Friday, April 15, 2011

The dreaded spare bedroom

Most of us don’t have the luxury of space in our homes. This always tends to show by the amount of junk we keep in our spare bedroom that has to double up as a quest room, study, craft and ironing room.

The key is storage and clever space planning. First of all decide on what activities needs to happen in this room and start a practical floor plan. Leave traffic space for people to move around in easily.

Then start clearing the room and sort out all the junk into piles. One called ‘keep’ one called ‘sell’ and one called ‘charity’. Selling on websites like http://www.gumtree.co.za/ have made selling your stuff online a breeze and giving your unwanted goods to charity is giving back that we can all do more off. Try donating to charities like The Salvation Army http://www.thesalvationarmy.co.za/

Most times it is not a lack of space but rather the large amount of junk we don’t need that eats up the space – a bit like the packman game.

Today I will be sharing a few great ideas of organizing the different areas of this room. Whatever you use it for. Craft, guests, laundry or home office.

Guest bedroom

Storage helps you pack away items and leave space for guessts. I found that having a clothing rail in this room helps with guessts clothing that stays a little longer than one night.

Daybed with heart shaped rug
www.architectsforlife.com

Green stripes bed and home office

More storage ... under the bed in boxes and I thought it very clever the way this narrow room on the left has its bedside tables as a foot and end with only fairylights next to the bed. Love the dramatic color schemes of these two.


Dark walls bedroom with two pedestals at foot end of bed

Dark storage boxes under the bed

Craft room
The ribbons on dowells are just too clever ...


Ribbon storage

Laundry room
Inspiration for even the most uninspired house wife.

Red floral wall paper




Laundry room 2
I love the wall coverings on these two. The Cath Kidson inspired laundry on the right is very quirky and the lettering on the wall a very sweet touch.

Striped carpet laundry

Cath Kidson inspired

Laundry room 3
The use of these blue tones on the wall are very fresh - suitable for a laundry room I think.

Laundry & craft

Home office
Lovely bold wall paper (left) set against a white canvas really looks the part. I love distressed and uneven surfaces like the tressle table right.


Pink floral wall paper

Tressle table
More home office inspiration. How perfect is this glass box home office ... ?

Glass doors home office

Home office
Two very pretty home offices. I still think the person who thought of the cupboard office is a genius!

Craft room with island 

Blue cupboard craft

Craft room
Beautiful transparent containers perfect for organizing bits and bobs. I was wonderfully surprized at Mr Price Home's units on wheels - go have a look.

Orange wall unit
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/

Polka dot ironing board
2browneyedbeauties.blogspot.com

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