Narrow Focus

Measuring a mere 9 feet wide, the guest bedroom is the skinniest room in the house. Ginni incorporated several easyto-accomplish decorating strategies that evoke the feeling of spaciousness while retaining loads of cozy country charm. Check out her big id

1.

LOWER THE CONTRAST. Paint walls and trim in pale neutral colors to create a continuous expanse of light shades. Coordinating the tones and patterns in large textiles such as curtains and coverlets achieves the same visual effect.

2.

CLIMB THE WALLS. Place furniture pieces around the perimeter of the room to leave open the largest floor space possible. Stack pictures and artwork vertically rather than hang them side by side. Build added display shelves above the windows.

3.

SCALE DOWN. Choose spacesaving furnishings such as ladder-back chairs and stepback cupboards or anything with slender or spindly legs. If you don’t have room for a standard area rug, a hallway runner could be the perfect fit.

Child’s Play

Compose a charming school days vignette like Ginni did in the guest room. Line a wall shelf with an assortment of mismatched slate chalkboards and accessorize them with classroom curios. Add a few well-read books, a study lamp and a comforting toy or two.