natural glam a look back at 2010 home trends

:: Abby and I chatting 2010 home trends above ::

:: 1. West Elm wood side table 2. gold sunburst clock 3. Erich Ginder Ghost Anter hook 

4. Jonathan Adler rug 5. Teak console table 6. Shell chandelier ::

It's hard to believe that we are getting to the end of the year. Time is moving fast, especially when I am already seeing Christmas decor in stores (what?!) 

Earlier this year, my fellow Apartment Therapy colleague, Abby, and I spoke about home trends for 2010 and I wanted to check back in and see if their appeal was still alive and kicking. My favorite trend is natural glam, that mix of rustic, gilded chic with a smooth neutral palette that can make any size space feel elegant and sophisticated - even on a budget.  I spotted this pretty interior and love the look - completely inviting and comfortable. There are tons of small space ideas in here too and great product ideas that work in small spaces.

*I love the small space style of a symmetrical layout. This controlled style pulls a space together and provides a focal point. 

*I also love going big in small spaces, like this incredible clock. Just because you have a limited amount of floor space doesn't mean you can go big on your walls - love this!

*And of course the good lighting will make a small space feel balanced and bigger.

Have you tried this home trend?

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more small space accents: black

:: Images from L - R black lantern, Fox decor by Jonathan Adler, NY art canvas, Herringbone Spine bookshelf,

stacking trays, marble sea salt bowl, We Wood watch, agate bookends, leaning mirror, x-bench ::

I am definitely switching color gears with my post today on black small space accents. My brand new WE WOOD watch arrived and I was inspired by it and my post on black floors a few days ago to round up some chic small space accents. I love black decor because the texture of the product adds a very cool and chic edge. From black glass style (see these very stylin glass bookends) to the marble edge of a sweet and small sea salt dish, black really works in any space - big or small.

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small space accents pink

Earlier this summer I turned a fab selection of pink flats from J. Crew into a few pink rooms and I am back posting about this pretty color for your small space accents. I love pink in small spaces and definitely feel that it makes a comfortable and stylish vibe in your small home. With the range of pinks you can create feminine edge or go bold with a more polished look.

This absolutely gorgeous chandelier featured above by Marjorie Skouras (another style that I blogged about earlier this summer - can't get over these pretty lighting designs) is an example of a bright and bold pink that is still elegant and cool. Or go with a more neutral pink like these paint options from House Beautiful.

By the way, there are a few affordable small space D.I.Y.s that you can get out of these accents, like taking your favorite coffee table book and framing one of the photos inside or turning a drinking glass into a vase for a weekend.

:: Accents L-R pink Eames Rocker, Jonathan Adler Junior Letter pillow, West Elm lamp, paint samples, Marjorie Skouras chandelier, pink frame with Taschen's New York book, Anthropologie drinking glasses, Botanist pink table ::

And October is NATIONAL BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH - please click here to learn more and, ladies, make sure to make sure you are healthy and happy. :)

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a small chat Ashlina from The Decorista

I am so excited to share my next A SMALL CHAT interview with you guys. The lovely Ashlina, the blogger and interior designer behind The Decorista is here to share her thoughts on small space dwelling, style and making the most of your home. Ashlina has a great eye and write with clear passion on her popular blog, The Decorista, She covers a range of design from color to texture to fashion to interiors (of course!) She also runs a design and e-decorating business where she collaborates and guides clients to their best home designed self. Let's hear what Ashlina has to say about upcycling, trends and her prediction for 2011 color story.

Tell us about your interior design business and blog, The Decorista. It's full of inspiring and fab design ideas. What's your current inspiration as we head into November?

The Decorista is a love project and was not born overnight. It came out of my love of interior design and passion for the art of making a house a home. I started the blog as a way to release all of my ideas and thoughts about decorating to a place where I could share with others and inspire people to love on their homes. I believe in the importance of taking pride in where you live, as it is a reflection of your lifestyle.

Rapidly, The Decorista became a social thing and entered me into the blogging community where I have made some of my best friends. Through that I have now been able to actually turn my blog into a legitimate business and have reached out to clients worldwide, something I never dreamed possible.

Now that my world has headed in this direction, I have been getting inspiration everywhere, my mind is constantly filled with ideas. This fall I am loving this new look I like to call the "industrial revolution". Restoration Hardware has really captured this look well, I think Ikea is coming out with it now too. Texturized + weathered wood, exposed steel and metal finishes, really industrial looking lighting, with emphasis on the bones of furniture.Very earthy. I love it.

One of the biggest challenges with small space dwelling is balance and space. What is your advice on editing a space and also finding room for that "amazing chair I spotted at a flea market that I have to have but have no room for" piece? (I just went through that myself :)
Living in a small space does present its challenges, but I find that its actually easier to edit a small space, than fill a larger one. Planning is key! The way to having success in a small space is well executed organization and space planning. As for that amazing "one-of-a-kind" chair that you can't resist...I use the same philosophy as I do in my closet, when new stuff comes in, out goes the old! I always welcome a fresh change in my home decor, it sort of brings fresh energy in. Good feng shui, I think.


One of the big trends of 2010 was upcycling, reusing existing pieces in a fab and fine way. What are your tips for upcycling pieces and how do you add that extra touch?
Oh how I love the art of upcycling! It's probably one of my favorite hobbies. You can never go wrong with two coats of high gloss paint. I prefer white and black as I love a classic look. However, I have also seen huge success with bold colors, such a blue or crimson. To add a really chic touch, I suggest beautiful brass hardware or lucite hardware (those are going to be your best bet)! Don't overthink your ideas, usually the simplest idea, will be the best looking.

On that note, as we wrap up this year and head into 2011, what do you think the next big design ideas will be? Any color stories you think will be popular?
You know, I really think this "industrial revolution" is gonna be big and I think you will see it around more. In L.A., there are so many stores and restaurants on board with this look. Dark steel grays, rustic woods, really worn leather, exposed burlap & textured fabrics in creams, black, brown and grays. There is a store in Venice called Obselete that nailed this look to perfection.

Entertaining in small spaces can be super fun and intimate. What are your best tips for creating a fantastic evening for a seasonal dinner party?
Oh goodness, this is my favorite part about living, entertaining! First of all, great guests and assigned seating are key (always boy, girl, boy, girl). I have gotten the best feedback from throwing a fete with a color story and theme. The colors, the music, the food, the decor, should all tell a cohesive story. When working with a small space, consistency makes the best statement! Make sure to pull out your best dishware and use it for everything, like a beautiful teacup for sugar or dipping sauces. Use those crystal winestoppers you got for stocking stuffers last christmas. People always forget the details are the most important. Oh, and use unscented candles, you never want to confuse scents with your food. Keep the fancy fragrances for the guest bathroom, where finely scented soaps will be greatly appreciated!

Thanks, Ashlina. Click here to enjoy The Decorista (I love it!)

And enjoy tons of small space style with more A SMALL CHAT interviews from >>

• Julia Walsh of CasaSugar

• Peter Walsh of Peter Walsh Designs

• Monelle Totah of Williams-Sonoma Home

• Viv of Ish and Chi

• Bob Novogratz of Sixx Design

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design inspiration black floors

One of my favorite design ideas in a small space is to use contrast and one of the most impactful interpretations is black floors against light walls. I absolutely love this look - it's sophisticated, elegant and perfect for small space dwellers. The dark floor creates an anchor for the space while the white walls draw the eye up to create space and style. Aren't these interiors stunning? I would love to add hi gloss black floors to my dream house one day.

:: Images via interiors porn, flickr, apartment therapy, decor.lux ::

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loving. living. small. is picked as InStyle Magazine's BEST OF THE WEB 2010 Home category | November 2010

One of my sweet readers emailed me this morning to let me know that loving. living. small. was picked as InStyle's BEST OF WEB 2010! Wow - love it! I am so honored to be 1 of 5 blogs chosen in the HOME category and I am in some amazing company. Flip to page 250 to check it out and a *big huge ginormous* thank you to InStyle for considering my little blog to be in the mix. 

Click here to check out InStyle - yay!

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design inspiration bright colors

It's rainy and dark here in sunny Los Angeles today so I thought I'd share some bright + cheery photos for you guys. Since this post went up and this magazine went live, I've received some sweet notes about the design and style of my home office - thank you so much! You lovely readers are really amazing! I've been getting a ton of inquiries about the floral rug, in particular. I picked it up at World Market this summer because I wanted to add a bright layer to my very neutral office and I love the way it turned out. I literally feel good in this space and it's in part to the bright colors. Adding pops of colors - a rug, an accent wall, artwork - is a great way to add dimension to a small space. Do you have bright colors in your small space too? 

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create your own personal photo style for your home

The original photo from my not so fancy iphone camera above and then some lo-mob versions below.

And here are some from my rainy walk today...

Have fun, photo friends!

I am all about adding personal details to your small space and one of my favorite and super affordable ways to do this - photography. one of my new ways to take (or really make) awesome personal photos is with a new iphone app - lo-mob. seriously, this app is amazing. Scroll through your camera log and pick out a photo and then pick from over 20 filters in the lo-mob app to reinvent your original shot. I've been going a little crazy with this thing (my new puppy is a great subject and so was my walk in the rain today) Create a photo gallery or frame a bunch in the same style frames to add balance and, of course, style to your space - yes!

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design inspiration orange and gray

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small space dwellers kate spade's london pop-up shop

 :: Images 1. Caitlin McGauley, 2./5. Kate Spade facebook, 3. Racked 4. @Grazia_Live  ::

I am loving loving loving this small space dwellers post, my series on real space and real small space solutions. so I've covered a few real homes now let's check out a real shop - a pop-up in fact. oh la la do I love a pop up shop! Such a cool concept - a store or brand coming alive in a unique location for a moment - yes! Enter...kate spade and you now have a sweet pop-up full of color, whimsy and tons of small space solutions.

I have always loved the kate spade brand and have been blogging the iconic brand since I started loving. living. small. almost three years ago. Maybe it's the colors, the style, the classic lines but this brand is very much resonates with me. I wanted to share images of kate spade's London Pop-Up shop, their first presence in London. There are such goodies in here for all small space dwellers to enjoy - let's check out a few. {and loving Cailtin's illustration of the space - she is super talented and can be found my the loving. living. small. blogroll, of course}

1 :: USING YOUR WALLS

Yes, they sure did! I am loving the use of vertical space with the random art gallery across the wall. The best part - the fireplace now really jumps as the focal point of the room. This adds balance to this room.

2 :: REDEFINING SPACE

I do love a warm fire but if you are not using your fireplace for ambiance, use it for your decor. I love the stacked books in this space. No part of your small space can be overlooked for an opportunity to decorate. Of course enjoying negative space (or *not* filling it up is perfectly fine too)

3 :: POPS OF COLOR

Loving the kelly green in the space and the closet door that's line with contrasting wallpaper - clever, cool and I am totally stealing this idea. Vibrant colors do work in small spaces - don't be afraid :) I also love the interesting paint treatment with the yellow color block (spotted in twitpic) Cool and chic - this is an affordable way to add art to your small space.

4 :: MIRRORS

Yep, they rock in small spaces. Mirrors are the best small space accent and truly make a space appear larger than it is.

5 :: CREATE NEW HOMES FOR YOUR THINGS

If your closet is jam packed with your favorite threads then consider using your space for your items. I love the purses hanging on the wall - super cool and a great storage idea.

Enjoy many more small space dwellers rooms and tons of small space solutions right here.

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loving eating small a small space panini party | entertaining at home

small space entertaining >> something we small space dwellers love to do but sometimes aren't sure how to make it comfy for guests. in homes with limited floor space, it's not always easy to accommodate even 4 guests let alone a party for 10 or more. When I moved into my new home, I hosted a small get together for my Apartment Therapy friends. the theme - a make your own panini party. I had attended one a year earlier as well. The dinner format was simple - each guest brought a bread, a cheese and a topping and everyone had their pick of treats. So what to do with seating, table space and room for the panini maker? Here are a few ideas...

• Double duty your furniture >> I had a little side table that I store double as the panini maker spot.
• Rethink the "dining table" >> The coffee table became our buffet
• Move your furniture around >> We sat on the couch, ottomans and the floor, enjoying the custom dinner.
• Go vertical >> I used a 3-tiered plate holder to make room on the small coffee table.

It's easy to entertain when you let go of traditional dining and create your own style of entertaining by using all of your furniture. You and your friends will have a great time! Oh and mini red velvet cupcakes go a long way too. :)

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