Last year, I did five-part series about redecorating on a budget for my friend's studio apartment. To say that it was a great learning experience is a bit of an understatement; so this year, Gregory challenged me to do the a similar series. "Consider it penance," he said solemnly, "for all the headaches you gave me in 2009." Well, Gregory, sorry about that. And I'm upping the ante this time around: You may remember this somewhat controversial post I did awhile back when I stayed at my friend Evan's live/work warehouse. Instead of blacklisting me from his home forever, Evan has invited me (and you!) to help him revamp his living space, starting with the bedroom area.
Evan's home is basically one very, very large box of a warehouse space with no walls aside from the concrete ones that reach up to about 30 ft high. As the owner of his own apparel company, Evan runs his business on one side which includes rows and rows of boxes, an abundance of shipping supplies, and a designated photo studio area to shoot model/product shots. While that side of things is fairly organized, it's the living side that needs a lot of work. "Basically," Evan has said, "I want it to feel warm and welcoming...and separate from my work."
To give you a better sense of his home, here's a layout:
Even though we'll be tackling the entire living portion of Evan's warehouse, I figure it's probably easier to concentrate on different areas. While we have some ideas mapped out for the living and kitchen areas, it's the bedroom (and eventually, the bathroom) area that could use some input from all of you. Here's Evan's bedroom in its current state:
Looking past the unmade bed, I think one of the biggest challenges for this area is lighting. Because Evan has had to create walls and storage using two freestanding wardrobes from Ikea--not to mention, the bedroom area is actually tucked in an alcove--he's also blocked out a lot of the natural light that comes in from the floor-to-ceiling wall of frosted windows on the opposite end of the space. A few readers have pointed out that fluorescent bulbs now come with different brightness, so any recommendations as to what kind of bulbs/wattage would best create a warmer ambience would be so appreciated. We'd like to swap out what's in the overhead light (which is a very glaring light that is reminiscent of 7th grade history class). The only other source of lighting he has is that table lamp perched on an Ikea side table.
A few weeks ago, I sent Evan this amazing house tour that was featured on Unplggd as a source for inspiration in style and comfort. Evan loved the apartment; but in particular, he loved the idea of a dual-sided projection screen, except as a potential room divider/privacy screen for his bedroom or even a means to separate his working/living areas:
Although, we're not quite sure how to mount curtain wire anchors to concrete...? Anyone have any ideas on how to set that up? We welcome your ideas, suggestions, and other feedback for Evan's bedroom makeover!
Please join us as Evan and I embark on this venture of redecorating his home on a budget. We're currently in the early stages of planning and budgeting, and I'll be posting the follow-through series with before and after photos (from the same viewpoint...) in the upcoming weeks.
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If you don't even know how to properly drill a hole into concrete, you have a steep learning curve (and a lot of googling) ahead of you. So much that I don't even know where to begin with advice, except for perhaps finding another friend who actually has some construction/carpentry experience to help. That, and buying a masonry bit...
Maybe it's just me, but I'd want more seperation between the bedroom area and the kitchen. Maybe it would be better to place the shelving between the kitchen and bed to give that seperation and not block off that light from the main area. Then you could do a moveable and/or semi-sheer barrier between the bed and the desk.
They sell masonry screws that will dig into masonry with a regular drill, but you may want a masonry bit to drill pilot holes for the screws.
I had a fun time trying to hang a bed canopy from a concrete ceiling, but found out that you can buy a drill bit specifically for concrete, which makes it a lot easier. It's still takes some effort to drill through, but at least you won't ruin your tools.
ah, I remember this tour. That guy has so much style!
I agree that the biggest problem is the separation between kitchen and bedroom. Even just moving 2 chest of drawers away from the wall and between the Kitchen and bedroom would help. Not as tall as a wall but enough to separate.
I completely agree w/ everythingistaken's advice and move the cabinets to divide the kitchen (much quieter, secluded for the bedroom area). Then you can use a sheer-ish hanging curtain that will give you much more light and still have some privacy. With the layout you posted, it looks like that would work really well. I'm not sure what the backs of the cabinets look like but something tells me this guy has enough creativity to cover them well if necessary (from the Kitchen view, that is).
Just like *homebudy, my advice to you, Grace, is to go to architectural/design school and learn from professionals in construction industries. And for the owner of the loft - engage a professional designer (I'm available, btw., as well as thousands, literally, of unemployed professionals with years of practical construction experience behind them).
Here's a scope of work for this loft renovation:
-develop a program. You started with it, but there are lots of areas you haven't explored
-develop a concept. That doesn't mean finding a pretty picture of somebody else's apartment online and to try to emulate it in details. Gear your design to Evan's lifestyle and preferences.
-develop a budget and stick to it.
-start space planning, i.e. drafting variations of a plan. You don't seem to know how to draft accurately and in scale, judging by the diagram above. Learn CAD or hire a professional. Then do a proper space planning; about 6-8 variations on a layout would do. I feel generous, so I'll give you one possible variation: the loft has 30' ceiling, as you said (although according to the bedroom area photograph, not uniformly). Explore lifting living quarters to a mezzanine level, and leaving business operations downstairs.
- revise your layout, coordinate with budget constraints and physical constrains of the space. Get it approved by Evan and from now on stick to it.
- select all necessary fixtures, furniture, materials, finishes.
-draft all the plans. elevations, details and sections necessary (that includes concrete anchoring details, if that's what you'll end up with)
-interview at least three contractors, collect their bids, compare them and let Evan to select and hire the best.
-oversee construction, manage schedules and deliveries, permits and punch-lists.
Really, Grace : why DOY, when - especially now, in this economic hole the designers are in - to engage in trial and error waste of time and resources? Plenty of inexpensive professionals will be happy to work their magic on that loft.
Best of luck, I'll be watching. I have a warehouse/studio living space myself and it's in a constant state of flux.
"You don't seem to know how to draft accurately and in scale, judging by the diagram above."
When I worked in a Design Center, you wouldn't believe how many "Professional Designers" would come into my showroom with layouts like this...
...I mean its obvious that a sofa is going to be somewhat larger than a stove, IKEA PAX wardrobe cabinets are roughly the same depth as kitchen cabinets, doors are wider than toilets, and kitchen tables are not smaller than kitchen sinks.
There's no way you can do a proper plan without drawing all items to scale - and you don't need CAD to do that, just a tape measure, some (preferably gridded) paper, a ruler, a pencil and some basic math skills.
I agree with everythingistaken and caeebe about separating the bedroom and kitchen.
However, I'd do it by swapping the spaces you defined for the living area and the bedroom in your plan. That way, you'll have better access to the kitchen when entertaining guests as well as creating a somewhat more serene space for the bedroom.
We had to learn about drilling into concrete and cinderblock when we moved into our current condo. Get a hammer drill and masonry bits. We eventually killed our regular drill trying to muscle it into the concrete ceiling (although it was an old cheap cordless drill to begin with). Just going to a good hardware store and explaining your project to an employee should give you lots of info.
It would be awesome to hire a professional design team, but honestly I also think it's a great idea to go through it yourselves and learn from the experience, as long as you set realistic goals and be aware that you may screw something up if you've never done it before!
MOvie walls are your friends. Sometimes you can find them on Craigs, but they're not hard to make. Basically, build a big stretcher frame and stretch canvas over it. Built two and join them with hinges. Or install tracks in the ceiling and floor and slide the walls.
Whole lot cheaper than a real projection screen. Or buy scrims and hang them like curtains.
Expedits make decent room dividers (I have 5) and if you pack both sides full of books/albums/storage boxes, they're pretty dense.
Where's his door? When clients enter the space, is there an waiting area or place for coats, etc? Landing strip?
Should be close to kitchen, if he wants to give them water or coffee. Thus, bedroom should not be on view to clients.
Where are windows?
I have to ask...WHERE is the entrance?
Personally, I would flip the work and living areas, but I don't know if he would be OK with that big a change. (Yes, it bothers me that the bedroom is all the way on the opposite side as the bathroom.)
I think by making sure the layout and the big stuff is to scale would be helpful. Do show the doors and windows, too (also to scale).
I really don't think you need to hire a designer. Unless he has the budget for it, then of course, help someone stay in business. But it didn't seem like this was that extreme of a remodel/makeover. I'm not even certain he owns, so not sure he COULD do a full-scale remodel.
I'd move the bedroom away from the kitchen in that tiny alcove. It will feel much roomier, and will open up that space in the corner for storage or more 'living/entertaining area'.
I'd put the bedroom in the opposite corner then, where it has easier access to the bathroom.
*bepsf - agree, knowing CAD is not necessary, but in my experience (15 yrs as interior designer, 22 - as professional drafter) it takes discipline and lots of intermediate steps, especially for a non-professional, to draw several variations of a floor plan manually, even with a grid paper.
For me it would be easy, for someone who doesn't even record accurately (let alone in scale) existing conditions (where is the door to the space? where are the windows? etc) - I doubt it.
That's the difference between a decorator and designer.
Even on this thread we got 4 suggested variations on a layout - imagine how many more there would be if the plan was drawn correctly?
As it is, I'm not even sure in info provided re: ceiling height. DId somebody actually measured those 30' or is it "by eye"?
"it takes discipline and lots of intermediate steps, especially for a non-professional, to draw several variations of a floor plan manually, even with a grid paper."
It's really not that tough -
Just make a drawing of the basic space (yes, with doors, windows, beams, columns, etc - and remembering that walls have thickness...) and slap that puppy on the Xerox machine.
Then draw up some scale templates of the major furniture pieces, cut them out, label them and scootch 'em around awhile. Find an arrangement you like and do an outline of the pieces on that page...
...then take another copy of the floorplan and do it again.
"I think one of the biggest challenges for this area is lighting. Because Evan has had to create walls and storage using two freestanding wardrobes from Ikea..."
There are different ways to create walls. Built a proper frame and insert panels with frosted glass or a similar semitransparent material. Given that Evan built a wall of wardrobes himself, he presumably likes some sense of division in his space. The double projector screen is mighty cool but when it's off it's just a flimsy curtain.
or another easy option would be to use some of the free, easy to use software out there - www.floorplanner.com or google sketch-up. I usually do that to get a basic floorplan, and then print out a blank floorplan on one sheet, my furniture on another sheet and then cut out the furniture and move them around on the paper version.
bepsf, yeah I mean, I even have an app on my iPhone and of course there are many web-apps all over the internets that you put in correct measurements and voila! The important part being measurements!!
Thank you to all of you who have pointed out the layout is off scale and links to floor planning sites--that's going to be very helpful for Evan and I when we really get down to the brass tacks! Like I said in the post, we're currently in the initial stages, taking stock of what he has (and what has to go and/or get repaired). Once we get final measurements of everything after we've checked what's staying, I'll definitely try floorplanner.com out.
I'm not a professional interior decorator or designer (I'm a graphic designer by day), so when I was writing this post, I drew this shoddy layout up very, very quickly in Illustrator thinking that it would be a general "guide" to how Evan's home is set up and what he has. In my haste, I forgot to add the main entrance which is on the the lower left corner--you walk right into the work space. There's no waiting area, it's just rows and rows of cardboard boxes holding apparel samples. So far, it seems to work pretty well for Evan--he has 2-3 interns that work in the office area, and he uses his living room as a meeting area.
The entire wall opposite the kitchen is all floor-to-ceiling windows with the 2/3rds of each panel frosted from the bottom up for privacy (that wall faces the street).
As for the other suggestions of hiring a professional--Evan would if he had the budget to do so! He is renting this space out currently, and his budget for this project is very, very minimal (unless he wins the mega-million lottery; at which point, he will probably buy an even bigger warehouse and hire all of you to design and decorate).
Tatyana: While I can understand your frustration with the difficult economy, lashing out at Grace isn't going to help anything. It seemed pretty clear from her post that they had just started thinking about this, so it isn't surprising that the floor plan is just a rough sketch.
Using a professional - whether you're designing a space (or even just decorating), or doing your taxes - is a good option. But it doesn't make it the only option, and constantly relying on professionals to do everything seems like a fast way to have mush for brains - trying DIY, even with no experience, can be a good thing. We all have to start somewhere, and this blog seems to embrace that.
Grace: As I think someone already mentinoed, the right hardware store will be invaluable. I've seen my local store - that I LOVE - scale their advice based on the level of expertise of their customer, all the way up to sophisticated contractors. Find a place like that, get to know them, and they will keep you out of hot water - and have great ideas.
For dividing the space - what about lightweight shoji-like screens? If rice paper seems to fragile, there are plastic sheets available that mimic the look. Depending on how flexible the space has to be, you could add hinges, wheels, etc....
*bepsf: anything but not XEROX, please!
When you draw your plan in scale, say 1/4"=1'-0", every fraction of an inch represent significant measurement, and errors and distortions have a tendency to add up.
The process you described is close to what designer did in the pre-computer era; with added trick of using furniture templates for preliminary plans.
*beverlyawest: of course, you could DIY everything, from plumbing to surgery, it will be fun and you'll learn so much in the process! In fact, why have professionals at all? Let's invent a bicycle over and over again, on our own. Well, good luck!
Grace, I hope you'll use my suggestions of the design process; it has been polished by generations of designers and is an industry standard; if you follow you'll be able to save lots of time and effort. Best of luck in your endeavor.
I'm all for calling in a professional when necessary, but surgery =/= DIY decorating. Hyperbole this extreme distracts from your point.
For Grace: I'm looking forward to seeing how the apartment comes together. For me, the process is just as interesting as the end result.
"of course, you could DIY everything, from plumbing to surgery, it will be fun and you'll learn so much in the process! In fact, why have professionals at all? Let's invent a bicycle over and over again, on our own. Well, good luck!"
@Tatyana- Girlfriend relax! The last project Grace worked on they spent $600 on the whole apartment and help was for free.
Since you, yourself are talking about the economy, then how many of us have money to just hand over to a design professional to redesign their space right now. End those sour grapes.
And yes, there are people out there who make their own bicycles!
Amberyvette:
"Sourgrapes" would be a logical reaction if I'd be battling to get this project and was rejected. Which is absolutely not the case - where am I and where's LA! Besides, I don't work for free.
This loft could've been done well - it is the size and scope that is obviously above Grace's head. Her "last project", if it could be called that, was staging an apartment by cleaning hinges and buying curtains in IKEA - which is a natural extent, in my opinion, of an average non-professional's involvement into design as it should be. Leave the more complicated work to a professional.
I'm sure, there exist natural talents that without training, without experience become brilliant designers - but they are rare for a reason.
Great idea for a new series of posts. I'm excited to see how Evan's space will come together in the next weeks/months!
I would also suggest swapping space between bedroom and living room. As kitchen and living space are common social spaces i think the flow between these two would be much improve, where the bedroom could remain pretty private if needed. And if you host dinner/house party often this arrangement would work well, i think :)