Introducing: The Firmdale Project

Luca Design Projects 2 Comments

I recently started work on the Firmdale Project, a master bedroom makeover in a Boston townhouse. My lovely clients, a married couple with two adult children, have not updated their bedroom in decades. In fact, they purchased their Depression-era bedroom set in 1980 and have been using it ever since. Both husband and wife are practicing lawyers with little time to focus on home improvement, and the accumulated clutter of many years has taken over their small bedroom. They are more than ready for a bedroom refresh! 


Firmdale Project This Way Home Before Bedroom Bed 1930s Bedroom Set

Let’s start by taking a look at the bedroom on Day One. A three-piece 1930s bedroom set, which consists of a double bed and two dressers, is the room’s foundation. The set is in adequate condition, aside from a broken post on the footboard; but ultimately, after 35 years with this furniture, my clients are eager for a new look, and they would like to upgrade from a double- to a queen-sized bed. 


Firmdale Project This Way Home Before Bedroom Bed 1930s Bedroom Set Dresser Bureau Mirrored Wall Cramped Small

This cramped corner caught my attention. There isn’t enough room for a nightstand, so the bedside lamp is relegated to the dresser. The dresser drawers hit the side of the bed when opened completely, and the frameless mirrored wall makes the room look dated.


Firmdale Project This Way Home Before Bedroom Big Wide Windows

This big set of windows, which measures over 12 feet in length, is one of the room’s best features. The existing paper accordion shades are functional– if a bit worse for wear– but they do nothing to highlight or enhance the windows.


Firmdale Project This Way Home Before Bedroom Messy Chaotic Home Office Desk Open Bookshelves Bookshelf

Opposite the windows, this work area is not functioning well for my clients. They rarely use the desk, so it has simply become a catchall for paperwork and clutter. These jampacked
bookshelves overwhelm the room. Being able to see every book, binder, and personal memento is visual overload and gives the room a feeling of disarray.


These 3D models give an overview of the room’s layout. The space measures roughly 12′ x 20′ in total.

Firmdale Project This Way Home Before Bedroom 3D Model Firmdale Project This Way Home Before Bedroom 3D Model


My clients want their new bedroom to feel fresh and restful. They gravitate towards transitional designs, which blend traditional and contemporary styles. They prefer a soothing color palette, but they like the look of mixing and layering patterns.

Improving functionality is key with this redesign. Right now, the room is trying to serve as a bedroom, closet, office, and library all at once; and the room suffers from trying to do too much. Our main goals will be to reestablish the space’s primary identity as a bedroom and to eliminate all non-essential functionalities.


Stay tuned for a reveal of our design strategy for this charming bedroom. It promises to be a major transformation!

Tags:

Comments 2

  1. Loved the before and afte section, and the overview
    of th lawyers master bedroom. Looking forward to coming back to see
    the final result!

    1. Post
      Author

LEAVE A COMMENT