DC: Home to the Small (But Mighty) Home
Image by flickr user tvol
A recent Curbed article written with data from Realtor.com shows that Washington, DC has the smallest median home size in the country.
At 1,000 square feet, DC falls below the national median square footage of 1,761. We’re also home to the smallest median lot size (2,375 square feet) and the second-highest median list price at $432,500. First was Hawaii at $575,000. The typical home in the District has 2 bedrooms and 2 baths while the rest of the top 10 have 3 bedrooms. Read more for tips on how to maximize the space you do have.
Vastu’s 10 tips to better design: #4
#4: Art matters
Artwork is your chance to personalize a space, by choosing specific pieces that have a history or provide meaning. Using large, colorful, or carefully grouped artwork can give a room the focal point to define and create a mood. Smaller, well chosen items in seating areas draw you and your guests closer and create intimacy in a space. Large items provide visual impact quickly and immediately set the mood of a room. However, even the best furniture in a room or art in a collection can seem wrong with it’s not positioned correctly. The right items still have to be in the right places.
To keep from hanging art too high (setting off the balance and proportion of the room), the center of artwork should be at eye level, or the bottom of art should be approximately 7” above the sofa height. Personal photographs and smaller artworks usually work best in smaller, more intimate spaces, like bedrooms, studies and hallways.
Hint: Art can be seasonal too. Keep your pieces rotating throughout your house, to provide fresh perspectives to rooms as you spend more time inside. Or create an art budget for the year, treating yourself to new pieces throughout the year.
#1: Simple solutions, #2: Fabric first, #3: Mixed green
Vastu’s 10 tips to better design: #3
#3: Mixed greens
Potted plants and flowers in interesting vases add warmth to urban interiors, which frequently do not have outdoor space. Consider nontraditional pots, such as galvanized steel, aluminum, lined wood boxes, to accentuate an urban environment. Pick up a new vase on your way to picking up flowers. Vases can be swapped out to provide new and interesting accents and seasonal floral arrangements are a quick, inexpensive way to change a mood, highlight a time of year or a special event.
Hint: Buying professional arrangements will guarantee that your flowers will last longer. Always describe the feeling you want from the arrangement, e.g. cool, unique, traditional, holiday, modern. And don’t forget to describe its use! Go wide and low for tables, tall and dramatic for entry ways.
#1: Simple solutions, #2: Fabric first!
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.
“Hello. I just moved to DC into a rental building in Columbia Heights. Other than painting walls, what sort of non-permanent updates should I consider to make my new place reflect my style more?”
Thank you DC Magazine!
The September/October issue of DC Magazine features our very own Jason Claire and his “go-to” products for creating a great interior design. Be sure to check out his feature, as well as the piece on Vastu friend, Kaleo Kala (on page 55). A huge thank you to the DC Magazine team for including us!
Painted ceilings… yay or nay?
The decision on whether or not to paint the ceiling in a room can be a tough one. The obvious question is to paint or not to paint, but then of course if you do decide to paint the question is what color? Should you go with something bold? Or just play it safe by sticking with the existing paint color? Vastu designer and co-owner Jason Claire offers his thoughts on painted ceilings.
• I’m a bit of a purist, so I tend to paint ceilings flat white in small rooms or open floor plans where there are no natural starts and stops to ceiling lines. You should use flat paint on a ceiling to hide imperfections that are easily seen when light reflects off of a ceiling. Only when your ceilings are PERFECT should they be painted in an eggshell finish or a paint with more gloss.
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.
“I am struggling with our living/entry area! I have no idea how to make it functional and stylish with so many immovable necessities like the front door and fireplace.”
Flickr Finds: Glorious Gold
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.
“Hello! So… I just bought a one bedroom condo and I’m super excited about it. I’m pretty confident about what I want to do in all the rooms except for the formal dining room. The room is pretty large, long and narrow with a chandelier mounted in the center of the room. With only one bedroom, I’d actually like the formal dining room to serve as a place to eat AND my home office. Any ideas on the type of furniture I should look for that will make the room look cohesive, but still serve two purposes? Thanks!”
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.
Tempe Star SW 6229
“I am about to move into a new home.. YEAH!! I have always dreamed of having my bedroom in a romantic PURPLE. Of course the entire room wouldn’t be purple but my comforter would set the tone for the room. Recently my love and I were looking and decided on 4 colors for our new home. HE decided that the walls in the bedroom can be TEMPE STAR. While I totally agree this color must go on a wall in our home, He crushed my dream of PURPLE in my bedroom or did he??? Help!! I totally need bedroom ideas for both of us to be happy.”
Welcome to Design Clique
Have feedback or ideas you'd like to share? Click here and let us know what's on your mind.
Share it with us and we will address it in one of our "Design Direction" posts.
