House Tours: A Chic Small-Space Condo

Since this is the owners' first home, the couple chose neutral pieces that will grow with them for years to come -- a boxy cream sofa and elegant armless chairs. To personalize the space, they added colorful pillows, funky ceramics, and art.

Space Saver: To make a room look larger, stick to more neutral colors on the walls and in your furniture. Then you can add color through the accessories.

To carve out a dining area in the small living space, the homeowners tucked an antique extension dining table into a bay window nook. Around the table, armless dining chairs save space. Silk curtains and a modern chandelier help define the space.

To transform the living area into an entertaining space, they move the dining table to the center of the room, add two leaves, and cleans off the media console to use as a buffet.

The flat-screen TV was placed off-center of the console, tucked between floating shelves that display a gallery-style arrangement of black-and-white photos and treasured art.

Space Saver: Choose double-duty furniture. The media console keeps electronics out of sight and also serves as a sideboard for parties.

Because the homeowner runs her design business from home and friends often visit, the second bedroom doubles as a home office and a guest room.

Space Saver: To add storage and take advantage of the home's 10-foot ceilings, she installed shelves and cabinets on the walls. The cabinets above her office desk match the other furnishings' dark stain.

The key piece of the transitional office is a sofa that turns into either a twin- or king-size bed for guests' visits.