When you’ve been following alongside intently, you’ll know that we’ve been linked with an unbelievable shelter referred to as Household Promise for some time now. They’re a non-profit group in Portland doing great work for our group, offering housing and assist for households experiencing homelessness. They took over an outdated motel, reworked it right into a 70+ family shelter, and have been working at capability for not less than so long as we’ve been working with them–all whereas present process a significant renovation!
It’s fairly spectacular what they’ve been capable of do–finishing the work in strategic chunks, tackling wings or flooring at a time, so the ability might/can nonetheless function all through the development chaos. We signed on to assist them with their design/decor wants method again when, however the renovations have made our course of a slower one, as operate is just extra necessary than type in the intervening time. The very last thing we need to do is additional complicate a renovation with our recommendations when it’s already fairly disruptive by itself. However they’ve made some superb progress and have a couple of completed areas now prepared for the EHD contact! For proper now, we’re primarily targeted on their communal room wants; the playroom, the foyer, a number of the places of work, and so on.
We’ll be beginning with the playroom–it’s newly completed, actively in use (as you’ll be able to see right here) and functioning effectively as-is, however might undoubtedly use a bit razzle dazzle. Earlier than they started the overhaul of this west wing, the unique playroom sat subsequent to the eating room within the east wing. Now that the east wing renovation is underway, the playroom has discovered its everlasting house within the accomplished wing, taking many of the outdated room’s belongings with it.
This was the model new playroom simply earlier than they moved in with all of the issues. Lots of the bigger renovation design selections had been made by the structure agency on the mission, and whereas we weighed in the place we might, so many decisions simply needed to be made FAST and with out our enter, to maintain the mission on observe. The brand new areas are SO significantly better than what that they had been, however being a big, commercial-grade mission, it may be arduous to translate the sensation of house with out including in that layer of design/styling after the actual fact.
However that’s the place we are available! The house is model new, nevertheless it’s not with out challenges. The brand new playroom feels prefer it’s doubled in dimension from the outdated one (superior) with contemporary carpet tiles (not our favourite look tbh, a alternative we knew we’d should design round from the leap), a brand new coat of paint (once more, not our shade alternative however a simple factor to replace), some textured ceiling tiles, a really distinctive format, and naturally all of the bells and whistles required to carry this house as much as code.
The room has two entrances from the principle hallway and one other door that connects to the laundry house, with a window between the 2 areas for fogeys to control their little ones. Two huge home windows alongside the again partitions let in an honest quantity of sunshine and a cool heart assist wall and beam scenario reduce via a part of the house, creating varied zones inside the room…and undoubtedly carving out a possibility for some enjoyable and intentional design!
To me, this beam/wall/walkthrough mixture seems prefer it was destined to be a playhouse. Even the ceiling is given a special remedy that reads one thing like a roof. It’s a type of funky, unchangeable structural components that will simply find yourself offering loads of design course for the remainder of the house. It’s what first had me so excited to dive into this house and get to imagining. Nevertheless it does create a little bit of a division within the room…
So What’s Subsequent?
At first this room must operate finest for the shelter’s wants. As you’ll be able to see, it’s totally in use in the intervening time! It has discovered its present rhythm and methods and our purpose now’s to work with the circulation, not disrupt it, which means we need to change/replace/swap the drained items that we will, with out rearranging or reconfiguring the room an excessive amount of.
There’s already a reasonably clear play zone, sofa/TV zone, teen/storage zone, and a zone for working and studying at tables. The couch wants to remain beneath the laundry window for varied causes, and the storage cupboards and teenage zone (aka foosball desk) are finest tucked within the again. There may be some flexibility with the remaining “zones”. However actually they only have loads of stuffand have mentioned desirous to take away a couple of issues that aren’t seeing as a lot use–doubtless the practice desk within the play zone and an excellent chunk of the books (simply to retailer some place else). To get a greater really feel for the house as an entire, you’ll be able to watch the video beneath (simply watch for a few adverts to play).
To this point Household Promise’s solely different asks for the house have been for some blackout curler shades (for film nights), extra rugs to melt up the play areas (and assist cowl the messes which can be already taking up these dang carpet tiles), and extra artwork on the partitions to enliven the house. We’ve ordered some quite simple curler blinds and will probably be putting in them this week. The rugs and artwork will probably be coming quickly! However we’d like to provide them an entire lot extra.
Making Some Swaps
It’s arduous to have a look at the leather-based sofa on this room and never need to swap it for one thing higher. It will be so superior if all the chairs on the taller homework desk (heck, the smaller one too) matched, and even higher in the event that they stacked to retailer out of the best way. The small fold-up desk and clunky nook storage towards the wall would do effectively to get replaced. And the child’s artwork on the wall deserves extra presence! The clunky, plastic play construction could possibly be so significantly better if it had been in some way built-in into the funky heart wall so it didn’t simply shove into the hole, eliminating the enjoyable of getting a pass-thru. These are a number of the issues I’m enthusiastic about!
They not too long ago bought some very massive storage cupboards that look very…uhh…school-grade. Once more, not one thing we had a say in design-wise, however a purposeful component that was essential to their methods and storage wants, and so we have to discover a method to work with the cupboards! Similar factor goes for the bigger, fold-up work tables. They undoubtedly aren’t the prettiest, however they’re sturdy, purposeful and adaptable to the house–they’d wish to hold them.
The remainder of the furnishings is kind of versatile by way of what stays/goes, however we additionally need to be delicate to sustaining a way of familiarity within the house for the kiddos who’ve come to take pleasure in it as it’s. With the addition of those massive, wooden cupboards, it is smart to me to herald extra of this tone/materials in order that it feels cohesive and grounded. And whereas vibrant, enjoyable colours are good for a playroom, we need to be intentional with the palette we select in order that every little thing vibes.
Huge Concepts
Please bear with my crude sketch/mockup–however I’d like to get in contact with a carpenter/woodworker to provide this bizarre wall the FULL play zone remedy! It will be superb to combine a customized jungle gymnasium, full with a slide and hideout house beneath. When you’ve by no means checked out Groh Playrooms, go check out their work proper now! Their superb, out-of-the-box design is what I’d like to channel right here.
I image a play construction constructed into the assist beam and wall, perhaps disguising the beam to seem like a tree, and treating the wall indirectly to really feel extra like a home (wooden siding? scalloped shingles? enjoyable, vibrant paint job? apparent ‘roof’?) with perhaps a whiteboard “window” to attract on or a magnet board or one thing!
The slide would face the laundry room window (because the plastic construction does now) so dad and mom might hold a secure watch. Area up prime would have traditional jungle-gym devices, like a steering wheel or some type of busy board. There can be room beneath for a puppet present theater, or it might simply function a comfortable, protected hangout zone with tons of pillows and stuffies. However one thing enjoyable must occur right here, don’t you assume?? If you recognize somebody who can be an excellent match to assist execute/construct one thing like this with us, be at liberty to ship them my method (gretchen@emilyhendersondesign.com)!
The other facet might obtain the same remedy or could possibly be reimagined totally! They do have an honest kid-size kitchen (and I’d wish to snag a laundry play set too, so children can act like mother/dad subsequent door) however a play set they don’t have is a storefront, which I believe could possibly be enjoyable over right here! What actually excites me are all of the potential move throughs and imaginative play prospects that would occur via this funky wall.
Youngsters might look down from the jungle gymnasium balcony above, perhaps there’s a chalkboard on the opposite facet to provide the shop a reputation, and naturally, the passage beneath and the doorway to the facet. The “doorway” is about 15″ thick and I believe it’d be enjoyable to color or do one thing enjoyable right here too. The wall might home some shelving for books or act as grocery cabinets. However what’s the proper transfer for this facet? You probably have concepts for the way both facet of the funky wall ought to look, drop them within the feedback!! I need to hear them!
Furnishings And Ending Touches
We’re working with AllModern to jumpstart furnishing the house. Their items are sturdy, ship FAST and look nice, in order that they’ll be simply good for this playroom! They’ve a reasonably stellar child stock, too, with play units and rugs I’ve been eyeing for some time. We not too long ago ordered these low bookshelves from AllModern in a wooden tone just like the “college” storage cupboards, to interchange the IKEA bookshelves which have seen higher days.
We’ll even be trying to AllModern for a leather-based couch substitute, one thing that reads extra design ahead however remains to be sturdy and wipeable. This must be simple to slender down–they’ve so many good choices! In addition they carry some nice plastic stacking chairs, which we’d like to snag to interchange the work desk chairs which can be fairly clunky. We’ll most likely want extra storage items and surfaces in addition to cute storage containers/bins down the road. Household Promise doesn’t have a lot of a price range for this house in any respect at the moment, however Em will probably be contributing towards components just like the “playhouse” and all different styling/ending touches.
Talking of ending touches…I believe a mural someplace in right here can be unbelievable!! Don’t you? Perhaps we recruit Banyan Bridges again to the weblog so she can provide this room her magical contact? Like she did so effectively for Em’s artwork barn? Both a mural or not less than a paint shade change in right here or each! The brilliant teal accent wall is enjoyable for now, nevertheless it’d be good to shift gears as soon as the room design takes higher form.
We’ll DEFINITELY be including artwork, rugs, and textiles to the house to liven it up, however one other factor Household Promise requested for is a greater method to show the children’ artwork. You understand we love an excellent corkboard second–why not designate a wall to go full corkboard? Then there’s the ceiling tiles. Ought to/might these be painted? Each in a brand new shade? Or is that overkill? I keep in mind portray a ceiling tile like this in highschool, so I do know it can be accomplished. However I used to be chatting with Mal in regards to the mission and he or she advised swapping the ceiling tiles out for a enjoyable ornamental model–one thing like this–I need to look into related choices!
It’s going to be a REALLY enjoyable mission, however clearly we’re nonetheless within the early levels. I’d love to listen to your ideas and concepts, if something genius involves thoughts! Perhaps you recognize of an area woodworker who might assist us dream up an superior, customized playhouse/construction for an excellent trigger? Perhaps there’s a play set that your children LOVE that you just assume these children would love too? Or perhaps you see one thing lacking from our plans and also you simply can’t maintain your tongue. Nicely, don’t! I need to know what you assume:)
Simply take into account, our price range for this mission is minimal, and there’s a degree of trauma-informed design that must be thought-about. When you’re curious to study extra about their nice work or are feeling impressed to contribute, try Household Promise! We really feel so lucky to be a small a part of their superior world and may’t wait to share a few of ours with their group quickly. Thanks for studying!
Sincerely,
Gretch
