Posted by Rebecca
The pink trailer’s deck is up and running for the summer, and as of this week it looks a little like this….
Is your outdoor space ready for summer? What are some of your favorite potted plants?
Rebecca Knabe
Decked Out
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Tag Archives: small space design
Lighten Up
Posted by Rebecca
I got inspired during a visit to Tanille’s tiny home a few weeks ago. She had switched her beautiful, but dark living room curtains for light ones; and it opened up, and brightened up the place so much that I had to try it myself.
I found some pretty shower (yes, shower) curtains at World Market that I loved and would do the trick. They are fully fabric, and the thing I like about shower curtains is they are wider than regular curtains, so fewer panels are needed. The only caution is they aren’t as long, so they work best behind furniture.
Notice the difference from my old heavy curtains, to my lighter set. It feels so bright and cheery, and perfect for summer! And I feel like I have a whole new living room!
Another bonus to this type of change is it feels like you’ve redecorated, but with very little expense or work. My furniture does not rearrange well in my trailer. My couch is huge and very deep, but I love it and won’t get rid of it. So the front end of the trailer is the only place it fits (believe me, I tried about 174 other locations). This change of window covering adjusts the light levels of the room, and makes the huge change that you feel when you’ve moved furniture.
I did the same thing in my bedroom last winter. I thought I needed to immediately darken the wall color after hanging these new white curtains, but I still haven’t painted, and now that I’m used to the change I love it – with or without darker walls.
And that’s how you do a cheap and easy, light and bright summer makeover! 
Rebecca Knabe
White Water Retro
Posted by Rebecca
I ran into an RV Show last weekend. Literally. I was running, and there it was. And even though I’m into the whole trailer ‘thing,’ an RV Show is not something I would typically check out. You see, I would have a hard time justifying spending a bunch of money on a brand new camping trailer, when my home trailer cost me a measly $5,000.
It’s simple math. House = $5,000, therefore the couple-weeks-a-year vacation house must = <$5,000. And fancy new travel trailers do not.
However, I couldn’t resist a peak, and this Retro number caught my eye. It was nearly the smallest one on the lot, and it was perfect!
Granted, the inside could use a little color and bedizenment, but layout and storage-wise it’s great!
Yep, I can really see myself in this thing…. (oh brother! ***insert giant eye roll here***)
Rebecca Knabe
Trailer Pick of the Day – Red
Posted by Rebecca
My friend, Carice, sent me a photo the other day, of this great little camper bopping down the freeway. I love the color, and I would love to spend summer evenings by the lake in that thing!
Do you ever come across great trailer-photo-opportunities? If you do, snap the picture and email it to me. I’d love to feature your photo on the blog. Send them to rebeccanmpa@yahoo.com.
Rebecca Knabe
Trailer Inspiration
Posted by Rebecca
I recently had a great link sent to me by my sweet fella (my friends think it sounds ridiculous when I call him that. I tried “gentleman caller” for a while, but they said that made me sound like an escort; and “boyfriend” sounds way too silly for someone my age. Anyway….).
Houzz is a renovation inspiration website that allows you to browse rooms and save photos for your own projects. A recent post featured Airstream Trailers as an idea, because ”in this increasingly urban and budget-conscious world, one of the greatest design challenges homeowners and designers face is figuring out how to live comfortably and stylishly in increasingly smaller spaces.”
And although the design and photos were Airstream-specific, the post reminded us, “Even if you don’t own an Airstream… think of these spaces as test-bunny methods you can use in your home’s smaller spaces. After all, a little goes a long-haul way.”
So click on this link and check out the fantastic and diverse trailer designs. My favorites are photos #3 and #4, and I love the mod chandelier in photo #7. Which ones are your favorites?
Here’s one of me and my fella, the gentleman caller, my boyfriend…. Let’s just call him John.
Rebecca Knabe
The Greatest Compliment
Posted by Rebecca
My friend, Natasha, was visiting the other night. Her son was playing with a little 9-year-old girl named, Trinity. I was a 9-year-old girl once. When I was 9 the only things on my mind were playing, pretty things like sparkles and kittens, and Barbie Dolls. I think a lot of 9-year-old girls are fairly similar.
So it was an unexpected compliment when little Trinity walked into my trailer, eyes wide, and said, “It’s pretty in here!”
I was taken aback. It was very unexpected. And it felt like the greatest compliment ever. I’ve had a lot of adults tell me that my place looks great, but sometimes I feel like they think they have to say that; or they’re really thinking, “This place looks great, for a trailer.”
Hearing it from a little girl, however, was better. She didn’t know that it’s polite to express praise the first time you see someone’s home. She isn’t aware that buttering someone up usually improves their impression of you. And the last thing on her mind when she was preparing to walk into my home was, “I wonder how this place is decorated.”
So when Trinity told me that my place is pretty, I believed her. She spoke from her heart. And as I thanked her I thought to myself, “I think it’s pretty too.”
Posted by Rebecca
Small Spaces and Color
Posted by Rebecca
One of the many small-space-decorating myths is that color makes a space look smaller. Not true! Rejoice in the fact that there are more options available for those of us with tiny homes than ‘institution white.’ In fact, the correct use of color can visually expand your living space.
Here are a few tips I’ve found that will help you successfully decorate your small space with vibrancy and life:
- Add color, but with restraint, says the Armstrong Floor Board Blog. Don’t indulge your need for color at the expense of light and proportion. Use splashes of color on radiators, doors, inside bookcases, or on small walls or partitions.
- Paint the entryway a few shades lighter than the main room. As you move from the darker entry to the lighter, brighter living space, the contrast will make it appear larger than it really is.
- Create a focal wall with color, states an article on HGTV. Although some designers don’t like this in a larger home, it can work wonders in a small space. Sometimes a darker color on one wall can make it recede, causing the room to look more spacious.
- It is important for small homes to be cohesive, and this can be achieved by using different shades of the same color to unite all the rooms. This will increase the flow throughout your home, encouraging movement and making it feel more open.
- Paint the ceilings a lighter color than the walls to draw the eye up and make it appear airier. This is an especially effective tip in a low-ceiling home such as a trailer.
- Don’t forget to add some black. Yes, black! A black item will help ground the appearance of the space and clarify the other colors. Even something small like a lamp or a picture frame will work. I love my black dining table and chairs. They add a solid focal point to my great room without being distracting or overwhelming.
So try a little color in your small space. If you don’t want to commit to paint, add some bright throw pillows or artwork, or even hang a colorful rug or piece of fabric on the wall.
If you do decide to take the plunge and paint a bold color on a wall or two, here is some exciting inspiration…. Tanesha Awasthi, author of the blog Girl With Curves, recently posted a few photos of her home. Take a look at the beautiful color she chose for her 100 square foot living room, in the photo below, and notice how the dark yet bright blue allows the wall to recess, while the natural light and pale furnishings extend the visual boundaries of the room.
Check out the rest of her blog for great fashion looks and confidence-building ideas for girls with beautiful shape.
Rebecca Knabe
Small Changes Make a Big Difference
Posted by Rebecca
A couple of nights ago I finally got around to recovering the seats of my dining room chairs. I bought my dining room set years ago at a yard sale for $30. It had 6 chairs and 2 leaves to extend the table. It was painted the current color shortly after I got it, and I have since sold two chairs to fit it more comfortably in my tiny home.
The seat bottoms have always been a dingy beige velvet-type fabric, and I’ve never liked it. A friend recently gave me a large piece of fabric that tied in some of the colors in my home. So I bought myself a manually powered staple gun and got to work.
It was a tedious task that took an entire evening. I also learned that Cassi is terrified of the staple gun. It’s not particularly loud, but something about it caused her to attempt to climb onto my lap several times during the process. She’s 80 lbs. It did not work well.
But we both got through it, and I am thrilled with the results. See for yourself….
Before:
After:
Up close:
The set now feels fresh, clean, and stylish. What a difference! I know it seems like a strange mix of colors, but my curtains are the same dark green (if you look to the left of the top two photos, you can see my curtains in the reflection of the mirror), I have that large red mirror by the table, and I have hot pink cushions on my couch; and I think the combo is dreamy.
Rebecca Knabe
Teardrop Trailers
Posted by Rebecca
A couple of months ago I posted a picture of this little teardrop that I saw while on a run one morning.
These are the cutest little trailers, and the kind of thing I would consider looking into if I was ever in the market. It’s like an upgrade from a tent, but still requires some “roughing it.” Typically the inside compartment is a bed, and the back of the trailer opens up to a small kitchen area, often complete with a mini fridge/cooler and some sort of stove.
I came across a blog recently, called tiny yellow teardrop, about the blogger’s travels with her own teardrop, Sunflower, and other teardrops she encounters along the way. In addition to lots of photos, the blog includes pros and cons of a teardrop trailer, winterizing suggestions, and stories of other teardrop owners.
Whether or not you are thinking about looking into owning a teardrop of your own, check out her blog for some small-space-dwelling inspiration.
Rebecca Knabe
Life in a Tiny Apartment
Posted by Rebecca
Reading My Tea Leaves is a blog by Erin Boyle who shares a 240 square foot Brooklyn, New York apartment with her husband, James. Her blog features a series called Life in a Tiny Apartment that lists survival tips for teeny-tiny-space living. So far, she has posted 26 tips which include these great ideas:
- Organize your closet. One way to accomplish this is by using uniform hangers. These hangers - Ultra Thin No Slip Velvet Suit Hangers
- Make the bed. If my home is locked I have to enter by the back door, which spits you right into my bedroom. For the first time in my life, I make sure to make the bed every morning. It is awful coming home to a disheveled room, and since the bed takes up most of the room’s area, it must be neat and welcoming every day.
- Take out your recycling. Most small homes have small garbage cans to match. If your area offers recycling, don’t wait for it to stack up…. Take it out right away. It reduces clutter, and frees up space for other kitchen junk.
- Compost. Composting is another super way to cut down on your garbage can usage and stinkage. If you don’t have a garden of your own, Erin recommends freezing your compostable items until you have a chance to donate them to someone who would love them. I have a garden, but I also have a dog who moonlights as a garbage disposal. If I even attempted a compost pile, Cassi would happily eliminate it everyday. But I have a neighbor who is just itching to receive my peels and pits and whatnots, so I have a bucket with a lid to collect these nutrient-rich delectables.
- Unpack your bag. If you go on a trip, don’t wait to unpack when you return. It will save you many detours and stubbed toes, as you attempt to navigate around your luggage.
- Buy baskets with lids. I’m not a basket gal. I once lived on a dirt road, and the house and everything in it was perpetually covered in a layer of fine dirt. To me, wicker and baskets are just country-cozy dust collectors that you can never fully clean. But I agree with the idea – all your storage items should have a lid so it can double as a table or a stool; and all your tables and stools should have a storage compartment. If an item in your tiny home doesn’t serve double duty, you better really love it. If not, get rid of it.
- Get a tiny dish rack. I have a nice chrome one from Ikea that I usually fold up and put away, but if it’s left on the counter it doesn’t look too bad. Make sure your kitchen is as efficient and streamlined as possible.
- Splurge on pretty towels. Chances are your towels will be on display – either on hooks or open shelves. When I moved into the pink trailer I kept only the towels that matched, and were fluffy and not showing age. You will only need a few towels, so make sure you love them and they look great.
Check out Erin’s blog for more small space survival tips, as well as yummy recipes, do it yourself projects, and great photography.
Rebecca Knabe
