A Clean, Scandinavian, Fun Small/Cool Space
A Clean, Scandinavian, Fun Small/Cool Space
Name: Karla Ferrara
Size: 390 sq ft
Home type: Apartment
Location: Boston, MA
Years lived in: One year, rented
Household: My fiancé (Devon) and cat (Sir Earl)
Have any design professionals worked on this space: No
Describe your space:
I am originally from Finland and Mexico, so being far from home, there was a need to create an oasis of hygge for myself. The neutral colors, soft textures, and raw wood accents work together to create a calm functional environment in the middle of a bustling downtown. We needed each piece in this house to work extra hard in order to maintain a clean uncluttered space without sacrificing functionality, which lead to some interesting DIY projects. I love this space because of the little moments of beauty such as the gallery wall, the curtain wall in the bedroom, the postcard mural fridge.
Did you DIY anything in your space? And, if so, what's your favorite DIY?
I love to DIY; I think that is what makes this space feel like ours. The first thing I did was fix the kitchen. It was sad and a bit blah. So I added a fake subway tile backsplash and changed the cabinet hardware to something more modern. There are little pieces of DIY all over the house. The cat's scratching post cactus is something I made, as well as our desk, coffee table, and coffee cabinet. Most of the art around the house is also made by me. I am clearly a maker and am always finding ways in which to put my own twist and mark on things.
How do you make your small space work for you and feel bigger than it really is?
With tiny spaces, you have to be really creative. My proudest DIY is a little entrance cabinet I hacked to hide the cat's litter box and all his stuff. It's a life saver and does double duty as an entrance console. We also got a dining table that has storage drawers and can be opened to seat more people. This has been so important for our social life. During the week, we keep it closed for the two of us, but if we have friends over, we can open it up and seat up to six.
How does your home reflect you?
This home has me written all over the walls, literally. From the DIYs to all the artwork on the walls. I love this home because it fuses clean simplicity with a pop of color and fun.