One of my e-design clients asked me to help her turn a teeny tiny room in their home into an extra guest room, that also doubles as a craft room. Now by teeny tiny, I mean that this room is about 9′ x 11′, and 16″ of those 9′ are consumed by some very large built in bookcases. She wanted the room to be setup in a way that would allow people to sit and socialize, or watch TV while crafting, yet be comfortable enough to sleep there at night for the overnight guests. My client’s craft d’jour is  sewing, so she also wanted the room to be arranged in a way that allows ample natural light during her projects. Oh! And last but not least she was on a very tight budget so I had to do some digging to find the perfect pieces for the right price. Here is what I came up with.

1. I’m sure you recognize this citron, grey, and black chevron fabric from my recently upholstered dining chairs. I will also be using it to make two 12″ x 36″ lumbar pillows for the new daybed.
2. Because they are a family of photographers, for the artwork I asked them to choose 5 of their favorite prints to be converted to black and white and printed at 36″ x 36″ square. [This can be done very inexpensively at kinkos for about $5 per print.]
3. This punchy citron color will be the accent around their art, and the color of the backs of their bookshelf. [Sherwin Williams SW 6914 "Eye Catching"]
4. This cool grey color will be their wall color. They wanted to have light and reflective walls but not stark white and I think that this soft grey will definitely do the trick. [Sherwin Williams 6002 "Essential Gray"]
5. This bright white color will be all of their trim, molding, and bookshelves. The current trim and molding is high gloss black, which was leftover from their son’s all black phase. Using a bright white will really update the room, and create a great contrast with the cool gray wall color. [Sherwin Williams 7005 "Pure White"]
6. For the window I plan to make a roman shade. This will allow my client to have it open with optimum sunlight for her sewing and craft projects, while allowing any guests to completely close it for watching TV or sleeping. I will use a white linen for the face of the shade with citron grosgrain ribbon detailing for a more custom look, while also lining the shade with a blackout material.
7. She asked for a small sewing desk near the window for optimum light. Since this room will also double as a guest room I wanted to find a desk that is versatile and easy to move. This desk is mounted on the wall and the table part and legs can fold down for her sewing projects and fold up when she has a guest that needs to use the bed. Having this option will allow her to make the most of such a small space.
8. I wanted to find her an inexpensive yet comfortable chair and this was the first thing that came to mind, the plastic frame forms to the body creating endless hours of comfort while conquering her sewing projects. When it’s not in use and the desk is folded up, the chair fits nicely in the back corner next to the dresser.
9. For the bed I wanted to choose something versatile that can act as a sofa or a bed for sleeping. My favorite option would be to use a fun and modern daybed like this. It can be used as a sofa to watch TV or read a book, and instantly transforms into a bed when they have overnight guests.
10. I wanted to add some visual interest to the floor in this room, so I selected this fun trellis rug. It’s extremely comfortable, and on mega sale right now. I love how something as simple as a rug can make a room feel finished.
11. I also wanted to add some storage for her overnight guests to keep their clothes while visiting. She could also use a couple of drawers to hold some of her sewing materials. Having a nice dresser like this will also give her a place for a TV to enjoy while sewing. I plan to find something like this at a local thrift store and just give it new life with a fresh coat of paint.

This project is still in the very beginning stages, but I will keep you posted on the DIY projects. Until then, if you’re interested in becoming an e-design client click here for rates. You don’t have to live in the same city to have your very own licensed Interior Designer.