There MUST be a better name for this project, haha, but it is fitting. This client contacted me back in August, and it has been a longggg road! We've been waiting and waiting on lots of deliveries, but it will be SO beautiful when it's done. This woman came to me after moving into a home about 1/2 the size of her previous home (hence "downsize"). Not only was she living in a new town and a new house she was now having to figure out how to use one room for multiple purposes, which is super tricky in general!
She hired me to completely redesign her family room and home office. The designs are done, and MOST everything is ordered. We're just waiting! So I thought I would share where we started and make a little series out of it.
Here are both of the spaces before pictures:
Family Room
Things that immediately stood out to me were:
Everything seemed heavy to me like it was weighing the whole room down
This was a great wall to put the tv on, BUT not such a great spot for the couch. You can't tell in this picture, but behind the sofa is open to the kitchen, and backs to open spaces is never a good feeling!
Also, for how many windows were in there, it seemed surprisingly dark
Home Office
This is a huge home office, and it's directly off of the front entrance. My immediate thoughts:
This room needs a proper desk with storage
I love the idea of a little meditation corner. I wanted this one to be a bit cozier and more simple.
There's no space to sit!
And let's get this client some AMAZING bookshelves!
It was time to get to work! This is when I get to make magic happen. The next step was coming up with floor plans for each of the spaces and presenting them to my client. There's usually a revision or two that needs to happen. But this is a super detailed process. I want to know everything that my client is going to use the space for and exactly how they want to feel when they walk in. This all goes into not only making it beautiful but also making it functional. The final floor plans for each space are based on her and her family's needs and wants.
Living Room
My thoughts:
I really wanted to open this space up and make it more inviting, and for me, having your back to an entrance is generally something I try to get away from. I also wanted to change around the room so that the TV wasn't the centerpiece of the room. This layout is much more welcoming, and actually, we ended up going in a bit of a different direction after the final revision. This is a family that has two high school-aged boys, and so football teams and hangouts were happening over here. We needed more sitting room. So we got a big L sectional that sits under the window (no poufs there) and got rid of the chaise. Fireplace... I LOVE wood fireplaces, and so did they, but they never really had the right arrangement to enjoy it. So with this in mind and the idea of more seating, we got swivel chairs in front of the fireplace. They add a nice little reading and tea-drinking space but also can move around and see the tv if wanted or talk with people in the kitchen!
Home Office
With this space, we really wanted it to be put to work for her. There are definitely other layouts that are much more suited to this space or a home office, but this is going to be super functional for her with all of the information she gave me. This keyboard was originally in the family room where the tv is going, and she really wanted to still be able to play it easily. She still has her meditation area, but we are adding some much-needed seating in here. A place for her to read or have coffee with a friend. Then we moved her desk just slightly from where it was; super important to have a solid wall behind you in your home office (hot tip)! And the open space in the middle she'll be able to use as a yoga space.
The next step in the process is coming up with the actual designs. The color scheme, potential pieces, and how they all will work together. Stay tuned for part 2!
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