KEY POINTS:
The most challenging aspect of decorating a small house is treading that fine line between creating a restrained interior and one that is too stark.
Marketing consultant Davina Harper has got the balance just right in the tiny Auckland cottage she shares with her two Oriental cats, Ted and Rupert. She's even come up with a name for her seemingly effortless ability to show carefully selected pieces against a modern neutral backdrop - she calls it "comfortable minimalism".
In a home as compact as her 90sq m ex-workman's cottage, each object or piece of furniture must deserve its place, and be in harmony with every other object.
The artistry comes through restraint, a quality that large houses do not always need. "I don't like lots of clutter but I like a homely home as well - somewhere that people will feel comfortable," she says. "I think part of it is understanding that you don't need to spend a lot of money to create a lovely place to live."
Necessity is the mother of invention, and a shortage of storage space has forced Harper to think laterally about how she houses and displays her possessions.
Many of her books, for example, are stored under the bed in the guest room. "It's a matter of being creative, making the most of every little corner and being really tidy." But for Harper, who spent several years living in Britain, that's the only drawback of living in a small house. When she bought the 1920s cottage two years ago, its compact size was part of the attraction.
"I live by myself so I wanted something just big enough for me," she says. "I'm used to living in small spaces." It took months of searching, but eventually she found a property with everything she wanted - a manageable space, a bit of garden, sun and green views.
"I walked in and just loved the front room, I could see myself sitting there all year round." She knew immediately what changes she wanted to make. "It was all timber - floors, door frames, ceiling, everything. The walls were painted in browns and deep green. It felt wrong and closed in the walls a lot.
Small spaces work best with lighter colours." In a nod to the cottage's history, she decided to paint each room a different neutral colour.
"When I bought it, each room was painted in a different colour and I wanted to stick to that general idea." The front room, which boasts glass doors and streaming sunlight, has been transformed from gloomy to glowing white. "I got heaps of test pots and painted patches all over the walls," she says.
"Neutrals are harder to decide on than they used to be - there are so many of them and they're so different." From the white to the blue in the bathroom and neutral colours in the bedrooms, all are quiet and restful, and there are no abrupt transitions as you progress through the house.
While many people would find a small space constricting, Harper has created a simple yet elegant home that definitely works for her.
Think small
Lighten up: Paler colours make most rooms appear larger, so paint over out-dated dark shades with modern neutrals.
Clear the area: Group trinkets in one cabinet or on one set of shelves, leaving other areas clean and unfussy.
Boxing clever: Choose furniture and accessories that can also double as storage containers - a coffee table that houses your magazine collection, a set of attractive baskets for stationery supplies or a blanket box that can also be used as an ottoman.
Keep it simple: Choose unpatterned fabrics and finishes to give the illusion of space. Restrict detail to focal points, like the Penny Stotter print above the Harper's bed and the Marimekko fabric above the dining table, where it won't overwhelm the space.
* Leanne Moore is the editor of Your Home & Garden. For more on this home, see the issue on sale now, or visit www.yourhomeandgarden.co.nz.
