Here comes a Design My Dilemma makeover we think you are gonna love! Tara sent a picture of her “dilemma room” where she had already tried a few things. Let’s jump right in.
Tara’s dilemma is real life for most of us. As much as we love to see large, spacious home designs, more often than not, we are working with space/functionality issues. In Tara’s case, she needed to use this long narrow room for her dining area AND her office. Generally, the layout of a room dictates the furniture, but I used some tips and tricks to optimize the area and make the design pleasing to the eye.
The room has some square fluorescent fixtures and budget-wise we were not looking to do any rewiring. I used one of my battery-powered tricks and I am excited to tell you about it. You will find this rattan hanging light fixture in the Amazon store we put together for this room. No electrician required! Once you hang it where you want it, the lightbulb is magnetic and you can easily pull it out to charge it. (Don’t get the ones where a USB has to reach the fixture). This one comes with a remote control that has options for different light levels. I placed it in the middle of the room to draw attention away from the fluorescent lights, but you would typically want to center the light over the dining table.
For the window, I changed the vertical window blinds for white, horizontal blinds and of course I added my signature black curtain rod and ivory sheer curtains. This changes the feel in the room, from functional and utilitarian, to functional, soft and beautiful.
The square table with black chairs works well. I added a rattan runner, a vase with white blossoms and staged table settings. One of my hacks for table settings is to purchase chargers at a Dollar Store then get some beautiful china at a garage sale or thrift store. I really wanted to do this makeover for Tara on a ‘friendly’ budget, and I think it works.
The key to having a desk in a shared space is to keep it free of clutter and any extra boxes. The L-shaped desk I picked out actually has extra storage space for her files and the L fits perfectly under the window. Give the curtains some breathing room (don’t smash them), add a lamp, a plant with a book and you are all set!
The finishing touch is the botanical prints which give a cohesiveness to the whole space and the soft colors don’t jump out at you. Changing the wall color can be done at a later time—Alabaster by Sherwin Williams is my recommended go-to color.
Check out all the items from Tara’s Dilemma in my Amazon store and send in your own Design My Dilemma to get a makeover for one of your own rooms. Submit a photo of a room in your home that needs a change to: info@karenconrad.net. Include a statement giving permission for your photo to be posted on our platform and what your desire is for the room.
Related post: Intro to Design My Dilemma
Tell me what you think!
Karen Conrad Metcalfe
PS. For more in-depth makeovers, get my book 7 Seconds: How To Leverage The Seven Second Rule In Your Home Designs and Real Estate Investments Second Edition. You can find all my tips and tricks with beautiful before-and-after photos and checklists that every “re-designer” needs.