We are looking to change Liam's "den" around a bit over the next few months. In the past this area was used for storage but with addition of wood-looking ceramic tiles, under floor heating and a coat of mint paint the idea was to use it as my office. But as I ended up using the girls study more, the area really just become a dumping ground. Liam and I then swapped the room off the garage, so this area became his gym and with the addition of a sleeper couch a back up area for any guests. And that is where we are now.
However, we have started to relook at the room and it's uses and see if we can't use it to it's full benefit. Especially as it is a large space and right off the girls bedroom and bathroom, so the ultimate goal is that it is not one of those rooms that need to have the door shut.
THINGS TO DO:
1. We have toyed around with the actual purpose of the room, but for now we are hoping to cover all of these bases: guest room, desk area for Liam, gym area, spare bedroom, extra TV room and even a desk/craft area for me? Well, maybe not the last one.
2. For now I think we will stick with paint colour, but ideally we would look to revisit it at some point in time. Possibly, just plain white? Either way we need to bring in more light to the room. Already we have three different light switches for dim lights and a fluorescent one. But it is still dark and with low ceilings we will need to get creative with this. So far I think: a floor lamp, two bed side table lamps and a desk lamp.
3. The walls are concrete bricks and the ceilings exposed, in a proper renovation we would look to plater these - but this is not going to happen this revamp - so I am going to try and minimise the focus by increasing the light, and furnishing the place completely so the focus will be on the contents rather than the "bones" of the room. I'm no expert but I am hoping with wall art and fllor rugs this will draw the focus away from the ceiling and the actual walls.
4. The first main goal is to make it a proper comfortable guest bedroom which means mimicing a main bedroom - and to be precise we are actually making it exactly that. We are going to redo our bedroom, so just about everything in our bedroom is going downstairs. That way the room will have a king bed, side tables, side table lamps, bed linen etc. instantaneously. There is even a three frame black and white beach scene. As luck will have it the area already has cupboards, so the IKEA drawers we had were tossed (they were damaged anyway) and the room already has a black and white rug - which goes perfect with the old black and white FERM LIVING quile we replaced with a new blue one. So, what's missing then? Can't think of anything jsut yet...
5. Liam's desk area is pretty much also already set up there. It is in a good spot, has a computer, chair, bin... so I think all that is needed is probably a memo board in front/art piece and a desk lamp.
6. And so now for the gym area, this also is well situated. There is a shelf dividing the space between the desk and gym area. And I have to give Liam credit, he has displayed all his "stuff" nicely on them. The equipment is cleverly arranged to be in an otherwise akward space (near the door to the boiler room, doors to the electrical room and the laundry shoot). The only thing I think we can improve on is maybe trying to get a few of the weights etc. off the floor. Which means I may have to secretly rearrange Liam's shelves.
7. The entrance into the room as pictured above is perfect, I think. So it would just be a case of using all the drawers to their full potential.
8. Nearby, is the exit door and another shelf that I have been using for Liam's laundry and the cat's stuff. But I think this could be better utilised, so I will need find alternatives for these goodies. And look at "prettifying" this wall.
9. The Emes coat rack is just great in this room. Liam hated it at first but now it is like he wished for it all along. The space below is empty so maybe it would work well to have the shelves mentioned in point 8. back here - but then what to do with that space.
10. Ok so after all of that, I still want to put a TV and crafts and my desk in here? I guess the last two are not options, but I did have my eye of a beautiful anitique Chinese cabinet that I think would disguise a TV really well, and bring a bit of interest to teh room. I'll just need to work out the best spot, so one can lie in bed and watch shows...
And that is where we are so far. Lots to do, but more importantly we can only do this room, once our bedroom is done - so I will be sure to share details of that soon too.
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