September 2, 2025 • 36 mins
In this episode of Boulevard Beat, Meghan and Krissa dive into “Closets, Pantries & Nooks: The Luxury of Everyday Living.” They shift the focus from public-facing spaces to the private rooms that bring daily ease and joy. From closets that function as chic dressing rooms to pantries that elevate everyday routines, they show how these specialty spaces are more than just add-ons—they’re expressions of personal style and intentional living.
The conversation explores how design priorities have evolved from impressing guests to designing for the people who actually live in the home. Listeners will leave inspired to reimagine their own “everyday luxury” spaces, where function meets beauty.
Street Style Takeaways:
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Or you can use this link- https://houseofblum.com/discount/beat15!
Connect with the Hosts https://www.instagram.com/boulevardbeatpodcast/
Connect with Meghan Blum Interiors https://www.instagram.com/meghanbluminteriors/
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Connect with Krissa Rossbund. https://www.instagram.com/krissa_rossbund/
Connect with Liz Lidgett https://www.instagram.com/lizlidgett/
Episode Website https://www.blvdbeat.com/about
The conversation explores how design priorities have evolved from impressing guests to designing for the people who actually live in the home. Listeners will leave inspired to reimagine their own “everyday luxury” spaces, where function meets beauty.
Street Style Takeaways:
- Design for your lifestyle, not your visitors. Your home should reflect you—not just the spaces meant for entertaining.
- Closets as couture. Think runway-worthy dressing rooms with seating, lighting, and little luxuries.
- Pantries as statements. An organized, beautiful pantry is a power move that transforms daily life.
- Nooks as signatures. Cozy corners and personalized rooms are like street style accessories—defining, unique, and full of personality.
- Budget where it matters. Invest in the rooms you touch every single day.
Save 15% site wide at www.houseofblum.com with promo code beat15!
Or you can use this link- https://houseofblum.com/discount/beat15!
Connect with the Hosts https://www.instagram.com/boulevardbeatpodcast/
Connect with Meghan Blum Interiors https://www.instagram.com/meghanbluminteriors/
Connect with House of Blum https://www.instagram.com/shophouseofblum/
Connect with Krissa Rossbund. https://www.instagram.com/krissa_rossbund/
Connect with Liz Lidgett https://www.instagram.com/lizlidgett/
Episode Website https://www.blvdbeat.com/about
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:08):
Welcome to boulevard Beat, a podcast. We're life and style intersect.
I'm designer Megan Bloom along with my co hosts, editor
Chrissa Rossbund and gallery owner Liz Legit. This podcast focuses
on the daily highlights instead of the hustle, interviews with
taste makers and personal conversations on how to highlight achievable style.
You con stroll one street at a time, boulevard Beat
(00:29):
proves the one you should take. Well, Hello, CHRISA, it's
fun to talk to you today. We thought it would
be fun to talk about personal spaces as an organization
that happens in interior design and some of those specialty rooms.
We spend so much time talking about dining rooms, living rooms,
all those public spaces, but it'd be fun to get
(00:50):
into some of more of those personal ones. Do you
have a favorite specialty room?
Speaker 2 (00:55):
Well, first of all, the reason we wanted to do
this episode is because I know when I first started
in this business, all of the attention, mainly budgetary attention,
was allocated and assigned to those public spaces, the dining room,
the living room, the kitchen. And we know that just
by nature, kitchens are super expensive and require a big budget,
(01:17):
but people tend to be more focused on the people
who didn't live in the house, which is a super
interesting thought process, but I think that's the way it
was for decades really, and so this idea in more
recent times of thinking about who actually lives in this
house and we need to have spaces that are important
(01:40):
for those people and not design these fancy, polished, put
together spaces that are for people who see us, you know,
four times a year on holidays. I think that it's
important to think, especially when you are talking about a
design budget, and you can speak to this even more,
what are those specialty rooms that people want and how
(02:01):
much of the budget do those get well?
Speaker 3 (02:03):
And I think you're so spot on. I think when
people really can start to see how they use spaces
or things that they really love and then allocate more
of the budget to those spaces, I think it gives
a better outcome for the house versus just thinking about
what resale looks like. For example, one of them is
a primary closet that just has all the bells and
(02:23):
whistles in it. This client in general, and I've worked
on several of them that are like this, and I'm
sure you've been in them two where you know they
are certainly dressing rooms and they have a sitting area,
they might even have a refrigerator in them, and just
how the presentation of their closet looks like a high
end of boutique for them to enjoy their clothes and
be able to use them, and you know, see things
(02:46):
thoroughly and clearly and just well organized and color coded,
and even just how the jewelry sits and displayed that
you can easily see what you have and so then
can easily put it on or mix and match. And
this isn't for everyone, obviously, but for those people that
truly enjoy their fashion and their clothes, it's a great
(03:07):
use of space.
Speaker 2 (03:08):
Well I don't care about everyone, but it's certainly for me.
I'm all them all about it. What I think is interesting.
And we've talked about this, I think one other time.
When you're talking about the budget for a home, we
hear over and over again your kitchen is your largest expense.
And look, we know about the countertops and the cabinets
that are very spendy, as well as those shiny, fancy
(03:31):
appliances for sure, But my argument is always when you
start adding up the contents of a closet for people
who are you know, fashionist does who people who care
about fashion and are collectors of those garments and pieces.
It adds up pretty quickly. And I would say probably
(03:54):
in many cases, the dressing room slash closet rivals the
kitchen in budget, in price tag more than any other space.
So I think that when you're talking about, you know,
caring for garments and having a proper way to store them,
both new pieces that you buy in pieces that are
(04:15):
have been you know, passed down. It's fun to have
a vintage piece. Of course, it's important to have a
great inspiring place to house them and care for them.
And we want to. I mean, our dressing room in
theory is probably one of the first environments we see
each morning. So to have a space that's beautiful, inspiring,
(04:36):
I think just sets the tone of the day. What
are some of the hallmarks that you sort of see
on repeat or you like to incorporate for those dressing
room slash closets that have become so masterful.
Speaker 3 (04:49):
Yeah, I think really, when you can have a really
nice island, I think that's key. I think it's just
nice to be able to set things out, put a
piece of luggage up there, iron a piece if you
need to, but just it gives you a nice grounding space.
I also think it makes it a little more luxurious
because you can have a nice flower arrangement on there
and just really feel glamorous in that space. Or I
(05:11):
like it when there can be a bench in there
as well, so you can kind of try on shoes,
sit down. I think those are really important elements. This
one's simple, but when you can just have it's a
little accessory that goes in the closet but just pulls
out and you can hang your clothes on it. So
then you can maybe hang your outfit for the next day,
or if you've got an event coming up, you can
(05:32):
kind of see how it looks hanging and if that's
what you want to wear, So kind of setting you
up for success in that way.
Speaker 2 (05:39):
The valet hook. So I have one of these now,
I've had it for about I don't know, not quite
two years. It is life altering, it really is, because
just to be able. I mean, we always talk about oh,
you know, and there are those people who say they
plan every outfit. I'm like, good for you, good for
you for doing that. I've a little more basic, but
(06:01):
having an idea and having that hook that pulls out
where you can hang tomorrow's outfit, it really does save
some time in the morning. It makes it makes you
think it's like a little that little last assignment before
you retire for the night, and it's like, what am
I going to wear tomorrow? And I'm going to pull
it out and put it here. So I like that.
(06:21):
I think a full length mirror is super important too.
Speaker 3 (06:23):
Yeah, definitely, definitely that you're not walking somewhere else sor yeah,
you can just take a quick peek.
Speaker 2 (06:28):
So Megan, just to piggyback on closets, I'm just going
to throw out the laundry room because again I grew
up I think a lot of people did. The laundry
room was in the basement and it was just like
not a place. It's like where mom went to go
get the clothes and dry the clothes, and it's not
a place that was particularly interesting. But again back to
(06:50):
my previous point, the laundry room is a space where
you're caring for all of these garments, and so it
should be a space that is well organized, that is
nice as far as you know, being picked up and
being clean and having an interesting palette to make it
inspirational and make it a place where you want to be,
(07:13):
whether you are caring for your things or somebody else's.
And so I love how large laundry rooms have become
and just that they have wallpaper, they have cabinets and
interesting colors. I just saw one the other day that
was this beautiful. It had a Morrison Co. Wallpaper that
(07:34):
was so pretty, but it was sort of a mint
to green cabinetry paired with it and just so pretty.
It's like, Okay, I'll hang out in the laundry room.
But in addition to that, I think oftentimes there are
now workspaces where you can sit and do homework or
you know, sort of a makeshift office there. What are
you seeing in these spaces for.
Speaker 3 (07:56):
Laundry, Yeah, definitely seeing all of that. And I think,
like you had mentioned too, when we do it frequently
in our designs, is it's just it's a space you
don't spend a ton of time in, so it's fun
to make it more interesting and add different colors of
cabinetry and wallpaper that you maybe wouldn't want to see
in your your main living areas, but just to give
it some personality. So that's definitely something that we're seeing
(08:18):
quite a bit of. Also seeing whether it's just one
large room, you know, in the core of the house,
or oftentimes too in some of these bigger houses, we're
putting it in multiple spots. So we've got i mean
the really large houses you might have, you know, your
second floor, your main floor having a laundry room and
then like a pool house too, making it easy for
(08:39):
those chores. No one likes to do laundry. I mean,
let's make it as easy and as more pleasant as
we can and setting that up for success. I'm also
seeing a lot more those steam closets have become really
popular to the plants that they'll put in because again
also no one likes to iron. So to be able
to just put your garment in one of those little
(09:01):
steam closets and have it come out looking perfect and
you're not having to spend those frustrating ten minutes ironing
things and then you can't get a wrinkle out and
it's just looks like it came back from the dry cleaner.
Speaker 2 (09:13):
A steam closet, that's a new luxury that you aren't
a fantastic Yes, I'm all for that. Next next living situation,
there will be.
Speaker 3 (09:22):
One, definitely, but yeah, kind of like you said to
piggyback off of that. Even with the liundry rooms, sometimes
there are the home offices. Obviously, in the last ten years,
those those pocket offices have become super super popular, both
for the adults and even for kids to have one
up by their bedrooms if it is on a different
(09:42):
floor or something like that too. They don't have to
be big, they just have to be functional and make
you feel nice while you're doing you know, grocery lists,
the weekly things, or working from home for a bit.
To throw a printer in there in a little desk
space and it's it's all you need.
Speaker 2 (09:59):
Well, it's interesting how technology has changed the way we
think of a workspace because before again when I started
in this industry, a significant furniture piece that went into
home offices or a space that wasn't truly a home office,
(10:19):
but where the computer was were these big, giant arm
lass And that's back in the day when monitors were
not flat, they were deep tube monitors. Now I'm dating myself,
but because of flat screens, you don't need that depth anymore.
And because of laptops, which is what so many people use,
(10:40):
and a lot of people don't even have a laptop,
they use an iPad or some sort of tablet even
I mean it's mobile, you can take it anywhere. And
so those spaces, I think, you know, to your point,
having that small space where you can sit down, where
there is a printer accessible, and then also you know,
maybe be a place for some notebooks or notepads and
(11:03):
pens and just off of simple office supplies of that
nature to write those grocery lists. It's it's certainly a
consideration now when you're building a house from scratch, where
can you carve those spaces into.
Speaker 3 (11:19):
Yeah, and like I mentioned, it doesn't have to be
a large footprint. You can do it in a pretty
small area, you know, just making sure it's in a
central location that's you know, close to the hub of
the house and the kitchen or this or that, so
you can kind of be in your central area. And
the simplest thing, and this is not a new idea,
but just then having one of your drawers having outlets
in it to have a charging stations for all your
(11:41):
devices and that there always can be charged and things
like that too.
Speaker 2 (11:44):
Yes, charging stations. I love that meme that went around.
I don't know it's a couple of years old, but
it said something like, I'm going to die because I'm
going to be on life support and my kids are
going to unplug me to charge their phone. That was
so funny, but it's it's true right where our phones
need power and battery life, and so that's important. Well.
(12:06):
I also see islands and laundry rooms sometimes, and it's
so funny to even label them as a laundry room
because again I hear that term and I think of
the dungeon of the basement, you know, where you store
the Christmas bins and that sort of thing. But I
see islands there sometimes as well. I think just extra storage.
(12:27):
Sometimes there are you know, sports equipment, soccer balls and
that sort of thing in there. Sometimes they're makeshift mudrooms.
Sometimes they house cleaning supplies. So I think it's interesting
and positive that these spaces have been rethought addressing multiple
different functions, not just washing of the T shirts.
Speaker 3 (12:50):
Yeah, it definitely is, And you bring up a good
point along with the laundry room, the mudroom often sits
very close in proximity. But I think the mudroom has
also really evolved into this workhorse in the house and
really getting the storage and the organization going and making
sure everybody has spots for things and extra storage of
(13:11):
coats and hats and all the things that go along
with kids and everyday life and bags and things like that.
Speaker 2 (13:18):
Well, I imagine with your you know, because you have
three small children, you know, I imagine. I've had so
many people say that that is the centerpiece of the
start of a good day, when that mudroom has all
of everybody's stuff that's necessary for the day.
Speaker 3 (13:35):
And now, if we only had the trick of making
sure the kids always put the shoes back in the
basket the way they are meant to be, well, you.
Speaker 2 (13:43):
Know, baby steps, baby steps. I have a drawer in
my foyer, in a chest of doors where I put
all of the things that go in my handbag on
a daily basis, and I've gotten pretty good. I'm not perfect.
It doesn't happen one hundred percent at the time, but
I remove those things every day just because I like
(14:03):
to switch my bags out pretty much on a daily basis.
I don't necessarily use the same one and just to
have a sort of central hub where I can take
a small bag with you know, the lip gloss and
the things that don't ever I don't ever put those
things away because they're closet. They need to just be
at the ready, and so just to have that in
(14:24):
a central hub that doesn't have to go to my
bedroom closet is super handy.
Speaker 3 (14:31):
Yeah, just all about having things well organized and makes
your life easier every day for sure.
Speaker 2 (14:36):
Yes.
Speaker 3 (14:37):
Well, kind of as we talk about just kind of
the central part of the house, I don't think we
can not talk about the pantry or the back kitchen.
I mean those are definitely work horses in many houses,
you know, in many of the houses that we're doing,
the pantry almost has kind of a whole second kitchen
back there. It has you know, the guts as well
of just like all the little machines that home owner
(15:00):
have or extra coffee makers or blenders and different things
that you don't have to have those out in the
kitchen and you can kind of take that mess and
keep it all to the back.
Speaker 2 (15:11):
I'm telling you, whoever architect, designer, whoever came up with
the back kitchen originally needs to be anointed to whatever.
The biggest prize in the world is, like, let's give
them the Nobel Peace Prize and an Olympic Gold medal.
It is so brilliant and to be able I do
not have a back kitchen, I wish I did. To
(15:32):
be able to have a place to house all of
those darn small appliances is so much better than just
having them out. And the problem is, look, it's easy
to say, oh, well, you just put them away every day. Well,
the thing is when you use them every day or
multiple times a day, I'm not going to carry them
(15:52):
back and forth somewhere. I'm just not, Like, it's not reality.
If nobody's coming over, I'm not going to go to
that effort. So to have I have a back kitchen
where all of that can be stowed, I just again,
I think it is the most brilliant home luxury addition
that we've seen in a long time. The pantry. Similarly,
(16:13):
the walk in pantry for myself, who's an avid cook. Again,
I don't have a walk in pantry, but that is
on my dream list for sure, because just to have
all of your ingredients that I level and have a
place for everything, I think, you know, especially if you
cook a lot.
Speaker 3 (16:31):
Is such a luxury and there's I wish I could
say this was me. But I also go into some
of my clients' homes and their pantries are so well organized,
and I have the beautiful containers and they put the
cereal in different ones and it just it just looks beautiful,
but is also functional.
Speaker 2 (16:46):
To organization in the pantry so so important because it's frustrating.
Again I can say this as somebody who cooks all
the time. It's frustrating to not know what I have
or think did I buy I knew one of them?
Is it just hidden? Is it behind something? It's so frustrating.
So you can just have all of that out in
the open. And I think any of this in this
(17:08):
business can scroll Instagram and Pinterest all day long looking
at well organized pantries with all of the matching containers.
Speaker 3 (17:15):
Yes, definitely. Well, there's one specialty room that I find
kind of interesting that we've had in a couple of
our homes, and it's a holiday room. And I think
these weren't great for people that really have a passion
for all holidays or certain holidays. I have a couple
homes where they had a special closet behind the living
(17:36):
room fireplace that had like a secret door like millwork,
and the door opened up and their Christmas tree just
slid right into it, so they could just have it
always looking good and just would pull it back out.
Such a novelty to have a space like that. But
then just the storage for all of those holiday decor
as well.
Speaker 2 (17:54):
So I have mixed feelings about the storage of the
Christmas tree. First of all, in a perfect world, everybody
has a fresh that they've gone out with their family
and maybe had a fight in the middle of it
over which tree to buy, and there may be tears
involved in that, and some you know, other feelings, but
(18:17):
I think everybody should experience that at least once. It's fun, memorable,
and sometimes it can be a little miserable too, But
in all seriousness, I love the idea, the thought of
just rolling away that Christmas tree. But I know people
who literally surran wrap their Christmas tree with the ornaments
on it, so they just have to roll it out,
(18:39):
and I'm like, oh, but part of the memories, part
of the nostalgia is going through the boxes of the
ornaments and remembering, oh, I remember who gave this to
me or this is what I made in first grade.
So when it comes to Christmas, I'm still like, oh,
Christmas isn't supposed to be convenient. It's supposed to be
(18:59):
a viserble for everybody.
Speaker 3 (19:01):
Yes, a mess of glitter all over the home.
Speaker 2 (19:03):
There's supposed to be a mess of glitter. There's supposed
to be pine needles. And so the busy, overscheduled person
in me thinks, oh gosh, that would be nice to
just roll that Christmas tree out and have it all done.
But the sentimentalist and that trumps the overscheduled person for me.
I still want the experience of the tree trimming on
(19:25):
the Saturday with Nat King Cole in the background and
hot chocolate.
Speaker 3 (19:29):
The nostalgia of it all.
Speaker 2 (19:30):
Yes, but I will say having a holiday room where
you can have all of the bins that are red
and green for Christmas, I'm all for the holiday room.
I love that idea because you don't need it the
other eleven months of the year, so let's just out
of sight, out of mind until November rolls around again.
Speaker 3 (19:49):
Well, and how often I feel like I'm going through
It's like where's that tote? I know there's another tote
that has those missing things in it, and so just
to have it all in one space makes it know
that that one wouldn't get lost well.
Speaker 2 (20:01):
And I imagine that your kids are old enough now
where they have memories of decorations, because sure I think
as a kid that was you know, you open the
top of the box and you know that piece was
unveiled that you've always had, and it's really special for
a child and adults too to see those reminders over
(20:22):
and over again.
Speaker 3 (20:23):
Well, I think kind of along with a little more
unique type of a space is those wrapping rooms or
craft rooms that happen in some homes too, truly a
specialty if that's something that you really enjoy. You've got
a craft that you want to be able to have
out and just work on different things and or have
the storage for it. That's a big thing too, is
(20:44):
being able to just have organization within a room like
that that you can easily access, whether it's paints or
scrapbooking or different types of mediums that you can kind
of just easily access. Nothing better than having it easy
to use when you've got a million birthday parties to
pull out some wrapping paper easily to be able to
wrap something. I love it when I've had a couple
(21:07):
projects where they actually kind of have like your big
department stores, the big rolls of paper that just are
on a roll and they pull it out and can
wrap the present.
Speaker 2 (21:16):
So this is what I do have in my house. Yeah,
I do have a wrapping slash craft room. I have
bins with glitter, stickers, markers. Ask me what I've ever made,
But I like to have the supplies. I think I
don't know. I clearly have a little bit of a
hoarder in me, maybe because I love seeing all the
(21:37):
supplies and I love looking at the supplies. That is
inspirational enough for me. I don't actually have to make anything,
which is great because I don't have time.
Speaker 3 (21:47):
And you don't have the mess.
Speaker 2 (21:48):
I don't have the mess. Yeah, there's not glitter everywhere.
The glitter is housed in its little tubes that you
buy it in at hobby lobby. But the wrapping room.
I love to wrap gifts and I have all of
my ribbons, and I have my ribbons organized. Some of
them are in bins, some of them are I saw this.
(22:09):
This is probably the first idea that I ever adopted
from Pinterest. Back whenever Pinterest started, I saw somebody who
took hangars for pants, the ones that have the little
rods that sort of snap in and then you can
pull them out and they're kind of rubberized. I slide
rolls of ribbons on those, so they just naturally unroll
(22:32):
when you pull on them. And so I have a
rod that has all of those hangers on them organized
by color. That makes it super simple. But then I
have bins of ribbons too. I just I love it all.
I love to wrap gifts. I did invest in some
large rolls of a couple of signature papers that I
(22:54):
can use and dress up for multiple occasions. And then
they're on the stands that just you can naturally pull
out and then you can cut them so easily. But
those have been life savers, just because I love to
do it so much. If you don't like to wrap,
then go get your little bag and throw it in
there with some tissue paper. But I do love my
wrapping room and craft room just because it makes it easier.
Speaker 3 (23:18):
It does, and I have it kind of in my
little pocket office that I have and it's just a
simple tall cabinet and I put a roll out garbage
bin and then all my roles just sit in there,
so it makes it easy to grab two. So it's
not you're pretty perfect, but it's accessible and easy, which
makes it easy. And then have the ribbons and everything
(23:38):
and containers above it, so it makes all the millions
of birthday parties we go to right now easy for
me just to wrap a quick gift because I love
to wrap too. I think it's just a fun way
to put your style on things.
Speaker 2 (23:49):
I think that anybody who's in the design business probably
loves gift wrapping at Christmas time under the tree because
you can coordinate very much with patterns and colors the
same way that you would in a room. Yeah, I
mean you're picking patterns, you're picking scale, picking colors.
Speaker 3 (24:07):
Yep, you want that to compliment. I mean I won't
let depending on how I do my living room, I'm
not gonna if red and green aren't the color scheme
this year and it's more than metallics, I'm not going
to stick that color underneath my tree.
Speaker 2 (24:18):
Okay, So that's my question. Do you pick the same
palette every year to go under your tree or do you?
Speaker 3 (24:28):
Because I start all over every year, I sometimes we'll
do a year two the same, just kind of depending
on what my time and band speed is that year,
to kind of get things going.
Speaker 2 (24:39):
Because I do love the picking of the paper every year,
and I don't totally care if it goes with my
living room. I just sort of look at the tree
as its own unit for the four weeks or days
before I get they're not there very long in my
world wrapped. But I love picking the paper and the
(25:01):
coordinates every year.
Speaker 3 (25:02):
So well, christ I know you and I are bolt golfers,
or attempt to be at certain times. It's kind of
fun to be able to do that these summer months
and into the fall. But there has been such a
popularity in golf rooms. I can't tell you how many
golf simulators we are putting in homes anymore, and just
for the function of having that entertainment factor, just extra
(25:24):
swings and the games the kids can play or the
big adults can play in there too. They're surely having
a moment.
Speaker 2 (25:31):
They sure are, and I suspect that that moment will
not go away any time in the near future. This
has been a really interesting phenomenon to me. We see
them not in every house that is submitted to us
because we have a lot of antique houses that, you
know what, require serious interesting to accommodate that. But I
(25:53):
have seen even historic homes that have been retrofitted to
accommodate these and I think, you know, so, how fun
is this, especially where we are in the Midwest where
we can't enjoy golf for a good six months of
the year, to be able to practice improve improve on
(26:14):
my list when it comes to golf, They're just so
much fun. And there's one house in particular that I
can think of. It was a shoot that we did
in a western suburb of Chicago. I'm not going to
name which one, but they had a golf simulator room.
It was so fantastic. First of all, the golf simulator
(26:36):
portion of the space was lower and then up top
there was a bar area. But the bar was a
piece of wood from California that was chiseled with the
entire Pebble Beach golf course. Oh wow, on it was
(26:57):
super super special. So I think think it's really interesting
not only that these spaces exist with the golf simulators,
but also, you know, to see people's golf paraphernalia because
people collect, you know, all sorts of things, the flags
from the special courses that they've played, or ball markers
and that sit in the bowl. So I think that
(27:19):
that's super fun to see how they're decorated in the
paraphernalia and accessories that people have to support them.
Speaker 3 (27:27):
And I think what's need about it too, is you
don't have to completely be an avid golfer to have one.
I mean several clients that have put them in they're like, well,
we don't really we don't golf a lot, but it's
just it's a family friendly activity that everyone can do.
And some of the games that are on there, you
can't really tell if you're a good golfer or not.
It's just the art of like just having some fun.
Speaker 2 (27:46):
Well, I will say Peaches can tell if I'm a
good golfer. Peaches is the voice on the golf simulator
at the course where I play in the winter, and
Peaches is she is not so friendly with my bad point.
That automated voice can send me home in a really
bad mood because I'm like, who is who is Peaches
(28:07):
to judge?
Speaker 3 (28:08):
Yes, yeah, that's funny.
Speaker 2 (28:10):
So Megan, one room that is not new to this
whole personal space situation in design is the theater room.
And I'm really curious to know your thoughts on the
theater room and then I'll give you mine. So how
are your clients treating the theater room? Is it still
a thing that they want?
Speaker 3 (28:30):
I would say we don't do them nearly as much
as we used to, but there usually is still a
few a year on our new constructions where we're putting
them in. I think it's people know that they won't
use them a ton a ton, but I think it's
just one of those things that they have a special
space to go and create memories, which which I appreciate,
(28:51):
but that it's not going to be like, oh, we're
using this every week type of a thing too. Some
of them are rooms too that the like sports enthusiasts
that they'll they'll go and then be able just to
have four football games on on a Sunday afternoon too,
so it becomes this extra sort of entertainment media room
as well. I don't mind designing them because I've we've
(29:13):
started had a little more fun with them, kind of
like some of these other rooms that are specialty areas.
We're not just going to do black walls and a
plaid carpet and the black screen, you know, really giving
them their own vibe in the space. We're doing a
remodel right now that has the whole lower levels kind
of having an Art deco feel, which is super cool.
The bar is just fabulous, and then we just took
that theme into the theater room with colors and patterns
(29:36):
and just gave it this vibe. And in that respect,
I appreciate it, but I don't like it when they
just throw them in and don't give them any attention
to detail and kind of just spend the bare minimum
on them.
Speaker 2 (29:49):
Well from day one, I will say, of all of
the spaces that we're talking about today, the theater room
is the one that I like the least. I've always
thought it was a bit gimmicky, only from the perspective
that I thought that's what the family room was for.
I thought the family room was for watching movies and
(30:10):
watching sports. And I never have loved how the furniture
has been arranged in them. And I'm obviously speaking broadly
here because they are oftentimes recliners that are facing forward,
and when I watch a movie, I want to lay
down on a sofa situation, so I've never quite understood them.
(30:33):
I mean, I get why people want them, but personally
that is not something. Give me the fancy dressing room,
the golf room in the walk and pantry with the
back kitchen all day long. I will gladly give up
the theater room. I like the family room. I like
the fireplace and the textures of stone. If there is
(30:53):
a fireplace and all that's going on there, I just
don't want to be in a dark room where I'm
watching Breakfast Club again, right.
Speaker 3 (31:03):
And I think a couple of them that we've been
getting a little creative too on some of the furniture
layouts and not doing just the rows of seats instead
doing having big, big sectionals that then maybe still recline
in certain spots or you can lay down, and that
you can just really have this lounging experience in there instead.
I've also seen a few of those golf rooms kind
(31:23):
of like you mentioned in the Chicago House of then,
like they have the sofas behind there where you can
watch the golf simulator, but you also can multipurpose and
watch a movie on that screen as well, and that
works out pretty well too.
Speaker 2 (31:37):
I will say in the theater room. There are always
some fun examples where people do them really well. And
I can appreciate those families who are movie addicts. And
I can think of one where, you know, you walk
down a little hallway and they have movie posters of
their favorite films. Each family member got to pick a
(31:58):
favorite film where they have poster in the movie lights
all around in a real popcorn machine. So that's fun.
I get it. It's just not for me, and I'm
not a huge movie watcher anyway. I'm not a big
television person. If I were, it would matter to me more.
Speaker 3 (32:13):
Well, Chris, I think this last one that we're going
to talk about, I think it tugs at both of
our hearts, but I don't think either of us would
utilize one in the current state. But I think we
both have a passion or would love to garden. And
the idea of a potting room, I think is so charming.
And to be able to have a space that you
can have extra plantings in and just have this beautiful
(32:35):
little cottagy space that has all your plantings and potting
things and just a place to function in a garden.
Speaker 2 (32:42):
I agree. I am always in awe. There's certain people
who do certain things that I'm just I really know
next to nothing about it, and so I'm just in
awe of what they can do. And those are gardeners,
and I have several friends couple who are master gardeners,
but several friends who are so into gardening. I'm the
(33:04):
outlier for sure. So I love the idea of a
potting room. Those that I've seen are they're just delicious
with all of the texture from the terra cotta pots
and there's always some moss going on, and just all
of the tools that are so foreign to me because
this is something that I do at a very basic level.
(33:25):
It also elicits some really wonderful wallpapers and wall textures.
I've just seen beautiful trellis papers and topiaries of course,
So I think that's really nice.
Speaker 3 (33:38):
Just a little farmhouse sink that's old fashioned and has
a little skirted ruffle underneath it that houses the plumbing
and that charm.
Speaker 2 (33:46):
That's a great point that you just brought up the
old fashioned things. There are so many wonderful garden antiques,
and if you're not really into antiques, a whole lot
that could be a place where you could incorporate something
that's old and a little crusty and weathered and worn.
To have that patina represented so many beautiful garden antiques,
(34:06):
and you know, for people who may not want that
inside their home and their public spaces, it's a great
opportunity to find something that's a little more special and unique.
Speaker 3 (34:16):
It certainly is. It just is a good way to
have those little displays in there. So well, Chris, it
was fun chatting about these specialty rooms because I think
they are, like we said, oftentimes workhorses in the home
that are highly functional and spaces we need to function well,
but why not have them be beautiful as well?
Speaker 2 (34:34):
Absolutely, And you know, again for all of our listeners,
just to remind yourself that your home is where you are,
it's where your family is, and we should really be
designed about your needs right now, not for a few
days of the year, and not for people who you
rarely see or who you don't even know. You don't
even know, you're designing for people who may come over
five years from now. So all of those personal spaces
(34:57):
as you are renovating or building from scratch are important
to keep in mind. And the one thing is you
do have to be creative if you live in a
home that already exists, because sometimes you have to really
think about what you want a space to be. So
maybe that's another episode for us. What do you want
you're supposed to be?
Speaker 3 (35:18):
Yeah, and I think that sometimes you are. You're given
the footprint you have and you have to get creative
on how you create some of these spaces in there,
and they might not be large and luxurious, but they
can still be functional in a small way too.
Speaker 1 (35:31):
Thank you for listening to this week's episode of Boulevard Beat.
If you enjoyed this episode, please follow along and leave
a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen
so you never miss an episode, And of course follow
your hosts on Instagram at Megan bloom Interiors, at CHRISA. Rossbund,
and at Liz Legit. We'll be back next week as
we take a stroll down another boulevard
Welcome to boulevard Beat, a podcast. We're life and style intersect.
I'm designer Megan Bloom along with my co hosts, editor
Chrissa Rossbund and gallery owner Liz Legit. This podcast focuses
on the daily highlights instead of the hustle, interviews with
taste makers and personal conversations on how to highlight achievable style.
You con stroll one street at a time, boulevard Beat
(00:29):
proves the one you should take. Well, Hello, CHRISA, it's
fun to talk to you today. We thought it would
be fun to talk about personal spaces as an organization
that happens in interior design and some of those specialty rooms.
We spend so much time talking about dining rooms, living rooms,
all those public spaces, but it'd be fun to get
(00:50):
into some of more of those personal ones. Do you
have a favorite specialty room?
Speaker 2 (00:55):
Well, first of all, the reason we wanted to do
this episode is because I know when I first started
in this business, all of the attention, mainly budgetary attention,
was allocated and assigned to those public spaces, the dining room,
the living room, the kitchen. And we know that just
by nature, kitchens are super expensive and require a big budget,
(01:17):
but people tend to be more focused on the people
who didn't live in the house, which is a super
interesting thought process, but I think that's the way it
was for decades really, and so this idea in more
recent times of thinking about who actually lives in this
house and we need to have spaces that are important
(01:40):
for those people and not design these fancy, polished, put
together spaces that are for people who see us, you know,
four times a year on holidays. I think that it's
important to think, especially when you are talking about a
design budget, and you can speak to this even more,
what are those specialty rooms that people want and how
(02:01):
much of the budget do those get well?
Speaker 3 (02:03):
And I think you're so spot on. I think when
people really can start to see how they use spaces
or things that they really love and then allocate more
of the budget to those spaces, I think it gives
a better outcome for the house versus just thinking about
what resale looks like. For example, one of them is
a primary closet that just has all the bells and
(02:23):
whistles in it. This client in general, and I've worked
on several of them that are like this, and I'm
sure you've been in them two where you know they
are certainly dressing rooms and they have a sitting area,
they might even have a refrigerator in them, and just
how the presentation of their closet looks like a high
end of boutique for them to enjoy their clothes and
be able to use them, and you know, see things
(02:46):
thoroughly and clearly and just well organized and color coded,
and even just how the jewelry sits and displayed that
you can easily see what you have and so then
can easily put it on or mix and match. And
this isn't for everyone, obviously, but for those people that
truly enjoy their fashion and their clothes, it's a great
(03:07):
use of space.
Speaker 2 (03:08):
Well I don't care about everyone, but it's certainly for me.
I'm all them all about it. What I think is interesting.
And we've talked about this, I think one other time.
When you're talking about the budget for a home, we
hear over and over again your kitchen is your largest expense.
And look, we know about the countertops and the cabinets
that are very spendy, as well as those shiny, fancy
(03:31):
appliances for sure, But my argument is always when you
start adding up the contents of a closet for people
who are you know, fashionist does who people who care
about fashion and are collectors of those garments and pieces.
It adds up pretty quickly. And I would say probably
(03:54):
in many cases, the dressing room slash closet rivals the
kitchen in budget, in price tag more than any other space.
So I think that when you're talking about, you know,
caring for garments and having a proper way to store them,
both new pieces that you buy in pieces that are
(04:15):
have been you know, passed down. It's fun to have
a vintage piece. Of course, it's important to have a
great inspiring place to house them and care for them.
And we want to. I mean, our dressing room in
theory is probably one of the first environments we see
each morning. So to have a space that's beautiful, inspiring,
(04:36):
I think just sets the tone of the day. What
are some of the hallmarks that you sort of see
on repeat or you like to incorporate for those dressing
room slash closets that have become so masterful.
Speaker 3 (04:49):
Yeah, I think really, when you can have a really
nice island, I think that's key. I think it's just
nice to be able to set things out, put a
piece of luggage up there, iron a piece if you
need to, but just it gives you a nice grounding space.
I also think it makes it a little more luxurious
because you can have a nice flower arrangement on there
and just really feel glamorous in that space. Or I
(05:11):
like it when there can be a bench in there
as well, so you can kind of try on shoes,
sit down. I think those are really important elements. This
one's simple, but when you can just have it's a
little accessory that goes in the closet but just pulls
out and you can hang your clothes on it. So
then you can maybe hang your outfit for the next day,
or if you've got an event coming up, you can
(05:32):
kind of see how it looks hanging and if that's
what you want to wear, So kind of setting you
up for success in that way.
Speaker 2 (05:39):
The valet hook. So I have one of these now,
I've had it for about I don't know, not quite
two years. It is life altering, it really is, because
just to be able. I mean, we always talk about oh,
you know, and there are those people who say they
plan every outfit. I'm like, good for you, good for
you for doing that. I've a little more basic, but
(06:01):
having an idea and having that hook that pulls out
where you can hang tomorrow's outfit, it really does save
some time in the morning. It makes it makes you
think it's like a little that little last assignment before
you retire for the night, and it's like, what am
I going to wear tomorrow? And I'm going to pull
it out and put it here. So I like that.
(06:21):
I think a full length mirror is super important too.
Speaker 3 (06:23):
Yeah, definitely, definitely that you're not walking somewhere else sor yeah,
you can just take a quick peek.
Speaker 2 (06:28):
So Megan, just to piggyback on closets, I'm just going
to throw out the laundry room because again I grew
up I think a lot of people did. The laundry
room was in the basement and it was just like
not a place. It's like where mom went to go
get the clothes and dry the clothes, and it's not
a place that was particularly interesting. But again back to
(06:50):
my previous point, the laundry room is a space where
you're caring for all of these garments, and so it
should be a space that is well organized, that is
nice as far as you know, being picked up and
being clean and having an interesting palette to make it
inspirational and make it a place where you want to be,
(07:13):
whether you are caring for your things or somebody else's.
And so I love how large laundry rooms have become
and just that they have wallpaper, they have cabinets and
interesting colors. I just saw one the other day that
was this beautiful. It had a Morrison Co. Wallpaper that
(07:34):
was so pretty, but it was sort of a mint
to green cabinetry paired with it and just so pretty.
It's like, Okay, I'll hang out in the laundry room.
But in addition to that, I think oftentimes there are
now workspaces where you can sit and do homework or
you know, sort of a makeshift office there. What are
you seeing in these spaces for.
Speaker 3 (07:56):
Laundry, Yeah, definitely seeing all of that. And I think,
like you had mentioned too, when we do it frequently
in our designs, is it's just it's a space you
don't spend a ton of time in, so it's fun
to make it more interesting and add different colors of
cabinetry and wallpaper that you maybe wouldn't want to see
in your your main living areas, but just to give
it some personality. So that's definitely something that we're seeing
(08:18):
quite a bit of. Also seeing whether it's just one
large room, you know, in the core of the house,
or oftentimes too in some of these bigger houses, we're
putting it in multiple spots. So we've got i mean
the really large houses you might have, you know, your
second floor, your main floor having a laundry room and
then like a pool house too, making it easy for
(08:39):
those chores. No one likes to do laundry. I mean,
let's make it as easy and as more pleasant as
we can and setting that up for success. I'm also
seeing a lot more those steam closets have become really
popular to the plants that they'll put in because again
also no one likes to iron. So to be able
to just put your garment in one of those little
(09:01):
steam closets and have it come out looking perfect and
you're not having to spend those frustrating ten minutes ironing
things and then you can't get a wrinkle out and
it's just looks like it came back from the dry cleaner.
Speaker 2 (09:13):
A steam closet, that's a new luxury that you aren't
a fantastic Yes, I'm all for that. Next next living situation,
there will be.
Speaker 3 (09:22):
One, definitely, but yeah, kind of like you said to
piggyback off of that. Even with the liundry rooms, sometimes
there are the home offices. Obviously, in the last ten years,
those those pocket offices have become super super popular, both
for the adults and even for kids to have one
up by their bedrooms if it is on a different
(09:42):
floor or something like that too. They don't have to
be big, they just have to be functional and make
you feel nice while you're doing you know, grocery lists,
the weekly things, or working from home for a bit.
To throw a printer in there in a little desk
space and it's it's all you need.
Speaker 2 (09:59):
Well, it's interesting how technology has changed the way we
think of a workspace because before again when I started
in this industry, a significant furniture piece that went into
home offices or a space that wasn't truly a home office,
(10:19):
but where the computer was were these big, giant arm
lass And that's back in the day when monitors were
not flat, they were deep tube monitors. Now I'm dating myself,
but because of flat screens, you don't need that depth anymore.
And because of laptops, which is what so many people use,
(10:40):
and a lot of people don't even have a laptop,
they use an iPad or some sort of tablet even
I mean it's mobile, you can take it anywhere. And
so those spaces, I think, you know, to your point,
having that small space where you can sit down, where
there is a printer accessible, and then also you know,
maybe be a place for some notebooks or notepads and
(11:03):
pens and just off of simple office supplies of that
nature to write those grocery lists. It's it's certainly a
consideration now when you're building a house from scratch, where
can you carve those spaces into.
Speaker 3 (11:19):
Yeah, and like I mentioned, it doesn't have to be
a large footprint. You can do it in a pretty
small area, you know, just making sure it's in a
central location that's you know, close to the hub of
the house and the kitchen or this or that, so
you can kind of be in your central area. And
the simplest thing, and this is not a new idea,
but just then having one of your drawers having outlets
in it to have a charging stations for all your
(11:41):
devices and that there always can be charged and things
like that too.
Speaker 2 (11:44):
Yes, charging stations. I love that meme that went around.
I don't know it's a couple of years old, but
it said something like, I'm going to die because I'm
going to be on life support and my kids are
going to unplug me to charge their phone. That was
so funny, but it's it's true right where our phones
need power and battery life, and so that's important. Well.
(12:06):
I also see islands and laundry rooms sometimes, and it's
so funny to even label them as a laundry room
because again I hear that term and I think of
the dungeon of the basement, you know, where you store
the Christmas bins and that sort of thing. But I
see islands there sometimes as well. I think just extra storage.
(12:27):
Sometimes there are you know, sports equipment, soccer balls and
that sort of thing in there. Sometimes they're makeshift mudrooms.
Sometimes they house cleaning supplies. So I think it's interesting
and positive that these spaces have been rethought addressing multiple
different functions, not just washing of the T shirts.
Speaker 3 (12:50):
Yeah, it definitely is, And you bring up a good
point along with the laundry room, the mudroom often sits
very close in proximity. But I think the mudroom has
also really evolved into this workhorse in the house and
really getting the storage and the organization going and making
sure everybody has spots for things and extra storage of
(13:11):
coats and hats and all the things that go along
with kids and everyday life and bags and things like that.
Speaker 2 (13:18):
Well, I imagine with your you know, because you have
three small children, you know, I imagine. I've had so
many people say that that is the centerpiece of the
start of a good day, when that mudroom has all
of everybody's stuff that's necessary for the day.
Speaker 3 (13:35):
And now, if we only had the trick of making
sure the kids always put the shoes back in the
basket the way they are meant to be, well, you.
Speaker 2 (13:43):
Know, baby steps, baby steps. I have a drawer in
my foyer, in a chest of doors where I put
all of the things that go in my handbag on
a daily basis, and I've gotten pretty good. I'm not perfect.
It doesn't happen one hundred percent at the time, but
I remove those things every day just because I like
(14:03):
to switch my bags out pretty much on a daily basis.
I don't necessarily use the same one and just to
have a sort of central hub where I can take
a small bag with you know, the lip gloss and
the things that don't ever I don't ever put those
things away because they're closet. They need to just be
at the ready, and so just to have that in
(14:24):
a central hub that doesn't have to go to my
bedroom closet is super handy.
Speaker 3 (14:31):
Yeah, just all about having things well organized and makes
your life easier every day for sure.
Speaker 2 (14:36):
Yes.
Speaker 3 (14:37):
Well, kind of as we talk about just kind of
the central part of the house, I don't think we
can not talk about the pantry or the back kitchen.
I mean those are definitely work horses in many houses,
you know, in many of the houses that we're doing,
the pantry almost has kind of a whole second kitchen
back there. It has you know, the guts as well
of just like all the little machines that home owner
(15:00):
have or extra coffee makers or blenders and different things
that you don't have to have those out in the
kitchen and you can kind of take that mess and
keep it all to the back.
Speaker 2 (15:11):
I'm telling you, whoever architect, designer, whoever came up with
the back kitchen originally needs to be anointed to whatever.
The biggest prize in the world is, like, let's give
them the Nobel Peace Prize and an Olympic Gold medal.
It is so brilliant and to be able I do
not have a back kitchen, I wish I did. To
(15:32):
be able to have a place to house all of
those darn small appliances is so much better than just
having them out. And the problem is, look, it's easy
to say, oh, well, you just put them away every day. Well,
the thing is when you use them every day or
multiple times a day, I'm not going to carry them
(15:52):
back and forth somewhere. I'm just not, Like, it's not reality.
If nobody's coming over, I'm not going to go to
that effort. So to have I have a back kitchen
where all of that can be stowed, I just again,
I think it is the most brilliant home luxury addition
that we've seen in a long time. The pantry. Similarly,
(16:13):
the walk in pantry for myself, who's an avid cook. Again,
I don't have a walk in pantry, but that is
on my dream list for sure, because just to have
all of your ingredients that I level and have a
place for everything, I think, you know, especially if you
cook a lot.
Speaker 3 (16:31):
Is such a luxury and there's I wish I could
say this was me. But I also go into some
of my clients' homes and their pantries are so well organized,
and I have the beautiful containers and they put the
cereal in different ones and it just it just looks beautiful,
but is also functional.
Speaker 2 (16:46):
To organization in the pantry so so important because it's frustrating.
Again I can say this as somebody who cooks all
the time. It's frustrating to not know what I have
or think did I buy I knew one of them?
Is it just hidden? Is it behind something? It's so frustrating.
So you can just have all of that out in
the open. And I think any of this in this
(17:08):
business can scroll Instagram and Pinterest all day long looking
at well organized pantries with all of the matching containers.
Speaker 3 (17:15):
Yes, definitely. Well, there's one specialty room that I find
kind of interesting that we've had in a couple of
our homes, and it's a holiday room. And I think
these weren't great for people that really have a passion
for all holidays or certain holidays. I have a couple
homes where they had a special closet behind the living
(17:36):
room fireplace that had like a secret door like millwork,
and the door opened up and their Christmas tree just
slid right into it, so they could just have it
always looking good and just would pull it back out.
Such a novelty to have a space like that. But
then just the storage for all of those holiday decor
as well.
Speaker 2 (17:54):
So I have mixed feelings about the storage of the
Christmas tree. First of all, in a perfect world, everybody
has a fresh that they've gone out with their family
and maybe had a fight in the middle of it
over which tree to buy, and there may be tears
involved in that, and some you know, other feelings, but
(18:17):
I think everybody should experience that at least once. It's fun, memorable,
and sometimes it can be a little miserable too, But
in all seriousness, I love the idea, the thought of
just rolling away that Christmas tree. But I know people
who literally surran wrap their Christmas tree with the ornaments
on it, so they just have to roll it out,
(18:39):
and I'm like, oh, but part of the memories, part
of the nostalgia is going through the boxes of the
ornaments and remembering, oh, I remember who gave this to
me or this is what I made in first grade.
So when it comes to Christmas, I'm still like, oh,
Christmas isn't supposed to be convenient. It's supposed to be
(18:59):
a viserble for everybody.
Speaker 3 (19:01):
Yes, a mess of glitter all over the home.
Speaker 2 (19:03):
There's supposed to be a mess of glitter. There's supposed
to be pine needles. And so the busy, overscheduled person
in me thinks, oh gosh, that would be nice to
just roll that Christmas tree out and have it all done.
But the sentimentalist and that trumps the overscheduled person for me.
I still want the experience of the tree trimming on
(19:25):
the Saturday with Nat King Cole in the background and
hot chocolate.
Speaker 3 (19:29):
The nostalgia of it all.
Speaker 2 (19:30):
Yes, but I will say having a holiday room where
you can have all of the bins that are red
and green for Christmas, I'm all for the holiday room.
I love that idea because you don't need it the
other eleven months of the year, so let's just out
of sight, out of mind until November rolls around again.
Speaker 3 (19:49):
Well, and how often I feel like I'm going through
It's like where's that tote? I know there's another tote
that has those missing things in it, and so just
to have it all in one space makes it know
that that one wouldn't get lost well.
Speaker 2 (20:01):
And I imagine that your kids are old enough now
where they have memories of decorations, because sure I think
as a kid that was you know, you open the
top of the box and you know that piece was
unveiled that you've always had, and it's really special for
a child and adults too to see those reminders over
(20:22):
and over again.
Speaker 3 (20:23):
Well, I think kind of along with a little more
unique type of a space is those wrapping rooms or
craft rooms that happen in some homes too, truly a
specialty if that's something that you really enjoy. You've got
a craft that you want to be able to have
out and just work on different things and or have
the storage for it. That's a big thing too, is
(20:44):
being able to just have organization within a room like
that that you can easily access, whether it's paints or
scrapbooking or different types of mediums that you can kind
of just easily access. Nothing better than having it easy
to use when you've got a million birthday parties to
pull out some wrapping paper easily to be able to
wrap something. I love it when I've had a couple
(21:07):
projects where they actually kind of have like your big
department stores, the big rolls of paper that just are
on a roll and they pull it out and can
wrap the present.
Speaker 2 (21:16):
So this is what I do have in my house. Yeah,
I do have a wrapping slash craft room. I have
bins with glitter, stickers, markers. Ask me what I've ever made,
But I like to have the supplies. I think I
don't know. I clearly have a little bit of a
hoarder in me, maybe because I love seeing all the
(21:37):
supplies and I love looking at the supplies. That is
inspirational enough for me. I don't actually have to make anything,
which is great because I don't have time.
Speaker 3 (21:47):
And you don't have the mess.
Speaker 2 (21:48):
I don't have the mess. Yeah, there's not glitter everywhere.
The glitter is housed in its little tubes that you
buy it in at hobby lobby. But the wrapping room.
I love to wrap gifts and I have all of
my ribbons, and I have my ribbons organized. Some of
them are in bins, some of them are I saw this.
(22:09):
This is probably the first idea that I ever adopted
from Pinterest. Back whenever Pinterest started, I saw somebody who
took hangars for pants, the ones that have the little
rods that sort of snap in and then you can
pull them out and they're kind of rubberized. I slide
rolls of ribbons on those, so they just naturally unroll
(22:32):
when you pull on them. And so I have a
rod that has all of those hangers on them organized
by color. That makes it super simple. But then I
have bins of ribbons too. I just I love it all.
I love to wrap gifts. I did invest in some
large rolls of a couple of signature papers that I
(22:54):
can use and dress up for multiple occasions. And then
they're on the stands that just you can naturally pull
out and then you can cut them so easily. But
those have been life savers, just because I love to
do it so much. If you don't like to wrap,
then go get your little bag and throw it in
there with some tissue paper. But I do love my
wrapping room and craft room just because it makes it easier.
Speaker 3 (23:18):
It does, and I have it kind of in my
little pocket office that I have and it's just a
simple tall cabinet and I put a roll out garbage
bin and then all my roles just sit in there,
so it makes it easy to grab two. So it's
not you're pretty perfect, but it's accessible and easy, which
makes it easy. And then have the ribbons and everything
(23:38):
and containers above it, so it makes all the millions
of birthday parties we go to right now easy for
me just to wrap a quick gift because I love
to wrap too. I think it's just a fun way
to put your style on things.
Speaker 2 (23:49):
I think that anybody who's in the design business probably
loves gift wrapping at Christmas time under the tree because
you can coordinate very much with patterns and colors the
same way that you would in a room. Yeah, I
mean you're picking patterns, you're picking scale, picking colors.
Speaker 3 (24:07):
Yep, you want that to compliment. I mean I won't
let depending on how I do my living room, I'm
not gonna if red and green aren't the color scheme
this year and it's more than metallics, I'm not going
to stick that color underneath my tree.
Speaker 2 (24:18):
Okay, So that's my question. Do you pick the same
palette every year to go under your tree or do you?
Speaker 3 (24:28):
Because I start all over every year, I sometimes we'll
do a year two the same, just kind of depending
on what my time and band speed is that year,
to kind of get things going.
Speaker 2 (24:39):
Because I do love the picking of the paper every year,
and I don't totally care if it goes with my
living room. I just sort of look at the tree
as its own unit for the four weeks or days
before I get they're not there very long in my
world wrapped. But I love picking the paper and the
(25:01):
coordinates every year.
Speaker 3 (25:02):
So well, christ I know you and I are bolt golfers,
or attempt to be at certain times. It's kind of
fun to be able to do that these summer months
and into the fall. But there has been such a
popularity in golf rooms. I can't tell you how many
golf simulators we are putting in homes anymore, and just
for the function of having that entertainment factor, just extra
(25:24):
swings and the games the kids can play or the
big adults can play in there too. They're surely having
a moment.
Speaker 2 (25:31):
They sure are, and I suspect that that moment will
not go away any time in the near future. This
has been a really interesting phenomenon to me. We see
them not in every house that is submitted to us
because we have a lot of antique houses that, you
know what, require serious interesting to accommodate that. But I
(25:53):
have seen even historic homes that have been retrofitted to
accommodate these and I think, you know, so, how fun
is this, especially where we are in the Midwest where
we can't enjoy golf for a good six months of
the year, to be able to practice improve improve on
(26:14):
my list when it comes to golf, They're just so
much fun. And there's one house in particular that I
can think of. It was a shoot that we did
in a western suburb of Chicago. I'm not going to
name which one, but they had a golf simulator room.
It was so fantastic. First of all, the golf simulator
(26:36):
portion of the space was lower and then up top
there was a bar area. But the bar was a
piece of wood from California that was chiseled with the
entire Pebble Beach golf course. Oh wow, on it was
(26:57):
super super special. So I think think it's really interesting
not only that these spaces exist with the golf simulators,
but also, you know, to see people's golf paraphernalia because
people collect, you know, all sorts of things, the flags
from the special courses that they've played, or ball markers
and that sit in the bowl. So I think that
(27:19):
that's super fun to see how they're decorated in the
paraphernalia and accessories that people have to support them.
Speaker 3 (27:27):
And I think what's need about it too, is you
don't have to completely be an avid golfer to have one.
I mean several clients that have put them in they're like, well,
we don't really we don't golf a lot, but it's
just it's a family friendly activity that everyone can do.
And some of the games that are on there, you
can't really tell if you're a good golfer or not.
It's just the art of like just having some fun.
Speaker 2 (27:46):
Well, I will say Peaches can tell if I'm a
good golfer. Peaches is the voice on the golf simulator
at the course where I play in the winter, and
Peaches is she is not so friendly with my bad point.
That automated voice can send me home in a really
bad mood because I'm like, who is who is Peaches
(28:07):
to judge?
Speaker 3 (28:08):
Yes, yeah, that's funny.
Speaker 2 (28:10):
So Megan, one room that is not new to this
whole personal space situation in design is the theater room.
And I'm really curious to know your thoughts on the
theater room and then I'll give you mine. So how
are your clients treating the theater room? Is it still
a thing that they want?
Speaker 3 (28:30):
I would say we don't do them nearly as much
as we used to, but there usually is still a
few a year on our new constructions where we're putting
them in. I think it's people know that they won't
use them a ton a ton, but I think it's
just one of those things that they have a special
space to go and create memories, which which I appreciate,
(28:51):
but that it's not going to be like, oh, we're
using this every week type of a thing too. Some
of them are rooms too that the like sports enthusiasts
that they'll they'll go and then be able just to
have four football games on on a Sunday afternoon too,
so it becomes this extra sort of entertainment media room
as well. I don't mind designing them because I've we've
(29:13):
started had a little more fun with them, kind of
like some of these other rooms that are specialty areas.
We're not just going to do black walls and a
plaid carpet and the black screen, you know, really giving
them their own vibe in the space. We're doing a
remodel right now that has the whole lower levels kind
of having an Art deco feel, which is super cool.
The bar is just fabulous, and then we just took
that theme into the theater room with colors and patterns
(29:36):
and just gave it this vibe. And in that respect,
I appreciate it, but I don't like it when they
just throw them in and don't give them any attention
to detail and kind of just spend the bare minimum
on them.
Speaker 2 (29:49):
Well from day one, I will say, of all of
the spaces that we're talking about today, the theater room
is the one that I like the least. I've always
thought it was a bit gimmicky, only from the perspective
that I thought that's what the family room was for.
I thought the family room was for watching movies and
(30:10):
watching sports. And I never have loved how the furniture
has been arranged in them. And I'm obviously speaking broadly
here because they are oftentimes recliners that are facing forward,
and when I watch a movie, I want to lay
down on a sofa situation, so I've never quite understood them.
(30:33):
I mean, I get why people want them, but personally
that is not something. Give me the fancy dressing room,
the golf room in the walk and pantry with the
back kitchen all day long. I will gladly give up
the theater room. I like the family room. I like
the fireplace and the textures of stone. If there is
(30:53):
a fireplace and all that's going on there, I just
don't want to be in a dark room where I'm
watching Breakfast Club again, right.
Speaker 3 (31:03):
And I think a couple of them that we've been
getting a little creative too on some of the furniture
layouts and not doing just the rows of seats instead
doing having big, big sectionals that then maybe still recline
in certain spots or you can lay down, and that
you can just really have this lounging experience in there instead.
I've also seen a few of those golf rooms kind
(31:23):
of like you mentioned in the Chicago House of then,
like they have the sofas behind there where you can
watch the golf simulator, but you also can multipurpose and
watch a movie on that screen as well, and that
works out pretty well too.
Speaker 2 (31:37):
I will say in the theater room. There are always
some fun examples where people do them really well. And
I can appreciate those families who are movie addicts. And
I can think of one where, you know, you walk
down a little hallway and they have movie posters of
their favorite films. Each family member got to pick a
(31:58):
favorite film where they have poster in the movie lights
all around in a real popcorn machine. So that's fun.
I get it. It's just not for me, and I'm
not a huge movie watcher anyway. I'm not a big
television person. If I were, it would matter to me more.
Speaker 3 (32:13):
Well, Chris, I think this last one that we're going
to talk about, I think it tugs at both of
our hearts, but I don't think either of us would
utilize one in the current state. But I think we
both have a passion or would love to garden. And
the idea of a potting room, I think is so charming.
And to be able to have a space that you
can have extra plantings in and just have this beautiful
(32:35):
little cottagy space that has all your plantings and potting
things and just a place to function in a garden.
Speaker 2 (32:42):
I agree. I am always in awe. There's certain people
who do certain things that I'm just I really know
next to nothing about it, and so I'm just in
awe of what they can do. And those are gardeners,
and I have several friends couple who are master gardeners,
but several friends who are so into gardening. I'm the
(33:04):
outlier for sure. So I love the idea of a
potting room. Those that I've seen are they're just delicious
with all of the texture from the terra cotta pots
and there's always some moss going on, and just all
of the tools that are so foreign to me because
this is something that I do at a very basic level.
(33:25):
It also elicits some really wonderful wallpapers and wall textures.
I've just seen beautiful trellis papers and topiaries of course,
So I think that's really nice.
Speaker 3 (33:38):
Just a little farmhouse sink that's old fashioned and has
a little skirted ruffle underneath it that houses the plumbing
and that charm.
Speaker 2 (33:46):
That's a great point that you just brought up the
old fashioned things. There are so many wonderful garden antiques,
and if you're not really into antiques, a whole lot
that could be a place where you could incorporate something
that's old and a little crusty and weathered and worn.
To have that patina represented so many beautiful garden antiques,
(34:06):
and you know, for people who may not want that
inside their home and their public spaces, it's a great
opportunity to find something that's a little more special and unique.
Speaker 3 (34:16):
It certainly is. It just is a good way to
have those little displays in there. So well, Chris, it
was fun chatting about these specialty rooms because I think
they are, like we said, oftentimes workhorses in the home
that are highly functional and spaces we need to function well,
but why not have them be beautiful as well?
Speaker 2 (34:34):
Absolutely, And you know, again for all of our listeners,
just to remind yourself that your home is where you are,
it's where your family is, and we should really be
designed about your needs right now, not for a few
days of the year, and not for people who you
rarely see or who you don't even know. You don't
even know, you're designing for people who may come over
five years from now. So all of those personal spaces
(34:57):
as you are renovating or building from scratch are important
to keep in mind. And the one thing is you
do have to be creative if you live in a
home that already exists, because sometimes you have to really
think about what you want a space to be. So
maybe that's another episode for us. What do you want
you're supposed to be?
Speaker 3 (35:18):
Yeah, and I think that sometimes you are. You're given
the footprint you have and you have to get creative
on how you create some of these spaces in there,
and they might not be large and luxurious, but they
can still be functional in a small way too.
Speaker 1 (35:31):
Thank you for listening to this week's episode of Boulevard Beat.
If you enjoyed this episode, please follow along and leave
a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen
so you never miss an episode, And of course follow
your hosts on Instagram at Megan bloom Interiors, at CHRISA. Rossbund,
and at Liz Legit. We'll be back next week as
we take a stroll down another boulevard
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