Level Up

Every project in a DIY household should level up the room. Level up means to advance your abilities in a noticeable way. It is the moment when you take what you learned from one project and apply it with more confidence, and clarity to the next project. It is the shift from simply doing a task to understanding why it works and how to make it better. When you immerse yourself in design, you begin sharpening ideas and skills with every new project you take on. The difference between a good DIY household and a great DIY household is the willingness to stay open minded and expand your abilities by learning new things. One of the most valuable habits is studying what designers do and why they do it. When you look closely at pictures of designed and finished spaces you begin to understand those choices, you move closer to the inner secrets of good design. Today, when you pair that curiosity with AI, you gain not only ideas but also a picture and a plan. Let’s peek into the living room of a courtyard villa to see how these DIY veterans’ level up to create a beautiful focal wall worthy of any designer’s envy somewhere in the heart of The Villages.

  •  How it all started
The homeowners have a large collection of items from their travels. They enjoy seeing them, but they decided to really pick through and keep only the most precious items for a thoroughly curated collection. This would eliminate one entire wall of shelving, but they still wanted the warmth and ambiance of the fireplace. I was called in to look at their new ideas for the wall and give a thumbs up or if the new idea was not good build on their ideas and make it better. They knew they wanted to use some of the acoustical slats and they knew they wanted to keep the fireplace, but they did not want shelves for display they wanted a clean more modern look.

  •  Timeline
The first consultation took place at the beginning of May, and my surgery was on May twenty eighth. The homeowners continued working on their designs for about two months. I would look at their new renderings while my knee was on ice, which made the healing feel a little easier. I received the final photo of the completed project on August fourth. This timeline gives you a good sense of how long a project can take when you move at a comfortable pace and allow the design to evolve into something that makes you completely happy.

  •  Advice
The first decision was the color of the acoustical slats, and the homeowner was considering tan. Their home already leans heavily toward grey with white trim and touches of black, so the tan slats would create too much contrast. Once we ruled out the tan slats option, we began exploring other ideas. I suggested that whatever they choose should extend all the way to the ceiling because that would draw the eye upward and make the room feel larger. I told them I liked keeping the fireplace, but since the slats would not work, they could use board and batten on the sides and place stone in the center to frame the fireplace and the television. I showed them many examples of projects my team has completed so they could get inspired. I also explained that I had been using AI to help customers visualize their ideas. However, it’s the way I use AI that makes a difference in creating your own design. I told them to take a picture of their wall and, instead of asking AI to design it for them, they should tell AI exactly what they wanted and where they wanted it. AI would then produce an image based on their ideas and direction. This turned out to be a wonderful experience for both the homeowners and for me. They entered all their ideas into AI, which helped them see what they liked and what they did not like, and this helped them realize they did not like board and batten. Instead, they found the perfect grey slats, which brought the acoustical slats back into the design. They would send me the images and ask which version looked better, then return to the AI drawing board. In the end, they arrived at a design that makes them happy, and I agree that it looks beautiful in their space. Best of all, the final design reflects a true combination of what the homeowners love.

  •  The Design
The final design features large format tile in the center with grey acoustical panels on each side. The look is clean and very elevated. When the homeowner sent me a photo of the finished wall, I actually asked if it was an AI rendering because the tile looks like large slabs of quartzite. The homeowners and their helper installed the tile with such tiny seams that you have to look closely to find them. The tall acoustical slats are grey, and the felt behind them is black. This combination appears throughout their home, and the fireplace focal wall becomes the beautiful finishing touch that ties the entire space together.

  •  New TV
The homeowners purchased a new larger glare free television. The picture on these models is incredibly clear and crisp. If you are in the market for a new television, consider one of these because you will eliminate glare completely and enjoy a noticeably better picture.

  •  Homeowner Pride
The homeowners should be very proud of their space and the design they created. They have tackled projects on their own for years, but this time they wanted the result to feel a little more special. The finished look is clean, modern, and elevated. What I love most is how balanced the wall feels. It makes the room look larger, more open, and more inviting.
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Before and After Images Below