Nicole is so smart. Using a few design tricks, she was able to transform a small, dark space into a beautiful new guest room. If you've seen her AT House Tour or her blog, Making it Lovely, you know that she's always got something good going on. Click below to see her newest transformation...
One of the reasons we love this room so much: it's a great illustration of a few things you can do to make a small, dark room seem larger. These are ideas we've blogged before, and Nicole puts them to good use here. For the window, she hung curtains beyond the edges of the frame to make the narrow opening appear more substantial.
In this "before" shot, you can see how cramped this area really is. It's also got some weird architectural details, including sunken storage spaces on each end of the room.
Other design tricks that lighten the room: a white rug on the floor, light walls with white trim, and white curtains to cover the storage space. Generally, light colors are better than dark for visually expanding a space.
This is the other side of the room before the transformation. Painting the angled ceiling the same color as the walls minimizes the low ceiling.
Another small space trick: using furniture with visual space underneath. The open bases of this table and chair make them appear less bulky. The Lubi Daybed also folds out to become a double guest bed.
Nicole sources all the items she used for the room on her blog. See the full transformation here.
© 2009 Apartment Therapy
amazing! she had me at "marimekko".
view selena's profile
What a great little space - love that Marimekko fabric...
view bepsf's profile
Wow - lovely. What a wonderful transformation. I love seeing people use daybeds like this...
view bostonkayla's profile
Lovely & inviting - am sure her guests feel truly welcomed.
view KarenH's profile
Nicole is always an inspiration. So lovely!
view kellylc's profile
Those curtains are to die for!
view me-n-dj's profile
what a really impressive transformation. gorgeousness!
i can't believe how nice it looks painted white...
view kdkaboom's profile
love love love with a sparkling heart.
view *heather leaf*'s profile
I love it!
view Melissa82's profile
can anyone tell me where that tray table/console is from? or where i can get something like it?
view saintmims's profile
How beautiful!!!!!! Truly inspiring.
view danze's profile
Simply Beautiful!
view Sleek's profile
Must have that fabric....does anyone know where you can purchase it?
view RKWB's profile
OK....I found it....http://www.marimekkowashingtondc.com/...rookie mistake!
view RKWB's profile
ah..mazing..
view Siddhu's profile
i already loved that fabric and now seeing it up as curtains has me swooning.
view undomestic's profile
its fantastic! i love the chosen colors. the lamp is beautiful!
view angxannette's profile
What a great job! You brought just the right amount of color into this small space.
view anne's profile
Absolutely beautiful.
Did anyone else have trouble with the first "before" picture? I couldn't get my bearings and thought it was posted upside-down at first!
view Molly Margarita's profile
Amazing! I can't believe it's the same room. It's gorgeous!!
view everydaycraftygoodness's profile
love the window treatment!
view Good is Green's profile
Really nice room - love the colour and just the right amount of furniture, objects etc.
view Gallivant's profile
Gorgeous. can I visit? :-)
view kimg924's profile
That's awesome! What a nice little space. I really love this window treatment!
view OneWallKitchen's profile
gorgous. very calming.
view denverdigs's profile
Thank you so much, everyone! And Sarah, thank you for posting this!
Saintmims, that table is from IKEA. It was the first thing I ever bought from them, back when they first opened the Schaumburg store (maybe 10 years ago?).
view pinklovesbrown's profile
I love it.
I don't sew (not at all and I can't learn) but have been wanting to get to curtains made from marimekko fabric. Anyone know someone they can refer me to that won't charge as much as the fabric?
view MC's profile
What a completely fabulous transformation. The room seems enormous, full of light, and stunning. This goes right into my inspiration file!
view ee2485's profile
Wonderful; done in great taste. And the proportions are perfect, too.
view martita's profile
GORGEOUS!
view clanalois's profile
great design of a small space, very well done
view LaDonnaNichole's profile
MC. if you want to ship it to Denver I could do it with measurements. Nothing fancy.
If you haven't noticed, I'm pretty frugal. Do high schools still teach sewing classes? That's where I learned. I'd check with a teacher and see if she could recruit a student to do it (curtains are REALLY simple) Or in NYC - a design school.
When I was in HS there was a kid in my sewing class who didn't have money for all the assigned sewing projects... so the teacher would buy patterns and fabrics and have the student make outfits for said teacher's niece and nephew. so with that thought in mind, you could be helping someone out.
view clickchick's profile
Absolutely love this room! My ONLY nitpick would be that I might have hung one curtain over the weird little alcove from the ceiling instead of fitting separate ones into the odd openings...but that could just be my OCD talking ;-)
view AndreaU's profile
wonderful small space. looks perfect for an afternoon nap.
view TheoJ's profile
When I redo awkward little rooms, they come out looking better. When Nicole does it, they come out looking as if they were gorgeous from the getgo. How do you DO that, Nicole?
view Aulaire's profile
happy happy joy joy
view jkgalbny's profile
Lovely photos. Lovely transformation. Lovely little space.
view ADonuts's profile
OMG, I can't believe I had the same KNABY tray table from IKEA in beech finish, which I sold in my moving sale last year! Now, why didn't I think of painting it? Sigh...
That is a perfect, cozy guest bedroom - could actually make it a fantastic B&B room - any thoughts?
I loved the Oak Park house tour and again, love how she is continuously transforming her home to make it better and refreshing! Such an inspiration!
view sysuh's profile
Paint the dresser.
view Doris loves art!'s profile
Yes, I'm planning on painting the dresser.
view pinklovesbrown's profile
Not a big fan of this look.
view toy's profile
I am in shock. That is amazing. Great!!!
view jenzoe's profile
Love it! The room looks so light and airy! Thanks for sharing.
view echo333's profile
The transformation is fantastic. Great photos.
view pungster's profile