1,340 Square Feet, Four People, One Bathroom
Those three numbers explain almost everything on this site. My name is Sharon B. Frazier, I write every post on Emmy Decor, and I started publishing in late 2025 after twelve years of fitting four people into a two-story house that was built for a smaller family. Every category here started as a number that once caused an argument in my home.
1 bathroom, 4 people
A small bathroom forgives nothing. I learned the standard bathroom counter height after I had already bought a vanity. I found out the hard way what a bathtub drain is, why old caulk has to come out before new caulk goes in, and whether one quart of paint is enough for a small room. Bathroom covers all of that, plus painting and organizing cabinets, decorating shelves and walls, cleaning a mirror without streaks, and idea galleries such as cottage-style beadboard.
2 closets and a rod that gave up
My two kids shared one bedroom for three years, and the closet was where the peace treaty broke down. The Bedroom category is what I learned from that: how to organize a walk-in closet, how to install its shelves, what standard walk-in closet dimensions are, how to organize a makeup vanity, and which space-saving furniture works in a small room. It also holds idea galleries for kids and teens, including boys’ rooms, a tractor bedroom and shared teen rooms, along with wall decor and rooms with two windows.
1 staircase and 1 long upstairs hallway
The railing on our staircase started to wobble, and before I touched it I looked up the standard railing height, because I did not want to guess. That is how the Living Room category gained a stairs section: standard staircase railing height, how a staircase gets built, and how to decorate the upstairs hallway that ends it. It also covers choosing and styling console tables, side table alternatives, wallpaper versus contact paper, how to apply wallpaper glue, and how much a wall mural costs.
1 patio, smaller than the living room
Outdoor is the smallest of the four categories, and the one where my space is the tightest. It covers a blue patio that does not go nautical, fall porch decor for small entries, balcony door curtains that block sun and keep privacy, outdoor ceiling fans for large patios, and ways to keep an outdoor jacuzzi private from neighbors. On the garden side, it covers brick raised beds that need no mortar and trellis ideas for peas and other heavy vines.
The rest of the house
There is also a shelf of posts on small kitchens and laundry rooms, such as how to store pots and pans in a small kitchen and how to organize a laundry room. They sit apart from the four main categories, because those two rooms are where a small house shows its limits first.
0 licenses
I am not a contractor, interior designer, carpenter or professional organizer. What I have is twelve years in one house, a folder of measurements, and the habit of writing the number down before I buy anything. When I have not done a job myself, I say so and tell you where the information came from.
If a fact or a measurement in one of my posts is wrong, please write to me. I will check it and fix the post.
A few numbers I did not expect
My laundry room now has fourteen labeled bins, and my family says that is too many. I have measured the same doorway three separate times before ordering furniture, and I have never regretted the third measurement.
Before you measure, cut or climb
Everything on this site is general information from my own experience. It is not professional advice, and I am not a builder, electrician, plumber or structural engineer. Please treat these points as the minimum.
- Stairs and railings: stair and railing dimensions are set by local building code and vary by place. Check your local code, and hire a licensed builder for anything structural, including building, replacing or altering a staircase. A loose railing is a fall risk, so fix it before anything else.
- Walls and shelves: before drilling for shelves, closet systems or wall decor, check for studs, wiring and pipes, and use anchors rated for the weight. Anchor tall bedroom furniture to the wall, especially in a child’s room.
- Wallpaper, paint and older homes: in a house built before 1978, assume paint may contain lead until a test says otherwise, and do not sand or scrape it. Ventilate while pasting, painting and sanding cabinets, and wear a dust mask.
- Bathrooms: removing old caulk means using sharp tools and cleaners, so wear gloves, ventilate the room and never mix cleaning products. Drain, plumbing, waterproofing and electrical work should be done by licensed professionals and follow local code.
- Outdoor electrical work: ceiling fans, lights and hot tubs need fixtures and power supplies rated for outdoor use, GFCI protection and a licensed electrician. A jacuzzi also needs a support that can carry its full weight and a locking cover, and privacy screens should never block safe access.
- Balconies and rentals: check your lease, homeowner association rules and the balcony’s load limit before adding curtains, furniture or heavy planters.
- Raised beds and soil: reclaimed bricks can carry unknown contaminants, so use new or known clean materials for beds where you will grow food, and test your soil. Growing conditions vary by region, so check your local extension service.
- Window cords: curtain and blind cords are a strangulation risk for young children. Keep them out of reach and follow current child safety guidance.
Affiliate disclosure. Emmy Decor is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for website owners to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. If you buy through one of my links I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. It does not change what I write or what I tell you to skip.
About Sharon B. Frazier:
- Full name: Sharon B. Frazier
- Role: Founder and writer, Emmy Decor
- Email: [email protected]
- Pinterest: pinterest.com/emmydecor
- Contact page: emmydecor.com/contact
- Based in: Tulsa, Oklahoma
- Background: Twelve years of hands-on decorating and organizing in one 1,340 square foot family home. No formal design or trade credentials.
- Focus: Living room, bedroom, bathroom and outdoor ideas, standard sizes and organizing for small spaces
- Writing since: 2025
Still 1,340 square feet. Still one bathroom. Somehow it works.
