How a Designer Transformed an Unused Attic into a Haven for Her Kids

When interior designer Natalie Kraiem converted the attic of her Brooklyn home into an official third floor, she knew exactly what she wanted to do with the extra square footage: create bedrooms for her two children. 

Determined not to end up with two cookie-cutter spaces, Kraiem aimed to give each a personal touch—and not just when it came to the accessories. “I like to have no limits, so that my creativity can flow and stay inspired,” she says. Customizable furniture, to the rescue. 

While the interior designer gravitated toward a sweet, botanical theme for eight-year-old Andree, she wanted to keep 10-year-old Eli’s room streamlined and sophisticated. Her first stop: Furnishings company LEE Industries. For Kraiem, working with a company that offers so many variations on size, shape, and style was a no-brainer. Since the third floor was tucked under sloped ceilings, Kraiem needed decor that could fit into the unusual dimensions. Not only was she able to create low-profile beds and chairs, but she was also able to change smaller aspects, like the stain of the furniture’s wood elements. 

For her daughter’s room, “LEE’s floral fabric was the starting point,” she says. She covered the bed in the whimsical, butterfly-dotted print, then selected throw pillows, window treatments, and a desk chair in the soft pink hue found within it.

The customized pieces she placed in the Eli’s bedroom might be similar in proportion, but style-wise, they’re completely different. The designer stuck with solid red and gray fabrics, then personalized the legs of each addition—the bench got metal ones, the desk chair, a wood base with a deep ebony finish.

The freedom to tinker with all of these details, down to the measurements, allowed Kraiem to design with her children’s personalities in mind. Now, there really is no place like home for the duo.