Last year, my dear friend and line sister reached out to me about helping her tackle her upstairs flex space. This is a room that many find challenging to design, so I couldn’t wait get started!
Karriema is one of those people in my life that is truly a Wonder Woman. She’s beautiful, educated, accomplished, and one of the most selfless and caring individuals I know. As a full-time Operations Manager for a multi-billion-dollar Fortune 100 company, a small business owner, and accomplished and impactful leader in several professional and philanthropic organizations, Karriema stays BUSY! This leaves her with little time to decorate her home, especially a space that she wasn’t sure what to do with. Like many loft and flex spaces, thought it seems like a great idea when purchasing, the room becomes a bit of a catch-all for storage and junk. Karriema’s included a desk she didn’t use, a sleeper sofa, chair, recliner, Peloton (because everyone bought one during the pandemic, am I right!?), and endless belongings that needed to be purged. It was essentially a workout space, non-functional office, and overflow guest room, but wasn’t as inviting or exciting as she wanted it to be.
So what were we going to do with the room? Karriema wanted to create a dedicated office space for her business and creative hobbies (she already had a dedicated home office space downstairs for her corporate career) and a living space for her to hang out and host overnight guests should she need more than the guest bedrooms. She was also looking for some flexibility as she may need to use it as a workout space for the occasional yoga stretches (or if the Peloton needed to move back in LOL). Karriema’s Lowcountry home already had a beachy, farmhouse feel with neutrals and cool tones throughout. She wasn’t afraid of color, but wanted to ensure the room would still flow with the rest of the home without being too matchy-matchy. Lastly, she wanted it to be organized, functional, and a space where she’d feel inspired, motivated, and be productive.
Karriema was an amazing client because she really just let me just do my thing and create the vibe she deserved. After a few weeks of brainstorming, I dreamed up this mood board for the flex space! The natural and blue colors with pops of floral would be the foundation of the room’s aesthetic. It was feminine, yet elegant and mature. After a few tweaks on the desk and office chair, Karriema approved my design and we got right to work! First, we’d need to paint the entire space. The new navy blue was perfect color - bold, but not too dark or overwhelming. Next, we added in a beautiful abstract rug to give the floor some color and ordered all the larger furniture - the office desk and chair, rattan daybed, nesting coffee tables, accent chair and ottoman, and bookcase. Once the larger items were delivered, I began searching for the remaining pieces locally in Atlanta. I found the perfect accent cabinet for Karriema’s printer, artwork, throw pillows, and various desk and shelving accessories, then loaded them all in my Jeep for a weekend trip to the Carolinas. Once I arrived, we shopped a few hours at some local stores in Charleston and I spent that Saturday staging and styling the space. Lucky for us, I was able to finish early so we could relax on Sunday - we had a lovely brunch a mutual friend and got some much needed fun in the sun at the beach. A few weeks later, with Karriema being due for some new branding photography, local photographer, Sirena White-Singleton of The Aneris Collective captured the space and Karriema beautifully! Take a look…
I’m so excited to see what dreams Karriema brings to reality in her new office space dedicated to her small business and future endeavors. Speaking of which you’re in need of a new resume, grant writing, or copywriting help? Check out Karriema’s business, Copy by KC that turned THREE this month! She’s transformed so many lives, careers, and businesses with her work, and I know she can make a difference for you too! Lastly, Happy Birthday Rema (3/25)! You are truly one of one and an incredible human being. I hope this year’s celebration was beyond memorable and this trip around the sun is a blessing to you as you are such a blessing to so many!
To see more photos, check out Project Coastal Chic in my Portfolio.
Be Blessed,
ACG
Design Deets:
Paint - Marea Baja by Sherwin Williams
Area Rug - Overstock
Daybed - CB2
Media Cabinet - West Elm
Nesting Coffee Tables - Pottery Barn
Desk - Crate & Barrel
Art - Curls Galore, 1994 by Boscoe Holder, Home Goods
Curtains - Ballard Designs
Pillows - Home Goods, Ballard Designs, West Elm, Z Gallerie
Picture Frames - Target
Bookcase - Wayfair
Storage Cabinet - Home Goods
End Table - Target
Accessories - World Market, Home Goods
Ceiling Fan - Wayfair
Flush Mount Lighting - Build with Ferguson
Professional Photography - The Aneris Collective
