The Everything Room
Inspired by this breezeway’s six different doorways, Debbie Perez, owner of Tweak Your Space, redesigned the room to have six of the functions on the homeowners’ wish list for a do-it-all space: doing homework, watching TV, folding laundry, organization, lounging and painting. Now, the family does all of the above and more at the luxurious chaise lounge and custom-built high-top table, which accommodates both sitting and standing work. Perez repaint-ed the walls and ceiling white to help disguise the durable tile floor needed for this heavily traversed space between the kitchen, backyard and front door. She also added a full entryway set to organize sports equipment, shoes and back-packs by family member (including the dog, Lucy).
“Be sure to edit your small space. Think about each piece: It should do double or triple duty within the space.” — Debbie Perez
Tweak Your Space 1303 N. Armenia Ave. | (813) 600-9801
A Laundry List of Uses
Necessity is the mother of invention, as seen in this laundry room-turned-home office. ZaZoo’d owner and lead designer David Fischer turned an awkwardly long, rarely used laundry space at the back of this St. Petersburg house into a flexible work area for the homeowner. Incorporating the headboard and footboard from the client’s old bed, Fischer’s team custom-built a long, wheeled table and built-in bench (complete with storage space under the seat) that pulls triple-duty as a workspace, bar and buffet, and laundry-folding area. To introduce natural light and create a full indoor-outdoor entertaining space, the ZaZoo’d team replaced the back wall with a sliding glass door to the backyard.
“Keeping a small space organized and clutter-free is a must. This can be accomplished by using things like baskets, shallow shelving units or labeled canisters. Browse home décor magazines for inspirational ideas.” — David Fischer
ZaZoo’d Hyde Park Village | 1627 W. Snow Circle | (813) 415-3286
Beautifully Compact
A small living space gave these Hyde Park condo owners the chance to make some unique choices. Ethan Allen design consultant Vivien Donahue paired cus-tom furniture from the retailer with her clients’ eclectic decor to complement the condo’s size. After the homeowners struggled to find a couch that worked in the space, Donahue had a new piece cut specifically to maintain a wide walkway throughout the living room. Appropriate-sized furniture was also key for the TV nook — where Donahue chose rattan chairs to prevent an excess of upholstery in a small space — and the bedroom, where just 11 feet separate the walls. Donahue also chose to include less permanent seating in the living room to keep what she calls its “conversational tightness”; she lined the walls with leather ottomans that can be pulled in when extra chairs are needed.
“Proportions are number one in a small space. A piece could look great at the store, but if you don’t look at the proportions of your room, it most likely won’t work.” — Vivien Donahue
Ethan Allen 10015 Adamo Drive | (813) 621-7585
No Place Like a Tiny Home
Putting their commercial and residential development experience to good use, architects David Bailey and Stephanie Harrison-Bailey built their dream second home in the heart of Ybor City in 2015. Already used to living on a smaller scale, the New York-based couple — who have both lived and worked in Tampa — decided on a 365-square-foot tiny house made up of three 10×10 squares: a living room, a kitchenette and bathroom, and a bedroom. The sweeping 14 ½-foot ceilings make the small space feel comfortable, not claustrophobic, while creative space usage, like open shelving along the kitchen walls and a storage set that folds out into a dining room table, makes the space work.
“[Even in a bigger space], you have to compromise on “stuff.” Start analyzing what you really use, and learn what you need and what you don’t.” — Stephanie Harrison-Bailey
“You don’t need to live as a minimalist, but you can take cues from that lifestyle. Here, it’s just enough and nothing more.” — David Bailey
Sleep Tight
To give this Tampa condo owner a mini guest room, designer Debbie Perez got creative with her use of space. What is now a sleeping berth was once a nook where the homeowner’s dining table-slash-workspace sat, while the sun-filled, garden-facing living room functioned as the guest bedroom. Perez flipped the two, moving the bed into this nook, illuminating the space with a pendant lamp, and filling the area with oversized throws and pillows perfect for a cozy bed or reading lounge. The surrounding curtains close completely, ensuring a hidden, private space.
“Find out how to make your space function. Ask yourself: What would make your life better? Then look at how to make what you want work with what you have” — Debbie Perez
Tweak Your Space 1303 N. Armenia Ave. | (813) 600-9801
