Every great design begins with a conversation. In designing interiors, my goal is always the same: to create a room that is as functional as it is beautiful, anticipating homeowner needs they may not have even realized.

 

This Grove Park interior design whole house project was especially meaningful because the client was my own Mom.  Included, was designing an ultimate dream home theater.   This trusting relationship gave me the freedom to dream big—and luckily, I partnered with the team at Twin Brother Builders which were willing to bring every ambitious idea to life. 

 

Inspired by the glamour of Art Deco cinemas, I specifically drew inspiration from the Fox Theatres of the grand movie palace era between 1928-1931, and the Victoire car mascot by Rene Lalique crafted in 1928 as a luxury hood ornament. I intended a nod to those iconic designs while layering in modern touches. The ceiling became a night sky, complete with a custom fiber-optic star field that quite literally reaches for the stars.  

 

As with any truly custom project, the smallest details often require the biggest effort. I was determined to achieve the perfect metallic gold finish, but every paint sample I found was either too dull or too glittery.  After a long search, I landed on a spray paint that captured exactly the rich, foiled finish I had envisioned.  The Twin Brother Builders team then tracked down over 200 cans of that one specific color, carefully applying multiple coats to every piece of trim throughout the room.  It was an extremely tedious process with almost 3 miles of trim in this room. 

 

To locate the perfect marquee sign, required tracking down a craftsman in Florida who creates scenic elements for Disney and Universal theme parks. He custom-built the illuminated marquee that now welcomes guests above the theater doors, creating one of the room's signature features.  The authentic theater experience begins before the movie even starts! 

 

Behind the glamour lies an equally thoughtful commitment to performance. Every audio speaker is seamlessly built into the walls and concealed behind acoustic treatments. Those beloved movie posters on the back wall are printed on acoustically transparent fabric and mounted over sound-dampening panels. The result is a room that looks stunning without compromising exceptional sound quality. 

 

The beauty of great design isn't found in just one dramatic statement piece; it's in the hundreds of thoughtful decisions that combine to create a space that feels effortless.   This is the goal of every project by One Helm Designs.

 

Watching this project  evolve from a wild idea in my imagination, to carefully drawing up a full 3D rendering for the client to see my vision, and finally into a finished immersive space, was a memorable experience.

This whole house project proves to me that the most memorable spaces are born when imagination is given room to grow—and when a client is willing to trust the journey from an ambitious idea to an unforgettable reality. 

 

Kaitlin Spiro

One Helm Designs