The Redesign that Reclaiming Home just completed was for a music/computer/personal retreat room. So, a multifunctional room. It is where my client’s heirloom piano lives. It’s also the room with the family computer, and the space where my client goes to have a quiet cup of coffee by herself or with a friend. My client is a woman after my own heart. She loves collecting interesting and vintage things that speak to her.
The problem this multifunctional room had before the redesign was that so many of her treasures weren’t showcased well, and there were too many pieces of furniture in the room. So I went to work. First, we went through all the items and I made a pile of things she truly loved and another of things she was just okay with. Next, I rearranged furniture and styled the room using her favourite things, and then we spent an hour shopping to fill in the gaps that were left. Did you know that when I do a Redesign you have the option of going shopping with me on the day we transform the room? It is not always needed, but today’s Redesign included an hour of shopping at HomeSense, Value Village, and Home Depot. Let’s get into the before and after.
The Sitting Area
I started the Redesign fully intending to use the green chair and another chair they had in a different corner of the room to create this conversation area. My client told me what she really wanted was two matching chairs for this spot, and she had been looking at swap pages for a deal but hadn’t found one yet. So the plan was to use what she had until she could find the right chairs. But then some Reclaiming Home magic happened.
We went on our quick shopping trip to HomeSense, and two women happened to be there returning these chairs! They were the perfect look and size, and they were only $129 each. We also purchased the curtains from HomeSense, and the rug from Home Depot. In total my client spent $450 on this room, and the things she purchased were carefully selected items that made a really big impact on the room. The end table was already there, and the lamp was from my client’s daughter’s room. Her daughter wasn’t using it and we spray painted it antique brass to tie in better with the room. This transformation happened in one work day.
Highlight an Heirloom Piano
This is the wall you see when you walk into the room. Moving the piano to this wall created a stunning view as soon as you walk into the room. The piano was my client’s grandfather’s, and it is so beautiful. Putting it on this wall really highlights it.
This china cabinet held some of these treasures already, but a lot of them were scattered in random places. I took all of them and styled them in the cabinet. This picture of her parents and family was hidden before. Now she can see them every time she is in the room.
Create a Functional Work Space
The computer area was styled using things my client already owned. We hung her favourite art pieces, and the shelf came from her storage room. I styled it using items she already owned. The only piece we bought is the desk lamp from Value Village for $8.
I love that music cabinet, and we tried many different places for it, but it always made the room feel cramped or crowded. Sometimes a big part of making a room better is removing items that don’t work (this is called editing in the design world). The gorgeous piece of art was inherited from an uncle.
When we were finished for the day my client said, “It feels like I can breathe in this room now.” I love that we highlighted her favourite items and that it feels like a special retreat for her. This multifunctional room was transformed in a single day. Let me know @reclaiminghomedecorating what room in your house would you like to transform in one day?
