• Blog
  • Resources
  • About
  • Contact
  • E design Services
Menu

Michael Helwig Interiors

  • Blog
  • Resources
  • About
  • Contact
  • E design Services

Blog


How to Design a Moody Masculine Home Office in a Small Space

March 31, 2025

A small, awkward spare room turned into a bold, moody home office that’s as functional as it is stylish. With dark, dramatic walls, smart storage solutions, and a layout designed for both work and relaxation, this space balances high-tech efficiency with a cozy, masculine vibe. Thoughtful lighting, layered textures, and a few unexpected design moves make all the difference—proving that even the trickiest rooms can become the perfect home office space.

Read More
In Awkward Room, Color, Decorating Advice, Do-it-Yourself, How To, Inspiration, Interior Decorating, Interior Design, Small Space, Tricky Space, Space Plan Tags moody masculine home office, small home office design, awkward room layout, home office makeover, small office transformation, functional home office, dark home office design, masculine office décor, sit-stand desk setup, stylish home office ideas, moody office color scheme, black home office walls, tambour panel accent wall
Comment

Smart Design Tips for Making the Most of a 9' x 12' Pass-Through Living Room

January 20, 2025

A 9' x 12' living room with opposite doorways presents a unique design challenge. From managing traffic flow to dealing with awkward windows and poorly placed outlets, learn practical tips to transform your small space into a comfortable and stylish area without losing functionality.

Read More
In Awkward Room, Decorating Advice, Floor Plans, How To, Inspiration, Interior Decorating, Interior Design, Small Living Room, Small Space, Space Plan, Tricky Space Tags Pass-through living room, 9' x 12' living room, Traffic flow issues, Small living room layout, Awkward window placements, Poorly placed electrical outlets, Furniture placement in small spaces, Maximizing natural light, Managing electrical outlets in small spaces, Small living room design solutions
Comment

Creative Ways to Make a 10x10 Bedroom Work for Two

December 9, 2024

Trying to make a small 10' x 10' bedroom work for two people? These creative tips and space-saving ideas will have you maximizing storage, improving your layout, and making the most of every inch. Whether you need clever furniture choices or hidden storage, this post will help you create a cozy, functional bedroom that suits both your needs and your style.

Read More
In Decorating Advice, How To, Interior Decorating, Small Space, Space Plan Tags small 10' x 10' bedroom, make a 10' x 10' bedroom work for two, space-saving ideas for small bedrooms, maximize storage in small bedroom, small bedroom storage solutions, creative small bedroom tips, small bedroom design for couples
Comment

Furniture That Fits in a Tricky “Shotgun” Layout

March 4, 2024

Are you confused by your shotgun style home’s layout? Let’s unravel their history and quirks so you can put your confusion to rest. Read my expert tips for the best size and shape furniture and what to do step-by-step to get a room arrangement that will be the best solution for a small, tricky, or awkward room. If you’re looking for a furniture arrangement that turns your compact space into the perfect functional room with effortless flow, this one is for you!

Read More
In Awkward Room, Decorating Advice, Floor Plans, How To, Inspiration, Interior Decorating, Interior Design, Small Living Room, Small Space, Small Space Edit, Space Plan, Tricky Space Tags Shotgun style homes, Furniture placement in narrow rooms, Shotgun house layout, Shotgun style house history, Compact space furniture arrangement, Functional room layout, Quirks of shotgun houses, Small room design solutions, Layout challenges of shotgun homes, Narrow space furniture tips
Comment

Your Living Room Isn’t Awkward… You Have Too Much Furniture!

March 1, 2024

Ready to turn your chaotic living room into a serene space? Here are design pro tips to help you to declutter and redesign your space. You’ll learn how too much furniture can drain your energy and what steps you can take to ensure that your living room is the peaceful retreat you need it to be I’ll show you how consolidating your furniture will help you get better flow and how crating functional zones is THE answer to making this family gathering room work for everybody, no matter how small, tricky or awkward it is. Say goodbye to stress and hello to harmony – it's time to refresh your living room!

Read More
In Awkward Room, Decluttering, Decorating Advice, How To, Inspiration, Interior Decorating, Small Living Room, Tricky Space, Space Plan Tags Cluttered living room, Excess furniture, Decluttering tips, Furniture consolidation, Functional zones, Furniture zones, Furniture layout, Serene living space, Peaceful retreat, Living room redesign, Stress-free living room
Comment

Solving Irregular Layouts with Practical Tips and Creative Solutions

October 6, 2023

Need to conquer your awkward room layouts? No need to struggle through it alone. From assessing space to choosing the right furniture, I've got you covered. Transform sloped ceilings, alcoves, and tricky angles into functional and stylish spots. Don’t let unconventional spaces hold you back – Let’s solve your tricky and awkward rooms challenges now!

Read More
In Awkward Room, Decluttering, Decorating Advice, Do-it-Yourself, Floor Plans, How To, Interior Decorating, Interior Design, Space Plan, Tricky Space Tags Irregular room layout design, Awkward space interior design, Sloped ceiling room ideas, Oddly shaped room décor, Quirky room design solutions, Furniture for challenging layouts, Unique room layout tips, Alcove decorating ideas, Functional design for tight spaces, Creative room arrangement
Comment

How to Arrange a Square Living Room with Doors on 3 Walls and a Pass-Through

September 8, 2023

Drawing inspiration from a real-life room transformation, I provide practical tips to maximize space, improve flow, and create versatile layouts. From precise room measurements to the strategic placement of furniture and thoughtful editing of clutter, I guide you through a step-by-step process to make the most of your square living area. Whether it's optimizing pathways, rethinking accent walls, or designing functional zones, this post equips you with the tools to conquer the unique challenges of square room arrangement.

Read More
In Awkward Room, Decorating Advice, Decluttering, How To, Interior Decorating, Interior Design, Space Plan, Tricky Space Tags Square room layout ideas, Arranging square rooms with doorways, Square room design tips, Optimizing space in square rooms, Functional square room arrangement, Interior design for square rooms, Challenges of square room layout, Square room makeover guide, Furniture placement in square rooms, Square living room organization
2 Comments

Transform Your Space: Expert Step-by-Step Home Makeover Guide

July 10, 2023

Create your dream space with my expert makeover guide. Follow the step-by-step process to transform your home easy as 1,2,3. Use this to unlock the true potential of your imagination and embark on your home makeover journey today.

Read More
In Decorating Advice, How To, Inspiration, Interior Decorating, Tricky Space, Space Plan, Small Space, Small Living Room
2 Comments
a shared living and dining room open concept space. Caption reads: Curved furniture and angled walls.

Curved Furniture and Angled Walls, a Perfect Fit?

April 25, 2022

The curved furniture trend is hot this year. But, for small and tricky rooms with angled walls it could be the very best solution to get maximum seating, optimal flow and superior function. Let’s explore a shared living room and dining room where every piece of furniture has rounded curves.

Read More
In Awkward Room, Decorating Advice, Floor Plans, How To, Interior Decorating, Interior Design, Room Review, Space Plan, Tricky Space Tags angled wall living room layout, how to decorate a room with angled walls, rectangle living room dining room layout, how to handle two angled walls, Living room dining room combo with angled walls, How do I arrange my living room and dining room together, how to shorten a door without removing it, how to make a door opening smaller, curved furniture for bay window, Try curved furniture, How do you style a curved living room, Extending a wall, extend interior wall, make wall longer, extend wall for better flow, reduce doorway opening for better flow, Curved furniture trend 2022, Curved furniture for bay window
Comment

6 No Fail Decorating Rules for Small Rooms [Infographic]

February 24, 2022

These 6 rules will help you arrange and define a seating area, make the best use of certain types of furniture, and utilize the height of your walls like a pro. You’ll also learn how to avoid a common small room mistake so your room will feel larger immediately.

Read More
In Small Living Room, Small Space, Space Plan, Infographic Tags how to position a rug in living room, too small rug, how to make your living room feel bigger, large rug in a small living room, large art in small spaces, can you put large art in a small room, oversized wall art, clear coffee table, acrylic coffee table, lucite console table, glass table, clear furniture in small living room, blocking doors, pathway obstructions, maximize vertical space, decorating vertical space, use a large mirror in a small space, mirrors make your room look bigger, amplify light using mirrors
Comment

What You Need to Know to Make a Dark, Square Living Room with Multiple Doors, Work

February 15, 2022

Square living rooms limit where you can place your furniture because all the walls are the same size. There’s no long wall to anchor a sofa, sectional, or chairs. What if the room also has 3 doors on 3 separate walls? Let me show you how to design a room like this.

Read More
In Awkward Room, Floor Plans, Space Plan, Small Living Room Tags Sunlight reflector for dark rooms, How to get more natural light in a room, Dark rooms, Adding light to dark rooms, Brighten up a dark room, How to decorate a room with 3 doors, Small living room with 3 entrances, Room with three doors, Small living room furniture, Room with lots of doors, Awkward living room, Angled fireplace, Angled living room walls, Room with no windows, Where to put furniture, How do I arrange living room, Where to put sofa in living room, Where do I put lamps, Living room with no end tables, No room for end tables
2 Comments
narrow room.png

Small, Narrow Room? Tricky Layout?

Get your room designed – By a guy who KNOWS challenging room design.

That's for me!

PangoBooks Store

My PangoBooks Store

Amazing deals on many genres of books: Business, Fiction, Memoir, and more!

Shop Now

Stay at the Airbnb!

This Airbnb is central to EVERYTHING you will want to explore here! Buffalo is the city of seasons. In Autumn, you can’t beat our Fall colors and pumpkin spice everything! If winter is your jam, you’ll enjoy skiing, ice skating, and more! You’ll love festivals like The Lilac Festival, a short drive up I-90, in Spring. If you’re a Summer kid, we have concerts, more festivals, Artpark, Jet Boat rides, and the Historic Maid of the Mist in Niagara Falls. We have a saying here, “you’re only 20 minutes from everywhere in Buffalo.” Come see for yourself!

Book Your Stay!

Contact | Terms | Praise | Privacy | Disclaimer | Refund Policy | Press | e Design FAQ’s