A Designer Took This Tiny 1920s Attic from "Dingy and Dark" to a Fabulous Bonus Room

"Amy and Thomas were thrilled with their new home - a stunning 1925 Tudor in New Jersey - but some of the spaces felt downright "dingy and dark." So the couple brought in interior designer Kristina Phillips, who is known for her bright and airy designs, to help update their space. "It had all the traditional Tudor elements they loved - dark wood, beams, and archways," says Philips. But one thing it was missing was an office for Amy."

"While Thomas had an office downstairs, Amy desired a quiet retreat of her own "away from the noise and chaos for the days she worked from home," Phillips says. "She has a lot of Zoom calls and wanted her home office to feel feminine, light, and airy, and just beautiful - her sanctuary." That's when Phillips remembered the one room that wasn't being used for anything just yet: the attic!"

"On the very top floor of the home, the tiny attic wasn't much to look at - and it certainly wasn't "light and airy," as Amy had wanted. "It was sort of depressing," says Phillips. "The floors were creaky, and the room had all kinds of [awkward] angles." It was, essentially, a wasted space."

""The attic walls were textured and painted a brownish green, sort of like a dirty bathwater color," says Phillips. Patches of peeling paint and "dingy beige finishes" certainly didn't help. The ceiling's traditional stucco finish and deep slope, combined with the room's low windows and discolored floors, also posed a challenge. But the designer had a vision."

Amy and Thomas moved into a 1925 Tudor home in New Jersey, but some areas felt dingy and dark. Amy wanted a quiet home office away from noise and chaos, with a feminine, light, airy feel for frequent Zoom calls. An unused attic on the top floor seemed like the best option, but it was depressing, with creaky floors, awkward angles, textured brownish-green walls, peeling paint, dingy beige finishes, a stucco ceiling, a deep slope, low windows, and discolored floors. The designer began a renovation guided by Amy’s desire for brightness and femininity, using the client’s color preferences to shape the design plan.

Read at Apartment Therapy