Before & After: The Upscale Boathouse
This project is a great example of the importance of lighting. Lighting “makes” the room. It is another layer of good design and without it, the room can fall short.
Here is a before and after case study of one of our projects. I’ll show you what I mean.
The room we’ll discuss is the living room. I call it the “Upscale Boathouse” because the open truss ceiling immediately calls to mind an eastern boat house at the end of a private dock. Can’t you just imagine it?
When my firm was hired to redesign this room, the furniture, window coverings, floors, paint, fireplace—everything had become outdated. It needed a major refresh.
Having been inspired by the ceiling in this living room, my team and I were definitely up to the task. (And because anything having to do with water I’m there!)
The first challenge was lighting. It’s important to treat ALL surfaces of a room. Often, the ceiling is forgotten which is a shame. You want to “bounce” the viewer’s eye around and if the ceiling is dark or plain, the room will not feel complete.
This room was very dark and uninspired. So, an electrician was hired to help us plan for LED tape lighting. This tape was attached to the top of the cross beams in order to hide them. Transformers were also needed and these were also hidden above the beams along with the tape.
The affect is a soft glow which can be dimmed or turned up depending on the need. The room immediately came to life.
The fireplace also needed a face lift so the bricks were removed and replaced with Carrera marble tile and slab. The painting was commissioned with our Client’s favorite artist in Hawaii and an eyeball recessed light highlights its beauty. All surfaces were repainted.
In the patio just outside of the living room is a shade structure where we were able to create a new living space. This meant we would lose some natural light in the living room so we removed the shutters and instead, installed loosely woven grass Roman Shades. This material infuses bright light when needed and also adds a level of privacy and sophistication.
LED tape lighting was also used inside the display bookshelves. This was installed down the insides of the stiles (or vertical frames).
Light walls, trim and neutral upholstery also help to keep the room feeling bright and spacious.
I hope you’ve enjoyed the tour. I have tons more before and afters to share with you, you can check out James and Sophie’s home renovation here!