Design Direction
Do you have a challenging space or need some design guidance? Design Direction is a chance for you to submit photos or videos of your design challenge(s) and a Vastu interior designer will provide you with some help. Every Wednesday we will feature one reader’s submission.
Hey,
I just moved into a small basement apartment in DC. All I’m bringing from my old place for the bedroom is my bed, a side table and a table lamp. (That’s pretty much all that will fit) Any general advice you can give on sprucing up the place would be appreciated, but I’m mainly interested in your advice on how to add color and still keep the space light. Since it’s a basement unit its very dark in the room.
Thanks!
What do you think?
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On January 23rd, 2009 4:20 pm
Small spaces can be a challenge to design, but not impossible. First, I would suggest you choose beautiful bedding and a couple of vibrant throw pillows that will compliment your headboard, add some wall art, and paint your walls a neutral shade. When you don’t have much floor space to play around with another great way to open up the space is to center a mirror on one wall and allow it to reflect the opposing side of the room, thus giving the appearance that the room is actually larger than what it is.
I also recommend keeping all the large surfaces in your basement apartment light; such as the walls, flooring, and counters. I don’t recommend painting your walls a stark white hue, but you should definitely focus on keeping the walls warm with creams and light beiges, and keep in mind that your paint should be selected once you have finalized your decisions on fabrics and furniture. When choosing your furniture don’t be afraid to incorporate a couple darker pieces like end tables and barstools, because the darker pieces actually enhance the brightness of the fabrics and accent pieces surrounding them. So make sure the fabrics and floor coverings that you select are light and colorful to brighten up your space. Last but not least, be aware that lighting will play a large role in transforming your dark basement apartment from a cave to that comfortable space that you call home. It would be ideal to have recessed lighting in the ceiling, but if this is not the case add a floor lamp and a couple of table lamps to increase the ambiance in the room. Incandescent bulbs feel more natural opposed to the institutional feel that fluorescent bulbs give off, so replacing them would be great! Hopefully, this helps you feel more confident in tackling your apartment. Good luck!