This Colorado couple came to One of a Kind Interior Design hoping to bring some warmth and energy into their industrial style den and living room. The space had potential—with its high ceilings and windows—but fell short of capturing the couple’s colorful, warm energy.
That’s where One of a Kind Interior Design comes in.
We started the project getting to know our clients—their dreams, needs, taste and lifestyle. The couple wanted a living area fit for hosting that married each individual’s unique style. She had an eye for bright, vibrant art. He had a soft spot for Snoopy, the beloved Peanuts character. Their dogs wanted a room with furniture tough enough to withstand an occasional game of tug of war.
Our Challenge
Turn this client’s living area into a cohesive living space that was as welcoming, warm and vibrant as the couple and pets who lived there.
Before:
Our Process
Tall ceilings and big windows were a gift to this house-plant loving couple, but they presented a challenge to designing a warm living area. In the summer, the windows welcomed in beautiful blues and greens into the space, but in the winter—with its grey skies and dead grass– the warmth quickly turned cold.
The wall of windows and high ceilings also presented a sound challenge. Exposed metal beams and hardwood floors exacerbated the problem, making the space echo-ey whenever the couple hosted friends or family. How could they soften the sound and brighten the space without sacrificing the windows and ceilings they loved?
The couple loved when the natural colors filled the room in the summer, so we chose to accentuate shades of blue and green as the foundational colors in the living room and den. There were several art pieces throughout the house that complemented these color choices, including one Snoopy painting (pictured above, right) that featured beautiful oranges and yellows. These colors would eventually inspire the furniture, rug and wallpaper choices that would make our sophisticated Snoopy living area shine.
Here’s a design tip: If you’re looking to soften up a room and improve its acoustics, explore adding grasscloth wallpaper and large rugs to your space.
Alongside the client, our team explored various wall and wallpaper options before making our selection. Designing and hanging wallpaper is an art. In order to ensure we were making the most of our investment, we talked with the experts at The Design Center and Hoff Miller about how to maximize the wow factor. We decided that we’d turn the staircase into our wallpaper focal point—reducing wallpaper waste and accentuating the mural effect of the grasscloth wallpaper we chose.
After:
We explored basic blues, greens and padded velvet wallpaper options for sound dampening. The one-of-a-kind wallpaper (pictured above) we selected was introduced to our team at a training held by Liora Manne at the Hoff Miller showroom. We loved the high-absorption value, abstract look, and environmentally friendly materials in this wallpaper. In order to ensure the proper placement of the wallpaper for intended visual effect, we worked closely with veteran wallpaper installers, Hoff Miller and Liora Manne to get the fit just right. There wasn’t a dry eye in the room when the wallpaper finally went up—it was a true team effort.
Here’s another design tip: Hiring a team of experts that works well together pays off.
Our next sound dampening strategy was to find the right rug. Rugs are big investments. Too often, however, great rugs are hidden under furniture and too small to anchor the room. In order to find the right rug for the living area, we partnered with Floor Covering International of Southwest Denver. Together, we landed on a rug that would line the stairs and ground the room. We ordered the rug custom, 12’ x 14’, getting just the right color and dimensions to anchor the room without getting hidden under furniture. The rug catered to the clients and their furry friends thanks to its thick backing and performance-grade fibers, ready to be wiped or vacuumed after a muddy trip outside or a great party.
After:
It’s normal for couples to have different tastes in interior design. But how do we take a collection of Snoopy knick knacks and posters and turn them into something sophisticated? As we were adding all of the finishing touches, we incorporated nods to that beloved Snoopy tastefully throughout the space. In the newly designed space, these delightful touches were no longer the main event but a fun supporting character—sure to bring a smile to any guest who comes through the doors.
The final design of the living area and den left the client raving, but don’t take my word for it.
“[One of a Kind Interior Design] took the time to get to know us by asking great questions and really listening. This gave her the ability to suggest cool ideas that we would have never found on our own. Once we got started, she managed the project like a pro—making it easy for us to enjoy the process rather than stress out. The tradespeople she worked with were great to have in our home,” said the client.
This client decided to partner with One of a Kind because of our shared values. They found me on a Facebook group created to support the influx of migrants in and around Denver. I was an active participant in the group—facilitating clothing swaps, meal trains and furniture donations for newcomers and their families. The couple liked the idea of supporting a local business that shared their beliefs.
One more design tip: It pays to put your money where your heart is.
Are you looking to elevate the look of your living room or den? Do you need help taking those collectibles to the next level? One of a Kind Interior Design is the interior designer you need to bring bold sophistication, joy and style to any room in your home.
You, your furry friends and your favorite Peanuts character will thank you.
Thanks to our incredible photographer PLV Photography, @peteloydvuolo on Instagram, for these incredible after pictures.
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