A few years ago I moved a client from her home to a newer condo. She needed to downsize and simplify her life. The condo was really transformed into a great space. Recently that same client contacted me to work on another, smaller space. This time the budget was pennies in comparison to the last project. In fact it was less than $3000. I was lucky in the fact that I knew her style and taste and had a few leftover pieces to work with.
I walked into a blank slate and immediately knew where to start.
The new space was cold and without any personality. I had to create a warm, inviting space where she could entertain family and friends and also have the occasional business meeting. The natural focal point was the rather tall north facing window which provided an incredible view and amount of natural light.
The furniture was basically sitting in the middle of the room. A floorplan was key to making the space function at its peak.
I had to flip a few pieces. The grouping of book cases were all on the wrong wall making the room seem smaller than it was. Once those pieces were moved, the room opened up and I was able to take advantage of its potential. I used the book cases as a second focal point. Then the placement of the sofa and chairs just fell into place.
The bones were now in place. The next thing was to add all of the personality pieces.
Art, accessories, accent pillows, etc. were now ready to be placed. Those treasured items were sprinkled around the room to add what was needed to finish the space. The window treatments were also ready for installation. Since they usually take a large chunk of a budget, I purchased ready-made linen panels. The window measured 127” floor to crown molding. I added linen fabric to the bottom with a gimp trim to give them the correct length. This gave the draperies a custom look for much less.
This is one of those projects that pushes creativity to the highest level. It pushes the limits really out of the park. It proves with a little determination and a smart plan we can all have great style on any budget.
Enjoy!