We love designing spaces that capture our clients’ unique hobbies and interests. Over the years, we’ve learned of some fascinating pastimes and routines! We also appreciate a good challenge to create rooms that allow homeowners to make the most of their space (no matter the size of the home), incorporate how they truly wish to live and celebrate their passions. Well planned, multi-purpose or multi-function rooms allow you to use space more frequently and more efficiently. Let’s explore some ways we’ve designed living spaces to creatively suit our clients’ multiple needs and interests.
Our Post Oak client requested a multifunctional room in her newly remodeled townhome for a space to call her own. She needed to combine a space to complete her office work, an area to do her laundry and a place to bring out a sewing machine every once in a while when needed.
We put our design thinking caps on partnered with our friends at Kitchen and Bath Concepts, and designed a well-planned, multi-functional space that fits all of her needs in one room and she is thrilled. Not only is she able to get her work done, but she has plenty of space to do the laundry with the long counter top (shown at right) that makes the chore of folding clothes a breeze. She can now easily spread out fabrics or clothing that need mending as time allows. Still, her desk is minimal in style and functions as an office workspace that’s clean and organized with drawers below the desk. It’s a win, win! As you can see in this photo, a long bank of custom-built cabinets flank one side of the room and provides ample storage for all of her sewing tools as well as filing cabinets for the office storage. The washer and dryer, shown in the first photo above, look sleek and sophisticated. They are also very quiet when running so as to not disturb her while she is working or on a conference call. The two art pieces add some great accent colors to the room and are a nod to Princess Leia and Rosie the Riveter.
We’ve helped men create multi-purpose spaces that showcase their hobbies and interests as well. Our Richmond, Texas client is an avid photographer and loves traveling to exotic locations to explore underwater photography. When he and his wife were building their new home, he requested a space to call his own. There were several requirements for his new getaway and it needed to be different or more elaborate than a typical “mancave.” So what did we do? As shown above, we helped him design his “manplex” to not only work in his second floor office but also to watch any game he wants from one of five televisions with sports varying from football and basketball to soccer, baseball and even boxing matches. His space also became the perfect place to highlight his beautiful fish in a custom-built fish tank. The tank is enclosed in custom built cabinetry with a warm walnut finish and it serves as the backdrop for the bar in the center of the room. When not watching the games, family and friends can study the different fish species swimming in the tank! On the second floor of this mancave extraordinaire is his home office that includes shelving for books and collectibles, and ample hidden storage. This manplex was truly a personalized solution and the perfect escape for our client. He is more than thrilled with the way it turned out. We are too!
Petite Sisal Unpasted Wallpaper from York Wallcoverings |
The lady of the house, a fitness enthusiast, wanted a space where she could workout as well as relax. A spa/gym combo was the ideal solution. She wanted the room to have an overall Zen feeling, so we painted the room Sherwin Williams 7036 Accessible Beige. Then we wallpapered the ceiling in a textured grass cloth with shades of turquoise, spa greens and blues from York Wallcovering with warm neutrals running through it. The tiles in the bathroom are all natural and earth tones to keep that Zen feeling. One wall of the workout space is fully mirrored and she also has ample space for her twin Peloton(R) bikes. Our client loves ballet, which led us to install a ballet bar that takes her workout to the next level. When she is finished exercising, she can relax in her sauna or lounge on the custom bench upholstered in a soft green textured fabric. The space is so nice that it serves as a bit of a sanctuary where at any time, she can escape from stress by sitting quietly against her plush, decorative pillows in this calming environment. This was a great way to address multiple uses of this healthful space!
For those readers who dream of their own spa-like room such as the one described above, we’ve included a few more photos below to fuel your wish list. We recommend saving to Pinterest the photos of rooms or even specific features that you like so that you have them stored neatly away and can share them with your interior designer when you’re ready to start your project.
We especially like the natural elements used in the next image of a home spa. The deep wood hues give it a sophisticated, warm feeling. The white sink pops against the darker colors.
This beautiful and multi-functional home was recently featured in a 10-page spread in The Page, the Houston Chronicle’s luxury magazine. Here is a link to the article with a few photos. A feature story should be appearing in the Sunday Design section soon. Please watch for it and we’ll be sure to post it for you as well.
Let us know if you would like to create a getaway or hobby space for your home. Creating a space to call yours is a great way to avoid burn out and restore yourself from the everyday hustle and bustle. We could all benefit from a little “stay-cation” once in a while. Your own private sanctuary is the perfect place to do it!
What is the one space that you wish you could add to your home either to enjoy your hobbies more or to create a personal retreat? We’d love to see your thoughts in the comments below.