> 00:02:23.639 make your space. You're wrong, that's after the break. 56 00:02:30.319 --> 00:02:33.080 Brazil used to have one of the fastest growing economies 57 00:02:33.080 --> 00:02:36.120 in the world. People called it the country of the future. 58 00:02:36.280 --> 00:02:40.960 There are songs Oh Brazi wel baij because it seems 59 00:02:41.000 --> 00:02:44.039 like we have it all man, but then the music stopped. 60 00:02:44.159 --> 00:02:46.240 On the Planet Money podcast, a lot of countries these 61 00:02:46.280 --> 00:02:48.680 days aren't rich, they aren't poor, They're just kind of 62 00:02:48.719 --> 00:02:51.879 stuck in the middle. Why is that? Listen on the 63 00:02:52.000 --> 00:02:54.240 NPR app or wherever you get your podcasts. 64 00:02:55.280 --> 00:02:58.919 Okay, Andy, what do we need to think about when 65 00:02:58.919 --> 00:03:02.719 we're designing smalls specifically, Like, how's it different when you're 66 00:03:02.719 --> 00:03:05.439 trying to make a studio apartment or a one bedroom 67 00:03:06.039 --> 00:03:10.400 your own versus a three acre farmhouse or a ten 68 00:03:10.520 --> 00:03:11.240 room mansion. 69 00:03:11.479 --> 00:03:13.680 It's a good question. Let me introduce you to Shamikh Lynch. 70 00:03:13.879 --> 00:03:17.360 She is the founder and principal designer of Maximizing Tiny 71 00:03:17.360 --> 00:03:20.479 Interiors in New Jersey, and her answer was, you know, 72 00:03:20.719 --> 00:03:22.280 in a lot of ways, a home is a home 73 00:03:22.319 --> 00:03:24.039 as a home, so you know, people got to cook, 74 00:03:24.080 --> 00:03:26.080 people gotta work, kids need room to play and do 75 00:03:26.120 --> 00:03:28.360 their homework, so a lot is the same. But here's 76 00:03:28.400 --> 00:03:30.479 what she says is really essential to the design of 77 00:03:30.520 --> 00:03:31.280 small spaces. 78 00:03:31.319 --> 00:03:35.560 Specifically, no room can be just an extra room. You 79 00:03:35.599 --> 00:03:38.479 don't have any extra square footage where it's like, oh, well, 80 00:03:38.560 --> 00:03:41.840 that's just going to be decorative. Every single item in 81 00:03:41.879 --> 00:03:45.199 your home needs to serve a purpose, and our motto 82 00:03:45.360 --> 00:03:47.479 is that everything in your home should work for you, 83 00:03:47.560 --> 00:03:49.960 and work is a verb there where it needs to 84 00:03:49.960 --> 00:03:52.360 have at least two functions. Right, your living room is 85 00:03:52.360 --> 00:03:55.560 probably also functioning as your dining room and also functioning 86 00:03:55.639 --> 00:03:56.520 as your playroom. 87 00:03:56.919 --> 00:03:58.840 Yeah, you really have to make use of all the 88 00:03:58.879 --> 00:03:59.719 space you have. 89 00:04:00.159 --> 00:04:02.759 Every nicking cranny. And then the other thing is downsizing. 90 00:04:03.199 --> 00:04:05.599 All the experts I spoke to said that, like more 91 00:04:05.599 --> 00:04:09.360 than furniture size or picking the wrong paink color, what 92 00:04:09.479 --> 00:04:12.879 is really the enemy of small spaces is clutter. If 93 00:04:12.879 --> 00:04:14.680 you have a small space that you want to rearrange, 94 00:04:14.719 --> 00:04:16.720 the very first thing you need to do is declutter, 95 00:04:17.199 --> 00:04:18.920 because once you pare down to the things that you 96 00:04:18.959 --> 00:04:21.279 really need. It's a lot easier to see how much 97 00:04:21.279 --> 00:04:23.879 space you actually need for storage, how you can get 98 00:04:23.920 --> 00:04:26.600 creative with solutions, and overall it can just help you 99 00:04:26.680 --> 00:04:28.720 be more intentional with planning your space. 100 00:04:29.120 --> 00:04:32.879 Yeah. I always think that I've tackled my clutter and 101 00:04:32.920 --> 00:04:37.240 then there's another round of decluttering and I'm like, what, Like, 102 00:04:37.839 --> 00:04:40.480 I thought I needed this thing six months ago, but 103 00:04:40.519 --> 00:04:41.879 it turns out I really don't. 104 00:04:42.480 --> 00:04:45.600 The clutter monster always lives again. After tackling your clutter 105 00:04:45.920 --> 00:04:48.360 or your latest clutter monster, at least you want to 106 00:04:48.439 --> 00:04:50.560 organize your stuff in a way that actually makes sense 107 00:04:50.560 --> 00:04:54.120 for your life, right. Faith Roberson is a professional organizer 108 00:04:54.160 --> 00:04:56.560 and decluttering coach in New York City, and she lived 109 00:04:56.600 --> 00:04:58.199 for a while in a five hundred and fifty square 110 00:04:58.240 --> 00:05:01.000 foot studio, and she wrote the book What Stays and 111 00:05:01.000 --> 00:05:04.399 What Goes How to organize with

intention and create space 112 00:05:04.519 --> 00:05:07.519 for grace. What she told me is when everything has 113 00:05:07.519 --> 00:05:10.439 a specific home and a specific purpose, you're going to 114 00:05:10.480 --> 00:05:12.480 work better and you're going to feel better. 115 00:05:12.959 --> 00:05:16.519 The key to small spaces is learning how. 116 00:05:16.360 --> 00:05:22.720 To disperse things in multiple areas in order to create 117 00:05:22.759 --> 00:05:25.439 a flow and a sense of harmony in the space. 118 00:05:25.519 --> 00:05:27.079 I had to start to think, Okay, where am I 119 00:05:27.079 --> 00:05:29.000 going to put my workout gear? 120 00:05:29.199 --> 00:05:30.839 You know, where am I going to put this? Under 121 00:05:30.879 --> 00:05:31.480 my bed? 122 00:05:31.759 --> 00:05:34.439 I had storage of course, that's like a no brainer. 123 00:05:34.480 --> 00:05:39.839 And also using the height of the cabinets was important, 124 00:05:40.040 --> 00:05:42.079 just going all the way up to the ceiling. 125 00:05:42.519 --> 00:05:44.920 She talks about flow. What does it mean for a 126 00:05:44.959 --> 00:05:45.439 space to. 127 00:05:45.399 --> 00:05:47.240 Have good flow? Yeah, I feel like this is a 128 00:05:47.360 --> 00:05:50.079 termament you hear a lot when it comes to designing decorating, 129 00:05:50.439 --> 00:05:53.959 but the definition is a little bit slippery. So Shamika 130 00:05:54.000 --> 00:05:56.240 told me, when she thinks about flow, she thinks about 131 00:05:56.279 --> 00:05:59.120 how well all the elements of a home are working 132 00:05:59.160 --> 00:06:01.759 together for the people who live in it. So, for example, 133 00:06:01.800 --> 00:06:03.319 in your kitchen, you know, when you go to put 134 00:06:03.319 --> 00:06:05.600 your dishes on the drying rack, is it easy to do? 135 00:06:05.720 --> 00:06:06.319 Is it right there? 136 00:06:06.439 --> 00:06:08.600 Or are you tracking water all over the floor with every dish? 137 00:06:08.639 --> 00:06:10.839 That might be one example. If you have to dig 138 00:06:10.879 --> 00:06:12.680 in and out of a closet every morning, if you 139 00:06:12.680 --> 00:06:15.240 have to hop up and over workout equipment every day, 140 00:06:15.319 --> 00:06:16.199 might be time to rethink. 141 00:06:16.680 --> 00:06:19.360 Yeah, that makes sense. And then you also if you 142 00:06:19.439 --> 00:06:23.000 think about that ahead of time, then you know what 143 00:06:23.040 --> 00:06:26.279 you might need to buy or repurpose rather than just 144 00:06:26.319 --> 00:06:30.639 sort of aimlessly going to a storage store and getting 145 00:06:30.639 --> 00:06:32.240 stuff that's not going to work for you. 146 00:06:32.360 --> 00:06:32.519 Right. 147 00:06:32.800 --> 00:06:34.279 Well, I know that experts gave you a lot of 148 00:06:34.319 --> 00:06:37.680 tips for the apartment from the ground up. Really, so 149 00:06:38.279 --> 00:06:41.199 let's start with the ground huh, let's do it, Yeah, coverings. 150 00:06:41.240 --> 00:06:42.120 What'd you learn about that? 151 00:06:42.519 --> 00:06:45.600 Okay, general rule I would say from the experts across 152 00:06:45.600 --> 00:06:48.639 the board, rugs are a good idea in small spaces. 153 00:06:48.920 --> 00:06:51.000 They are a quick and easy way to add warmth, 154 00:06:51.120 --> 00:06:54.160 to add texture, personality to a space. So if you 155 00:06:54.199 --> 00:06:55.680 don't have one, you want to add that to the 156 00:06:55.720 --> 00:06:58.800 top of your list. Another great thing about rugs zoning, 157 00:06:59.160 --> 00:07:02.439 so they are great way to create distinct areas in 158 00:07:02.480 --> 00:07:05.000 your home. I thought this was a wonderful tip from Shamika. 159 00:07:05.079 --> 00:07:06.639 She works with a lot of people who live in 160 00:07:06.680 --> 00:07:09.439 open floor plans, and she says sometimes she doesn't even 161 00:07:09.480 --> 00:07:11.160 have to buy something new, She'll just reori in a 162 00:07:11.199 --> 00:07:12.360 room by switching up a rug. 163 00:07:12.600 --> 00:07:15.240 Everywhere the rug touches is the living room, right, that's 164 00:07:15.279 --> 00:07:18.480 the living room rug. Like lion king. Everywhere the light 165 00:07:18.560 --> 00:07:22.920 touches is yours. And even if your even if your 166 00:07:22.959 --> 00:07:25.639 dining room is right next to the room, which mine is, 167 00:07:26.040 --> 00:07:28.920 there's a dining room rug right. That says you know, 168 00:07:29.160 --> 00:07:31.959 this is where the dining room is. So rugs really 169 00:07:32.000 --> 00:07:34.319 help for that to define those spaces. 170 00:07:34.600 --> 00:07:37.720 It can be a little hard to know what size 171 00:07:37.839 --> 00:07:39.040 right to get. 172 00:07:39.639 --> 00:07:42.639 I would say generally speaking, you want to go bigger 173 00:07:42.720 --> 00:07:45.480 instead of smaller. When you go too small, the ratios 174 00:07:45.480 --> 00:07:48.040 can be off and it can make a room feel accidental. 175 00:07:48.240 --> 00:07:52.199 It reminds me of when Kristen Wegg used to do 176 00:07:52.279 --> 00:07:55.600 this on SNL where those doll hairs. Yeah, it's like 177 00:07:56.000 --> 00:07:58.920 the proportions are off right. Yes, you're like, this is 178 00:07:58.959 --> 00:08:02.800 like normal size person and with like little baby doll hands. 179 00:08:02.920 --> 00:08:03.079 Yeah. 180 00:08:03.160 --> 00:08:06.120 Is there's something unsettling and I think that that happens 181 00:08:06.120 --> 00:08:07.399 when your rug is too small. 182 00:08:07.759 --> 00:08:11.680 Yeah, that is exactly right. The proportions are off. So 183 00:08:11.800 --> 00:08:14.720 to help us think through ratio, all turn to Alexandra Gator. 184 00:08:15.040 --> 00:08:17.399 She's a home to core expert who specializes in making 185 00:08:17.439 --> 00:08:20.680 over small spaces for her YouTube channel. It's really fun, 186

00:08:20.759 --> 00:08:21.639 definitely worth a watch. 187 00:08:22.000 --> 00:08:22.519 She told me. 188 00:08:22.600 --> 00:08:24.160 If she had to put a number to it, you 189 00:08:24.199 --> 00:08:26.439 want to aim to cover around seventy five percent of 190 00:08:26.439 --> 00:08:29.040 a room with your rug. WHOA, Yeah, it's a lot, 191 00:08:29.360 --> 00:08:30.720 like more than you think. 192 00:08:31.319 --> 00:08:31.519 You know. 193 00:08:31.560 --> 00:08:33.320 You maybe want to have a clear walkway in between 194 00:08:33.360 --> 00:08:37.399 one space or another, one room or another, but generally speaking, 195 00:08:37.879 --> 00:08:40.120 you want to have at least the two legs of 196 00:08:40.159 --> 00:08:43.039 a couch, the two legs of any chairs, or if 197 00:08:43.080 --> 00:08:44.840 you can fit everything, like if you can fit an 198 00:08:44.960 --> 00:08:48.360 entire living room set on a rug, that's a good idea. 199 00:08:48.399 --> 00:08:51.440 I will say, rugs can be kind of expensive, especially 200 00:08:51.559 --> 00:08:52.759 if you're getting a big one. 201 00:08:53.159 --> 00:08:55.080 Yeah, it's definitely a higher ticket item when it comes 202 00:08:55.080 --> 00:08:57.000 to redecorating. So I did a little bit of sourcing 203 00:08:57.000 --> 00:08:59.919 online for you. Rugs USA and Ikea seem to be 204 00:09:00.240 --> 00:09:01.879 a couple of the top spots people turn to for 205 00:09:02.000 --> 00:09:05.720 low cost, brand new quality rugs. Facebook, Marketplace and offer 206 00:09:05.799 --> 00:09:07.759 up also not bad ideas for second hand. 207 00:09:07.679 --> 00:09:11.519 Options coming up. How to arrange your furniture to make 208 00:09:11.519 --> 00:09:14.679 your room feel bigger. That's after the Break. 209 00:09:18.320 --> 00:09:22.120 This week on NPR's Newsmaker's main Senate candidate Grand Platner, 210 00:09:22.279 --> 00:09:25.480 a working class Democrat leaning into one message that the 211 00:09:25.519 --> 00:09:28.320 political system is rigged to favor the wealthy. 212 00:09:28.559 --> 00:09:31.039 There's only one direction we need to be pointing fingers 213 00:09:31.320 --> 00:09:32.519 and that is up, it's not. 214 00:09:32.559 --> 00:09:33.200 Left and right. 215 00:09:33.399 --> 00:09:35.960 Can that message help Democrats take the Senate in this 216 00:09:36.039 --> 00:09:40.240 year's midterms? Grand Platner this week on NPR's Newsmakers watch 217 00:09:40.320 --> 00:09:42.200 or listen wherever you get podcasts. 218 00:09:43.399 --> 00:09:47.279 Okay, let's move on to furniture arrangement. We were talking 219 00:09:47.399 --> 00:09:51.080 about floating furniture. Can you just explain exactly what that 220 00:09:51.200 --> 00:09:54.759 means and why were supposedly supposed to do it? 221 00:09:56.080 --> 00:09:59.600 Okay, So floating means you don't put your furniture, say, 222 00:10:00.399 --> 00:10:02.840 right up against the wall. You just need some space 223 00:10:02.840 -->

00:10:04.799 behind it. And what that does is create the illusion 224 00:10:04.799 --> 00:10:06.879 of additional depth, and it can actually make a room 225 00:10:06.919 --> 00:10:09.919 seem bigger. Another version of that is you can also 226 00:10:09.919 --> 00:10:12.120 float your furniture into the middle of a big open 227 00:10:12.200 --> 00:10:14.000 room or big long room, and you can use it 228 00:10:14.039 --> 00:10:17.159 to zone the space into different sections. So, for example, 229 00:10:17.159 --> 00:10:19.799 you can turn that couch sideways and define a space too, 230 00:10:20.600 --> 00:10:22.840 like this is living room and this is the dining 231 00:10:22.879 --> 00:10:23.559 room or whatever. 232 00:10:23.879 --> 00:10:26.399 What do we do about the back of the couch thing, 233 00:10:27.039 --> 00:10:28.679 like having to look at the back of the. 234 00:10:28.639 --> 00:10:32.519 Couch you anchor it. That was Alexander's idea. If the 235 00:10:32.519 --> 00:10:35.879 floating feels weird. Maybe you put a little console there, 236 00:10:36.320 --> 00:10:39.039 maybe it's your desk, right, you anchor it. You put 237 00:10:39.039 --> 00:10:41.360 a rug underneath that whole thing so that you have 238 00:10:41.519 --> 00:10:44.639 your specific zones and it grounds the whole area. 239 00:10:44.679 --> 00:10:47.399 What about the size of your furniture, Like, how do 240 00:10:47.440 --> 00:10:51.039 you decide how big of a couch to get or 241 00:10:51.080 --> 00:10:53.200 how big of a table to get? 242 00:10:53.360 --> 00:10:56.799 I would say overall, and surprisingly the experts cautioned more 243 00:10:56.840 --> 00:11:00.159 against going too small rather than going too big. The 244 00:11:00.159 --> 00:11:01.840 first example that came to my mind was like a 245 00:11:01.879 --> 00:11:04.000 dorm room in college that hasn't been decorated yet. You 246 00:11:04.000 --> 00:11:06.159 see a big blank wall and all they have is 247 00:11:06.200 --> 00:11:08.159 like a teeny tiny picture or two from home on 248 00:11:08.159 --> 00:11:10.159 that big blank wall, and it just doesn't look great. 249 00:11:10.200 --> 00:11:12.240 It doesn't feel right. No, apparently there's a name for 250 00:11:12.279 --> 00:11:13.039 this kind of feeling. 251 00:11:13.240 --> 00:11:16.480 They call it the dollhouse effect. Where you know, if 252 00:11:16.519 --> 00:11:19.679 you put too many small things in a space, it 253 00:11:19.679 --> 00:11:22.480 creates visual clutter. It almost looks like a mistake because 254 00:11:22.480 --> 00:11:24.639 the scale is off. Let's say I have a sofa 255 00:11:24.720 --> 00:11:27.399 that it's eighty four inches. If I have a five 256 00:11:27.480 --> 00:11:30.039 x seven ruck, it looks like there's something missing, something 257 00:11:30.039 --> 00:11:31.159 else needs to go there. 258 00:11:31.559 --> 00:11:36.519 Yeah, I'm thinking about too. Like regarding the size of 259 00:11:36.559 --> 00:11:39.799 the furniture, obviously, you also have to think about how 260 00:11:40.000 --> 00:11:42.879 you're using it and what your priorities are. Like for me, 261 00:11:42.960 --> 00:11:46.600 I really wanted an extra deep couch this time, just 262 00:11:46.639 --> 00:11:49.519 to be able to fit more people on it. 263 00:11:49.639 --> 00:11:52.080 Yeah, you don't have to go small just because you're 264 00:11:52.080 --> 00:11:55.080 in a small space. You do want to be purposeful 265 00:11:55.240 --> 00:11:57.200 with the large furniture that you buy. You want to 266 00:11:57.240 --> 00:11:59.200 make sure that you're buying it for the right reasons, 267 00:11:59.320 --> 00:12:03.440 with the lifestyle that you have in mind. Another question 268 00:12:03.480 --> 00:12:04.840 that I had was, you know, what if you have 269 00:12:04.879 --> 00:12:07.240 something that you really love, you know, like a keepsake 270 00:12:07.320 --> 00:12:10.559 family heirloom that you love, but isn't super practical. And 271 00:12:10.679 --> 00:12:12.159 Faith had a really good answer for this, like can 272 00:12:12.200 --> 00:12:14.200 you make it functional? You know, you don't necessarily need 273 00:12:14.240 --> 00:12:15.799 to buy something new, You don't need to toss it, 274 00:12:15.799 --> 00:12:17.559 you don't need to put it in storage. Faith told 275 00:12:17.600 --> 00:12:19.480 me about this hutch that she's had for a million years. 276 00:12:19.600 --> 00:12:22.399 Think it was like an entertainment center or something I 277 00:12:22.399 --> 00:12:24.879 got on Craigslist, and then I added a pole and 278 00:12:24.919 --> 00:12:27.320 made it into a wardrobe and then here I brought 279 00:12:27.320 --> 00:12:28.960 it here and I just added shelves and turned it 280 00:12:29.039 --> 00:12:30.320 into like a shoe cabinet. 281 00:12:30.840 --> 00:12:32.919 It has lived nine lives. 282 00:12:32.720 --> 00:12:36.639 And it's big, and my living room isn't that wide, 283 00:12:37.519 --> 00:12:38.559 so it takes up space. 284 00:12:38.639 --> 00:12:41.440 But it's all about how you style it, right. 285 00:12:41.879 --> 00:12:44.879 So then I put this really beautiful like plant next 286 00:12:44.919 --> 00:12:47.720 to it, and I think I have like a lamp 287 00:12:47.759 --> 00:12:50.799 on the other side, and it becomes a part of like. 288 00:12:51.039 --> 00:12:52.039 Art in the space. 289 00:12:52.440 --> 00:12:55.960 But it also solves a really big issue that I have, 290 00:12:56.039 --> 00:12:58.159 which is not having a home from my shoes. 291 00:12:58.480 --> 00:12:59.039 I love that. 292 00:12:59.399 --> 00:12:59.639 Yeah. 293 00:12:59.639 --> 00:13:02.679 I love having that piece that stays with you and 294 00:13:02.720 --> 00:13:04.960 that you can alter over time. 295 00:13:05.120 --> 00:13:05.519 Yeah. 296 00:13:05.600 --> 00:13:09.240 Okay, let's talk more about walls. What about wall paint 297 00:13:09.600 --> 00:13:11.159 and wallpaper? What did you learn?

298 00:13:11.519 --> 00:13:13.919 So I have some news for you, Mariel. I know 299 00:13:13.960 --> 00:13:16.919 that you have some feelings about this, but apparently the 300 00:13:17.000 --> 00:13:20.039 accent wall is out for small spaces. You know. 301 00:13:21.519 --> 00:13:23.360 I like my accent wall. I think it looks nice. 302 00:13:24.240 --> 00:13:26.799 I'm sure that it does. Let me explain to you. Basically, 303 00:13:26.840 --> 00:13:29.120 they were saying, if your goal is to make your 304 00:13:29.159 --> 00:13:32.639 small space bigger, they were saying, you want continuity. I 305 00:13:32.679 --> 00:13:35.240 was kind of expecting them to say, you want white 306 00:13:35.440 --> 00:13:38.279 or light colors. I was expecting, you know, invite light. 307 00:13:38.519 --> 00:13:40.559 You want to make it as sunshiny as you can 308 00:13:40.679 --> 00:13:44.720 in a small space, to expand it, avoid darker, moodier tones. 309 00:13:44.879 --> 00:13:47.360 But really no, they were like, whatever you like, go 310 00:13:47.480 --> 00:13:50.639 for it, but what is important is to be consistent 311 00:13:50.840 --> 00:13:53.879 in your palette. One idea that was popular was color drenching. 312 00:13:54.320 --> 00:13:56.840 So Shamika said, if you don't have fancy trim, if 313 00:13:56.879 --> 00:13:59.399 you have just like plane baseboards, you could paint the 314 00:13:59.440 --> 00:14:01.559 trim the same color. So go from your baseboards all 315 00:14:01.600 --> 00:14:03.519 the way up to your ceiling. Consider doing that all 316 00:14:03.559 --> 00:14:06.840 the same color. And that continuity can create some extra space, 317 00:14:06.919 --> 00:14:10.159 can create extra height and depth for you. Wallpaper Alexandra said, 318 00:14:10.320 --> 00:14:14.440 wallpaper on ceilings is the thing that's popular. Yeah, you 319 00:14:14.440 --> 00:14:15.039 could go big. 320 00:14:15.679 --> 00:14:18.559 Yeah, it's that hard to do though I did break 321 00:14:18.600 --> 00:14:20.840 in mind. She said it's a commitments. 322 00:14:20.879 --> 00:14:23.159 Yeah, she did say it's a commitment. Okay, So something 323 00:14:23.200 --> 00:14:26.799 to think about slight less of commitment, but can help 324 00:14:26.840 --> 00:14:30.799 you make your space Bigger curtains, so one good idea 325 00:14:30.879 --> 00:14:33.000 is just to hang your curtains a little bit higher 326 00:14:33.000 --> 00:14:35.480 and a little bit wider than your window frame. One 327 00:14:35.480 --> 00:14:38.080 guide I saw said about six to twelve inches higher 328 00:14:38.399 --> 00:14:40.440 than where your window frame is, and then you want 329 00:14:40.440 --> 00:14:44.600 to extend your curtain rod four to ten inches beyond 330 00:14:44.840 --> 00:14:47.320 that frame, and doing that can help extend your eye. 331 00:14:47.360 --> 00:14:50.159 And then Alexandra had a great rule of thumb about 332 00:14:50.200 --> 00:14:51.799 how long your curtains should be. 333 00:14:51.960 --> 00:14:53.840 Making sure your curtains just kiss the floor. 334 00:14:54.120 --> 00:14:55.399 I f i'd like pooling curtains. 335 00:14:55.440 --> 00:14:58.080 It just collects dust. It doesn't look like you've thought 336 00:14:58.120 --> 00:14:58.519 it through. 337 00:14:58.600 --> 00:15:00.679 So just kind of kissing the floor is the rule 338 00:15:00.720 --> 00:15:01.080 that I. 339 00:15:00.960 --> 00:15:03.559 Love to follow when it comes to curtains, Just kiss 340 00:15:03.600 --> 00:15:07.679 the floor. What about art? I have a gallery wall, 341 00:15:07.840 --> 00:15:10.960 and although I think that I did it partly because 342 00:15:11.000 --> 00:15:14.080 I don't know how to do anything else, Like in 343 00:15:14.159 --> 00:15:16.519 terms of art, I feel like when I've just had 344 00:15:16.679 --> 00:15:19.480 a big piece, it's never been big enough, or two 345 00:15:19.559 --> 00:15:22.279 big pieces, they've never been big enough, and then everything 346 00:15:22.320 --> 00:15:25.120 feels kind of empty. I guess I wonder is there 347 00:15:25.200 --> 00:15:27.960 a science to this, like to how to hang your 348 00:15:28.080 --> 00:15:30.879 art in small spaces to make it feel bigger. 349 00:15:31.399 --> 00:15:34.360 So one rule for you, Shmika said for hanging art, 350 00:15:34.600 --> 00:15:37.399 the center of your art should be at eye level 351 00:15:37.919 --> 00:15:41.360 when you're hanging art, So for gallery wall specifically, Shamika said, 352 00:15:41.440 --> 00:15:43.639 you know, it is okay to go on vibes. She 353 00:15:43.799 --> 00:15:46.279 said she aims for roughly two to four inches of 354 00:15:46.320 --> 00:15:50.200 space between frames or between items. She did say that 355 00:15:50.639 --> 00:15:53.120 the thing about gallery walls is sometimes in small spaces 356 00:15:53.120 --> 00:15:55.200 they can get a little bit busy, so you want 357 00:15:55.240 --> 00:15:57.279 to make sure if you're doing it in a big 358 00:15:57.279 --> 00:15:59.799 open space that you have a piece of furniture to 359 00:15:59.799 --> 00:16:03.759 aim correct. A nice open, sparse hallway is a good 360 00:16:03.759 --> 00:16:06.399 idea for a gallery wall. You could do a gallery 361 00:16:06.440 --> 00:16:08.799 wall in a corner to create the illusion of space, 362 00:16:08.840 --> 00:16:10.759 so it doesn't necessarily need to be one flat wall. 363 00:16:11.120 --> 00:16:14.039 Another one is like a triptic situation. So if you 364 00:16:14.039 --> 00:16:15.600 have a piece of art that you really like, you 365 00:16:15.600 --> 00:16:18.440 can print it out over three get like three frames, 366 00:16:18.840 --> 00:16:20.679 blow it up like over your bed. Say that can 367 00:16:20.720 --> 00:16:23.720 create the illusion of like expanding the wall. And then 368 00:16:23.879 --> 00:16:28.519 generally speaking, having different frame textures, different frame depths, you know, 369 00:16:28.559 --> 00:16:33.200 like

shadow box situations, can create more visual interest, create 370 00:16:33.279 --> 00:16:38.000 more depth there. What about mirrors, Yes is my answer, Yes, 371 00:16:38.080 --> 00:16:41.639 I want them good for small spaces, helps expand the space, 372 00:16:41.759 --> 00:16:44.720 helps catch more light. Alexandra said a lot of people 373 00:16:44.720 --> 00:16:46.679 are really into floor Mars right now very popular. But 374 00:16:46.720 --> 00:16:50.519 she said hanging mirrors, small ones in your gallery wall, 375 00:16:50.960 --> 00:16:53.279 ones that you can hang over the door for space 376 00:16:53.279 --> 00:16:55.320 saving measures, all the mirrors, all the time. 377 00:16:55.399 --> 00:16:57.840 Yes, these are all such great ideas. And I'm in 378 00:16:57.919 --> 00:17:00.840 the midst of a lot of home and movement right now. 379 00:17:00.919 --> 00:17:04.319 I don't even know when this started or how this happened, 380 00:17:04.359 --> 00:17:06.160 because I thought I was in a place where I 381 00:17:06.200 --> 00:17:08.920 was like settled in the apartment. I'd made a lot 382 00:17:08.920 --> 00:17:11.200 of changes, and I was like, Okay, now we're good. 383 00:17:11.839 --> 00:17:14.799 But suddenly here I am in the vortex again, and 384 00:17:14.839 --> 00:17:18.519 it's fun, but it's also kind of I don't know. 385 00:17:18.599 --> 00:17:20.960 I have this sense of urgency to it, like I 386 00:17:21.000 --> 00:17:24.720 need to do everything now and the space isn't good 387 00:17:24.839 --> 00:17:27.119 enough as it is right now, which I think is 388 00:17:27.160 --> 00:17:29.960 a trap. I guess. I just like I try to 389 00:17:30.200 --> 00:17:35.279 remind myself that it's okay. I'll let this unfold over time. 390 00:17:36.119 --> 00:17:38.039 Right, as long as your house still feels like home 391 00:17:38.079 --> 00:17:39.359 when you get back at the end of the day, 392 00:17:39.440 --> 00:17:41.599 you know, I think that's what's important. There's always going 393 00:17:41.640 --> 00:17:43.519 to be something left to be done. Yeah, right. I 394 00:17:43.559 --> 00:17:45.920 was talking to Faith about the a similar idea, and 395 00:17:45.960 --> 00:17:48.039 she said, if you haven't found your flow in your 396 00:17:48.079 --> 00:17:50.119 home yet, you should just keep working at it and 397 00:17:50.200 --> 00:17:52.960 doing that. Finding that flow is kind of like doing 398 00:17:53.000 --> 00:17:54.880 a jigsaw puzzle. There's always like one more piece to 399 00:17:54.920 --> 00:17:55.559 put back together. 400 00:17:55.880 --> 00:17:58.440 Have you ever put a piece in a puzzle and 401 00:17:58.480 --> 00:18:01.519 it looks like it should fit right, and then there's 402 00:18:01.559 --> 00:18:04.880 like this little sliver of space and you convince yourself 403 00:18:04.880 --> 00:18:06.640 that it's the right piece, and then you start building 404 00:18:06.640 --> 00:18:08.240 on the puzzle and you can only go so far 405

00:18:08.319 --> 00:18:10.680 before you're like, oh, this is not and it's messing 406 00:18:10.759 --> 00:18:15.599 up the way I can move forward. Organizing is like that. 407 00:18:15.599 --> 00:18:18.319 That reminds me of Saddoku when I'm very far down 408 00:18:18.440 --> 00:18:23.000 the Sudoku puzzle and I'm like, oh my god, that's 409 00:18:23.079 --> 00:18:26.240 not good thing. I did this in pencil. But it's 410 00:18:26.359 --> 00:18:28.799 understanding that we do kind of have to live our 411 00:18:28.839 --> 00:18:29.599 lives in pencil. 412 00:18:29.799 --> 00:18:33.400 You're right, your home never looks like a magazine or Instagram, 413 00:18:33.440 --> 00:18:34.559 but like would you want it to? 414 00:18:34.920 --> 00:18:37.200 Yeah, Andy, thank you so much for this. 415 00:18:37.279 --> 00:18:38.880 Oh it's been a pleasure. Let me know if you 416 00:18:38.880 --> 00:18:39.920 fill your furniture. 417 00:18:39.599 --> 00:18:41.920 I'm gonna try I'll try it. Maybe I'll do a 418 00:18:41.920 --> 00:18:47.440 little stuff behind it, all right, folks, it's time for 419 00:18:47.559 --> 00:18:50.680 a recap. Take Away one. To make your small space 420 00:18:50.759 --> 00:18:53.559 feel bigger, you want to start by decluttering. When you 421 00:18:53.559 --> 00:18:55.799 get rid of the stuff you don't actually use or 422 00:18:55.839 --> 00:18:59.319 want around, you will literally have more space, and it'll 423 00:18:59.319 --> 00:19:01.599 be easier to make a plan and reimagine your home 424 00:19:01.680 --> 00:19:05.759 in a way that flows. Take Away two. Small spaces 425 00:19:05.799 --> 00:19:08.039 need to work harder for you, so make the most 426 00:19:08.079 --> 00:19:11.519 of your vertical space. Think about high up shelves, for instance, 427 00:19:11.720 --> 00:19:14.519 and get creative with your storage. For instance, I just 428 00:19:14.559 --> 00:19:17.039 got a couch and it has storage built into the seats. 429 00:19:17.960 --> 00:19:21.039 Take Away three. You can have big, beautiful furniture in 430 00:19:21.079 --> 00:19:23.200 a small space, but you have to be mindful of 431 00:19:23.240 --> 00:19:25.640 proportion and scale. You want to make sure the space 432 00:19:25.720 --> 00:19:29.119 flows and that it's usable. Also, this is about trade offs. 433 00:19:29.319 --> 00:19:31.319 If your couch takes up most of the living room, 434 00:19:31.599 --> 00:19:33.559 you may not have space for a big dining table. 435 00:19:33.839 --> 00:19:36.599 So think about your priorities and how you actually want 436 00:19:36.599 --> 00:19:40.480 to use your home. Take Away four. In tight spaces, 437 00:19:40.799 --> 00:19:43.920 you can create the illusion of height and depth. That 438 00:19:44.000 --> 00:19:47.720 might look like floating your furniture or painting the walls creatively, 439 00:19:48.240 --> 00:19:51.480 or using rugs or a console table or a bookshelf 440 00:19:51.640 --> 00:19:54.599 to separate your space into zones. It could also mean 441 00:19:54.640 --> 00:19:57.559 adding mirrors or hanging your curtains higher. You've got a 442 00:19:57.559 --> 00:20:01.599 lot of options. All right, that's our show. If you 443 00:20:01.720 --> 00:20:04.119 love Life Kit and you want even more, why not 444 00:20:04.200 --> 00:20:08.079 follow us on Instagram at NPR Lifekit. There you'll find 445 00:20:08.160 --> 00:20:11.440 videos featuring our favorite tips and comics on topics like 446 00:20:11.720 --> 00:20:13.880 how to talk to your baby and how to turn 447 00:20:13.920 --> 00:20:16.680 your lawn into a native plant garden. You can find 448 00:20:16.680 --> 00:20:20.920 those by following at NPR Lifekit. This episode of Life 449 00:20:20.960 --> 00:20:23.440 Kit was produced by Claire Marie Schneider and reported by 450 00:20:23.519 --> 00:20:27.039 Andy Tagle. It was edited by Sylvie Douglas. Our digital 451 00:20:27.160 --> 00:20:30.680 editor is Malica Gharib, and our visuals editor is c J. Riekalan. 452 00:20:31.200 --> 00:20:34.119 Megan Kane is our senior supervising editor, and Beth Donovan 453 00:20:34.200 --> 00:20:37.880 is our executive producer. Our production team also includes Margaret Serino. 454 00:20:38.319 --> 00:20:42.160 Engineering support comes from Tiffany Varricastro and Becky Brown. I'm 455 00:20:42.160 --> 00:20:44.920 Mariel Sagara. Thanks for listening. 456 00:20:49.519 --> 00:20:52.079 This week on sources and methods. What a piece deal 457 00:20:52.160 --> 00:20:54.759 between the US and Iran might look like? Just how 458 00:20:54.799 --> 00:20:57.559 similar would it be to the Obama administration deal that 459 00:20:57.680 --> 00:21:01.359 President Trump ripped up. If Trump will allows some enrichment, 460 00:21:01.480 --> 00:21:04.119 which is what the Iranians demand, then everyone's going to 461 00:21:04.160 --> 00:21:04.559 be saying. 462 00:21:04.440 --> 00:21:06.160 Well, wait a minute, how is this different from what 463 00:21:06.200 --> 00:21:06.880 Obama had? 464 00:21:07.039 --> 00:21:09.440 Plus more of the week's biggest national security news on 465 00:21:09.519 --> 00:21:12.119 sources and methods. Listen on the NPR app or wherever 466 00:21:12.160 --> 00:21:13.119 you get your podcasts.