This is the first ASIDNE project for The Room to Dream Foundation where we implemented and installed the bedroom for a chronically ill child and his siblings. Jonathan is 4 ½ years old and can’t walk or talk and has global development issues. The family needed to move him downstairs as he was getting too heavy to lift up and down the stairs to his bedroom.
Onthank Designs & ASIDNE
Even though it was only one room, I ran the project as if it was a very large project. I had an interior design student closely watching the process and helping with floor plans and elevations, built-in furniture, reflected ceiling plans and selection of furnishings and accessories. We also wrote specifications and finish schedules. There was a lot of coordination that needed to be handled to implement the furnishings on a budget and the challenge of looking for donated labor, materials and products.
The new room was a converted porch on the ground floor level of the house and in very poor condition. The room was gutted; the walls were taken back to the studs. New spray insulation was installed underneath the room and in the walls. New wallboard, plaster and wiring were installed. Then, a new hardwood floor was installed to be flush with the adjoining rooms for ADA issues. A divider wall was built to incorporate all of the medical equipment. A closet storage unit was designed and built to hold the nursing information and storage of medical equipment. Then the room was painted, TV’s, ceiling track lighting and a fan was installed. All of the above was accomplished with donated labor and materials by many different individuals and companies and completed prior to the installation day.
The new room was divided into two areas, Jonathan’s bedroom and his play area. Also, his mother requested a sleeping area so that she could be with him if he was sick and needed to be monitored during the night. The second request was that if Jonathan was sick, he needed to be able to watch TV from his bed. The solutions we provided were to incorporate a love seat that is pull out sofa bed and installing two TV’s, one in each area. The divider wall incorporates a very large oxygen tank, suction machine, and a pulse and mist machine. Also, requested by his Mother, the room could not be over stimulating as it could cause Jonathan to have a caesura.
On behalf of ASIDNE, we completed our mission statement by involving many interior designers in a joint project. Room To Dream is a perfect organization for ASIDNE to partner with and we look forward to our next assignments with a new group of dedicated design professionals and students working together.
We would like to thank all of the volunteers as well as the donors below for being a part of this Dream Team!
C&R Flooring
Catchlight Painting
Hamlin Cabinet
Closet Factory
Wolfers
DONATIONS
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