The Homearama show, a year-long journey culminating in a spectacular display of design and craftsmanship, recently drew to a close. As the final weekend unfolded, we had the distinct pleasure of navigating the bustling crowds with our little one, Teddy, comfortably nestled in his carrier. It was an incredibly rewarding experience, not just to witness the vibrant energy of fellow show-goers, but also to see our designated pantry overflow with generous food donations for Habitat for Humanity. A particularly touching moment was discovering a thoughtful note left for us in the girl’s room – a small gesture that spoke volumes of the connection visitors felt with our home.
However, the absolute highlight of the final weekend was undoubtedly seeing our efforts recognized with the coveted People’s Choice Award. The competition was incredibly fierce, with all participating homes showcasing exceptional design and meticulous attention to detail. To stand out among such talent is truly an honor that words can barely capture. This entire year-long endeavor has been an immense learning curve, a testament to collaboration, creativity, and the power of vision. Being a part of Homearama has been a privilege that we will cherish for years to come.
Unveiling Playful Spaces: Kids’ Bedrooms, Shared Bath, and the Imaginative Playroom
While the Homearama exhibition may have concluded, our virtual tour of this award-winning residence continues! Today, we invite you to explore the most vibrant and imaginative corners of the home: the children’s bedrooms, their meticulously designed shared bathroom, and the versatile playroom/reading room. These spaces were crafted with a keen understanding of a child’s world, blending functionality, durability, and whimsical charm to create environments where young minds can thrive, play, and grow.
The Boys’ Bedroom: A Masterclass in Built-In Ingenuity
Our journey into the children’s wing begins in the boys’ room, designated as “Bedroom 3” on the floor plan. The walls, painted in Benjamin Moore’s soothing Moonshine, provide a calm backdrop, allowing the room’s true focal point to shine: a spectacular built-in bed area. This custom feature serves as a prime example of the builder’s and his team’s exceptional carpentry skills – a key theme of the Homearama show, which aimed to highlight the boundless customization possibilities available to future homeowners. These aren’t “one-size-fits-all” modifications; rather, they demonstrate how a home can be uniquely tailored to individual needs and tastes.
The built-in structure perfectly accommodates a twin bed, adorned with comfortable bedding from Target and playful pillows from Ikea. We considered future adaptability for this space; should the homeowner desire a larger sleeping arrangement, a full or queen bed could easily extend into the room with the simple addition of a platform. To compensate for any lost under-bed storage, rolling drawers could be added, offering practical solutions for organization without compromising space. This thoughtful foresight ensures the room’s design remains flexible and relevant for years to come.
Adjacent to the bed, a functional desk, a pre-loved gem from Ikea, found its new home thanks to a serendipitous Craigslist discovery. This sustainable choice adds character and value. The vibrant orange stool and the sleek wire basket, both from Target, infuse pops of color and practical storage. While we might have preferred a slightly shorter stool, its captivating hue made it an irresistible choice for our imaginary resident. Atmospheric lighting comes courtesy of a charming rope lamp and a whimsical star light, both fantastic finds from HomeGoods. Throughout the room, an array of LEGOs, lovingly preserved from my own childhood collection (a huge shout-out to my mom for her foresight!), add a personal touch and hint at countless hours of creative play.
A delightful detail around the star light is a rustic wood crate. Surprisingly, this was merely its packaging from HomeGoods! However, upon holding it up, we realized it perfectly framed the star, adding depth and creating a charming little ledge – an ideal spot for an impromptu LEGO meeting, perhaps. This spontaneous design choice exemplifies how unexpected elements can often contribute the most unique character to a space.
Our favorite feature of the built-in bed ensemble is undoubtedly the raised nook area, affectionately nicknamed the “Crow’s Nest.” This imaginative space was a collaborative brainchild between us and the incredibly talented John the Builder and John the Carpenter (not to be confused with me, John the Lego Hoarder!). Their expertise was absolutely instrumental in bringing this vision to life. John the Carpenter and his dedicated crew are truly exceptional. They ingeniously sourced the rolling library ladder online and even repurposed old pipe fittings for the top rail, a clever solution that helped us stay within budget without compromising on style or functionality. The cozy bug-patterned pillow and blue fabric within the nook are both delightful finds from Ikea. Lacking the time for custom upholstery, we miraculously discovered a dog bed at HomeGoods that fit the space almost perfectly, which we then covered with the Ikea fabric. The elegant overhead light is a cherished piece from our own Shades of Light collection, adding a touch of sophisticated charm to this playful retreat.
The bookshelves are thoughtfully stocked with an eclectic mix of items, but the undeniable standout is the “Viking Octopus” plush toy, generously loaned by our friend Phil Barbato. Because, truly, who wouldn’t want an octopus that also happens to be a bearded Viking? This whimsical touch embodies the spirit of fun and imagination that permeates the entire room, sparking curiosity and joy.
This particular photograph beautifully showcases the room’s engaging patterned carpet. Sourced from a local gem called ProSource, the style is Stanton’s Revere in Silver – a choice that adds both visual interest and textural warmth. Given that most of the home features hardwoods, with only a select few bedrooms opting for carpet, we felt it was important to introduce a distinctive touch in at least one of these private spaces. John the Builder noted that his typical buyer often favors such a mixed flooring approach, providing both practicality and aesthetic variety throughout the home.
Completing the integrated design, the other end of the built-in bed features additional drawer storage, complemented by a substantial wardrobe. This wardrobe was intentionally left unfitted, offering future owners the flexibility to customize it with extra shelving or an additional clothing bar, depending on their specific needs. With a separate closet located on the opposing wall, this wardrobe provides invaluable bonus storage, ensuring ample space for all a child’s belongings.
The Jack-and-Jill Bathroom: A Harmonious Blend of Function and Style
Connecting the two children’s bedrooms is a thoughtfully designed Jack-and-Jill bathroom, a space that masterfully blends practicality with a serene aesthetic. The overall palette is light and neutral, ensuring a seamless transition between the distinct personalities of the adjoining bedrooms without feeling disjointed. The walls are painted in the crisp, inviting shade of Simply White. For the floors, we selected a durable white lantern tile, locally sourced from Mosaic Tile Co., paired with a resilient gray grout – a smart choice designed to withstand the inevitable wear and tear of active children. The vibrant “moment” in this otherwise calm space is provided by the expansive vanity cabinet, painted in Benjamin Moore’s delightful Courtyard Green, adding a refreshing pop of color and personality.
A striking wall-to-wall mirror serves as a prominent feature, through which the elegant light fixture and contemporary faucets seamlessly emerge. The faucets are positioned above a sophisticated double trough sink, cleverly recessed into the pristine white Corian countertop. While it may appear shallow in photographs, rest assured, its depth is more than ample for practical use. We were thrilled to hear from numerous show-goers that this large trough sink and the innovative mirror-mounted faucets were among their absolute favorite design elements, highlighting them as particularly distinctive choices. Completing the space, the soft towels and essential bath accessories were sourced from Target, providing both comfort and convenience.
As beautifully reflected in the image above, the area behind the sink is dedicated to the bath, shower, and toilet. To maximize utility, we integrated valuable bonus storage in the form of a custom shelf positioned above the toilet. This thoughtful addition was meticulously crafted by John the Carpenter, whose foresight during the house’s initial framing phase last fall ensured that the toilet plumbing was strategically offset from the wall, providing ample room for this functional shelving unit. The framed poster adorning the wall is a vibrant piece from Help Ink, adding an artistic touch to the practical space.
Further enhancing the bathroom’s unique character, John also expertly installed slatted wainscoting. We found this design choice created a striking and visually appealing contrast with the more intricate pattern of the tiled floor, adding depth and architectural interest to the space. It’s these thoughtful details that elevate a functional room into a truly designed experience.
You might recall a sneak peek of the shower during its semi-completed stage. Now, fully realized, it features striking chunky stripes created by combining two distinct colors of glass tile: Snow Glass and Glass Winter, both sourced from The Tile Shop. Beyond its aesthetic appeal, the shower is equipped with a modern Kohler showerhead that boasts an integrated Bluetooth connected speaker. We envisioned children delighting in this innovative feature, making bath time more enjoyable. Frankly, after seeing it in action, we’re all a little tempted to install one in our own bathrooms!
Another clever sliver of integrated storage can be found behind the shower: a compact towel nook. This space was meticulously designed to hold rolled Target towels, providing easily accessible and neatly stored linens without cluttering the main vanity area. It’s a testament to the efficient use of every available inch, a hallmark of thoughtful design.
The Girls’ Room: A Canvas for Creativity and Adaptability
Transitioning to the girls’ room, here’s an interesting tidbit: one of the most keenly interested prospective buyers for this home has two sons. This means the room, currently styled for a “pretend daughter,” could easily be adapted to suit their boys’ needs – and you can bet Sherry will be subtly campaigning for us to “house crash” them down the line to see the transformation! Since our last update, several exciting changes have been made. The magnificent window cornice, custom-built by U-Fab in a beautiful fabric, is now proudly installed. We’ve introduced an eclectic mix of bedside tables, pairing a charming blue side table from Target with a vibrant yellow garden stool from HomeGoods, adding both color and functionality. The bed has been shifted further into the room’s center, adorned with more plush pillows and a cozy blue throw. Casual art pieces now grace the walls, and perhaps most enchanting of all, a surprise installation of string lights adds a magical glow (more on those in a moment).
We absolutely cannot overlook “Princess Truthful,” the delightful chicken painting generously loaned by our talented friend Lesli Devito. She presides regally above a charming thrift store headboard, which we revitalized with a fresh coat of Benjamin Moore’s Hydrangea Flowers paint. This entire ensemble is set against the stunning backdrop of a Royal Design Studio stenciled wall, featuring the captivating Hibiscus pattern over Simply White walls. A closer look in this shot reveals the intricate beauty of the wall pattern, beautifully complemented by a chic glass-based lamp from Target, creating an atmosphere of whimsical elegance.
Now, let’s turn our attention to the impressive double desk unit. This piece not only introduces valuable concealed cabinet storage to the room (supplementing the large double closet situated on the wall opposite the bed) but also offers an expansive and versatile work surface. We actively sought input from our audience regarding how to best style its two distinct stations. Suggestions ranged from a makeup area and an art spot to a sewing zone or a dedicated homework space. Ultimately, we decided on an art station on one side, complete with my own (admittedly terrible) tree painting, and a homework side featuring notebooks and ample room for a laptop or desktop monitor. The beauty of this setup lies in its inherent flexibility, and we’re genuinely excited to see how the future owners choose to utilize it. You might recall that the chairs were salvaged from a thrift store, lovingly repainted and reupholstered, while the accent pillows were charming finds from HomeGoods, all contributing to a personalized and functional space.
The enchanting string lights deserve a special mention. We envisioned a magical touch for the small vaulted ceiling area above the desk, so we acquired a 50-foot strand of white cafe lights and meticulously strung them up using discrete white cup hooks. This creates a soft, ambient glow that truly transforms the space.
To ensure seamless functionality, we had the electrician install a dedicated outlet in the ceiling for the lights, which is conveniently connected to a wall switch near the door. When off, the lights are barely noticeable, blending discreetly into the ceiling. However, when illuminated, they offer a delightful surprise and a warm, inviting ambiance. Witnessing the positive reactions of show-goers as they discovered this charming feature upon entering the room was truly gratifying.
Speaking of the door, here’s a quick glimpse of that side of the room. It features some casually taped-up art with vibrant washi tape, adding a playful and temporary touch. Above the dresser, a framed poster from Ikea provides a stylish accent, while one of our custom rail hooks from Target, personalized near the door, offers practical storage for coats or bags. This corner showcases a blend of practical utility and personal expression, making the space truly feel like a child’s own.
The Playroom/Reading Room: A Dynamic Hub for Family Fun
Exiting the girls’ room, you find yourself back in the main hallway, leading directly to the versatile playroom/reading room. This engaging space is ingeniously separated by two sliding French pocket doors, offering remarkable flexibility. It can seamlessly transform from an open, inviting family area, perfect for lively gatherings and collaborative play, into a secluded sanctuary for quiet reading or focused activities when closed. This adaptable design ensures the room caters to a wide array of family needs and moods, making it a true asset to the home.
Adding a touch of artistic flair to the hallway, the prints displayed next to the door are a cohesive pair sourced from Ikea, contributing to the home’s contemporary yet comfortable aesthetic.
The playroom walls are painted in Benjamin Moore’s invigorating Dragonfly, a color that instantly evokes a sense of calm and creativity. Our original plan was to have the custom built-ins, masterfully constructed by John the Carpenter, painted in the same striking hue. However, a delightful oversight by the painters meant they ended up in crisp white. Upon seeing the finished room, we unanimously agreed that this “happy accident” actually enhanced the space, creating a beautiful contrast and allowing the built-ins to pop. Art on the right wall, sourced from World Market, adds global appeal, while a charming wood plaque on the left is a cherished thrift store find, injecting character and history into the contemporary setting.
We initially considered staging this space as a sophisticated video game room, complete with a media console. However, we ultimately opted for a simpler, more versatile layout to encourage traditional play and interaction. The room now features a low table, generously donated by West Elm, paired with two comfortable poufs from Target, perfect for gathering around non-video games and imaginative play. The area rug, a stylish addition from Dash & Albert, grounds the space with pattern and texture, enhancing its inviting atmosphere. This design choice emphasizes flexibility, allowing future homeowners to easily adapt the room to their specific needs and preferences, whether for gaming, crafts, or simply lounging.
Here’s a fun fact about the playroom’s board games: we actually crazy-glued the Monopoly pieces down! This precaution came after a prospective buyer, touring the house with her four children before the show, inadvertently taught us a valuable lesson. Her youngest daughter, in a moment of curiosity, nearly succeeded in her mission to ingest a few miniature houses – thankfully, she didn’t! This experience highlighted the need for child-proofing, ensuring peace of mind for future families.
Further enhancing the playroom’s functionality, a spacious shelved closet is situated off to the left-hand side. This dedicated storage area is ideal for organizing board games, craft supplies, and other odds and ends, keeping the main play area tidy and uncluttered. While we intentionally went light on the styling here, allowing future owners to personalize it, rest assured, if you need lessons in cluttering a closet, our own home offers ample demonstrations of that “skill”!
And with that, our detailed exploration of these vibrant children’s spaces and their ingenious storage solutions concludes this extensive, 30-picture post. Our initial ambition was to include the remaining six spaces, but as we’ve already surpassed 2,000 words, it’s clear that one more post is needed to comprehensively wrap up this incredible journey. Look forward to that final installment next week, complete with an accompanying video walk-through we’ve prepared for you.
We extend our deepest gratitude to everyone who took the time to visit the showhouse in person, whose presence contributed to such a lively atmosphere. A heartfelt thank you also goes out to those who generously donated money to Habitat for Humanity, left canned goods in our pantry, and offered their unwavering encouragement throughout this exhilarating “decorating marathon.” This incredible experience truly wouldn’t have been possible without your support and enthusiasm. Oh, and for those curious about Teddy’s thoughts on the showhouse during his first visit outside the womb… he slept soundly through the entire thing!
Psst – Eager for even more showhouse details and captivating photos? Click here for Our Full Showhouse Tour. This comprehensive resource includes final pictures of every room, detailed floor plans, budget insights, an immersive video walk-through, and a curated list of shoppable furniture and accessories featured throughout the showhouse. Dive deeper into the design, discover inspiration, and bring a piece of this award-winning home into your own!