“Small is the new big.” That’s what Libby Langdon, HGTV personality, interior designer, style maven, and author of  Libby Langdon’s Small Space Solutions: Stylish Design Ideas for Every Room—and Every Budget noticed on her home-front travels. With the economy down, more and more people—young couples, growing families, empty nesters and single urban professionals—are avoiding the upgrade to bigger dwellings or even opting to downsize to smaller ones.  Listen to the interview.

To learn more about Libby, visit her website

Libby’s Top Ten Design Mistakes You Can Avoid If You Live In a Small Space

1. Leaving your walls white. White walls won’t technically make your space larger and they lack personality. Spice up your space, have a little fun and paint some color on your walls!

2. Using large-scale furniture. Oversized pieces can hog square footage, and using better-proportioned furniture can allow you to create a more functional and comfortable living space.

3. Lack of light. Not lighting your space effectively makes it look smaller. If you can’t see an area in your room it’s as if it’s not there! Capitalizing on natural light and bringing in artificial light is imperative.
4. Using short shelving and cabinetry. Using full-scale shelves and cabinets that go all the way up to the ceiling visually draw the eye upward making the ceiling seem higher and your space feel larger.

5. Keeping clutter. Holding onto too much stuff and not throwing away clutter can make even a large space feel small. When in doubt, throw it out!
6. Using small-scale accessories. Large lamps, artwork, candles, vases and accessories create the appearance of greater space and more height. No wimpy lamps!
7. Not using mirrors. Mirrors reflect light, whether it’s daylight or lamplight, and they visually make your space feel larger by adding depth and dimension.
8. Not capitalizing on your wall space. Think vertically and get your walls working for you! Mount shelving or storage systems up on your walls to display collections and store items so you don’t waste precious table space. This will also help focus your items in one spot so your space feels more organized.
9. Using all wood furniture. It makes a room feel clunky and bottom heavy, but by mixing in glass-topped tables with wood pieces you give your room a lighter, airier and more open feel

10. Using small area rugs. A small area rug can look like a postage stamp and make your room feel cramped, but using a large rug creates an extended visual line and gives the illusion of more square footage.

About Libby Langdon
Libby Langdon is an interior designer and expert commentator on HGTV’s hit show “Small Space, Big Style.” She offers insights, techniques and tips to help viewers make the most of their own small space. Previously, Libby hosted and was the lead designer on the FOX makeover TV show, “Design Invasion.” Libby founded “Libby Interiors” in 2003 and has completed numerous commercial and residential design projects all over the country.

She designed the New York City restaurant, La Masseria, which was voted as one of the top ten new restaurants in the United States by Esquire. She also designed the flagship store for Italian designer Massimo Bizzocchi in New York’s Meatpacking District.

Libby has designed private residences in New York’s Sagaponack, East Hampton and Southampton, and several apartments in New York City. She recently designed homes for PGA golfers Justin Leonard and Joe Ogilvie in Texas, as well as Brad Faxon’s waterfront home in Rhode Island. She’s designed a loft apartment in Providence, RI as well as the pro shop of the exclusive Atlantic Golf Club in Bridgehampton, NY. Libby is currently designing a small stone cottage on a vineyard in Italy and an apartment in Providence, RI.

Libby designed the Living Green exhibit for Better Homes and Gardens Magazine that showcases her design ideas and tips on Eco friendly and stylish interiors. The 2500sq foot home exhibit traveled to home shows in 15 cities across the country during 2008. She regularly shoots segments for the Better Homes and Gardens syndicated TV show, BetterTV about her experience discovering Green design as well as general interior design tips. Libby is also a regular on WCBS radio as an Interior Design/ Lifestyle expert.

Libby’s designs have been featured in numerous national shelter magazines and on the covers of Hamptons Cottages and Gardens and Decorating Spaces. She is a small space expert to Decorating with Style, and Budget Decorating, Glamour as well as several design magazines. Libby regularly gives seminars about design in small spaces to furniture retailers and manufacturers, offering ways to court the small space consumer. Libby is a regular contributor to the nation’s top daily papers with design, food and entertaining ideas.

She often pops up doing makeovers on shows such as The View, The Early Show, NBC’s Open House and recently shot a makeover and in-studio segment for The Rachel Ray Show which showcased ideas from her newly released book, Libby Langdon’s Small Space Solutions.