Sometimes designers get caught up in the small details of planning a space. We obsess over fabrics and textures, wall papers and window treatments. But when all is said and done, how much thought are we giving to the big picture? What good is well decorated space if it lacks functionality? What happens when we don't feel good in a room we've spent hundreds to thousands of dollars creating?

Granted, in our current economy, most of us do not have the luxury of spending thousands of dollars on a room, or even have the empty space that can be purely devoted to form. Most of us city dwellers have to make compromises, both financially and spatially. We use our space, every single inch of it. We need work stations in our bedrooms and play areas in our living rooms. Some sacrifice a living room to pay the rent, while others spend hours searching craigslist for the best bargain. Regardless of where we are coming from or what we are working with, we all deserve to live in an environment that we enjoy from an aesthetic and functional perspective.

If you find that you are struggling with your space, don't run to Ikea. Don't grab every item from your neighbors stoop sale. Too many times we fall victim to cheaply priced decor, idealized space saving solutions, and hand-me-down furniture, that don't actually resolve the problem we are facing. Think big. Take a look at your space and think about yourself in that space. Think about where you sit as opposed to what you are sitting in. Evaluate what you have, how you use it, and what works and what doesn't. This is how you can determine what you may need. And the reality is, what you need is often times different than what you want or what you settle for when you impulse buy. Once you've improved and arranged your space to meet your daily needs, you have a solid foundation to begin decorating your space. But don't fear, chances are that eBay molded plywood Eames chair will fit in your space eventually, I promise.

Here are three budget friendly tips to help you along your way:

1. Try to make use what you have before you purchase something else. Really evaluate the item before disposing of it. If you have an old couch, try putting it in another room or on a different wall. It may end up that you don't need it, but just in case you do, you will save yourself some money while refreshing an old look.

2. Do not impulse buy and do not take every item that is given to you. Chances are you are only finding a temporary solution to a bigger problem. As long as the bigger problem goes unaddressed, the vicious cycle of bad design will continue to repeat itself.

3. Take your time. Whenever you are making a big change, make sure you sit with the idea. Once you have implemented the new choice, give yourself some time to really adjust to the new arrangement. It may take a few weeks to fully appreciate the difference. If you still find yourself unhappy you will most likely be able to better identify the reason.

And at the end of the day, if you are still having problems, call me. I'm way better than Ikea, and most likely, a bit nicer than your neighbor. And f you are lucky, I may even cook you swedish meatballs.

James Howard Kunstler has a lot to say about how we have successfully destroyed our American cities with distasteful urban design and planning. I highly encourage everyone to set aside some time to listen to this guy talk. He is hilariously sarcastic, intelligent, and completely right on. I love him.

Welcome to Spatial Facial, a blog filled with old rants and new ideas about interior design. I've started this blog as a way to communicate about the aspects of design that I find appealing...and also annoying. There is so much to learn about the way we create our spatial environments. I hope to share some interesting ideas that both inspire and encourage you to think about space in a positive, non-conventional, yet totally feasible way. And lets be real for second, we will also discuss the inevitable design FAILS I come across. Together we will learn from the unfortunate mistakes of others. So enjoy! Your comments, feedback, and even your own design posts are always welcome here.