Small spaces

This week I've been writing a piece all about small-space living for the Guardian. Given that I live in what is essentially a glorified bedroom it's a subject close to my heart ;). Well ok, so it's not actually *that* small - but when writing the piece I picked up on Apartment Therapy's Smallest Coolest Home Contest and am now hugely inspired.

For the year and a half that I've been in my flat, I've put off doing a lot of things - convincing myself that sooner or later I'd maybe one day move out and rent it to someone who possibly wouldn't want my patterned walls - and so while I love all my bits and pieces that give it character, I regret not having made more of a splash on the walls. Confession time: yes, they remain a painful magnolia, to this day.

So I've been overwhelmingly inspired by the small spaces over on Apartment Therapy's contest page. I love that none of these pics look too cataloguey, nor do they look too fashiony; contemporary, yes, but also classic, warm and muted.

This girl went grey and yellow even though her entire home really is but a bedroom...

...while this attic is so grown-up and sultry that it makes me want to delete my place and start all over again. Sigh.

And last but not least, the flat with the coveted title of being officially the smallest but coolest flat in the States: this gorgeous San Fran pad, all moody and retro but soft and characterful at the same time.

When interior designer Kia Sunda came over last week to chip in with aforementioned Guardian piece, she gave me some brilliant ideas to play with (grey and orange, grey and orange), ideas that were in my head but I was perhaps a bit too shy to commit to wallspace. But I'm thinking: it's project time. My kitchen, this blog - watch this space.

Hope you're equally inspired. And, before I sign off for the weekend, many thanks to the team at Domestic Sluttery and TheGinLady for mentioning the Her Little Place boutique for Valentine's cards this week. If you do want to place an order for Valentine's cookies - hurry; you've got until Monday to get it in time.

Happy Friday x