Lily has transformed hundreds of compact apartments into functional, beautiful homes across major cities from New York to San Francisco.
Bay windows are basically the crown jewel of a room—tons of light, a great view, and that cozy little nook vibe. The tricky part is figuring out bay window curtains that work with the angles without swallowing the glass. Curtains as a Room Divider Around the Bay Extra-wide linen bay curtains double as a soft divider—cozy nook, instant privacy. This one’s a little unexpected: in a studio, I used bay window curtains wider than the…
A small bathroom can feel a little blah fast, but the good news is it doesn’t take a full remodel to make it feel fresh and intentional. Add Floating Shelves Over the Toilet Floating shelf above the toilet: warm oak, woven basket, and linen towels for clutter-free storage. In a small bathroom, vertical space is everything, so floating shelves above the toilet are pure gold. I styled mine with folded towels and a couple baskets,…
Paper has a sneaky way of multiplying in a small home office, and suddenly you’re digging for one bill like it’s a treasure hunt. These office filing system ideas are the exact setups I’ve used (and set up for clients) to make papers easy to file, easy to find, and easy to maintain. Make a Receipts-Only System Tiny receipts-only filing: monthly folders + a bold “Returns” pocket to keep paper in check. Receipts used to…
A mattress on the floor can look intentional and seriously cozy when you style it like a design choice, not a last-minute solution. I’ve done this in multiple tiny apartments, and with the right layers and lighting, it turns into the calmest little sleep sanctuary. Paint a “Rug Border” on the Floor A painted rug-border frame makes a simple floor mattress look styled, even in tiny rooms. For a real wow moment, I’ve taped off…
A simple loft is my favorite way to make a tiny house feel like it has real “rooms” without adding any square footage. After years of living small and styling compact homes, I’ve learned that the best loft interiors balance vertical space with a cozy, separate sleeping sanctuary. Sleep Loft Above the Kitchen A light oak ladder to a sleep loft above the kitchenette—airy, simple, and space-smart. In the tiniest layouts I’ve worked with, putting…
Decorating a small home is all about getting that cozy, styled look without letting your space feel crowded. Go Vertical With Tall Shelving Make the ceiling feel higher with a slim floor-to-ceiling shelf that doubles as decor. I’m obsessed with vertical storage because tall shelves pull your eye up and keep your footprint small. In my 450 sq ft apartment, a floor-to-ceiling bookcase became both my storage and my biggest decor statement. A few choices…
A small bathroom can absolutely handle brown, and it can feel surprisingly light when you use the right mix of texture and contrast. Go Frameless With Clear Shower Glass Frameless clear shower glass opens up a small brown bathroom—light, airy, and intentional. I’ve watched a tiny brown bathroom double in “visual space” just by using clear shower glass instead of a curtain. It lets your brown tones read as intentional design, not a dark box…
In an RV, shoes can take over the entry in about two seconds flat, and suddenly you’re doing acrobatics just to get inside. These RV shoe storage ideas are the ones I’ve used (or set up for clients) to keep floors clear, traffic flowing, and the whole rig feeling calmer. Over-the-Door Pocket Organizer Over-the-door pocket organizer: the fastest way to keep RV shoes off the floor. I hang a shoe pocket organizer on the inside…
Nursery stuff multiplies fast, especially when you’re working with a small room (or a corner of your bedroom). I’ve organized more tiny nurseries than I can count, and the trick is making storage feel calm, cute, and ridiculously easy to use at 2 a.m. Top-Drawer Diaper Zone Top-drawer diaper zone: one handcrafted organizer tray keeps every change calm and quick. I’ve set up so many dressers where the top drawer is a diaper station with…
A small kitchen can absolutely be an eat-in kitchen—you just need a setup that earns its footprint. I’ve lived with everything from galley kitchens to awkward corners, and these are the ideas I keep coming back to when I want real sit-down meals without the squeeze. Small Bistro Table for Two A tiny bistro table for two—real sit-down meals without crowding your small kitchen. When I’m keeping it simple, a tiny bistro table gives you…
