There are many little things you can do around your home to make it more organized and comfortable. Here are a few examples how mirrors, trays and etagers can upgrade even the smallest spaces in your home.
1. Mirrors – For Extra Light and Wider Spaces
Mirrors are more than practical or beautiful – they catch light and motion. They are interior design objects, magic creators of illusion and space. It is not vain to have many mirrors in your home. No, it is smart!
Mirrors „open“ walls for extra depth and effectively help small rooms look bigger. I added mirrors to all walls of my narrow kitchen to make it look wider and warmer. Mirrors „double“ uplifting views such as outdoor nature, flowers or beautiful objects.
Mirrors add to our safety. Think of car mirrors: They assist us in seeing angles which otherwise would be hidden from our eye. A mirror that shows your main door from a place inside your home that would otherwise not overlook the entrance situation may add a feeling of control. Likewise, a full length mirror to check your outfit before leaving the house gives you the benefit of control over your appearance.
Mirrors in lieu of artwork add extra interest, an uplifting effect and the experience of motion. Think of the festive Hall of Mirrors (Galerie de Louis XIV) in Versailles. Add background mirrors to china cabinets to „multiply“ beloved objects.
Just avoid mirroring situations or unattractive views you don’t wish to multiply (i.e., garbage cans, the wardrobe mess, etc.). Also, be careful with the placement of mirrors in your bedroom. Why? When you get up in the middle of the night, your mirrored self could feel falsely alarmed by the surprising motion. Place bedroom mirrors where they don’t disturb your sleep.
Lastly, think of mirror and light as a winning team. Mirrors, when placed next to a lamp, double the amount of light at no extra cost. They help save energy. Plus, mirrors and beautiful lamps look gorgeous together.
2. Trays – To Organize All of Your Life
When organizing all kinds of surfaces in your home, there is one magician that does it all: the tray. It comes in all sizes and materials, round or rectangular, with or without handles. Some have a mirror surface to double light, crystal and other beautiful objects, for extra effect.
The traditional use of trays is to transport food (and china) from where you cook to where you eat, i.e., the dinner table or the TV-sofa-setting. But there is more to trays. As we grow in wisdom and years, daily rituals and reliable settings become crucial for our wellbeing. Fixed spots for our daily helpers such as the blood pressure device, reading glasses, medication, supplements and the like, free us from wasting precious braincells while trying to remember where we last put what. They help us to manage objects of everyday life.
On a tray, you can organize anything:
- dinner table decorations (flowers, candles, etc.),
- signature objects to tell a visual story (i.e., as the focus point in your entrance area),
- seasonal decor, plants and photographs,
- fireplace decoration.
But trays also organize all the practical stuff:
- bathroom and beauty utensils,
- nightstand knick knacks,
- kitchen objects (spices, everyday stuff),
- medication and supplements,
- iPad, mobile phones, blood pressure devices.
On a tray, your stuff is safely held in one place and simply looks better. Another benefit of trays is their handling: in order to clean the surface underneath or around it, you simply lift the tray. Instead of carrying individual objects from A to B, you carry just one item: the tray. It saves you precious time and nerves, and it will always look orderly.
See? Trays are true household angels.
3. Etagères – For the Extra „Wow“ Effect
Like our horizontal buddy, the tray, an étagère helps us to organize stuff. Like trays, étagères come in all stiles and materials. They usually consist of two or three levels on top of each other. Instead of horizontally, they work vertically.
Extra bonus: The looks, baby! Although easily available and affordable, an étagère tends to signal something special. A touch of Five O’Clock Tea, a hint of aristocracy, a breeze of luxury. Not everybody has one.
There’s no British Teatime without the étagère. Where else would cucumber sandwiches, scones and fluffy pastry be artfully presented? We all know the luscious fruit arrangements from still lives in the museum or as impressive center pieces on royal dinner tables.
Etagères are the extra portion of luxury in your home. What is easily overlooked is their practical benefit: An étagère helps save space! What you can stack vertically, you need not organize horizontally. Therefore, why not go beyond fruits, veggies and Christmas cookies and use your étagère for organizing spices, vitamins, beauty essentials and you-name-it? Neatly stacked, beautifully arranged and fully transportable, with a touch of extravaganza that makes you feel special.
For more ideas and inspiration see my book: 17 STEPS TO BEING HOME.
Let’s Have A Conversation:
Do you feel well organized and safely structured within your home? Are all important devices easily accessible? Do you know where they are, always at your command? Do you have the extra portion of luxury that makes you feel special and unique? Share your ideas and inspirations with this community.
