Hey there! Before I jump into sharing some fun details about our design, if you are just joining in, you can catch Week One where I shared the room we are working on and Week Two to see all of the design boards and some struggles! We actually got a lot done this past week; most of it was getting supplies, new tools and working out details, so it didn’t end up looking like we got a lot done. I don’t have a lot of photos to share this week, but we did make good progress as you can see.

An Inside Look at Our Process

We start every project we work on with getting the foundation of the space locked in, which in this case is the built-ins that we are struggling to finish. Material procurement has been such a problem and we ended up with two different wood species. I worked on mixing custom stain so I could get a similar tone and hue on both the red oak and the birch, but that was not working, so that means I have to pivot and do something different than I had planned. We have to do this on client projects sometimes when what we are initially planning isn’t going to result in the finished product for our clients that we want so I’ll do that here. Also, after talking with Anna, my lead designer and my trim vendor, Ben with ITC Millwork, I decided the best thing to do would be to paint the birch. It’s not what I had planned, but it will still look good and the TV wall can be the focal point, so that’s what we are doing! I will still stain the red oak and work on getting a custom stain matched this week to something close to the amazing media stand from Apt2B. The ottoman is also coming from Apt2B! Another request from my Sophia; a comfy place to put her feet and I might just use it if I’m allowed in!

Selecting Soft Furnishings for a Cozy Touch

I talked about the sectional from our showroom, The Designers Marketplace, last week. Super excited about their new website for the trade and can’t wait to get the sectional delivered!

I picked out an amazing area rug from Loloi that pulls everything together. It will layer over the carpet I’m replacing in the room. I also decided since the carpet covers the entire second floor of my home, I’m replacing the it in the hallways on the second floor with bamboo flooring. We had bamboo in Florida and it was impervious to three large dogs, six cats, sand and water; it was just a great all around choice and I love that it is grass and super eco-friendly and sustainable.

Calico had the perfect flinen for the drapery and was a great way to pull in the charcoal gray Sophia wanted with it’s pretty watercolor effect! My workroom, Sew Unordinary offered to make the drapes for the gaming room too! Amanda always does a great job so she of course was going to make the drapery regardless, but I’m so happy to partner with her on the ORC! Drapery rods will be ordered this week and I’m crossing my fingers they have stock, so I’ll share those next week hopefully.

We also picked a really great paint color from Kelly Moore that Sophia is actually okay with, so I can’t wait to see that go up on the walls! I’ll need to use a satin finish for the cubbies and cabinetry so I’ll have to decide which product would be best for that.

One thing the girls asked for was cool lighting, specifically nothing too serious or adult; maybe something woven. The pendant light from Crystorama we are using was the perfect choice made by Sophia herself. We are also using some functional and tech savy outlets and switches to control everything and provide some USB ports from the Adorne Collection by Legrand.

Wall sconces from Troy are a fun addition and Sophia approved as well! I decided to replace the TV in the playroom with a TV that will be great for gaming and movies without killing my budget and the girls will love the surround sound my AV guys are installing! It’s a good thing I insulated the wall between the gaming room and my bedroom! Sophia asked for LED lights so I can’t wait to show you how we are managing those! They will be SO FUN!!

If you missed my Stories on IG you can catch some really good info on the Louver Shop Shutters that I chose for the gaming room. They are being custom painted to match the walls and will make such a great design element in the space! I’ll talk about that coming up in a post and on Instagram here in a bit.

The snack station has two really great features for my kiddo! A mini bev fridge from Build with Ferguson will store lots of drinks for Sophia and her friends and maybe Ciara and I as well! We also fell in love with a very cool tile for the backsplash from Tile Shop!

Dressing the Walls with Fun-Spirited Art

The room would not be complete without the fun artwork Sophia picked out from Minted. Her favorite is the Beekeeper by Theresa Bear and I’m pretty fond of him too. We used one of her pieces in Sophia’s ORC bedroom so I’m happy Sophia found another one of her pieces she liked!

Be Sure to Visit our Friends…

You can catch more here next week and stay up with what’s happening on our Instagram Stories. Make sure to check out the other featured designers to see what they’ve been up to as well! Have a great week!