Serena’s Provoke Design Story

Reclaiming the spare room

*Our spare room had two sloping ceilings which made it impossible for me to imagine using them for much.*

When the time came to move our daughter out of her childhood bedroom and into something that felt more like one she could grow up in, I approached it practically.

I was thinking in terms of small fixes - shelves somewhere for her mountain of books, a desk in a corner, ways to work around two sloping ceilings which cut into the walls in a way that made it impossible for me to imagine using them for much.

A room to grow up in

The first thing Jonny suggested was using the whole of the sloped wall as a desk, and taking it round the corner to create different zones - one for getting ready and one for homework.

My favourite part of the room is the desk. When I saw the pieces of thick, natural wood Jonny showed me I loved them straight away - but when he suggested the LED lighting I wasn’t sure (I got ‘gamer’ vibes). However the lighting is by far my favourite part of the room. It just looks absolutely beautiful.

The type of lights Jonny put in link to Serena’s Amazon Dot, so she can turn them on and off - and change the colours - by asking Alexa.

Even the finish was considered. The wood isn’t overly polished. It was made to be used - a surface that can take books, makeup, chargers, and the everyday clutter of real life without feeling like it needs to be protected.

Creating space we never noticed

*Beautiful Maple shelves curved for extra storage.*

Jonny didn’t treat the room like a problem. He treated it like a blank canvas. Ever-practical, he suggested curving shelves behind the bedroom door to not only hold books - but also homework binders and text books in the wider parts.

He crafted the shelves from Maple and worked with the awkward ceilings to create space that felt like it came out of nowhere. The shelves are such a feature of the room, and provide so much storage we would have otherwise had to find elsewhere.

The curved shelving now traces the shape of the room, following the architecture rather than fighting it. What would have been completely dead space has become one of the defining features of the room, turning awkward angles into storage that feels deliberate and designed, not added on.

What changed most, though, wasn’t just how the room looks - it’s how it feels to be in. It feels so cozy and homely, and very much like a space that belongs to someone, rather than a place that’s simply been filled with furniture. It’s not a “kiddy” bedroom and it’s not trying too hard to be an adult one either. It sits somewhere in between - practical, personal, and flexible enough to grow with her over time.