Episode 2
The Mwanza family moved to the area sixteen years ago. Mum, Lombe, living with her husband Gregory and two children, one of which is a student. The lack of storage and an open plan layout are the two main issues working against the family.
Living room
Before
The open plan living and dining space created tensions as a family, with many different activities happening all at the same time. The room simply lacked zoning. There was not enough storage for all the electronic equipment in the living space, with clutter and cables everywhere. The room felt dark and lacked personality and the large and bulky furniture made the room feel darker and cramped.
After
The open plan space is zoned, to help ease family tensions and make better use of the space. The living room is transformed into a bright, light and functional space with a beautiful layered neutral palette of coral, rust, blue and wood, making the space comfortable and more inviting. Using paint and peelable wallpaper is an easy way to transform a space in a rental property. Smaller and purposeful furniture choices free up valuable space. The FRÖSLÖV three-seater sofa has plenty of room for the family, whilst taking up less floor space. Storage furniture is functional and sized correctly for the space. The floor to ceiling modular storage makes the best use of space and stores all the electronic equipment and media.
Dining room
Before
The dining table was large and took up a lot of space, however it was infrequently used. Greg's desk was small, without adequate storage for paperwork and he found it difficult to work from home with noise transference from the other end of the large open plan space. The space also felt dark and not an inspiring place to work from home.
After
A new set of bi-folding doors help to divide the large space into two smaller spaces, to help with noise transference, creating privacy and improving flow within the adjoined spaces. The style within the large open plan space is consistent, with subtle tricks to help with the zoning. Within this space a feature was made of the existing wall mounted electric fire. The dining room is a now a multipurpose space used as an Office for Greg and also a space for craft and recreation by the whole family. A round white-washed Oak table makes better use of the available space and is the perfect place for the family to gather, dine, chat and reconnect. Greg's office space has a larger VEBJÖRN desk with drawers, shelving and plenty of organised storage. An upcycled sideboard is used as storage solution to store Greg's record player and vinyl collection.
Bedroom
Before
The bedroom was lacking storage and being cluttered was not meeting the couples' needs for a relaxing sanctuary at the end of the day. There was little floor space and it felt disorganised, with no clear home for Lombe's beauty products and accessories. The sofa was instead being used for sleeping in front of the TV.
After
A new AVALDSNES king-sized bed with headboard creates a space for sleeping in comfort. A 3m floor to ceiling PAX wardrobe solution provides ample storage for clothes and their huge shoe collection. All of Lombe's beauty products now have a designated home in the wooden dressing table, keeping the space ordered and clutter free and giving her a dedicated space and a good start to the day. A large area rug, covers most of the carpet and an upholstered bench at the end of the bed helps to create plenty of comfort. Fresh and calming colours help turn the space into a much needed sanctuary for Lombe and Greg.
Need help to plan your own transformation?
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