Playroom/Office/Guest (POG) in 300 sf? (And then a whole house glow-up.)
Our engagement with Michelle and Mike started the same way that most do. They went to dinner at the freshly updated Gordon house and texted us immediately.
Michelle’s primary focus was her front room, which was doing triple duty as her office, their playroom for three young kids and two dogs, and the guest room. We went to work immediately on the Playroom-Office-Guest (POG) but the assignment grew by leaps and bounds, to include a new front lawn seating area (previously they’d stood in the garage to watch kids play outside), re-landscaping, carpeting, painting throughout, new window treatments, new art. Before long, we’d tackled nearly every square inch of the house, inside and out.
By the time Halloween rolled around, they were ready to host their annual bash. We didn’t quite get to the two upstairs bathrooms in that first round, but today, we’re back, building a luxurious primary bath sanctuary and a couple’s closet, as well as updating the kids’ bathroom.
On our last visit — in preparation for the upstairs bath revamp — Mike said that the POG has vastly improved their lives. That’s music to our ears at Family Friendly Designs. It’s why we do what we do.
There are some things that really don’t go together: An unmade bed in a home office is right up there.
But the room had great potential for fulfilling its many obligations.
When I got a look at this closet, I knew we’d identified part of the solution.
The entry was a little short on pizazz, a little long on “this will have to do until we figure it out."
The bathroom adjacent to the office/guestroom/playroom — used by kids, grandparents and guests -- needed a lot of love.
The developer built-ins in the living room didn’t exactly fit.
Slatted blinds weren’t providing the right kind of soft ambient lighting in the dining room. We prescribed Roman shades. Secret: we have a source with a workroom that’s half as expensive as you-know-who and twice as good.
We ordered wallpaper for the accent wall in the POG and the adjacent bathroom, to create an “ensuite” feel.
A new light fixture for the super tall entry kicked it up a notch, in cooperation with a Ruggable runner.
A custom floating shelf and interesting mirror….
Secret about light fixtures — Amazon has some great ones which might —we’re just sayin’ — come from exactly the same factory as the ones with the splash-out price tags.
POG underway! Our cabinetry team built and installed a Murphy bed and a desk for when that Murphy bed is tucked away. (It folds out of the way.) We didn’t forget a little pull-out drawer, doing double duty as extra desk space and a nightstand— and a closet for grandparents’ belongings.
The right hardware is surprisingly important.
The guest bathroom glow-up — new vanity and fixtures, wallpaper and mirror, all selected to work with existing tile floor — made such a difference.
We scrapped the clunky built-ins and substituted custom floating wood shelves. Styling those shelves was a lot of fun, especially since FFD did some of the sourcing in Mexico City, where finds are fabulous — and fairly priced.
One of our favorite pets, just where a dog should be— Charlie
Easy to clean Lowes’ carpet was measured and installed.
A new rug (indestructible) from FLOR, window shutters, a ton of Ikea storage, a Frame TV from Samsung sporting different art every day, and an extremely long cushion in faux leather for a window seat, and we were ready for the POG to go forth and fulfill its destiny.
“Working with Cathryn feels like having the interior designer best friend you never knew you needed. I was introduced to her by a friend whose home she had transformed into a space that was not only beautiful but also perfectly functional for their growing family.
My main goal was to make better use of my home’s space while reflecting my personal style. I wasn’t entirely sure how to get there, but Cathryn had the vision to turn even fuzzy ideas into reality. She is incredibly responsive, keeps projects moving forward, and is always available to answer questions or provide guidance.
One of her biggest strengths is her network—she knows skilled professionals for every aspect of the job, and if any hiccups arose, she quickly found solutions without losing momentum. She was also respectful of my home throughout the process and often stopped by to handle details I couldn’t get to myself. Many times, we’d be sitting around the kitchen table brainstorming like colleagues—a fun, collaborative way to bring the vision to life.
The results speak for themselves. My family especially loves the transformation of what was once a chaotic playroom/guest room/office into a functional and beautiful space we’re proud of. The improvements truly reflect my taste, and I love showing them off. Part of me never wants our projects to end because it’s such a joy texting and chatting with Cathryn every day about additions and improvements to our space.
I wholeheartedly recommend Cathryn and FFD to anyone looking to create a home that is as functional as it is beautiful.”
