2nd home decorating tips

A bungalow on the beach. A cabin for weekend getaways.

Second homes, designed for relaxation, are often decorated with hand-me-down furniture and other cast-offs from the owner’s main living space.

But, say interior designers, a bit of creativity can transform a small vacation home into the perfect haven — a place to combine family heirlooms, funky flea-market purchases and a few new pieces, with style and on a budget.

“Second homes are all about the three f’s: family, friends and flea markets,” says designer Brian Patrick Flynn, founder of Flynnside Out Productions. “There are really no rules, but the one thing to keep in mind is that second homes are the best place to showcase your personality by filling them with one-of-a-kind pieces packed with sentiment and history.”

Written By Melissa Rayworth

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Small Living Room Decorating Ideas

“A 160-square-foot living space may seem like an average, decent size — until you realize it must function as a family room, lounge, dining room and home office. Creating a design that’s as functional as it is aesthetically pleasing can be a major challenge. In the case of a spatially-challenged, open concept great room, a few design elements are essential to maximize space: multi-purposing, playing with scale and proportion, installing proper lighting, defining the space plan, and delineating several zones within one area. When it comes to living large in cramped quarters, the vintage modern New York City great room of Matt and Jodi Arden showcases small space decorating at its best.

When the couple, both TV executives, relocated to New York’s East Village neighborhood from Atlanta, they decided to leave most of their living room and office furniture behind. Only their dining table and chairs made the trip. Jodi comments, “”Spatially, we couldn’t see any of our old stuff working in the apartment. Why bother schlepping sofas, chairs, area rugs and desks up 10 stories if it may not even fit?”” Instead, the Ardens enlisted the help of a designer friend to guide them in a direction that worked with their personal style and their functional needs.”

Written by Brian Patrick Flynn

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