Use Art as an Anchor

Use Art as an Anchor Online lifestyle editor Briana and her boyfriend Buzz, a cell developer, intended for your bedroom in their Brooklyn attic to have an airy, calm, Palm Springs-inspired feeling. Nevertheless the expansive wall behind their mattress seemed impossible to fill and they knew small pieces would just make the room feel cluttered or jammed. By opting for one big piece of art hung right above the bed, they discovered their sleeping place was instantly anchored. The key to using art successfully in small spaces is to opt for large, over-scaled pieces. Art pieces like this instantly add a graphic focal point and offer one source of color to inspire accessories and paint which customize the room.



Bedroom Before Determined to make the most of their little area, Briana and Buzz searched an efficient space and light strategy for their bedroom. To keep the surface of the nightstands clear for novels and regular things, the couple needed a way to light the bedside place without taking up precious tabletop space. Additionally, they had a solution for creating a temporary worktop surface for their notebooks, one that would allow them to work from bed and to store their laptops on a surface rather than setting them down on the ground.



Plug It In To add ample light to their sleeping area, Briana and Buzz opted for wall-mounted, plug-in sconces that don't require permanent difficult wiring. Simply by screwing the attachment to the wall, then plugging the cord into a nearby outlet, the look of custom, permanent lighting is reached without long-term commitment or the steep cost of hiring an electrician. Another benefit of wall-mounted sconces is that dining room is freed up, allowing surfaces to be utilized for different purposes.



Table It Whether working late on web-based projects or watching DVDs, Briana and Buzz desired space for their laptops in their bedroom. To include instant workspace without creating clutter, the couple added a C-table into both sides of the bed that keeps their laptops perfectly within reach. The bottom of the table has a C-shaped frame that tucks beneath the bed, keeping it firmly supported and from the way.



Sneaky Storage Briana and Buzz keep their notebooks inside the C-table, which has a top that lifts up to reveal concealed storage. The table doubles as a small serving surface for breakfast and beverages in bed.



Floating Photo as a Focal Point To provide the illusion of space to their 10-by-11-foot bedroom, Briana and Buzz stuck using a light, airy color scheme and picked pieces with sufficient visual weight to anchor the room. An initial, framed piece of photography provided a powerful focal point and tiny bursts of orange were used as accents.



Hanging Out The inspiration bit for Briana and the bedroom of Buzz was a original photograph Buzz took in Palm Springs of a palm tree. With no clear wall space as a focal point, the couple decided to suspend the photo before the window. The art was installed with heavy-gauge picture wire attached by an L-bracket into the drywall above the window.



Workspace Before Before establishing a good space plan to create a workspace for Buzz, plus offer extra space for visitors to sleep on air mattresses, the region was littered by big storage items such as boxes, shelves and bicycles.



A Multi-Purpose Workspace Briana and Buzz like to utilize the 8-by-10-foot upstairs landing in their attic primarily as Buzz's workspace; however, it needs to allow room for guests to sleep on the ground with air mattresses. By maintaining the distance utilitarian and mobile, Buzz can operate in a clutter-free space that can readily be altered up to accommodate up to three overnight guests at one time.



Wallpaper for Renters Briana had always desired graphic, 1970s-era wallpaper somewhere in the loft; however, hanging permanent wallpaper at a rental seemed impractical. After searching online, she found temporary background called Tempaper that adheres to walls like a massive sticker or decal. Once one roster is in place, the next is lined up so the repeating pattern matches upward, developing a constant look throughout the space. Although the area is tight on space, the pattern on the wall takes the attention off its lack of square footage.



Keep Clutter Tucked Away Buzz possessed his classic desk before going into the attic. It is equipped with a concealed shelf that slides out from beneath the background and holds things which may otherwise produce the desk feel cluttered. By simply sliding back the shelf under, things such as keyboards, envelopes, passports and cell phones are kept tucked away while remaining easily accessible.



Roll With It In order for the upstairs area of Briana and Buzz's attic to function as a temporary place for guests along with some full-time workspace for Buzz, it was significant that each piece of furniture be as simple to move as possible. Casters at the bottom of his desk let it easily roll from the middle of this space to a wall, opening up sufficient floor space to house around three air mattresses.



Stay Wired One thing to remember while placing desks in the middle of a room is cable management. Most modern desks have 2-inch holes that allow wiring to be tucked through the top, then under the desk where they stay hidden from view. To retroactively add this attribute to an older desk, use a two-inch paddle bit to drill a hole where required.



Stack It Up Mobilized cable shelving is a great alternative for smaller spaces. With so many distinct uses, it's an investment that could grow with the homeowner. Although Buzz currently uses his configuration simply to home his printer and other office components he could add onto it later --vertically or horizontally -- to serve new needs that may emerge.