Leonardo da Vinci stated that, “Small rooms or dwellings discipline the mind, large ones weaken it”. And who am I to argue with such a revered person and artist? We have lived in large three bedroom, double living room houses and a small Manhattan shoe box. As we enter 2022, we are finishing decorating our small French apartment where we would love every room to be bigger. This wish has generated several discussions on when do we have enough, why do we want larger spaces, what about the tiny house movement and is it all about ‘keeping up with the Jones’? After much research, we chose our apartment in the ancient centre of a French town which meant defining what we could live with or without.
- Walking distance to a nice beach;
- Easy access to shops, cafes, restaurants;
- At least one bedroom and a decent kitchen;
- Away from major bars and noise;
- Completely renovated with charm;
- Decent public transport and
- Close to an airport.
Several places were viewed over six months and it was clear that any apartment with decent space was in an area of noise or near drinking bars and pubs. Several thousand extra euros usually just got you an extra small bedroom and no wow factor for compensation. We watch friends come to the same conclusion. A choice has to be made to either live outside of the charming centre or sacrifice space. Neither is the wrong choice and we chose charm but researched how to make each room look bigger.
The Entrance
In Feng Shui practice, our life energy, our Chi, should know where to enter a place and to be able to stand and take a look at the general interior space. Not so easy when many live in small apartments or where the living area or kitchen is stepped in to immediately. Another negative aspect is when you see a toilet straight ahead. From other posts, you should know by now that bathrooms are seen as draining any energy and particularly money and you will need to keep the toilet door shut and make it as invisible as possible. The solution is to create the impression of an entrance. Use screens or a piece of furniture as a false wall in front of the door. I have seen a sheer, patterned curtain hung with effect as well. We have a small entrance and have hung a beautiful obi on the immediate right wall, added a French mirror and small hall table. A bowl sits on it to collect keys. It stops the Chi, allowing it to pause and look at the spaces ahead.
Split View and the Corridor Effect
Some spaces have a split view as we have. This means you see into two rooms but don’t know which to enter. Hang a crystal from the ceiling between each room and state that this crystal eliminates the split-view. The point is to make sure the energy of both rooms is activated. Other places have a ‘corridor effect’ where your eyes go immediately down a corridor to either a wall, windows or a garden or where the back view takes all the attention. It is likely that the Chi energy will miss key sectors of the house or apartment and go immediately down to the back. The only room Feng Shui would be happy with people missing would be the bathroom; all other rooms represent a Bagua sector to be used to activate positive energy and it is important that the Chi wants to enter all the living areas.
Small Kitchen
The kitchen is an important room for Feng Shui practice and it is often a central space. We joke about doing a ‘Marie Kondo’ on our kitchen at the moment! She is an enigmatic Japanese organiser who makes you want to go and buy cute boxes and baskets. Her philosophy is about keeping what you need or desire and then selling, donating or throwing out what isn’t required. Feng Shui likes clean and clear areas that are de-cluttered. Benchtops shouldn’t be overloaded with appliances and food. From time to time, take everything out of a cupboard and think before putting it all back in. Two things will happen, a realisation of too much stuff or a re-organised storage space. A key tip: colour coordinate accessories, choose a look that matches the design. We have buttermilk coloured kitchen doors and have gone for a 1940s retro style with cream coffee and tea machines and stylish art work from that era. We have also had black and white modern kitchens that were all metal and minimalist. Just one last point, avoid hanging everything everywhere, stack in the spaces above instead using smart boxes with lids in a matching colour that are easy to keep clean from oil and dust. Look inside doors and add a magnetic strip for knives, put hooks inside doors to hang aprons, mitts or pocketed bags for spices, be inventive.
On a Budget
For those renting, see what your owner is prepared to allow for any interior changes. Having rented, we have often been able to paint with the promise to restore before vacating. Usually, we have walked away having improved the space for the next person. There are wonderful stick on tiles and paper to ‘frost’ glass that can be bought to easily decorate and undo when you move on. Check out your local thrift stores or markets for cheap glass jars, baskets or boxes that are easily painted and even some cheap storage or fold-up kitchen furniture.
Small Bedrooms
This is all about the layout and where the door and window is. As discussed in other posts, Feng Shui practice is that you need a wall behind you and a solid headboard as it is all about being supported in your life. Not always easy to manage. We have only one wall we can use and have a large grey and white wardrobe at the bottom of the bed. It is a small walking space but is easy to keep uncluttered and friends remark that the bedroom looks like a hotel. A lower bed can make a small room look larger and a key tip is to hang curtains or blinds as high as possible from the ceiling to create a sense of height and luxury.
But I Am in a Studio!
There are amazing Murphy wall beds and sofa beds these days but they are not cheap. If this isn’t possible, consider creating zones by blocking off the bed with a screen or a tall bookcase that offers privacy. Rugs also help zone areas as it creates the impression of another room. As with a kitchen, go up and place smart boxes on top of cupboards. It is all about rethinking the layout and the perception of space.
Small Bathrooms
This is definitely the area to declutter. If renovating, avoid a pedestal sink and go for storage. Shelving is always an option and colour coordinate toiletries and accessories if they are on show. Add luxury with fluffy towels, a quality bath mat and the most expensive products you can afford. Add art work but remember, any humidity can affect prints and paintwork. If there is a shower curtain, keep it clean and if it falls in to a bath, carefully cut the hem so it doesn’t sit in the bath to avoid mould. If renting, it isn’t an easy room to decorate but store anything you can take down and replace temporarily with your ornaments and decor. Stick on/peel off tiles can work in this room as can frosted glass adhesives to add decoration.
Final Thoughts
Our apartment, whilst small, is charming and takes an hour to clean throughly! It is also easier to keep cool or cosy and has separate areas for both of us to work from home. And although it would be ideal if each room was a bit bigger, we are adjusting to the small space and love the softness and elegance it offers. For many of us, less is more and there is a sense of freedom through decluttering. As a friend who has recently moved from a big American house said, she can’t even give her stuff away and like her, more and more people are living with less and choosing experiences and relationships. If there is one aspect of the pandemic that we have learnt, is that people are priceless.
