Making room for your passions

This room held many passions: books, photography, knitting and small creative projects. Yet the client struggled to enjoy it. It felt uninviting, and she wasn’t sure how to make good use of the space.

I started by listening: what was in the room? What did she want to do there? How would she move between activities? Her answers helped us create a layout that worked better for her.

The large modular bookcase felt heavy along one wall. We divided it, moving part of it to the short wall beside the entrance, which is less noticeable when you walk in. We organised the books by subject and, where practical, arranged colours and shades together. The printer also found a convenient home, ready to use.

The desk beneath the window continued to benefit from natural light. With a clear surface and more space around it, it became a corner for writing, gathering personal thoughts or making a greetings card.

On the other short wall, we gave her antique chest of drawers a place to shine. Beside it, we positioned a single bookcase unit at an angle to soften the room’s straight lines. To complete this area, I handcrafted a wooden jewellery organiser.

Together, we then chose which materials and projects to keep within easy reach. The wall baskets now hold what she enjoys using today, letting go of the “maybe one day” projects that had built up over the years. Our interests change, and our homes should have room to change with them.

One wall was deliberately left clear, ready for the photographs or large art print the client wanted to choose in her own time.

The room was reorganised in one day, making the most of the existing furniture and bringing together modern, antique and handmade pieces. The result was a more open, airy space, with room for her passions and time for herself.