I love huge coffee tables… Big, bold and roomy, they have lots of space for decorating and styling, on top and underneath!!

But sometimes such a big piece just isn’t practical. It can take up waaay too much space, not allowing play room for the kids or a spot to do your daily workout.  If you need flexibility… to be able to quickly and easily open up a sofa bed, make room for a crowd on game day or work on a big project, a large and heavy table in front of your seating just won’t work.  But… we need some kind of surface nearby, for a cup of tea, glass of wine or snacks, don’t we?

Have you thought about grouping a few smaller, lightweight tables that are easy to pick up, move, remove or reposition depending on what is going on in the room? It’s a great look and SO flexible!  Maybe these pictures will help you think about new options in your living spaces.

Close together, angled, spread apart, high, low, round or square, matching or not, these combinations just plain work!  They offer such flexibility and look a lot less typical than having one-large-coffee table.

You can also group end/side tables.  Here, 2 small tables fill the space between chairs very well.

Another option is a cute little “C” shaped table that can be pulled up close to the sofa… the lower section can slide underneath. They’re functional, but you hardly know they are there. Like these from Room and Board:

Crate and Barrel:

 And West Elm:

What kind of tables do you have in your living space?

Sometimes spaces in our homes are assigned the wrong name, and purpose. Like this TV room.  It’s a large room, with the best view in this condo… looking out onto a gorgeously landscaped courtyard.

But really, how many of us pay attention to a lovely view when watching our favorite Real Housewives episode? (New York and Beverly Hills, thank you very much!)  How important, and practical, is a large, bright TV room?  Personally….I’m all about a dark cozy room and a comfy couch! A better name for this beautiful spot would be “Dining or Entertaining Room.”

And what about this “Dining Nook?” (looking out onto a side yard, fence and trash cans)  Such an uninspired setting… not at all conducive to food, stimulating conversation and entertaining friends.

But…what a cozy spot this could be, to veg and focus on those favorite shows.  Ahhh…a “TV nook!”

These were the thoughts of clients, who called me in, along with an HGTV crew, to redo the rooms. They wanted a big gorgeous dining area for entertaining their friends.  Nice view preferred.  And, the two of them really REALLY didn’t need such a big space for watching TV.

So, the family/TV room became the dining room.  We had lots and lots of furniture to work with(downsizing empty nesters)…the only new purchase was a large black table from the local consignment shop.  Look at how great the room turned out….

Spectacular!  And the dining area became a place to sit, enjoy talking to the chef AND watch television.

Now, this home functions perfectly for it’s owners, with the newly labeled “Dining and Entertaining Room” and “TV Nook.” Perfectly named.  AND….so pretty, fresh and personal!  Have you switched any spaces in your home?

Oh dear.  A panicked call from one of my favorites.  She said, “My mom is coming to visit and I’d be embarrassed to have her stay in this room!”  Can you help? NOW?

Inviting...NOT!

Help me look pretty!!

My gorgeous young client loves to live in a pretty home, but putting it all together is not her specialty. (She is very VERY smart in other subjects.)  We’ve worked on her places together for years, starting with a first condo.  It was darling!  Near the beach, it was perfect for a young single woman, all fun and sexy with reds and blacks… a little bit like this.

 A few years later, we staged and sold the condo so she and her new husband could buy a “grown-up and married’ home.  More remodeling and decorating ensued, room by room.

New house, living room...she still likes red!

Now a baby has arrived and another is on the way, so rooms and priorities have changed.  But not that desire to have a pretty house.

The guest room was the last to be done…don’t we all have a room like that in our home?  But now, with Grandma coming for Easter, it was finally time to make it warm, bright, inviting. Several requests:  blues and browns…no greens please.  No headboards or fancy custom spreads and pillows.  All must be available now…no special orders.  (Helloooooo Target, Pier One and HomeGoods!)  AND, the furniture couldn’t be moved…..there just wasn’t another arrangement that would work in the small room.

With a $500 budget and a small time frame, here is what we came up with.

After...welcoming!

Would you sleep here?

I think that Grandma will be veerry comfortable!

Have  a happy, happy, HAPPY Easter!!