Since last July, when Alexa discovered the small apartment of designer Paige Geffen (see The LA Rental, Upgraded: Designer Paige Geffen’s 500-Square-Foot Challenge), I’ve been poring over the photos.
Photography by Bethany Nauert and Lauren Moore, courtesy of Paige Geffen and from Designer Paige Geffen’s 500-Square-Foot Challenge, except where noted.
I definitely encourage people to invest in pieces they will be able to love and keep for a long time However letting go and starting fresh can be a very freeing experience Renting is about...
...adapting to change and creating space that suits where you are in life at the moment We asked Paige what transformative but unexpectedly simple tips she uses for arranging her small spaces then and now
An oversized wardrobe in Geffen’s former bedroom.
1. Resist the urge to go miniature.
Rugs designate an entryway (in the background) and a living area (in the foreground).
2. Lay out “rooms.”
3. Check for visual balance.
Rely on creative styling to offset any odd configurations In small spaces we often have to sacrifice ideal spacial planning in order to fit in what we need Strategically place a plant next to your sofa that is slightly off centered in the room so that the eye...
...won t notice or place art lower than you normally would to add visual weight where needed Case in point in her Echo Park apartment Geffen couldn t find a way to center the sofa between the windows so she added an oversized potted plant to distract the eye
An easy way to “double” your windows.
4. Where there’s a window, add a mirror.
It will reflect the outdoors/what’s outside and make your space feel larger.”
“Invest in multipurpose pieces. Perhaps you can find a coffee table or bench with hidden storage inside, or a credenza with doors that will hide items you don’t want seen, while still being able to place your favorite decorative items and books on top to display.”
5. Close a door.
6. Add height.
Efficient vertical storage, including stacking stools and a tall hutch, as seen in Small-Space Solutions: 17 Affordable Tips from an NYC Creative Couple. Shelving can hold books, records, ceramics, etc.
7. Fake taller windows.
Illusions of grandeur: photograph from Improper Bostonians: Jeffrey and Cheryl Katz at Home on Beacon Hill.
8. Make blank space intentional.
Leave some negative space on the walls If you have a lot of art to display I recommend spacing the pieces out throughout the room I don t follow rules in design but I tend to dislike gallery walls...
...in small spaces because this can make rooms feel tight and cluttered Place a few pieces together on one wall and then leave the rest of the wall naked This will allow the eye to glide through the space
Plenty of blank space—and playing with scale—in Geffen’s Echo Park bedroom.
9. Take your time.