This genius transformation added a whole extra room to a small home using slatted pannelling
Hands up who has a room that needs to have more than one use? Whether you're trying to sneak a home office into a living room or combine a guest bedroom with a walk-in wardrobe, it can be tricky to find a way to make a multifunctional space work for you – and look super stylish into the bargain.
That's why we couldn't wait to show you this multi-functional snug makeover, which includes a genius guest room idea from Louise McGerty–Harper from Devon. The idea was so inspired she picked up one of Wayfair's coveted Roomover of the Year awards for the Small Space/Clever Use of Storage category.
Multifunctional snug makeover
Faced with a room that had a sloped ceiling and needed several uses, Louise (@the_little_pink_nest on Instagram) set about transforming it into a snug, complete with a living, dining and bedroom area – but what was her inspiration?
'It was my intense hatred for sofa beds!' she says. 'I wanted to make use of the space in a sloped ceiling and add some extra beds. Using slatted panelling was trending at the time, mainly in gardens, and I thought it could work really well in the space as a partition, rather than using a proper stud wall.'
Before
Before the makeover, the room was all one large space with no dividers and the sloped ceiling made it awkward to fit any full-size furniture in.
'I wanted the room to feel like a calm, relaxing space as soon as you walked in,' says Louise, 'so I went for neutral colours and natural materials.'
After
The sleep space has been cleverly hidden within the slatted wall partition, that separates it from the living area. 'The slatted walls allow light, ventilation and privacy, but you still feel part of the room while you're relaxing in there,' says Louise.
On the other side of the space, a living area and dining space complete the makeover. 'Everyone comments that when you walk into this room, your shoulders drop and it's just super relaxing,' says Louise.
Having entered Wayfair's competition on a whim, Louise was thrilled to pick up the award. 'It was such a lovely surprise when the Wayfair team contacted me,' she says.
'Because it was designed and made by ourselves, it's a really nice feeling that the room has been given recognition by the panel of judges.'
Twin beds fit snugly into the bedroom area, giving guests a spot to sleep after relaxing in the rest of the space.
'This room looks fantastic,' says organising and styling duo Style Sisters, who led the judging for this category. 'The separate snug area where the wall space is tight is a great way to utilise the area. Sectioning the room into different zones and adding natural textures and plants really brings the room to life.'
Fellow judge, interior designer and set stylist Aurelien Farjon agrees: 'It was the clear winner for me. The way Louise has cleverly divided the space with these wooden partitions is so effective, especially with the added detail of an arched doorway. The natural and green colour palette is calm and inviting too. and its biophilic feel has turned this plain and static space into a warm and lively chill-out zone.'