Innholdsfortegnelse for Small Space Ideas 2021 i Southern Living

Nestled inside a leafy Washington, D.C., neighborhood, interior designer David Mitchell’s charming 1930s Colonial had solid bones and untapped potential when he first discovered it. “The location and proportions of the house were perfect; because it had never been renovated, I could tear it apart and put it back together like I wanted,” says David. “I took one look and said, ‘This is my home.’” David’s highest priority was to modernize the house without destroying its age-old charm, so he intentionally worked within its original footprint and kept the traditional floor plan intact. At approximately 1,800 square feet, the house is modest in size, but the designer says that’s part of its appeal. “Smaller spaces are cozier and easier to change,” he says. One of the first changes he…

Designer P. Allen Smith loves a challenge. So when he built a guesthouse at his Moss Mountain Farm just outside Little Rock, he gave himself some limits: 1,650 square feet, completed in 150 days, for just $150,000. But that’s not all. It would also feature the most up-to-date green construction principles, and its design would be inspired by vernacular precedent—the 19th-century Southern farmhouse. “This home is the anti-McMansion,” says Allen. So how did he fare? Well, the house came in just $14,000 (or about 9%) over budget, but it checked all the other boxes, including Allen’s mandate for comfortable and charming decor. Here, he shares his secrets for packing big style into a small space—without breaking the bank. 1 PAINTED FURNITURE It’s an easy and affordable way to transform…

When Susan and Josiah Daniel learned that a log house built by Josiah’s ancestors was in serious disrepair and about to be sold, the history-loving couple swooped in and bought it themselves. With the assistance of Dallas architect Steve Chambers, the couple moved what little remained of the structure from Navarro County, Texas, to their East Texas farm 76 miles away. Here, they reconstructed the home as it had been built in 1856: a one-story, double-pen, dogtrot log house. The unexpected addition to their farm is now a treasured heirloom that the Daniels, and future generations, will enjoy for many years to come. “We never intended on having this house,” says Susan, “but we couldn’t let the logs leave the family.” what they did THE EXTERIOR & PORCH RESTORED THE…

Karina Gentinetta has an affinity for old houses—the older, the better. When her newly purchased 1930s home—including nearly all its contents—was wiped out by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, she and her husband, Andrew “A.J.” McAlear, were left to build a new home on the lot where their old one had stood. “I wanted to pay homage to the architecture and history New Orleans lost,” says Karina. Placing emphasis on simplicity, she drew the modest plans herself. She modeled the abode after her beloved first home, a shotgun-style Creole cottage built in 1850. Slow funding, fly-by-night contractors, and an array of setbacks delayed construction for more than three years. During the wait, she scoured the city for key architectural components, vintage furniture, and accessories. “I became obsessed with old things,” she…

Before settling in the South, Wendy Meredith spent many happy years in Nantucket and other quaint Massachusetts towns, so it’s not surprising that she’d bring a little New England charm to her current Atlanta home. The Cape Cod-style house that she and her husband, Cleve, bought several years ago had been built in the 1930s and was more or less in its original state, so the interior designer had a clean slate for incorporating her best ideas. “Before we bought the house, I would pass by it while walking my dogs, and I could just tell it had so much character,” Wendy says. “But it definitely needed to be freshened up.” FRONT EXTERIOR Wendy called in Atlanta architect Brad Heppner, and the two immediately started working on curb appeal as…