Jeanette needed some assistance with her 1949 Ravenna Bungalow in Seattle.

The front door opened right into the living room. There were things everywhere, all over the place, free-flowing and unattached and made no sense. I began again with a clean slate and made the clutter disappear...in my mind.

I designed a multifunctional, Craftsman style built-in that included a room partition with storage space inside, a banquette and a floor to ceiling bookshelf. I contacted Cabinetpak with this idea, and with their know-how, we set to work.

We re routed the heating vent to face inside the space we were creating; and built the banquette, two long and low window seats, below the two picture windows at the front of the house. There were five deep and sturdy drawers, so that all of the toys could easily be moved out of sight.

The entry partition included a much needed closet space, shelving and cubbies, with doors that closed.

The new room became a place to be, to pause, to gather thought, to play with toys, and to paint, and read together.

With the need for additional lighting, we installed an antique Craftsman lantern as an entry light, and Jeanette and her family were thrilled with the results.