You have no idea just how excited I am writing this blogpost! This room is clearly not finished yet but I just had to share a glimpse of the new alcoves. I may have had to wait two years for this (that’s when the reno started) but my gosh it was worth it, no? The alcoves are the perfect icing on the cake to finish off this renovation. I am so thrilled with them and happy that my design vision finally came to life.
ALCOVE DESIGN
I’ll be honest, I pretty much robbed the design of Pinterest (as you do!) with a few small tweaks. I wanted alcoves that would hide all the clutter (sky box, speakers etc) but that wouldn’t affect our home theater sound system. That’s when I came up with the rattan door front idea. I also felt that the rattan would soften the look and tie in nicely with all the other brown accents in the room. I sent some pictures to our carpenter (Lee from Freeborn Carpentry) and he came over to our house twice to take the exact measurements, quote etc. Lee also sent me a 3D design drawing before I paid the deposit to confirm the exact design I wanted. I actually decided to lower the alcoves a bit so it was very useful to see a 3D drawing beforehand. Lee also sourced the rattan cane fabric for the alcoves. Again I sent him images of the type of rattan I was after and we found the perfect match from a supplier on Etsy.
The only thing I bought myself was the brass furniture knobs. I wanted something simple, with an antique finish, and the Corston Architectural brass handles were perfect for the job! And of course, we also installed a soft close mechanism for a quiet opening and closing of the doors. We also added two cable outlets (in oak) so I could have table lights via a regular wall light plug socket.
LOG STORAGE
This wouldn’t feel like a fireplace room without proper log storage, am I right? The log display looks like a feature on its own and matches the colours of the rattan beautifully. It’s a generous size but doesn’t look too bulky, which was important for me. Isn’t it lovely how framing the wood can turn your storage into artwork? We used oak veneer inside the log storage as it’s durable and scratch-resistant. I also love the look of it. I think I may prefer the half-full look. It works both ways!
PAINT COLOUR
I wanted a nice crisp white paint that would complement the cream walls (painted in Fired Earth White Mulberry). The Neve by Fired Earth was one of the complementary colours they recommended and I’m so pleased with my choice. It’s a pure, chalky white which works nicely with other neutral colours. I chose eggshell paint for the woodwork since it’s durable but not as shiny as gloss or satin paint. We had the alcoves spray-painted to ensure a smooth and durable finish. I should probably add that the alcoves are only painted white on the outside. We chose oak veneer for the inside shelves and log storage as it will be more durable. And of course, it goes better with the rattan door fronts!
INSTALLATION DAY
It only took one day for Lee and his team to install the alcoves. They had already built and painted them in their London workshop, so it was just a case of putting together all the wood and materials on the day. They were so quick, professional and tidy that it couldn’t have gone any better. If you’re looking for a carpenter in London or the outskirts I wholeheartedly recommend Freeborn Carpentry. You won’t be disappointed!
HOME THEATER EQUIPMENT
We had AV Innovation install our home theater system for us. Chris and his team helped me pick the most suitable equipment for this room. I wanted to go small without sacrificing the sound. In the end, we opted for Lyngdorf speakers and subwoofer which gives us the full cinema effect without taking up much room in the alcoves. AV Innovation also did a fantastic job mounting our Frame TV. The wires and the Samsung box are run behind the wall so you can’t see a thing. All this work had to be carried out before our carpenter could install the alcoves. I totally recommend them if you’re looking for any type of electrical installation!
WHAT’S NEXT?
Now it’s time for the fun part! I always try to wait until all the major renovations are done before buying any lighting or decorative pieces. You just don’t know how the room will feel until it’s all done, so it’s better to wait. I always follow my instinct and regularly change my mind if I feel the room needs something else; a different colour, a material or even shapes of objects. I already ordered new table lamps and a big area rug is on my shopping list next. I wouldn’t mind finding a slim C-shaped side table to go over the arm of the sofa too.
I’ll be sharing the full makeover with you shortly!
