Retro Office/Guest Room

Homeowners Elyse Springer and Dave Patry have a guest room that requires some attention. Elyse is returning to school and needs a study space, however, the room still plays host to family and friends and needs to function as a guest room as well.

Before

The Dilemma

Host Kristan Cunningham takes a look at the dual-function room and takes note on what needs to be changed. Currently, the room is a blank slate and needs some color. Elyse definitely needs a desk, task lighting and storage for paperwork if this room is going to be an office. She has a favorite retro chair that she'd like to be worked into the design. The bedding is too bright and the window treatments are bland so Cunningham adds those to her design to-do list.

After

The Solution

Here's how the design team creates a hip look in this dual-purpose room:

• The white walls are painted a warm mustard-olive tone that acts as a neutral to the fabrics and furnishings.
• Since the room is used more for lounging, studying and reading, the bed is pushed against the wall and lined with pillows and capped off with a bookshelf for a cool reading nook. Cunningham makes bolster pillows with gathered ends using foam tubes, fabric and twine. She cuts a piece of fabric to wrap around the tube, sews another short panel onto each end, then hems the two long sides. She stitches a small channel onto the two ends, threads the twine through, then brings the long sides together (right-sides together) and stitches them closed. The fabric is turned right-side out and slipped over the foam tube; the twine is pulled taut to close up the fabric and tucked inside the small opening.