Big Design for Small Spaces

The latest issue of Remix Magazine from Prometheus Real Estate Group features an article by interior designer and Madison Millinger partner, Todd Dewey Jantz:

Four great ideas for getting the most out of your living space

Each month we’re flooded with images of beautiful interiors from Elle Décor, Metropolitan Home, House Beautiful and others. You love your home and still wonder how they do it, especially in today’s smarter and smaller designed living spaces. Basic concepts that trade professionals use to make your home look like a show house aren’t as hard as you might think.

1. If you’re working with a small space pay attention to scale
Purchase your room anchor pieces in a smaller scale designed for today’s more common living arrangements. A mid-size sofa or a modestly scaled dining room table will give your home the illusion of more space. You can always reuse them in a larger home in the future – in a den, an informal eating area or as a desk.

2. Choose a sofa that anchors the room yet isn’t the focal point
Pick a simple clean style. It’s what designers call a foundation piece for building a timeless room. To express a bit more style in the room, let your club chair have some color or additional flair as an accent piece. It is less expensive or move to another area should your design tastes change.

3. Watch your color choices
Choose neutral color for your foundation pieces. It’s all about what trade designers call ‘figure ground relationships’ – neutral upholstery fabric on a neutral wall will be much more blended than a red sofa against a neutral wall. It’s also much less tiresome to have something neutral in the long run. Are you really going to like that red sofa in 5 years?

4. Define your space with area rugs
If your apartment has a short pile carpet, run an area rug in your living area or dining room to better define the space making it a bit more intimate. A good quality area rug will be with you for many years, adding color, grace and sophistication to your living space. You can buy a small rug to sit in the center of your seating group for impact and style.

Be confident, trust your instincts, and get going!

Buying and Decorating with Rugs

The February/March issue of Homes + Gardens Northwest featured an article titled, “Here’s the Lowdown on Buying and Decorating with Rugs.” The article went through the buying process, explaining what to look for in terms of quality, aesthetics and design, and featured decorating tips from Madison Millinger’s own Meg Coulter. The article's main image (shown here) is an installation of a Lapchi wool and silk rug in the home of Jon Palanuk by Madison Millinger.



From the section Complimentary Fabrics: “When working with a large scale floral such as this, designer Meg Coulter chooses solid colors for the larger furnishings such as the teal chaise. Balance is also achieved with smaller-scale patterns in pillows, side-chair seat cushions in geometric patterns and striped ottomans. A bold damask pillow provides a strong visual accent.” Click on the thumbnail image for a larger view.

Paola Lenti in Met Home

Madison Millinger is the exclusive showroom for Paola Lenti Italian rugs in Portland. But, did you know that you can also order their unique, colorful and utterly modern furniture from us as well? In their recent feature on big design for small rooms, entitled “Smart Spaces,” Metropolitan Home featured this incredible orange chaise from the cutting-edge company.



Visit the Madison Millinger showroom today to see some incredible rug samples from Paola Lenti, as well as their complete catalog of contemporary furniture.