Though you don't have to live in a city to find yourself contending with a small room, New York is almost synonymous with "tiny apartments." And this is just what one homeowner had, before designer Kyle Schuneman stepped in. Schuneman is an expert in seeing beyond cramped quarters and revealing the hidden potential of a space (which you'll see in his upcoming book, The First Apartment Book). His best tricks of the trade? Adding extra seating, such as benches or poufs, that you can pull out for guests or tuck under tables for more space. Genius!
But more about this makeover. Here, Schuneman riffed on the homeowner's California roots and love for the coast. But instead of the usual pieces of coral and driftwood, he interpreted the beach theme with a seashell-inspired stenciled accent wall. This mimicked the look of wallpaper, creating a focal point that's also rental-friendly -- if you can paint, that is. And if you can't? Shuneman shows how you can layer textures and materials like wood, metal, and glass to make a space unique.
For more about this makeover, which also features discounted home finds from HauteLook, watch the video above featuring Schuneman and one of our favorite bloggers, Jordan Reid (you'll recognize her from the fab site Ramshackle Glam).