Hmmm. Just how do all the pieces fit together? Our 650 square foot home, nestled on the second floor of a corner building, includes an open concept main living area, a shotgun hallway, and two teeny bedrooms. If at any point something in this little crash pad of ours tickles your fancy, you can find the details on what’s what in our handy dandy source list. Still can’t find what you need? No prob. You can further pick our brains here.
So without further ado, welcome.
And for the full breakdown, just keep on scrolling.
Foyer / Living Room
Upon entering our front door (there on the right), you’ll come into what makes up for the bulk of our living space. With a kitchen and living area that share the same open room, you’re life just got easier. While the hubs makes dinner, I can share a conversation with him while plopped on the couch. Oh, the sweet life.
Foyer / Living Room (opposite)
Here’s a better view of the front door, which leads to our hallway. We’ve sectioned off the larger living room wall with a splash of cheery green, and continued it onto the wall in our foyer. By doing so, we lend a bit of continuity to a room that could stand the extra square footage. And our flying friends above the television? They help lend some extra height to the room, while providing some fun eye candy to boot.
Living Room
Ah, the coziest perch in our home. Grab a throw and rest your head on a pillow, and you’ll feel like Sunday every day. Flip on the tube and pop in your favorite movie, and I’d say you’ve got one heck of a cinema. And because this room is where we spend most of our time, we tossed up a handful of carefully placed shelves and added a gaggle of art that we’ve collected over time. Consider it our personal stamp on this space.
We chose a minty blue to coat the remaining two walls in this room, and we’ve never looked back. Although I never considered myself a cool-colored gal (I lean heavily towards the warmer shades of reds and oranges), I find this color to be refreshing, airy, and oh-so-light.
Living Room (opposite)
And check it out from the other side, peeping into the kitchen. Our khaki, wood-framed chair serves as a sort of room divider, while still allowing the flow from living to cooking. If we’re craving a bit more privacy (and if those dishes are piled just a bit too high), we also have the option of pulling our curtain dividers taught. Shoot, the dishes can wait ’til tomorrow. Out of sight, out of mind.
Kitchen
Consider this a kitchen “before” shot. Scott and I have plans this year to revamp this space, which should be pretty easy since the bones are pretty solid to begin with (someone knock on wood – quick!). Even before we add a little magic, the honeydew walls match the value of our living room, providing an easy transition between the wide open space.
Hallway
Our narrow, winding hallway lends itself to some treasured art, as well as a perfect hiding place for some storage. Our bedroom is on the left, and hidden around the bend is our office. Oh, and the wallpaper? It was love at first click. The best part (and practically a selling point)? There’s even a door that leads to a stacked washer and dryer. No more counting quarters for these two.
Bathroom
First stop on the hallway tour – bathroom. We all have one. Here’s ours. It’s been through too many transitions to count, including our most recent color revamp, found here. And although you can wash your hands, handle your business, and turn on the shower, all while standing in the same place and without moving an inch, it works.
Bathroom (opposite)
Perhaps one of my favorite photo collections in our home resides in this room. There is just something about unexpected photos, art, and trinkets in a bathroom that makes me smile. Mismatched towel hooks and an assortment of photo strips lend a bit of personality to a place where you’d least expect it.
Office
Our office has been through so many transitions, it’s impossible to even count. Originally housing a fold out futon, it was meant simply as a guest room and nothing else. Problem was that the futon was mini-sized (heck, it had to be in this 8′x10′ space) and the out-of-town friends and family just weren’t diggin’ the teeny bed. Out with the sorta-bed and in with the sideboard.
Truth is, we were catering our small space for the ocassional friend pop-in, and not for us. Call it what you will, but we ultimately rearranged the space to fit our needs, and our needs meant storage, desk space, and shelves for overflow.
Office (opposite)
This just-ten-tiny-bucks mirror was scooped up at the flea market. I call it fate. While the rest of our room relies on white accents against an almost navy wall, the gold frame provides an unexpected pop. And may I say, our money-hoggin’ snail looks quite happy holding down the fort.
Probably the most efficient use of space we have on display is our bike storage. (By the way, wouldn’t storage on display be an oxymoron?) Although it may look a little scary from below, I assure you that it’s super sturdy and efficient (while the hubs is surely lovin’ the manly “art”). Looking for a solution like this in your own pad? Find all the nitty gritty here on how it went down.
And hiding behind the office door? A perfect little niche. An extra seat for an overflowing amount of guests is tucked away, and the hubs has a tidy spot for grabbing his favorite caps on the go. We spiffed up the decorative hooks with a touch of gold paint, mimicking our flea find. Because this nook is concealed behind the door, no one’s the wiser, and yet we gain those much appreciated few extra inches of tucked-away storage. Sweet.
Bedroom
Our bedroom has been through some changes of it’s own, including a sort of “lightening up,” and most recently, a saga that turned our once orange (and very bright) bedroom into a toned down haven. We’re loving the clean palette with the pops of mustard, red, and aqua while relishing in the cool, white duvet and sun drenched curtains. The layering of textures, pattern, and color is what makes this room so darn us. (To see how we went from pumpkin hues to the calming retreat, check it out here, here, here and here)
Bedroom (opposite)
This Seattle Show Posters original, trimmed to size, tucks neatly inside the shadowbox of an Ikea Ribba frame. We love that it can only be seen while facing the hall (or laying in bed, depending on how you want to look at it), which makes it feel like our own secret print. Love. It.
Patio
Last (but certainly not least) is our back patio. Every inch counts in a home of this size, and that patio ain’t chopped liver. During the warm weather months, that extra landing of 7′x10′ welcomes our closest pals with open arms. The sizzle of burgers on our little Weber and sound of friendly chatter make it all the more enjoyable. Now that’s prime real estate, baby.
There you have it. All 650 square feet of it. One open living room and kitchen, a bitty bathroom, one bedroom, and one office. More than enough space for this team (and a dog and two cats and a ridiculously huge fish tank). We love each and every inch, and we think our furballs have got it pretty all right, too.
Mom was right when she said home is where the heart is, and we truly feel that when you love your home, it loves you back. It should be a space that reflects who you are, a zone that makes your heart beat a little faster, and a place to feel safe, warm, and…well, pretty darn happy. Alas, there will always be another project to start, others to finish off, and new curtains to hang, rugs to swap, and pillows to arrange. And we’re happy.
Psst…don’t forget. If you like something you saw, all the details on where we got what can be found right here.
by Kim
13 comments