Seven years ago, Sarah Lonsdale, one of the four founders of Remodelista, introduced readers to her 1,200-square-foot rental in Northern California. (See Sarah’s Refined Rental in St. Helena, CA for the full tour.) I revisited that story recently and found myself newly smitten with her home’s effortless styling and bungalow charms—particularly its casual but artful storage solutions. Here are eight clever ideas you’ll want to steal for your own home.
Above: Sarah, working on her extra-long sofa (a custom Erin Martin bought on sale). Aside from the sofa, the only other furniture in the small living room are two butterfly chairs and one stool, which functions as both a coffee table and extra seating.
2. Baskets for Everything
Above: In a laidback California home, you can never have too many baskets. Sarah uses a Korbo wire basket to hold newspapers. Above: Here, a rustic woven basket contains magazines and a knitting project.
3. A No-Nails Hanging Storage Hack
Above: Picture rail moldings can be used for hanging more than art. “I used S hooks and a brass ring hung from rope for suspending a white-painted canvas bag where I store off-season scarves,” she says in her original post.
4. A Pot Rack over the Window
Above: The dead space above the windows is the perfect place to hang a pot rack.
5. Kitchen Essentials Hung and Displayed
Above: “The kitchen is not big on storage space, so I hang as much as I can and turn it into a visual display,” says Sarah.
6. Leather Pulls Instead of Old Knobs
Above: Got old built-in cabinets? An easy way to update them is to swap out outdated knobs or handles for simple leather ties.
7. A Repurposed Laundry Basket Frame
Above: What is this charming improvised tray table? “The tray stand is made from a folding laundry basket frame picked up at the Alameda flea market with a wire tray added on top. It’s my cell phone charging station and where I put all my papers before they make it to my office space,” explains Sarah.
8. Dining Chairs that Stack
Above: A must for anyone who has to contend with a small space—stackable chairs. “The chairs are the classic Arne Jacobsen Series 7, also bought 15 years ago, and easy to stack and store.” N.B.: This post is an update; it was first published on Sept. 12, 2018.
Looking for more inspiring small-space home tours?
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