This month, I thought it would be fun to share progress shots of some personal design projects I’m currently in the middle of: two JSD offices in Oakland and Atlanta and my own Georgia home.
I wish I could say “get ready for pretty pictures,” but this is real life — a renovated space always looks terrible before it becomes beautiful. Plus, you know I’m not one to hold back.
I’m also very comfortable telling you that things like material shortages, unexpected delays, and permit issues are still a very real part of renovating in 2023. Annoying? Yes. Avoidable? Nope, but at least we have the experience to navigate it like pros — and we’re finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.
All of these projects (if we’re lucky) are projected to be complete by the end of the quarter. Here’s what they look like now...
In Progress: The Lake House Remodel
Yep, that’s my house, coming together slowly but surely. We’ve made strides since the last time I updated you, but it’s a saga that won’t quit. (I won’t bore you with the challenges, but let’s just say, homeowners, I feel your pain!)
The “most improved” award goes to the kitchen (left image above), which is really coming together. THAT STONE, right?! I could stare at it for days! And probably will. We also had our fixtures installed in the great room, and the bathrooms are getting close to being done, too. We’re not at the finish line yet, but I’m hopeful.
In the backyard, we currently have this work in progress. Will we be soaking in lake views and sipping sangria by the pool when summer rolls around?? Who can say? But you’ll be the first to know.
In Progress: Georgia Office
Welcome to our new office in Downtown Macon! You can already see the potential, right? The windows alone sold me on this space, and it’s even larger than our Oakland office. So far, we’ve only changed the duct work, added new light fixtures, and built a designated office space in the back, but we have exciting plans in the works.
Nostalgia: The Lakeshore Office in Oakland
“Kelly, this doesn’t look like a renovation photo.” Okay, you got me. This project is technically not “in progress.” This is our current Oakland office, which we’ve been in for 4 years now. As our first real lease, this office means a lot to us. As we start renovating a new, larger Oakland office, we’ve been trying to decide what to take with us…
Hands down, my favorite element of this space is the hand-painted mural by local Bay Area artist, Nora Bruhn. It has Joy Street written all over, entices people to enter the studio, makes us feel at home, and has (by accident) become one hell of a Zoom background.
I’m super bummed about leaving this artwork behind… so much so that I’m researching how to make it into wallpaper to bring along to our next space. To be continued.
In Progress: Joy Street’s New Oakland Interior Design Studio
Here’s the new space! Another blank canvas ready for Joy Street spirit. This space is quite a bit larger, which should accommodate our growing team, but you can see that it’s not ready for move-in day just yet. Our goal is to open this studio in March, but we’ll see. Like most renovations these days, we have been met with unwelcome delays and permit requirements, so we’re just rolling with the punches at this point.
All I can say for sure is that this space is going to be good…
Once complete, it will have a welcoming entryway for selling our merchandise, comfortable desk areas for optimal productivity, a super fun bright yellow kitchen in the back, and a large conference room.
The best part? We’ll have a designated product library for selecting all the exclusive plumbing fixtures, tiles, and finishes we use and love. This is a designer’s dream — and clients will love it, too!
I’ll be sharing more to come as these projects wrap up, so be sure to follow Joy Street Design on Instagram or subscribe to our widely loved newsletter. I’ll see you there.
– Kelly
