Garden Pallet for Small Spaces

Fern at Life on the Balcony is a whiz at maximizing garden space

This is an easy way to bring a garden to a small area, wall, or apartment balcony. This project calls for 6 simple supplies:

a pallet, 2 large bags of potting soil, 16 six packs of annual flowers or herbs, a small roll of landscape fabric, a staple gun, and sand paper.

What a great way to re-use a pallet and a creative idea to design an unusual garden. It will bring color and nature to a space that might not usually have anything, give a small space definition, or create a scene on a blank wall.

Guest blogger: Katherine Fountain

$1 : Turn Dollar Store Finds into Home Furnishings

Smart Move Design was given a challenge by our local newspaper. We were handed $25.00 to see what kind of home decor we could buy or create from the dollar store. We scoped out the best dollar stores in town and got creative. For the full article and before and after photos of all the items, click here

Small Space Design

Since 1960 homes had been doubling in size. For the first time in 50 years the census data now shows a decrease in home sizes. With a decrease in size comes the challenge of adjusting from large spaces to smaller while still having a feeling of comfort and design.

5 tips for small spaces

Have a bench and hooks at an entry way to allow jackets, hats, and shoes to stay together in an organized way.

Make a room feel more open by using glass tables.

Hang a mirror at or above eye level to open up the space without showing clutter on the floor. Hang it across from a window to bring more light into the room.

Create multifunctional zones within a room: a drop leaf table behind a sofa can act as a sofa table, dining table, and desk.

Larger furniture with fewer accessoires allow a room to feel comfortable and uncluttered.

Guest blogger: Tess Johnson

Have fun with murano glass beaded wallpaper

Faux glass bead wallpaper makes for a lovely and glamorous look for your wall anywhere in the home. The wall coverings shed beautiful light to give an impact. They give a statement to any space and are available in a wide array of colors. This is an easy way to bring color and texture into your home while making an impression on the space itself.

Guest blogger: Katherine Fountain

Redesign Complete

These before and after pictures are from a recent redesign in Syracuse, NY.
Scope of this project: window treatments, area rugs, some furniture pieces, art, accessories, and putting it all together.