I recently worked with a family who had a typical late nineties home that included a formal dining and living space. They were considering an addition because they really needed more space on the main level for their busy family life: a mud room and a more functional laundry room were at the top of the list, along with a more open concept layout. An addition is often a very expensive way to solve such a problem, and I’m always looking at an existing space for evidence of how spaces are getting used in practice. When I presented the design to them, I had removed the formal dining space, increased the size of the dining space adjacent to the kitchen, and converted their existing dining and garage entry into a robust mud room and laundry room.
At first, they were hesitant to rethink their homes interior walls and “lose” these rooms, but as time progressed, they became really excited about what these changes would afford their family. Now that that project has moved from concept to completion, they cannot imagine their home as it was before. They get such great daily function from their new space and they didn’t even have to incur the expense of an addition. As an interior designer, I find that when you work with people, they bring unique requests and challenges to the equation, which really amplifies my creativity.
“Emily, thank you so very much for all you did for us this last year. We just LOVE our new home. Thanks to you we get to come home to our calm, organic, and modern new layout and décor. The furnishings and plant shelf made me so happy!!!! We also appreciate your quick responses to any and all concerns. Lastly, thanks for talking us through the headaches and doubts. We are very happy with you and Eheart!” – P.D.
If you like what you see here and would like to talk to someone about updating your space, contact us today!
Emily Chase – Lead Designer
