BEFORE & AFTER: Maximizing Dead Space

💪 Decorating is admittedly one of my passions, but spatial planning really gets me going!

Maximizing the function of a space is something that has come naturally to me for as long as I can remember. I recall being tasked as a child to pack the trunk of the car in preparation for long road trips and family camping adventures. The running joke was that I was playing Tetris with this chore, strategically fitting each item into awkward, unreachable crannies where others couldn't visualize a solution. 

Today, I apply that early experience to programming and crafting interiors, assisting clients not only with the look and feel of their homes, but equally to implementation — liaising with contractors, resolving problems in the moment, pivoting to improved alternatives when circumstances dictate and ensuring their homes are delivered to design intent. 

🔍 As part of my discovery and development process, I pore over plans to consider how we can make use of every last square inch. Awkward corners, dead spaces and underutilized voids become prime opportunities. In places like NYC, where square footage is the ultimate luxury, this is a critical step in designing interiors. 

For instance, one of my clients purchased a duplex in a prime neighborhood, but it required significant alterations to accommodate their growing family. We imagined an entirely new floorplan including a staircase to replace the existing spiral (come back to see that post later!). We also rerouted plumbing to a new under-stair laundry closet just outside of the lower level nursery, creating improved access to streamline their increasing baby-related loads. 

My studio's goal with each project is to elevate daily rituals into moments of ease and delight - even where laundry is concerned!