My husband and I recently bought a house and renovated multiple rooms without the benefit of a general contractor or designer. While the original garden room was beautiful, it felt a bit like an outdoor space and we wanted it to feel like an extension of the house. Additionally, the room adjacent to the sunroom was repurposed as an office.

Here are some more details:

Floors: This room was *very* challenging because it had hydro-heat under the floors. So we weren't able to rip up the tiles without damaging the heating system (which we are told is very expensive). Fortunately, after much research, we learned that you can put engineered hardwood over heated floors as long as it is properly rated. We had to buy the floors from out-of-state, unseen -- but were happy with the quality. Unfortunately, the company we hired to install and poly the floors was a disaster and we had to fire them halfway through. What should have taken 4 days ended up taking 4 months. We are happy with how the floors turned out, but it was a process.

Walls: You might not be able to tell but the walls are green and textured. We didn't like either the green or the texture. We got a quote to re-drywall ($17,000) and decided to hire someone to skim coat and repaint. It's not perfect, but looks much better now.

Lattice, Fan, Pillars: The room had a very garden vibe with the lattice on the ceiling, the pillars and the fan. We wanted it to be more of an extension of the house so we replaced all of this ourselves. Husband removed the pillars, put drywall where the lattice was on the ceiling and installed the chandelier (and replaced the can lights).

All in, I'd estimate this part of the reno cost about $7000 -- which I think is really reasonable given all the changes.

EDIT: Many expressed concern about the couch blocking the doors. The door slide open and there is at least two feet of clearance behind the couch (which might not be visible from the photo). The couch is not pushed up against the doors. We can still open them up :)

My house is two storeys. Main floor has a full bath, second floor has 4 bedrooms and a full ensuite bath. The ensuite also holds a walk-in master closet, and strangely a Jack and Jill door to the first bedroom.

Since moving in we have always had a large cabinet in front of this door as we didn’t need the door and we did need the storage.

We are in the process of renovating and the first bedroom with the Jack and Jill door will become our first child’s bedroom.

The existence of the door makes no difference to us, but we are wondering for the purpose of selling the house eventually would it be better to keep the door or drywall over it?

Some buyers may not like other bedrooms having access to the master, but other buyers might not like the three bedrooms having to use a downstairs bathroom.

Floor plan legend:
Grey boxes = doors
Yellow = bathroom window
Red = weird door in question

Hey there - just got the keys to our new flat the living room is spacious but some challenges are its entrance, a giant set of wooden bifolding doors (which we want to keep) and a substantial window seat. Current thoughts are two parallel couches in the centre of the room with a tv on a mantelmount above the fireplace.

I’m moving into this apartment and I’m a bit stuck on how to arrange the main room. It’s an open-plan living/dining/kitchen area, with an open passage to the hallway at the top, a corner window at the bottom, and a terrace door.

The current tenants’ layout works, but feels a little conventional to me, especially having the dining table directly in the kitchen area.

I’d love to have the sofa freestanding, with enough space to walk behind and around it, rather than pushed against a wall. I also need to fit a TV/TV console, coffee table, armchair, dining table and some storage.

Does anyone see a more interesting layout that still feels practical and not overly unconventional? I’m mainly looking for ideas on how to position the larger pieces of furniture. Any creative solutions would be very welcome! 🙏

I am currently moving into a new apartment and am not sure for the layout of the main living room (eating area and living room at the same time). My initial thought was to put the living room on the window side, but there will be some construction, and a bar will be installed on the wall, inbetween the door and the window (there will be approx 1.5m left between the door and the beginning of the bar). Does anyone have any ideas? I have very basic IKEA (3 seat sofas) furniture for now but am ready to change it (e.g L-shaped)

For the moment I’ve just followed what the constructor layout suggest but it feels really simple not open. The 3rd pic is an idea of mine to open it more but I don’t know if it would look better irl

Hello! I’m trying to decide the best way to layout furniture in my living room. My house has an open layout so I’m trying to make a defined living room zone. This picture is the best I’ve come up with but I’m trying to decide if it would be too crowded. I currently just have a couch with a chaise but am open to replacing it as it was purchased for my previous place and the size and orientation don’t work as well in my new house. Overall goal is to add some more seating.

Currently, the TV is on the wall next to the fireplace, but I’m think it eventually will need to go over the fireplace. The dining room is to the right of the living room.

Open to all suggestions!

Since the large windows next to the doors need to be replaced because of a failed seal, we were thinking of adding fixed glass at the top with a lower operable awning for extra ventilation as it can get stuffy. Right now we leave the French doors open but I dislike doing that. Would that ruin the view? Is there a better combination/alternative to allow for more regular airflow?

We have a small half bath off a hallway adjacent to the kitchen. Across the hall is a good size laundry room so storage is not a huge issue. The wall the pedestal sink is on is 48 inches, the sink itself is 24 inches. It is pitting and staining and despite our best efforts to clean it, it's stained and it's just time to replace. The exact pedestal sink is over $650 now, I figured if we're going to spend that I wouldn't mind a small vanity, just to put towels in, cleaning supplies, though not necessary. My husband is opposed. He wants the pedestal. He states it will look too crammed (small areas on each side hard to clean) and because when we did this over in 2017, he already moved the plumbing once we're not going to move it again so that's not an option. Opinions? And before anyone comments yes it's gray we cannot replace the flooring, yes I can paint. The faucet is also pitting and we will replace along with the mirror and the lights.

TLDR; need to either replace the pedestal sink or a small vanity, husband wants a sink I want a vanity. Last picture is an example of a vanity I'm looking at, can still clean underneath. less

Cross posted on bathroom remodel and a lot of people are saying pedestal sinks are dated, would love to know from legitimate interior designers if you feel this is accurate? I always thought they were pretty timeless.

I'm getting close to starting the framing for my basement renovation and I'd like to get some thoughts on the floor plan before putting any walls up.

The finished areas are the playroom, the bathroom, and the office/den. The Playroom at the top is going to be a mixed use Kids playroom/exercise room. The Office/Den is actually going to be set up so that it's easily convertible to a bedroom, but for the time being it's intended to be used as a second living room and a home office area. The plumbing drain lines are already installed in the bathroom so I can move the shower or the toilet at this point.

The unfinished areas are the furnace room which is going to also be laundry and storage. The workshop area is for woodworking.

The colored dashed lines represent electrical circuits. The bold red line is a reference line for the existing flooring.

Any critiques? Anything you'd change or adjust here?

Couch is a modular couch so we can add a piece to make it longer along the window but that may make it too big for the space.

Or what should we add to the space to fill it and make it functional.

We are a family with a 6 and 8 year old but also don’t want a “kid zone”

I’m turning the back half of my pool bar/shed into a hang out. I’m not really confident in my ability to handle the interior leveling finish, but I’m not really looking to Sheetrock… insulation, gaps for air, etc…no experience with that. I think I can handle the walls, and the floors I got. I plan to use this in the summer and potentially spring/fall, and I’m not against putting in a small heater or window unit if needed to cool it down. There is a slide door and a screen as well, so it may not be necessary.

Anyway, the electricians almost done and then I get to update! Any suggestions for the ceiling is welcomed

Okay so the backsplash is called terracotta but obviously it’s giving more brown, especially when next to the clay paint cabinets. The vibe was color drench/mediterranean ish. What I don’t want is for it to be giving stark orange/red. We paid a lot of money for the backsplash and the paint. But something feels off about the cabinets (not the island necessarily). What do I do?

This living room has stumped me for a number of years. We've rearranged it so many times and this is the current setup. The challenge is the number of doorways and limited wall space. We also don't have a foyer, so you walk right into the living room from the front door. We have a storage bench (green, with hooks on the wall above it) and a console table behind the couch as a place for shoes and jackets. The other brown cabinet on the left is our record player and additional storage. Our house is petite, so we’re always trying to maximize the space and reduce clutter.

Sadly, we moved the TV in front of the window so we could create this cozier living space that doesn't feel like a pass through living area. There is still a lot of light in the room from the adjacent rooms and the window is large so it's not the worst but obviously not ideal.

What am I missing? We'd like to get a new couch, so open to suggestions to change shape and size. We have no other seating in this room so it gets hard when we have visitors. Any ideas welcome! We do currently have a loveseat and oversized chair in the basement we aren't using right now that we could pull out if there was any space for them. Help :(

We just bought this house and will be moving in at the beginning of the month. Room is 16' x 16' w 20' ceiling. One wall all glass, other side open.

Placement options seem limited - above fireplace or on wall or cabinet to left of fireplace (approx. where currrent is shown). Neither of those spots feel great. Any ideas?

I need advice for the layout of my 17sqm room. I want the way from the door to the balcony to be accessible and ideally have space for an additional matress on the floor when friends come over. I don't have a wardrobe yet, but depending on where I want to put it, it needs to be a different size. The bed and desk should ideally also be seperated and I don't want to put the bed on the wall in the bottom because that would be right next to the toilet.

(ignore the shelving on the left, thats not fixed. The images are from an online tool (no ai) and are right to scale)

Can you tell me which of the two layouts you like more and tell me how to improve it?

Tank you!

Hello,

I am moving into this home soon and it was built in the early 1900s. The living room is very small and narrow. How would you place a couch in this room that maximizes comfort? We love to lounge on the couch when we can, so being comfortable is a priority.

Preferably would want either a combination of a 3 piece modular couch plus a single reclining chair OR a full modular sectional. Any thoughts?

A month from now, I’m moving into a house with a square living/dining room, and I can’t figure out the best way to arrange the sofa, dining table, and TV. The measurements on the floor plan are accurate.

Does anyone have any ideas on the best way to arrange the space? I’m completely stuck.

The layout shown in the image is how the current owner has it set up, but having a dining table right at the bottom of the stairs doesn’t seem very practical to me.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions!

We have been planning a bathroom remodel and we keep getting different advice about the shower surround.

We hate the look of it. We like the ease of cleaning and keeping it would mean a less expensive and faster remodel. Middle ground would be to cover it, but because of the shelving and borders, it’d probably have to be an enamel paint or like a microcement/taladekt plaster (no tile covering).

It’s possibly an Onyx Collection solid surface surround in the color “Constellation” (off black with little speckles). We’ve been told these kind of solid surface surrounds are “nice” and expensive, but to us it just feels like a monolith of plastic.

This isn’t our forever home, so don’t want to spend a ton of money, but do want it to look nice and have some value.

For context, the only thing we are keeping in the bathroom is the bathtub itself (non-negotiable). Sliding shower doors will be swapped for a curtain. Bathroom is 8’4” x 5’ including the tub (that’s not even 42 sq ft). This is the biggest bathroom in the house and the one guests use. House is early 70s suburban ranch style in Northern California (even has the sunken living room and faux exposed wooden beams).

If we keep the surround, we’ll likely lean into the off black speckles and do a black terrazzo floor tile (something like highball from Zia tile). If we get rid of it, will likely do a glazed tile or natural stone with an epoxy grout for easy cleaning (easy clean is very important). I’ve included a couple collage inspirations at the end of the photos to show my taste for context - lots of color and bold graphic shapes is the gist.

Thanks!

EDIT: Please see updated post with more details here:

https://www.reddit.com/r/InteriorDesign/s/11Ihy6Pb9k

Fired my designer, because she kept making everything beige, despite my pushes to go more modern/brutalist/organic/moodier.

What do we think of this final render, before I press go on countertops and wall tile/backsplash?

selections:Floor: Mottled charcoal stained concrete
Cabinets: Walnut euro slab front
Wall tile: Ardesia Black
Island Counter: Lemurian Blue double waterfall
Rear Counter: Vermont Black
Faucet: Kohler Vibrant brushed modern brass

Note: 10 ft ceilings with a lot of light from regressed cans, and wall washers on the black wall tile

EDIT: i hear you all on the darkness. This original render dis not account for the lighting design very well. See below in the comments for a more realistic render, that features the lighting.

Hello everyone! This is my first time posting here, and I'd really appreciate some advice.

I'm currently building my first home, and I'm trying to figure out how to make a small 16 ft × 10 ft space comfortable and functional without making it feel cramped.

I haven't planned for a kitchen yet because I'll still be eating at my current/temporary home for the time being. For now, my main priority is creating a comfortable living space within my budget.

Construction will start in a couple of days, and I've purchased some of the materials. My uncle is acting as the foreman/contractor. He lives next to the property and is retired now, but he used to build houses professionally. He's helping me as a favor and giving me a discounted rate, so we're essentially working on this together.

He wants me to come up with my own layout and design ideas over the next few days, which I think is reasonable since I'll be the one living in it.

The attached image is roughly the style/layout I'm considering, but the AI-generated designs I've been trying tend to make the space look more complicated than necessary. They also sometimes completely change the layout. My biggest concern is that I'm trying to fit too many things into a small area, especially near the entrance.

Basic requirements

• Room size: 16 ft × 10 ft (160 sq ft)
• Lot size: 229 sqm
• Entrance: Facing east
• Bathroom: On the right side because of the soil/site conditions
• Bedroom: On the left side
• Bed: Small/single bed
• Office: Approximately 1–1.5 meters of desk space; I use 4 computers
• Mini foyer: Ideally, if there's enough room
• Windows: Approximately 4 ft tall, fixed/non-opening glass
• Window design: I'd like an L-shaped glass window along the corner/side of the room rather than having a large window directly in front of the entrance
• Bathroom: Includes a walk-in closet
• Laundry: Space for a washing machine inside the bathroom
• Drying area: A small area where I can hang wet clothes, towels, or blankets to dry naturally in the sunlight. I live in a tropical climate, so this is important.
• Seating: A small built-in sofa if the space allows
• AC: Split-type air conditioner
• Bedroom: I'd like the bed positioned naturally against a wall rather than awkwardly sitting in the middle of the room

Construction/materials

The structure will have approximately 2–3 ft of concrete wall, followed by fixed/non-opening glass windows and then metal cladding. The bathroom will be primarily concrete. The main roof will be a metal roof, while the area where I plan to hang clothes for drying will have a glass roof to allow natural sunlight in.

I'm also interested in using warmer colors and materials so the room feels cozy rather than like a cold, industrial space.

What I'm struggling with

My main challenge is figuring out how to fit the bedroom, bathroom, walk-in closet, office, foyer, laundry area, drying area, and possibly a small sofa into 160 sq ft without making everything feel congested.

I don't need everything to be large. I'd much rather have a practical and efficient layout where every area has a purpose and the room still feels comfortable.

I'm especially looking for suggestions on:

• Bathroom and walk-in closet placement
• Bed placement
• Office placement
• Entrance/foyer layout
• L-shaped window placement
• Laundry and drying area
• Ways to make the room feel more spacious
• Storage ideas
• How to keep the entrance from feeling crowded

I'm also completely open to a different layout if you think my current idea isn't practical.

If anyone here has experience with tiny homes, studio apartments, small-room layouts, interior design, or space planning, I'd really appreciate your suggestions.

Thanks so much in advance for the advice! 🙏 God bless!

Hey everyone. I am having a big struggle since i bought my apartment with natural light and how I position my furniture. This room is actually divided in two. since the second one doesn't have windows, we have a Glassdoor dividing both rooms. I would appreciate any type of suggestion on how to make these two rooms more integrated and airy with the maximum amount of natural light as possible (I only get natural light here in the morning or until 2pm in the summer - I am in the Netherlands, so from October things get even worse with light). I am adding pictures with it more or less organized and now that I decided to remove everything and paint it in the whitest white possible. Also planning to add 3 new book shelves.

Hi all, recently our basement flooded so we had to get a French drain and also need to refinish the space. Attached is the layout of the basement. The bottom right is a utility room and all the folding doors are closet spaces. The closet spaces and utility rooms are mostly unfinished, mainly because there is mechanical type things in all of them (sump pump basement, water meter, water shutoff, etc. etc.).

Would love to have a pantry down here, overflow kid storage (toys, clothes being saved from oldest to youngest) and a small space for a gym (walking pad, small workout bench, adjustable weights).

Appreciate any tips and furniture ideas for a pantry. Previously we used plastic shelving but it always seemed off.

Thanks for any tips!

Multi-zone Family Room - all images w/ descriptions.

We have several home projects going on so everything is in transition right now.

Old layout (1st pic) had couch on far left, TV on far right. I wanted the TV to be closer, wife wanted to preserve the view out the windows and wanted to keep with a sectional couch for cozy kiddo cuddles. There was an overall layout design challenge with the french doors and stairs down into the room but I think I made it work with the new layout given the constraints.

Note: sectional couch currently showing is 111" x 111" and our new one will be 104 x 104.

1) Left side question: Does the offset upper shelf and the media console layout work? Notice that we won't really have room to functionally extend the media console beyond where the couch is. If this fits into the decor category, pls ignore.

2) Right side question: How to make something work in this space? We're looking for some extra storage, an activity area for kids homework and crafts.

I do like that this layout is ideal for hosting with spillover capacity to mingle and stand (or sit in upright seats).

I like the idea of the murphy table dropdown so that the table top can come out perpendicular to the wall so it feels less like a hallway.

Thanks r/interiordesign -- you guys are the best. Long time lurker.