Design Happens

The popular wisdom when decorating small spaces is to make it white and minimal to create the illusion of a much larger space. Designer Kein Cross threw that advice out the window and opted for his trademark black-and-white stripes instead.

Photo: Valerio Mezzanotti for The New York Times

In his 19 foot wide and 6 ½ foot deep rental cottage in Paris, Cross renovated the kitchen with bathroom vanities, removed the stove and added wide stripes. Granted the kitchen has a curated-clutter look, but the unexpected stripes add a dressy touch and contrary to what you would expect, a sense of breadth.