[This is our guest room/office as is...]
We recently e-met Rachel over at Room in a Book, an e-decorator who creates form + function for any of your spaces....all online. We hadn't done much with our guest room / office after our move and wanted some suggestions. We emailed Rachel a few photos of the space, a few dimensions of the space, how we use the space and what we were hoping to get out of the space. Check out our own Room in a Book after the jump...
[...and these are some pages from our Room in a Book!]
First off, we definitely had some limitations for Rachel and she was happy to work within them and tackle the project. We emailed her that we couldn't paint or wallpaper the space nor did we have really any additional money to spend on new furniture or decor. (We recently bought the beige sofa bed since it was affordable and pulls out to a queen size bed. That being said, it's not really our taste but it works for what we need.) We also mentioned that we used this space daily as an office. Plus we have guests stay with us about once a month or so. For the most part, we just wanted a comfy room that looked organized and nice, not so...neutral and without spending any money. Wow, we are tough clients!
We were super happy with the e-zine style book that popped into our inbox just a few days after our initial email. Rachel definitely listened to our financial limitations, enhancing our current space and encouraging us to add some curtains and side tables. We can do a little hunting on craigslist to find some affordable items to make this work. We like the idea of painting the shelves black as well. The book itself is fun to flip through and we like the 3D renderings of our space. Plus she emailed us a separate shopping list of places to find the potential new decor with direct links and prices.
Click here to check out Room in a Book, meet Rachel and e-decorate your space.
Rebecca, your "as is" looks pretty damn good as well...as is.
view Seaside's profile
I don't see how someone who couldn't afford much new decors would spend $450 to get their room in a book. I think e-design is a hot concept for the future when 3D renderings become much easier to implement.
view tliad's profile
She didn't do much for her fee. Very little was changed in your room. I'm not impressed, but perhaps a more complicated project would show off this service better.
view Forestdweller's profile
It looks like she added curtains, a picture on the left and end tables. Unless the top photos are the After, I'm so not getting it.
view Veruca's profile
Given that you couldn't really do anything with your space aside hang new window treatments, it's nice to see that even that small change could make the space look more chic.
However, if I didn't have budget to buy anything new or any permission to really make significant improvements, I wouldn't have spent that much money on a design concept.
I would have been much more interested in seeing her response if you'd said you could do more. After all, wasn't this about promoting her service to someone who could afford her AND actually make changes to their decor?
view kimg924's profile
The couple behind the "This Young House" blog offer the same service for $60 or a more in-depth service for $250. You don't get the snazzy e-zine (or maybe you do), but they have a really good eye and good design sense.
I second tliad. You could have bought a couch you liked a lot better for $450.
view Myshkin's profile
Somehow I doubt the blogger actually paid $450... Must have been a service for exposure here on AT kind of deal.
view f.in.eur's profile
While her suggestions may at first look relatively minor, I think they are very good ones. But I agree that the price is high, especially since the same money would have paid for the end-table and curtains or the new art. I'd rather have the option of paying less for just the design tips and skipping the fancy computer graphics.
view Torgny's profile
450-600 bucks is more than enough to pay for a stager for your home and they would do more than one room
view Platnumblonde's profile
Hmmm...
http://twoliablog.com/dwellingsanddecor/2009/02/27/im-on-apartment-therapy/
view yesitisislandlove's profile