Amid rising housing costs and a trend toward smaller families, many Americans are choosing smaller homes and apartments. When bulky sofas and expansive chandeliers are out of the question, homeowners seek stylish ways to make small rooms feel spacious. Here are four design hacks to transform your small living space into an alluring sanctuary. INVITE LIGHT An abundance of light helps create a living space that feels airy and open. Choosing a white, cream, or light gray decor reflects available light, but any pale pastel hue can achieve a similar effect. Glass, Lucite, or acrylic tabletops lend depth and reflect natural light. And don’t hesitate to play with mirrors. Placing them opposite windows, in an entryway, or on interior doors can amplify natural light coming in. EXPAND UPWARD Architects through the ages have reduced crowding by expanding living and working spaces upward. You can do the same by creating multipurpose floor-to-ceiling bookshelves for your small abode. Tiered DESIGN HACKS THAT MAKE ANY ROOM FEEL LARGER Small Space, Big Style
display shelves draw the eye upward and offer multiple options for storing or displaying books and decorative items. Also, floor-length, wall-to-wall curtains in light colors can create the illusion of high ceilings and make a room feel more spacious. USE FOLDING FURNITURE A clever way to increase potential uses for your living space is to invest in multipurpose furniture. A futon sofa bed can double as a comfy couch. A stylish ottoman can open up into a storage receptacle for magazines or linens. If you enjoy entertaining, consider an extendable drop-leaf dining table with storage shelves tucked inside, or nesting sets of two coffee tables that swivel into one. Additionally, while you may be tempted to push your furniture up against the wall to save space, this actually creates a cramped feeling. Choose pieces that rest on exposed legs rather than flat on the floor, and position furniture at a slight distance from walls. REDUCE CLUTTER Any room feels smaller when strewn with clutter. Take advantage of the many stylish storage options available today to make that mess disappear. Under-bed storage containers serve as sturdy hideaways, and a hanging shoe organizer can store other items, such as cleaning supplies.
Any of these strategies can help make your living space feel larger, easing that cramped feeling and freeing you to enjoy it to the max!
SAN DIEGO HISTORY YOU DIDN’T KNOW EXISTED Step off the Beaten Path
VILLA MONTEZUMA MUSEUM Just outside the downtown area, you can see a classic and unusual example of Victorian- era architecture that the city is still known for. The Villa Montezuma was built in 1887 for a famous musician and author named Jesse Shepard. The mansion, now a museum, features beautiful stained glass windows, gargoyles, and maybe even a few ghosts. It’s an interesting peek into the eccentric artist’s life and work. SUNNY JIM’S SEA CAVE California’s only sea cave accessible by land is where water and history converge. Sunny Jim’s Sea Cave was hand-dug by smugglers during the prohibition era. The tunnel in La Jolla takes visitors down 145 steps from a gift shop, leading to a small cave with a stunning view of the Pacific Ocean coastline. Although it was discovered in the early 1900s, it gained its name later from Frank Baum, the author of “The Wizard of Oz,” who believed the cave’s
San Diego is home to fascinating history, whether it’s the cultural gems in Balboa Park or the Coronado Bridge, a true marvel of engineering. But if you take a step off the beaten path, the city’s lesser-known gems of the past may be even more intriguing. From one of the oldest carousels in America to the stylish Victorian architecture of the Villa Montezuma Museum, these sites from California’s yesteryear are still worth a look. LOOFF CAROUSEL Tucked among the popular shops and restaurants of Seaport Village is a piece of history that spins circles around other ordinary attractions. The Looff Carousel is one of the oldest of its kind in the U.S., first built in 1895 for families in Texas to enjoy. The wooden structure is one of the only surviving pieces by “the father of carousels,” Charles Looff. The ride arrived in San Diego in 2004, and you can ride on one of the 40 colorful animals for just $5.
silhouette resembled the mascot of a popular British cereal of the same name.
Beyond the beautiful beaches and world- renowned attractions of San Diego are pieces of history you’ve never heard of before. Whether you are a first-time visitor to the city or a lifelong local, these historic sites off the beaten path are unlike any other.
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