Why we love intimate spaces

With San Diego’s housing market still setting record highs, many buyers are opting to downsize their wishlists . While buyers are willing to trade space for a friendlier mortgage payment, what they’re not willing to sacrifice is functionality and style. Below is a list of a few ways you can optimize your intimate space without having to compromise on comfort.

1. Define the function(s)

The first two questions any good interior designer will ask a client is, “what will you be doing in this space?” and “what do you want it to feel like?” The answers to these two questions will determine how you’ll need to divide the space and the best way to do that. For example, when BlueGrape recently staged a downtown San Diego, 900 sq ft. apartment, we wanted the open-concept  kitchen, dining and living room to feel like separate spaces that blended together seamlessly. The best way to achieve this is to scale the furniture to the appropriate size, meaning small spaces call for the right scale of furniture, not necessarily tiny pieces or for that matter huge pieces.

For example, staging a loveseat in a small media room will only make the room feel smaller. In our downtown project we staged a full sized sectional with an ottoman and accent chair, as well as a four-seater dining table and barstools tucked under the kitchen island. By showing seating for over 4-8 people without making things feel tight, we transformed the space from modest to sophisticated and functional. We asked ourselves the questions, “how do you want the space to feel for the customer?” The answer was simply, “modern.” With this direction, we chose to keep the large pieces neutral, adding pops of color with the artwork. 

2. Sight Lines

A sight line is the visual path leading the eye towards a focal point. In this case, the downtown skyline was a must see! The neutral rug and glass table tops give an illusion of continuity, as the eye can easily look to the end of the room without distraction. To avoid the space feeling cold (too much white and metal textures can do that!) we spiced it up with funky wooden dining chairs to help to warm up the space and add architectural interest.  

3. Circulation 

Circulation refers to the flow of foot traffic through a space. Since our focal point was the window at the end of the room- it was crucial that there was a clear path from the entry to the stunning skyline view. The key here was the round dining table positioned in the center of the room. This not only kept the balance between the large sectional (left wall) and opposing console table (right wall), but also allowed for circulation from either side of the table. Had a large rectangular dining table been used, the walking path would be forced to only the right side, as the left side would have been cut off by the end tables. 

4. little space, big ART 

Although we suggest staying away from bold/busy patterned furniture in small spaces - going big with artwork is fair game! In this example we selected a tall, modern canvas in the living room that would add little pops of color while bringing the eye upward to the ledge around the ceiling. 

In the master bedroom we used artwork to balance the three largest furniture pieces: the bed, dresser and reading chair. By using 4 different art pieces with the same neutral colors (black, white, and gold) we avoid taking away from the dramatic window in front of the writing desk which floods the room with natural light.  

5. what about mirrors??

If there’s one trick we all know about giving the illusion of space it’s the use of mirrors. Yes, it’s true, mirrors will reflect light and make the room feel bigger. Our team actually brought a black metal mirror to the downtown project but opted not to use it. The reason was simple; it didn’t reflect anything meaningful and took away from the focal point. This is the biggest tip when it comes to mirrors- they should always, always, always reflect something pleasing. Mirrors should definitely not reflect a messy corner,  something dirty (think an overflowing laundry basket) or a blank wall. The use of any reflective surface can be a powerful design tool- use with intention.  

Don’t sweat the small space

Although 2021 is not a “normal” year just yet, that doesn’t mean we need to stress about downsizing. Some of BlueGrape’s favorite projects have been intimate spaces that force our team to come up with creative, multi-purpose options for the modern home buyer. We hope these tips help you design the perfect space for your next cozy listing!