How Creating “Micromoments” Made This Open Space Work So Much Better
While real people and stories are featured in the article below, the following parties did not receive a personal loan from Discover.
When you see your dream home, you know it — even if the place needs a little love. That’s what happened when Jesse and Erin laid eyes on their historic home in Salt Lake City. The couple has made a career flipping houses, but they immediately knew they had to hang onto this one.
On our newest episode of Apartment Therapy: Your Space, Your Story — our brand new series on The Design Network — Apartment Therapy Editor-in-Chief Charli Penn and DIY influencer Kylie Katich helped Jesse and Erin create their dream family room. Let’s see what they did!
Jesse and Erin are parents to three adult children, and they wanted to turn their down-on-its-luck historic house into a beautiful home base for everyone. There was work to be done from top to bottom, and a recent illness prevented Erin from being as hands-on as she was used to. The couple wanted to prioritize a space where everyone could spend quality time together. They set their sights on turning the large finished attic into a family rec room: a substantial project that would make a big impact on their lives and, potentially, increase the home’s resale value.
When planning a home improvement project of this size, you might want to consider a Discover® personal loan to help bring your vision to life. Discover offers personal loans from $2,500 to $40,000 with flexible repayment terms that could help make budgeting easier. You can get started in minutes and get a same-day decision in most cases. Plus, there’s no collateral required to cover your project costs, and you could even lock in a fixed rate.
To make full use of this large open space, Charli and Kylie created “micromoments” grounded in distinct activities. These kept things feeling spacious, but not cavernous, while also taking advantage of the room’s angular nooks and crannies. In a recessed window area, they built a custom bench and added plenty of pillows to create a peaceful spot for self-care. Another cozy corner became a reading nook, with built-in bookshelves and soft lighting. Since Erin loves to write, Charli and Kylie also made her a dedicated desk area with everything she needs to get inspiration flowing.
This left the main area for family time. Charli and Kylie started with plenty of comfy seating, centered around an oversized ottoman that could be more seating or a tabletop for board games. They also made use of vertical space with a clever wall-mounted ring toss game.
Finally, Charli and Kylie updated the space’s small powder room. There was just one problem: There wasn’t enough wallpaper for the whole room! But instead of calling it a loss, Charli and Kylie did some creative problem-solving, wallpapering an accent wall instead of the full room. They also swapped in some antique brass-finished hardware for an easy, cozy upgrade.
Now, this attic space is ready for anything from quiet reflection to a raucous family game night — and Jesse and Erin’s house is one big step closer to being the dream home they always knew it could be.
If you have dreams for turning a space in your home into a functional, beautiful haven like this, a little creative thinking can go a long way! And once you’ve got a home improvement project in mind, Discover® Personal Loans could help make it a reality with flexible repayment terms and no fees.
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