Roomations - Part 1

I enter online contests ALL the time but I hardly ever win.  This time I was lucky enough to win a design consultation and room design from an online interior design company called Roomations.  It was a really easy process.  You create an online account, take a style survey, and then fill out your design request.  We selected our living room since it’s the space where we spend the majority of our waking hours and we would love to have a more functional and fashionable space.  I like the space but it has always been missing the wow factor for me.   

The design request includes the functions of the space, the budget, any specific items you have in mind, and the room specifications (measurements, etc.). After a couple business days you get back two mood boards including notes from the designers.  Here are the two mood boards and notes we received.  After reviewing them we selected the Modecorist space because it felt very functional but had a more cohesive look than our existing space.  The rug and gallery wall were the wow factors for me.  We liked a few suggestions from Portico Design so we asked if they could incorporate those as well.  The main thing we adore about the Portico design was that amazing floor lamp, swoon!  We filled out a survey with our feedback and now they are working on building a 3D rendering for us including the shopping list and detailed instructions for the transformation.  I’ll post again once we get the final rendering, shopping lists, and instructions.

Message from Modecorist:

You have a great foundation with the sectional and open space. I tried to find you affordable draperies, which isn't difficult but what is a challenging is finding suitable hardware. Ideally you need a wall mounted or ceiling mounted track. A ceiling mount would be the best however it will be a challenge to find non custom draperies at that height. I went to Smith and Noble for a wall mounted track and custom drapery but it’s something of an investment and not within your allotted budget. It will add a wonderful texture to your space and help frame your view.

Overall I am recommending a variety of light and dark, cool and warm neutrals with textures and patterns to create a very natural space. The framed photos will add a more personal statement above your sofa… The plants will add a bit of nature.

If you can scrape together more money $250-500,save up for a large shag rug with a graphic pattern like in the inspiration photo. The rug I chose is a great pattern but
a synthetic material…

I also recommend organizing your bookshelves, adding plants and natural touches that are found or inexpensive… like shells, baskets, etc…

Message from Portico Design:

This design uses a few key elements to bring your existing furniture together to form a cohesive design: Large curtains, a large area rug, a large plant and large lamp. Notice a theme? You need some large scale elements to complement the scale of your amazing loft space! 

If you were to start with just one of these elements and add the rest over a period of several months, I would start with the area rug, which will anchor the whole living room area. I recommend FLOR carpet tiles because you can buy the exact number you need to create the right size and shape (an 11 x 11 square area would work great). Loft spaces best retain their open, spacious feel when you keep furniture off the wall and allow the space to “flow” around it, so I suggest pulling your couch out from the wall 3 or 4 feet so you can walk behind it. Do the same with the shelving unit that separates the living room from the dining area, aligning the center of the shelving with the center of the dining table.

For the curtains, buy a bolt of simple (inexpensive) white fabric and sew the curtains yourself. Remember that in order to have the curtains “ripple” you will need to make the length of the curtains about 1 ½ to 2 times as long as the length of the window. Use horizontal seams to create visual interest in the otherwise plain fabric. For the curtain rod, you can buy an adjustable rod from IKEA or make your own using ¾” metal conduit. If you are up for the DIY project, I think the conduit approach will better suit the industrial style of your place!

Lastly, add further style to your existing shelving by re-arranging the books by the color of the spines, lay some flat in different sections of the squares, and accessorize with vases, frames and other objects in different squares.