Small Space Furniture (page 9)

Small Space Furniture, Scaled to Fit

A small room needs furniture in the right proportions, and usually more of it than people expect. Jesse Bodine’s view is that a small room with too few pieces looks unfinished, and the right pieces, each scaled down, make it feel complete. An apartment sofa with slim arms and raised legs leaves space for a reading chair and a side table, where a full-size sofa would take the whole wall. This collection gathers that kind of piece, sized for apartments, condos, guest rooms and the smaller rooms of larger homes.

The Living Room

Look for a sofa under 84 inches wide with a tight back and slim arms, which seats three without filling the wall. Raised legs let the floor run underneath and make the room read larger. Pair it with an accent chair under 28 inches wide and a coffee table about 18 inches from the sofa, and choose a round or oval top if the walkway is tight. Modular sofas and coffee tables with storage earn their place twice in a small room.

Dining in a Small Space

A round pedestal table 48 inches across or smaller seats four with no corner legs to bump into. In a breakfast nook or against a wall, a rectangular table with a bench on one side tucks in tighter than four chairs. Armless dining chairs slide fully under the table between meals, and an extendable table gives you room for six on the nights you need it.

Bedrooms and Storage

In a small bedroom, a tall chest with five or six drawers holds as much as a long dresser and takes up half the wall. Every surface should store something: a nightstand with drawers, a console with a shelf, baskets on a bookcase. Choose closed storage for what you would rather not see and open shelves for the things you love.

Working From Home

A desk 48 inches wide or less fits under a window or at the end of a living room. A pocket office in a closet or a hallway alcove keeps work out of sight at the end of the day, and a desk chair that tucks fully under the desktop keeps the walkway clear.

Making a Small Room Feel Larger

Keep the large pieces in related tones so the room reads calm, and bring in contrast with smaller things. Mirrors bounce light, glass tops take up almost no visual space and furniture on legs shows more floor. Light the room at several heights, with a table lamp and a sconce in place of one overhead fixture, so the corners become part of the room.