Lifestyle, layout and practicality before anything else. If you decorate a space that just doesn't work for your lifestyle you'll have a pretty space that's just not functional.
It's always so rewarding when clients you've previously worked with on a project come to you again for help with something new. I'd worked with the clients on their holiday home Rye Meadows in Kirkby Lonsdale; turning it into a colourful boutique hotel style space (which was featured in the 'Interior Designers Yearbook'). Then one day I got a call asking if I could now help on their main home in Liverpool!
They hadn't touched the house since moving in and the extremely dated beige decor was depressing them; they wanted my help injecting fun and colour into the upper floor. However before diving right in with design inspiration, wallpaper samples and accessories, I wanted to first asses the space; the layout, how did clients wanted to utilise it and spot any issues which we could solve. The upper floor had a badly designed layout and it was quite clear that to make the best of the space we could not proceed on the project without addressing the interior architecture first.
MASTER BEDROOM:
Decent sized, but not enough space for anything other than a standard bedroom set up.
ENSUITE:
Disproportionally large space, which was even larger the the Master Bedroom. So much wasted space and with huge cupboards which the clients couldn't fill.
WALK-IN-WARDROBE:
This had a separate door on the landing, so to access this room after your morning routine the clients had to come out of the ensuite, through the master and across the landing. The location created an unpractical journey and exposed them half dressed to guests when walking back and forth.
CHILDS ROOM:
No space for play.
The space just didn't work well so I wanted to improve that first. See below the original layout and images of each room.
ORIGINAL LAYOUT
CHILDS BEDROOM WALK-IN-WARDROBE
MASTER ENSUITE MASTER BEDROOM
After some careful consideration I presented a new layout that would be much more practical and offer a better lifestyle.
By knocking through the child's bedroom into the walk-in-wardrobe we would create a huge master bedroom. I then wanted to utilise the wasted space in the ensuite, so I sectioned off an area which could be accessed from the new master to create a new walk-in-wardrobe. The old master then would become a more spacious bedroom for the client's daughter.
This would create a whole new way in which the clients could live in the space. Firstly, a straightforward journey for the master suite; meaning the clients could get undressed entering the ensuite and dressed again when leaving, without the need to enter the landing. The additional room in the master could then accommodate a seating area and bookshelf for them to indulge in their favourite downtime activity of reading. I then added a double shower in the ensuite so that the clients could shower together whilst having different temperature water. Their daughter now had a larger room with more wall space for storage of toys and books, with more floor space for playing. We would also be able to utilise all the original doors.
See below the new proposed layout.
NEW LAYOUT
In the process of exploration I'd also created some alternative layouts, which although I'd ruled out I talked them through these to demonstrate how and why I thought this one worked best. A well-designed space using the interior design is not just stylishly unique, good interior design makes a space more functional and suitable for the goal for which it is being created. They were thrilled with the proposal; how I wanted them to use the space thinking of both the obvious practicalities and also their unique needs, and after talking with their contractor we confirmed all was possible. This was a much larger project than just adding paper and furniture but ultimately the space would be transformed and so would their lifestyle. The master was now a private suite with a reading area and their daughters room was also now a playroom.
Always consider lifestyle, layout and practicality first. See below images and a walk-through of the finishes rooms.
Please note we are Interior Designers not Interior Architects, whilst we devise technical plans and create proposals to the best of our ability, these will need to be checked and approved by a qualified contractor.
MASTER SUITE
ENSUITE
CHILDS ROOM
WALK THROUGH
At Magpye Creative Interiors we create unique space for unique clients. To enquire about working with us to create your dream interior please get in touch.
Katie
Katie Longshaw-Pye
Creative Director | Magpye Creative Interiors
Ribble Valley