During last week’s update about our Homearama Showhouse for Habitat for Humanity, we shared a few early peeks at how some of the rooms were shaping up.
Technically, the rooms are still shaping up mainly in our heads and on paper — we’re about three weeks away from moving furnishings in. Right now the painters are putting on the base coats, cabinetry is next, and the hardwood floors will be stained on site. For the moment, most items exist as mood boards and shopping lists.
In the last week the builder and his team have made steady progress, and we’ve finalized furniture and accessory plans for several rooms. Two spaces that are furthest along are the study (aka the home office) and the dining room, which are also the first two rooms visitors see when they enter the house. We wanted them to set the right tone: one light and cheerful, the other a bit cozy and moody, so together they introduce the overall feeling we’re after.
Let’s start with the study — a home office envisioned for a woman who works from home (perhaps someone who blogs). We wanted to avoid the traditional dark, mahogany study look and instead create something light, cheerful, and subtly feminine.
- The walls and trim are painted Benjamin Moore Simply White, but we’ll paint the 10′ ceiling a saturated turquoise called Skydive to add drama and height.
- A rust Wire Globe Lantern from our lighting collection will hang above the floating desk in the center of the room.
- Floor-length curtains in a textured Dapp woven fabric (Elephant) will frame the window and add a modern, cozy layer.
- West Elm offered a striped Saddle Office Chair for the desk — it’s on back order, but we’re hopeful it will arrive in time.
- We plan to add chic storage boxes to keep the desk area tidy.
- A colorful pencil mug will add a cheerful touch to the workspace.
- The wood-and-metal desk is being loaned by Green Front Furniture for the show; the photographed tabletop has been retouched to remove display materials.
- We love artwork from Help Ink, which donates part of the proceeds to charity. One of their prints fits the color palette and offers a positive message that suits the room.
- West Elm donated a Torres Wood Kilim rug in Guava to keep the space light and casual.
- We’re considering purchasing another Help Ink print — choosing accessories with a charitable angle feels right for a house created to support Habitat.
Many of these elements are already committed, though accessories and art may evolve as the rooms come together. Now on to the dining room. Last week it looked bare, and we’re still waiting for the large glass pocket doors with a transom to be installed at the wide entry.
Yesterday the dining room made great strides after the custom wainscot was completed and freshly painted. Instead of typical raised panels, we opted for a subtle, wide-angled pattern made from wood slats with a 1/4″ gap between them so the design reads like an engraved texture rather than a pronounced relief. We collaborated closely with the carpenter, sketching angles directly on the wall and testing board widths and spacing until the pattern felt just right. For reference, we used 1 x 3″ boards, quarter-inch spacing, and an angle near 22 degrees from the floor.
With most furnishings still to be added, the wainscot provides the room’s primary texture. Once the upper walls are painted a deep tone to balance the white trim, the room will read more complete. Here are the main design ideas for the dining room:
- The upper walls will be painted Kendall Charcoal, a deep brown-gray that introduces a moody contrast to the white wainscot.
- The custom wainscoting remains glossy white, providing a crisp base for the darker upper walls.
- An industrial-modern island chandelier in bronze will hang above the table.
- West Elm donated a Jute Bouclé rug in Platinum that we fell for; it will ground the dining area with texture and warmth.
- Potted greenery will serve as fresh, simple centerpieces for the table.
- A rustic wood pedestal table on loan from Green Front Furniture will sit beneath the chandelier.
- A mix of old wine bottles or green glass vases among the plantings will add subtle color and character.
- Dark upholstered dining chairs will pop against the white wainscot and enhance the moody upper wall.
- Floor-length curtains in Stri fabric in Ultramarine (donated by U-Fab) will reference the angled wainscot and add a quiet, elegant color statement on the window wall.
We’re thrilled to see this phase unfold, where spaces begin to feel like real rooms and we can start filling them with thoughtful pieces. It’s hard to believe this was a dirt lot just a few months ago, and in about two months we’ll have a complete finished showhouse with more than 20 distinct spaces to share. That’ll be a whirlwind of before-and-after moments — and somewhere in the middle of it all, we’re expecting a baby. Time to buckle up and enjoy the ride.
Psst – Want to see the finished showhouse? Explore our full showhouse tour for final room photos, the floor plan, budget details, a video walk-through, and the showhouse furniture and accessories.