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16. The artwork distracts the eye from the restrictions of the L-shaped kitchen here. Furthermore, this urban kitchen displays light hues, reflective backsplash tiles and a shiny countertop, which visually broaden the compact space.Read more:Want to Make Your Small Kitchen Feel Bigger?5 Recipes for Solving Problem Areas in Small KitchensTell us: What makes your small kitchen work wonderfully? Share your tips in Comments below.
She also uses the open shelving unit to display travel mementos and knickknacks. “Some of my favourite things are the pinecones from outside my childhood home, the vintage viewfinder I found at a Brooklyn flea market when I lived in New York, and my collection of things to burn, including sage, palo santo and incense,” she says. “When people come over it’s usually one of the first things in the apartment they look at and play with.”
15. A single block of cabinetry makes up for everything in this open kitchen space of a city apartment. Although the work-triangle is not achieved in this design, the close proximity of all the three utilities (stove, sink and fridge) makes working comfortable. Integrated drawer handles and a bright blue hue keep the look simple and cool. The full-height open unit potentially satisfies the storage needs of this kitchen.
12. Open shelves are visually lighter than solid cabinets. They also make sure that items of daily use are instantly accessible. Here, the punch of orange and the traditional iron brackets under the open shelves draw the eyes away from the fullness of the area. 10 Ways to Deal With Open Kitchen Shelves
11. In this kitchen with sleek surfaces, modular cabinets provide ample storage and amplify space. Plain, handle-less units provide unobstructed movement around the area. The numerous hooks under the overhead cabinet can be used to hang pans, ladles, cups and other paraphernalia; this helps to keep clutter off the counter and makes the wall area work harder.5 Things to Know Before Installing a Modular Kitchen
10. Talking of surfaces, glossy ones amplify reflection, making any area appear sizeable. Cabinetry, backsplash and floor, all with a smooth sheen, scatter the artificial light in this U-shaped kitchen here. Slender handles and lack of ornamentation keep the look sleek and minimal.What’s the Best Material for Kitchen Cabinets?
9. In narrow kitchens, if there is no space for an island, a small portable table can do the job. Here, a wheeled cart develops more working space and provides storage for items that come in handy while cooking. The huge window at the focal point lets in plenty of natural light, spread further by the white surfaces of the cabinet and walls.
5. Using mirrors to maximise the sense of space is probably the oldest trick in the book. The reflective surface bounces back light and extends views, adding to the airiness of any cramped area. Here, the mirrored backsplash virtually doubles the size of the kitchen, while the use of white reinforces the effect.Feast on These 9 Steamy Splashback Tiles
4. Here, light-coloured tiles clad the walls all the way up to the ceiling, giving the small space a lofty appeal. This kitchen pulls off a highly functional design by incorporating open shelves as well as closed cabinets. The vertical lines of the cabinets and window boost the perception of height and grain of the wood, across the floor, makes the area look wider than it actually is.
2. Here, in this small apartment kitchen, the narrow breakfast table and slim-legged bar chairs do not add to the visual weight. They also bring a bit of structure to the straight-lined layout of the kitchen. The colour of the cabinets have been kept in line with the sober palette of the room, with pops of colour and fun coming in through the eclectic orange and brown accents.
1. This compact kitchen space is divided into two parts – the kitchen platform side and the dining side. This layout draws our attention away from the narrowness of the room. The overhead cabinets touch the ceiling, creating a sense of height in the small space. Clean lines and absence of handles tailor a clutter-free look. The recessed lights under the cabinet counters add much-needed depth in the narrow linear space.
The master bedroom has colour and vibrancy. “The husband was very clear – since there was too much white in the whole house and in the room (the ceiling and cupboards), he wanted to bring some nice hues into the master bedroom. He likes darker tones and his wife, yellows and oranges. To bring their starkly opposed interests together, we painted the walls deep blue, while the water-based artwork behind the chair and the canvas oil painting behind the bed show plenty of yellow,” Tiwari says. The wall in front of the bed was especially panelled inwood as a setting for the TV. It helps balance the blues and yellows of the room, too.Find out why blue is an ideal colour for the bedroomRead more:Houzz Tour: This Noida Home Gives a Crash Course in Space ManagementTell us:What did you like the most about this home? Tell us in Comments below.
The couple’s parents visit once in a while, so the guest bedroom was specially designed for them. This room too has minimalistic tone. To maintain a clutter-free look, no extra features or panelling was added on the walls. “We chose different shades of yellow in the room, so the walls are painted in cappuccino and the curtains are golden. We used the soft-toned oakwood flooring here to keep the room light and airy,” Tiwari says.
“Continuing with the neutral colour theme of the home, we used grey tiles on the kitchen walls. This room initially had a wall with a very narrow opening – we decided to take down the wall and convert the kitchen into an open space, thereby making it seem larger. The clients wanted a clean, modern, functional cook room, so we didn’t crowd it with too many cabinets,” Tiwari says.Kitchen fixtures: Hettich
As space was at a premium, Tiwari decided to divide the living room into two spaces – the seating and the dining areas. This section, with a six-seater custom dining table in beige, gets a lift with a large, colourful artwork and a round mirror that helps create a space-boosting illusion. “Since it’s mostly just the couple dining at home, to create more space to move around, we pushed the table closer to the wall, leaving some chairs inaccessible, as these are hardly used. When guests arrive, the table can be pulled out,” Tiwari says.Check out these 25 tricks to make a small home seem bigger
The two bedroom home in an 11th floor apartment of a township in Mumbai is permeated with soft hues and plush seating. Plenty of art adorns its walls. The case of limited space gets masked by use of a restricted palette, an open plan and clever, custom furniture design. “The owners wanted a Scandinavian style in the home – each space, therefore, shows a pulled back, minimal look,” Tiwari says. The entrance foyer leads into the living-cum-dining room. The area has an L-shaped seater and sofa chairs. “We designed a low seater in a curving pattern to create the impression of more width in the room and to ensure that it doesn’t block the large window that overlooks lush hills. We also chose to upholster it in white so its bulkiness is visually reduced, ensuring that the room doesn’t look cramped,” Tiwari says. Against the beige walls, white sofas and wooden panelling, the three paintings and the floor lamp stand out. “We did not want to use darker shades on the upholstery. There were two reasons for this: one, the couple could not decide on a common colour scheme that they both liked and white was the only hue they agreed on. Secondly, the home does not receive any direct sunlight – so...
Textured glassThis is a decorative glass where textures or patterns are embossed on the molten glass to achieve a textured effect. These glass designs are ideal for use in partitions, tabletops, showers and privacy screens.Read more:12 Surprising Ways to Use Stained Glass in Your HomeTell us: Which type of glass would you like to consider for your home? Share your thoughts in the Comments section below.
Frosted glassThe process of sand-blasting or acid-etching is used to give the glass a frosted appearance. Frosted glass works to bring you privacy as it obscures the view while allowing light to filter in. These are widely used as shower screens, partitions or privacy windows.Tip: An easy and affordable way to give a frosted look to glass is by pasting a self-adhesive polyester window film.
Lacquered glassMake a bold statement with coloured or lacquered glass. It is opaque and available in many attractive shades. In this example, lacquered glass is used as a kitchen backsplash that gives a fresh look to the space. This glass is moisture-resistant and highly durable. The coloured lacquer is applied to the rear surface of the glass so the coating cannot peel off easily.
Laminated glassAlso known as safety glass, it is made by sandwiching a PVB (polyvinyl butyral) layer with strong adhesion between two pieces of glass. In case of damage the glass shatters into less harmful fragments that are held together by the PVB layer. This characteristic makes laminated glass most suitable for glass flooring and it is able to withstand light to moderate traffic.Keep in mind that an all-glass floor might be slippery; in this example, just see how metal strips are inserted within the glass flooring to make it slip-resistant.
Reflective glassThe reflective property of this type of glass is used here to create a dynamic facade; it reflects the changing colours of the surroundings throughout the day. A special multi-coating is applied onto the glass, which does not allow visibility from outside to inside but it is possible to see out from within.Reflective glass is available in many options of colour and tints; it imparts a modern look to the building, prevents glare and allows a controlled amount of light to filter into the room.Make sure to draw the curtains at night because in the dark one can easily see beyond the glass if the interiors are illuminated inside.
This type also significantly reduces solar heat and UV transmission into the interiors; it is effective in protecting the upholstery and curtains from fading due to UV rays. Tinted glass is widely used in window panes, as privacy screens and glass doors.Browse spaces that use tinted glass
Tinted glassThis is a popular type of glass that controls the amount of light filtered through it. Tinted glass is available in shades of bronze, blue, green and grey when selected metal oxides are added to standard glass.
Toughened glassThis type of glass is highly resistant to weather conditions and is used to cover large spans to achieve a seamless look. Each glass piece can be manufactured to a maximum width of 20 feet and a maximum height of 12 feet. In case of damage it breaks into very small fragments that are less harmful than the sharp shards produced by standard glass. Toughened glass finds wide applications in structural glazing, partitions, frameless doors and so on.Pro tip: Ensure that the glass is cut to proper size and all the holes are drilled (for frame-less doors) before it is toughened. Note that no modification is possible after production of the glass piece.
Prayer plaqueThis white sanctuary offers a peaceful retreat for moments of peace and prayer. It isn’t a conventional worship space, missing the usual elements associated with a mandir. However, it resonates with the same spirit. The backlit plaque is etched with Sanskrit shlokas and the ledge beneath works as a perfect host to basic elements like a lamp and flowers.Read more:10 Elements That Will Bring a Sparkle to Your Puja RoomA Stepwise Guide to Building a Puja RoomTell us:Have you come across any stunning puja corners? Share them with us in Comments below.
Wall templeThis rustic lobby looks like it has been carved out of the depths of the earth, thanks to the peanut palette and the subtle brick wall on the far right. Look ahead, and you’ll see a section of the wall covered in wall niches, each holding a golden bell. Just below, stands a stone idol, presiding over the area. The bell decor serves as a scaled-down replication of a temple space and also gives pace to the knocked-back vibe of the room.
Low shrineA single idol and dazzling lamps transform this low ledge into a vision of sanctity. The shrine is completed by a golden leaf-patterned curtain. By being so low and narrow, the ledge leaves a vast amount of wall and floor space free and doesn’t eat into the room.
Wall puja nicheThe series of wall niches in this living room are ideal to hold curios and showpieces. Observe how the last and largest wall niche blends with the extended wall display. It is framed by an all-white jharokha-style border, lending it a classic old-world appearance. The shrine holds a backlit tableau that displays lines from the scriptures.
Elevated puja platformThis home features an elevated puja platform to distinguish the zone of worship from the rest of the living room. The space carved out for this platform could have been a dining area that was repurposed to feature a shrine. Notice how the industrial pendant lamp and recessed lighting pair with the sequence of petite bronze bells. The platform is an emblem of modern-day design with an ethnic twist.
Spiritual decor and accentsSpiritual decor and accents can infuse a space with tranquility and quietude. This New York loft demonstrates how. The breezy space is peppered with ethnic touches that complement the sacred display in the far left corner. The line of idols on the window sill form an understated shrine that works equally well as a design statement. The vibrant mirrored cushions, the sun-kissed jhoola and the Kashmiri rugs all play to the decor scheme. Tip: Line a spare window sill with stone to create a simple, safe and non-flammable shrine.
Pop-out puja counterWalk by this chic display cabinet and you’re likely to miss the pop-out puja counter. The hinged counter is a great space-saving alternative to a free-standing shelf. It pulls out to serve as a wonderful seat for diyas and other elements, and tucks back in to blend in with the cabinetry. The counter is capped by a pair of glass shelves that hold idols that serve as icons of worship and visual statements.
In the narrow entryway hang mirrors, accessories and air plants from Wang’s favourite local plant store, displayed in iron hooks from a hardware store. “Air plants are great in the apartment since they are easy to care for, and can add life and greenery to any space. I hang my necklaces with the mirror as a final check spot to throw on with my outfit for the day,” she says. “I also have my favourite photo of my mom and me from when I was a kid lounging around. I love that it’s the last thing I see before I leave for the day.”Read more:Pune Houzz: A Terrace Becomes an Extension of the Home as a LibraryTell us:What did you like the most about this home? Tell us in the Comments below.
One design challenge of moving into an industrial-inspired studio was figuring out how to make the open space feel cozy, especially with exposed concrete ceilings. “Adding lots of plants made the space feel more alive and less industrial and cold,” Wang says. Another challenge was creating designated areas while maintaining the open feel. Finding pieces like the bookshelf was key to delineating spaces. She loves life in a studio because her home feels like a blank canvas. “It’s fun having an open layout like this where you can move things around,” she says.Wang and her boyfriend repurposed the legs from an Ikea dining table to create this elevated island table. The existing table “didn’t fit well in the apartment and was too small for four people to sit comfortably,” she says. They replaced the table’s dark black particleboard tabletop with an oak board after routing the edges, sanding it down and coating it with epoxy to make it stain resistant.
4. Paint isn’t just for wallsYou don’t always have to go with wood-tone or neutral furniture. The orange shelf at the foot of the bed brightens up this otherwise neutral room. With orange, yellow and green (analogous colours on the colour wheel) in the bedding, the effect is colourful yet balanced.
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