This project was for a retired athlete that had a small transitional space that needed some TLC. With some simple changes I transformed this place from cold and uninviting to cozy and personal.
First of all I want to say that I love the challenge of working with items that my client wants to keep and figuring out how to make it all flow and look good. Some times this is a designer's nightmare but many times it's fun!
Style tip #1
Since the client wanted to keep the dark grey sectional and this black massage chair (somewhat outer space looking in style) I thought a nice moody dark grey paint would really help it to feel more cozy and less stark with the white walls. As you can see in the before pictures it made a huge difference!
Two of my favorites are Sherwin Williams 7674 Peppercorn and 7069 Iron Ore.
Style tip #2
Don't be afraid to move the furniture around! The worst that can happen is you'll just be moving furniture for a few hours until you get it right. Think outside the box and you'll find the answer. The sectional just didn't work well here and it blocked the light from coming in, but It worked perfectly on the other side. Most of the time I like to "float" the furniture in a room away from the walls so that it feels together and not apart. The furniture automatically guides you into a setting that is more pleasing to the eye and cozy.
But when you have a small space you can still accomplish this with furniture up against the walls in deliberate spots. The sectional above in the finished picture is hugging the wall on one side but the other side is scooted out allowing a little breathing room.
Style tip #3
Since this space was small and without much storage I decided to blend practicality with design and use the Stand Up Paddle board to fill in the big blank wall. I mean, why not? It was perfect anyways because the client was an athlete and had many items that we could use to continue the same look throughout the space. #bachelorpad all the way! It elevated the room from predictable to #pnwstyle.
Style tip #4
In my opinion, there is nothing more boring in a room than when everything is the same color and when everything is brand spankin new. So the solution is, add Vintage! For this client I had 2 custom pieces made that reflected their taste in rusty repurposed industrial furniture. The table below was a custom coffee table made of old barn wood slats and a steel frame welded by my good friend Courtni Dore. She is a talented artisan who welds and makes beautiful treasures out of old metal scraps that she has salvaged.
And this beauty here! This was so fun to design with Courtni. It's a cocktail table made of old car gears and wheel disc's. She had the perfect pieces and then welded them together to make this one of a kind table that perfectly fit the clients taste. You'll find many of her pieces at a super cool store in Bothell, WA called First & Main Design Market. I adore the owners of the store and you won't want to miss checking it out!
And lastly, a dope cowhide pixelated area rug, soft throw pillows and plush woven blanket, classy lighting and art on the walls and the room is transformed!
And that my friends is the story of the athlete's bachelor pad.
Making homes personal and a reflection of the human soul one room at a time.
She be Stylin....
Katrina