There are some tried-and-true interior design rules that all professionals tend to follow. From ideal furniture placement to lighting tricks and paint hacks that make a particular space feel larger (or smaller), these “rules” are the stuff of interior designer lore.
So when we found Lone Fox designer Drew Michael Scott completely throwing out the rulebook when redesigning a cozy room in his personal home, we were very intrigued. Ta.
Breaking away from all the small room ideas we knew and loved, Drew filled the cozy space with dark, bright colors and packed it with tons of furniture. Here, we take a look at this eclectic and charming redesign and discuss the three small space design rules he told us to rethink.
Previously an underutilized and quiet home office, creator Drew, known for his warm, transitional style and creative DIY videos, admitted defeat and decided to renovate this unused space. I made it my mission. And the result was quite unexpected.
“The first iteration of this room was my office, and to be honest, I’ve only sat in it probably five times over the last year (I almost always work at the dining table),” Drew said. I say. “I thought a lot about what I wanted this room to be, but I decided to focus on its function as a lounge/conversation area.”
Below, we talk to Drew about the inspiration behind the perfect fit and the three rules of small space interior design he has us questioning.
Three rules for small space design that we’re rethinking now
1. Dark colors should be avoided
(Image credit: Drew Michael Scott)
A question interior designers are often asked is which color makes a small room appear larger. The most common answer is that light and bright colors are best to make a room look more airy.
In stark contrast, the Lone Fox Home founder decided to fill her space with Sherwin-Williams Vogue Green and give it a flat finish. He calls it his favorite color in the video. Rather than taking in the walls, they lean to the scale of the space, creating a cozy and relaxing atmosphere.
“This space is very bright and connected to the neutral-toned rooms, so I wanted to use a bold wall color,” explains Drew. “I had previously painted this room a medium-toned green, but it always felt a little flat, so going a little darker and bolder was exactly what I was looking for. ”
2. Large furniture is not allowed.
(Image credit: Drew Michael Scott)
To make the most of a small room, experts usually recommend not crowding the space with large, oversized furniture and decorations.
But Drew outfitted his small living room with a large sofa, two statement armchairs, lots of stools, and a side table. As he perfectly proves, when done correctly, large pieces can make a space appear larger. So scale up!
It feels wrong, but in reality, a lot of small dollhouse-sized furniture can make a room look cluttered. So, make sure to find the largest piece of furniture that fits the room and make the most of every inch of space.
“I wanted to use this brown leather vintage sofa because it was the perfect size for the room and I loved the way the leather color stood out against the green,” continues Drew. “I decorated the room with some vintage items I’ve had for a while, including a German glass lamp I brought with me on my trip to Round Top last year.”
3. A dark ceiling sucks out all the light.
(Image credit: Drew Michael Scott)
The idea is to paint all the walls and ceilings with a faded color to make the room feel larger and more airy. This blurs the line where the wall meets the ceiling, making the wall feel like a continuous piece and creating the illusion of a little more space.
With a similar effect, Drew’s snug dark wood ceiling panels avoid the harsh lines that traditional white ceilings bring. In another tutorial video shared to his Instagram, Drew first painted the ceiling a dark brown to test how he felt about the deeper shade on top, then painted the original 1920s walnut I showed you how I added wood with a dark stain to match the beams.
“I recently saw an image of an emerald green wall and it had that ‘Country Club, Old Money’ vibe ringing in my head,” Drew added. “Something classic dark green felt right. We wanted the room to feel like a small section of the house, with rich colors and textures.” The emblem was custom 3D rendered and printed based on my logo, adding a most valuable personalized touch to the room.”
Shop the Lone Fox Look
Scandinavian style teak shower & bath stool
Made from beautiful and durable solid teak wood, these small stools are each individually unique due to the natural differences in the wood. As the perfect accent piece, place it next to your armchair or style your bathroom.
Covered in rich cognac velvet, this Lulu & Georgia sofa is a great alternative to the vintage leather Drew used in her space, and it’s much easier to source. The boxy yet curvaceous silhouette attracts attention.
Loloi II Dawn Collection Indoor/Outdoor DAW-02 Tan 7′-8″ x 10′ Area Rug
This delicate checkerboard rug from the Loloi Dawn collection looks almost identical to the matching rug from Drew’s. Made from a force-woven polypropylene similar to sisal, it is durable and can be used indoors and outdoors.
In this small, cozy room in Drew’s home, stacked with even richer ceilings and lots of furniture, the use of such a deep emerald green hue resonated with the H&G team. Ignoring the trusty design rules we tend to rely on, we love how Drew tore up the rulebook and created a space that never feels small, but instead feels cozy, luxurious, and just really, really cool .
