Size inconsequential for effective decorating, if accompanied by bold design spirit
In the world of interior design, the challenge of making small spaces feel spacious and beautiful is a common one. However, with the release of Ros Byam Shaw's new book, Perfect English Small and Beautiful, this challenge has been met head-on.
The book, published next month by Ryland Peters & Small, showcases a dozen tiny houses, most under 1,000 square feet. These homes, each unique in their own way, demonstrate that large pieces of furniture can look as handsome in small spaces as they do in larger ones, provided the ceiling height allows.
One of the key approaches demonstrated in the book is the creation of layered, personal interiors. Rather than staging homes like immaculate show-houses, Byam Shaw highlights rooms that feel lived-in and warm, using personal touches and layering textures and patterns to make small spaces feel inviting and richly detailed without overcrowding.
Another approach is the creative use of pattern and maximalism. The book features wallpaper and pattern-on-pattern techniques that visually enrich small spaces, making them feel cozy and full of character rather than claustrophobic.
Byam Shaw also divides cottages into styles like Romance, Character, Holiday, Simplicity, and Elegance, offering design inspiration tailored to different tastes. This helps small spaces reflect personality rather than being generic or utilitarian.
The homes represented in the book include tiny flats, garden cottages, and terrace townhouses. They often use every inch skillfully with well-chosen furnishings and decor that maximize space functionally but with aesthetic appeal. This demonstrates that small does not mean plain or unstylish.
The book's success is resonating most with readers, with initial feedback suggesting that it is a must-read for anyone looking to make the most of their small space. The cost of the book is £40.
The idea for the book came about after Byam Shaw wrote a series of magazine pieces about small yet beautifully designed houses. After signing a book contract, she and her husband decided to sell their east-Devon, Tudor-era house and move to a smaller house from the same period on the other side of town.
A particularly inspiring visit for Byam Shaw was to furniture restorer Guy Marshall's home in Shropshire, which was only 11½ feet wide but filled with an expansive collection of Georgian furniture, china, clocks, and paintings. This visit reinforced the idea that small spaces can be filled with character and charm.
Small houses have an appeal due to the nesting instinct, providing a feeling of snugness and cosiness, and lower heating bills. The book offers plenty of ideas for small-space living, including ingenious ways to open up wall space, such as re-hanging doors to open into a passage, hall, or landing, and exchanging doors for curtains.
In some homes featured in the book, owners have remedied the limiting ceiling height issue by removing ceilings and extending spaces vertically to the rafters. This creates ceiling height, changing the room's feel and making it feel more spacious.
The Brutalist architects of the Barbican included a barrel-vaulted ceiling in their smallest flats to create a feeling of openness despite the modest square footage. This shows that even in small spaces, thoughtful design can make a big difference.
In conclusion, Perfect English Small and Beautiful is a must-read for anyone looking to make the most of their small space. The book offers creative solutions for maximizing space in small houses primarily through thoughtful design that embraces the charm and character of English cottages and small homes.
- The book, Perfect English Small and Beautiful, offers an insightful look into the lifestyle of homeowners who make small spaces feel spacious and beautiful through interior-design techniques, such as creating layered, personal interiors, clever use of pattern and maximalism, and thoughtfully utilizing every inch of space.
- By showcasing a variety of homes, each under 1,000 square feet, the book demonstrates that home-and-garden design is not limited by space and that small houses can be filled with character and charm, reflecting one's unique taste and lifestyle.
