“Design is not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works.”
— Steve Jobs
When we built our home over ten years ago we decided that a “craft room” was an essential item. However, we also wanted laundry on the first floor and a mudroom area. We live on a ranch, with lots of ranch kids, humans, and animals, that require lots of cleaning, drying, herding, and organizing. The Multipurpose Room, a command center for cleaning and keeping the family organized, was born out of these desires.
The color inspiration came from the outdoors. We live between two lakes and near the Rogue River. The grey-blue cabinetry with a subtle glaze felt like the perfect pairing with the cool blues in the natural environment. We mixed an old-world style with a clean, modern look with the lighting, knobs, and artwork for the character.
The laundry area is a well-used cleaning station for the home, equipped with a sink and all the supplies we need to handle almost any crisis: first aid, cleaning supplies, poison oak soap. You name it! We’ve got it! We keep the room smelling fresh with a decorative Scentsy oil warmer on the counter.
Our family loves to read and I love cozy spaces, so we added this reading nook with comfy pillows and a built-in reading light. The roman shades and cushions were made for the room. JoAnn Fabric store has been a great and reasonable resource for fabrics in our home. I’ve also found great resources locally to make our pillows, cushions, and roman shades.
Projects take place at the table located in the center of the space. We decided on the glass to keep the room feeling open and uncluttered. It’s also quite easy to keep clean!
The workspaces are designed to be functional and with storage. The office chairs are Herman Miller and were ordered with postural health in mind.
The artwork and various mementos around reflect my love of Wonder Woman. This has been a thing since I was a child. I early identified with her strength and ability to overcome any challenge as a woman. I keep these reminders as a constant motivation to keep doing the work I do, to encourage other women to do the same. The vertical art piece was created by a husband and wife team, Peter and Madeline Powell. They paint their art pieces together in a cooperative effort, painting on each piece until they both agree it’s complete. My husband and I work together on our show Fastlife and I believe we parent this way, so this art particularly resonated with me as this process really inspires the kind of cooperation and trust that I think, of universally embraced could make the world a better place!
The cape is self-explanatory! And, yes, this is my share where I do my work. The chairs have been game-changers for my daily work. They are comfortable, adjustable, and ergonomically correct.
