Conference Room Makeover

This is a #throwback makeover, from a couple years ago. My task was to choose paint color, carpet, and design elements for the Designer Bath conference room, where we often hosted invitational Lunch + Learns for the design community.

Above is the “After.” Below is the eye-sore before ...

This support beam posed the biggest challenge. After much thought, simply wrapping it tightly with rope created an interesting texture in the room, while referencing the company’s early years when still located in the seaport town of Salem, MA. The decorative orange tree, taking a cue from the company’s brand colors, adds brightness and life to the corner of this window-less office space. 

The new paint colors for the walls in the conference room and adjoining cubicle area both had to coordinate with the new commercial grade carpet we chose from Landry and Arcari. 

To finish the space, cut vinyl was added to the conference room walls. On one side, the Designer Bath logo in white, and on the monitor wall we added a reflective wave pattern taken from their Salem Plumbing logo.

At my new position at White Light Visual, this is the type of project we are often called upon to design and execute – branding corporate, retail, and institutional environments through “visual marketing.” To me, it’s just another form of art.

Magic Carpets + Makeovers

New home with new furniture plus one of my favorite carpets from Bassett.

After spending the last year recommending sofas, ottomans, chairs, accent tables, and more, I am very certain of one thing: anchoring the space with the right carpet is the best way to achieve a well designed look. The carpet adds visual harmony, often bringing in the colors of the fabrics, incorporating the shades of the wood furnishings, or adding an additional layer of color, all while presenting a feeling of luxurious comfort to the space. Even with all new furniture, a room just does not look “right” if all the legs are on a naked floor.

My best interior makeovers have always included a new carpet to tie our selected design elements together. Below are some of my recent favorites ...

Handcrafted dining furniture paired with host chairs and carpet from Bassett.

A large scale geometric carpet adds a modern touch to this classic bedroom.

– Simple With Elegance –

A floral and lattice style carpet lightens up the heavy black dining furniture.

 A simple stair runner from Karastan paired with a wool carpet from Bassett.

This stairway is adjacent to the dining room above. All colors and patterns had to work together in this open and connected space. Likewise, the colors on the second floor pulled from the same palette of soft blues and warm neutrals so that each room would flow from one to the other. The small square below shows a fresh, organic style area rug that we selected to coordinate, yet contrast, with the traditional patterned carpet that the homeowner was using in her walk-in closet.

– A Modern Victorian –

For this makeover, the homeowner had already chosen her furnishings, but was at a loss on how to choose the right carpet to work with her jewel toned fabrics in her traditional Victorian-era home. We looked at a number of different carpet choices, from wool geometric patterns to solid shags. The key was finding the right color and pattern that could hold its own with the saturated palette of the pieces in the room.

  

Along with determining the right carpet for her space, we also had custom pillows made in fabrics that worked with her bright colors and bold patterns. This may have been a small project design-wise on my part, but having this type of professional guidance at the end was just what the client needed.

“I finally unrolled the carpet (busy week) and wow, you were brilliant with this one. We were working with difficult variables, and this final piece pulls it ALL together. Thank you so much. It is the happy room I want!” – Lynn P.

Finished room with new carpet and pillows.

Custom bolster pillows in citrus-bright geometric pattern from Bassett.

– A Pink and Green Prepped Room –

I loved working with this sweet, and traditional, client on her new downsized home. She was very confident that she wanted to incorporate her favorite color, pink, throughout. These photos show how the custom furniture that we selected looked in her brand new space soon after she moved in. Notice how the carpet is not to scale? Choosing an appropriately sized one was next on the list, along with accent tables, window shutters, artwork, and the hanging of a pretty chandelier over the dining area. The room will not be as inviting as it can be until these last pieces of the design puzzle are in place. 

Follow my Instagram account for future updates on my design related projects. This year I will be working at Bassett by appointment only. I will also be working on some large scale creative projects for corporate, retail, and even pop-up spaces via White Light Visual in Beverly. How I ended up there is a story for another day ...