Introducing a Room Makeover Collaboration With Jess of Oh I Design!

A SPRING TABLESCAPE IN TIME FOR EASTER / MSTARR DESIGN

Gallagher London

Shoppe Amber Interiors

It’s Friday! And a happy one indeed. I’m very excited to introduce a project I’ve been working on behind the scenes with my good friend Jess of Oh I Design...we are designing a room in each other’s homes! Jess and I met several years ago when I was still doing wedding design and she was establishing her existing blog and interior design business in Boston after moving here from San Diego. We hit it off and thus began a personal + professional relationship that I am grateful for. We’ve long explored ways to collaborate and eventually came up with this idea. Which is perfect because when we’re not quarantined, we spend time in each other’s homes and we’ll able to revisit our work!

As designers, we tackle client projects with gusto. When it comes to our own homes though? Well, we can be indecisive and overwhelmed with options and resources. You see us post countless photos of our kitchens, living rooms, kids rooms etc. in #farmhousedialfano and #oidhome. We spend countless hours and dollars on these spaces and they look good, right? But there is one room in each of our homes that you haven’t seen in ages...my master bedroom and Jess’ guest bedroom {which currently serves as a sleeping spot for her 1 year old son Harvey and a qurantine “office” for her husband Cody}. These are rooms that we can’t figure out no matter how hard we try so we are turning to each other! And we’re taking you along for the ride.

While this project has been in the works for awhile, the current pandemic has certainly affected how everything is coming together. We’ve had to modify and are still working through some details, including not being able to get a full range of samples + swatches, and you know, not being in each other’s homes to help out and see progress! So you may be seeing smaller reveals before the big room reveal but we are slowly but surely moving along, and partnering with some incredible brands who we can’t wait to share with you all.

#FARMHOUSEDIALFANO / THE BEFORE

Let’s kick things off with where we’re starting from! Jess’ room is in farrrrrr better shape than mine. Our bedroom is tricky...it’s an awkward size + shape, has a small closet, a bump out, and only one spot for the bed to go {you essentially walk into it when entering the room}. So needless to say, Jess has her work cut out for her!

#OIDHOME / THE BEFORE

Jess’ guest room also has a bump out but it’s a fairly straightforward shape and is decent sized. I’m toying with moving the bed but it may need to stay where it is to keep the room as opened up as possible.

OUR GOALS!

Jess and I both have needs and wants for each space to be the most functional {and beautiful of course!} for our families + homes. For Jess’ room, I need to think about the bigger picture since the room is currently a multi-purpose space. The plan is for Harvey to move in with his older sister Evie in a few months, and for Cody to go back to work! But for now, I need to design something that will work for the immediate future and the long term. Jess and Cody often host out-of-town family and friends and I know they are looking forward to making this space a real retreat for their future guests. Additionally, Jess wants to eliminate wasted space in front of the closet, finally organize what’s in the closet, and add window treatments to the window behind the bed.

photo by Tessa Neustadt

Shoppe Amber Interiors

As for me? Honestly, anything will be a MAJOR upgrade. Now that the dining room is mostly done, our bedroom is the last room to tackle. And after almost 6 years in the house, I'd say it’s about time. Jess is such a talented designer who has a clean + fresh perspective, and I know she’s going to crush this for us! I want to make sure we maximize the limited {and odd-shaped} space we have, ideally have some built-in or custom storage, and we need a custom rug to bridge the gap between the 2 sides of the room that are split by the bed and bedroom + bathroom doors. My big want is an architectural element such as {vertical!} shiplap.

We’ve been gathering most of our inspiration over on pinterest {you’ll notice some of our top images throughout this post!} and have moved into the design phase of the project. It’s gonna get real good from here on out so be sure you’re following both of us on Instagram {mStarr design / Oh I Design / project hashtag: #mstarrxohidesign and pinterest {mStarr design / Oh I Design}.

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emily

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