Studio Renovation

Our Studio Renovation

Studio Renovation

We made a big move this year.

After 4 years of operating as an online rug shop, we made the leap into a physical space where we can exhibit our rapidly growing rug collections.

Swoon Rugs Vintage Rug Display Rack

Vintage rugs on display in the studio. 

Our new studio sits snug in the middle of a row of warehouses in the Southside of Columbus, OH. It was a true industrial space and we made many changes to convert it into the bright + airy showroom we wanted.

A diamond in the rough

Swoon Rugs Studio Space Before the Renovation Picture

View of the studio before the renovation. 

Over the course of 3 months, we renovated the space ourselves, with my partner taking on all of the construction solo. We moved slowly, doing the work on his off days and often working in the studio as a family of 3. 

Accentuating the positive

In order to really reimagine what the space could become, (and after much debate) we decided to amplify all of our favorite features: south facing windows in the front room, the big high ceiling, the openness of the warehouse.

Studio view of the opening between the front room and the warehouse space

The opening between the front room and the warehouse.

We knew the building gets beautiful sunlight from a set of south facing windows. The first thing we did was open up the wall that separates the front room into the expansive space behind it. This allowed us to bring in some natural light into the interior of the space. 

View of the studio renovation staircase + half wall progress

View of the studio renovation progress.

Building a new staircase + adding a half wall 

The previous tenant built a staircase in the space by flipping the stair stringer in the opposite direction, making the stairs very steep and taking up the smallest amount of floor space. It made sense for how they used the space, but we needed something better looking + more functional. So we built a wide set of stairs. We painted them white so they would somewhat disappear into the white walls. The extra width of the staircase gives us more storage underneath.

View of the new staircase - white staircase with a vintage runner

Our new staircase + our vintage Naomi Runner.

We added a half-wall in the loft area above the front room. Functionally, we need to hide the items we store here: boxes, packing materials, vintage items that need to be refinished. It also makes the space more safe. When you view the half wall from below, it brings your eye ups and created a great backdrop for the bamboo pendants we installed. 

We painted all the walls white to reflect light and make the space as bright and open as possible. The floors were in bad shape after years of abuse, so we painted them a dark earth tone. This gave the floor a clean unified look while adding depth and richness. Throughout the space, we layered in natural wood accents. The white walls, dark floor and natural wood tones create a dynamic neutral look that allows the rugs to really stand out in the space. 

Swoon Rugs Studio

 Swoon Rugs Studio.

Bathroom renovation. 

Bathroom before and after

 Bathroom before + after

Overall, I had a pretty good feeling that we could transform this rough industrial space into a beautiful showroom. But the state of the bathroom when we moved into the space gave me real panic. We could have burnt the bathroom to the ground and it would have been a huge improvement. Instead, we gutted the space and replaced or refinished everything. The result is a sleek, simple powder bathroom.

Room to move on to new things

Swoon Rugs View Of Vintage Table and Chairs

Painted bentwood chairs and a MCM table

Now that we operate out of a 1,200 square foot space, I want to start thinking more about sustainable design as a whole and expand our collections. For starters, we have space to showcase more vintage furniture. We are also working on building up our line of decor items including more pillow covers, textile accents, vintage decor pieces

Vintage Finds at Swoon Rugs

View of decor at Swoon Rugs

Come visit the studio!

Now that the studio renovation is (finally) over, we'd love for you to come see it in real life! We are located in Columbus, OH. You can find out more about our location + schedule an appointment to come into the shop here

Swoon Rugs Open Air Market

Doors open in the studio.

Like all of us, our family is continuing to navigate the new realities of living through a pandemic. This fall we will be focused on virtual learning with our little kiddo and trying to practice social distancing the best we can. For the rest of the year, our hours are limited.

We are in the shop every Monday from 10 - 3 and by appointment throughout the week. Right now we are keeping the doors open to allow fresh air to flow through the space. We ask that everyone wear a mask when visiting. I hope to see you soon! 

If you can't make it to Columbus, all of our sustainable home furnishings are available for online purchase. We are happy to video chat so you can see the items + I can answer any questions you might have about them. 

 Swoon Rugs Studio Space