We worked closely with our client to design the perfect family friendly bedroom featuring spectacular lake views and clever storage solutions
Overview
Our clients came to us with hopes of designing their dream master suite in their newly restructured and lifted family dream home on Walled Lake with a nautical yet sophisticated twist. Their current bedroom space had a lot going for it, featuring vaulted ceilings, wooden beams, and a beautiful balcony that opened up to a patio and lake vista. As they looked forward to a growing family and bright horizons, they agreed it was time to update their family’s favorite “relaxing spot” along with it.
The Challenge
Despite the many upsides to the space, their bedroom included one obvious obstacle–an unsightly protrusion in the corner of their room caused by the build-out of the space and staircase below. This “bump out” limited the family’s furniture placement, living space and storage options. We also discovered that they only had one closet (not ideal for a growing family), and counterintuitive spatial layouts that hindered access to the patio making it difficult to navigate about the room.
With these problems in mind, we set to work building out SOLUTIONS to our clients’ problems.
Defining The Design Goals
As Interior Design Strategists we look beyond the aesthetics of a space to ensure that our design solutions solve the problems that our clients are experiencing in their built environment. Utilizing “Design Thinking” strategy (which shares many similarities to the Scientific Method), we began planning our recourse.
After closely assessing the layout of the space, we established four major design goals:
- Increase the family’s storage throughout the space
- Hide the unsightly obtrusion in the corner of the room
- Highlight the gorgeous lake views using a sophisticated, unconventional nautical theme
- Open up the master suite to allow for family-time and decompression
Creative Problem Solving
We hypothesized that if we create a custom built-in, it could serve three purposes: hide the obstruction in the corner, create plentiful storage space around and below the bed, and also be painted in a tasteful, nautical blue to accentuate the stunning lake views right outside their door. We also hoped that by moving the storage space around the bed, it would open up the rest of the room for a relaxing “nook” area for the family to spend time together. In total, a win/win/win/win!
Proposing A Vision
During the Co-Create phase, we utilized 3D renderings to show our new built-in concept, helping our clients feel confident as they moved forward with our proposed design.
There was initial client hesitation to orient the view away from overlooking the lake, since they had originally placed their bed facing the wall of windows to enjoy the view of the lake. When we proposed rotating the bed to accommodate the proposed built-ins, they were worried that they would lose the connection to the outdoors.
To solve this problem, we infused the space with colors and materials that blurred the lines between the outdoors and indoors – bringing the lake life vibes inside.
From Protrusion to Solution
With careful attention to detail, the Concetti Team crafted a custom millwork design that stylishly encapsulated the protrusion in the corner (hidden to the left of the bed!). Each side of the built-in holds a his-and-hers hanging closet with a stack of drawers, and additional drawers under the custom-built platform bed, resulting in more storage than the homeowners ever thought possible! The built-in also features a nightstand fully equipped with outlets, niches for decorations or books, and stunning maritime inspired pendant lamps.
Introducing a New Nautical
The final element that was really important to our client was incorporating a sophisticated and subtle visual that was inspired by living on the lake (without being theatrical or kitschy). That’s when we knew it was time to introduce a whole new meaning to the design term “Nautical”.
We ran with this theme by accenting their headboard with a deep, aquatic teal, inspired by the water views outside. To keep this tone from becoming too bold, we intentionally toned it down by contrasting the rest of the room with white space, warm accents to highlight the existing exposed beams, and plenty of charming textures inspired by lake life. Take a look at the wave inspired, yet refined area rug!
Finally, our new design was purposely crafted to open up new, additional space in the room that could be reutilized as a sitting nook for the family. We had fun collaborating with the family to customize this area with cozy details and charming colors– the perfect spot for playtime and relaxing as a family.
Conclusion
In a small space like this, we knew we had to maximize every opportunity for detail. The project was a fun one, filled with challenges and plenty of opportunities for innovation and creative designs.
Ashley Mette, our client for this project, talked about her experience working with us, saying,
“Concetti made our dreams a reality. They took the time to hear our struggles and goals with our space and created the perfect design for us. We finally have a room that feels like home!”
The ultimate reward in any project like this is getting to witness the family light up at their new space–even including their Husky, Loki, who gave us two paws up! In our book, that’s a job well done!
