Welcome to Amplified Apartments: Home Edition, a special edition of ForRent.com’s Amplified Apartments series, featuring amateur interior designers whose winning apartment decor hacks will save you space whether you’re on the first or fifteenth floor.
Few things in Linda Smith’s craft room have been left untouched by her able DIY hands. The mind behind the lively design blog Burlap and Blue, has a knack for making a house a home with her handcrafted projects. In 150 square feet of space, Smith was able to create an ivory room studded with vivid accents and creations.
From the rosettes that decorate her walls, to the handmade artwork, reupholstered chairs, and carefully chosen glass accents – it’s apparent why Burlap and Blue has become such a beloved online DIY destination. The Richmond, VA native credits multipurpose design and her ever inventive approach to the success of her room. Evenly staged furnishings coupled with her personal aesthetic have made it a haven for peaceful crafting hours.
Read on to learn more about the blogger’s design methodology, her advice to budding DIY fans, and the makings of a perfect craft room.
If you could describe your design concept using 5 words, what would they be?
Open, space, creative, bright, and organized.
Did you have to make any compromises when designing your space?
The space isn’t large, so every inch of it had to be utilized well. We didn’t have a lot of room for pretty items that didn’t have a single function.
The room has quite a polished feel with cool whites punctuated by rich colors. Do you find that by making the furniture and walls so free of color you get a better canvas for decoration?
Absolutely; I almost always gravitate towards neutral walls and furniture, so I can play with color and pattern in accessories.
Since this is a craft room, how much of the room’s decor is homemade or DIY?
Almost all! You can find a tutorial for the office chair makeover, the paper rosettes, and a how-to for the Life is Beauty Full Sign on my blog.
Your room is very balanced in furniture and accents. How important is symmetry to maximizing a room’s design?
Rooms that take symmetry into effect tend to feel more even and calming than spaces that do not.
Symmetry is paramount for small spaces. (Tweet This)
You have a knack for picking patterns. Your rosettes and chair speak to that skill. What’s the key to mixing such different patterns without having them clash?
Mixing and matching patterns can seem tricky, but one trick I’ve found is to choose a color palette—mine being pink, gray, turquoise, black and white—and then you can choose almost any combination of patterns, as long as they share the same palette.
The DIY and interior design blogging sphere can be overwhelming to some readers. So many beautiful things to make, so little time. How would you recommend a new DIYer get the most out of your blog?
Realize that I don’t do it all, and neither can you. Don’t feel as though you have to keep up with me, or anyone else for that matter. Use blogs and other social media to inspire your own ideas and projects. Also remember that each picture that goes onto my blog is carefully staged—while a room may look gorgeous in photos, they should understand that I had to move piles of books, coffee cups, toys, etc., to get each image, and the room doesn’t stay picture perfect for long.
What are the basic things every craft room should have?
Every craft room needs storage—lots and lots of it, in fact—as well as a clear workspace to craft or sew on.
Where do you get your DIY design inspiration from? Be specific.
My inspiration comes from everywhere. Nature is always inspirational. Online, I love looking at blogs such as Apartment Therapy, Design Sponge and Design Mom.
Thinking about my family, our spirit and our needs, influences how I design a room. (Tweet This)
In a small space, how do you toe the line between clutter and decor?
Almost every piece needs a function. In a tighter space, there’s little room for pretty things that don’t have a function.
What are your go-to stores for home furnishings and decor?
Target, Etsy and HomeGoods.
What’s your number one tip for solving the small space problem?
As I’ve mentioned above, find pieces that do double duty; everything in your space needs to work hard for you! Make organization a priority!
See more of Linda Smith’s creations in her blog, Burlap and Blue.
Want to share your space? Email ForRent to feature your own Amplified Apartment or Home. See your interior design creations on the ForRent blog!
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