Model Rooms – O2 Belltown Apartments, Downtown Seattle, WA

Space Planning, Furnishings – Furniture, Wall Art, Fabrics & Textiles, Color & Lighting

Belltown Design’s task was to design and install two model rooms in order to show how the space can be optimized in these compact apartments. It was helpful to become involved with the project before construction was complete, understanding the targeted demographic for Chainqui Development, and selecting the particular apartments that would best display what the building has to offer. Upon establishing a feasible budget and deciding on two distinctive design styles, we value-engineered the project in order create the best results. It is pleasing that the first few months of leasing have generated results beyond expectations! We designed each of the two model rooms, with its own sentiment. Unit #803, a 1 bedroom overlooks the building’s exterior green wall, and was designed in Mid-Century Modern style, now enduring, with something of an historical flair. For Unit #1101 with its sweeping western Puget Sound view, we wanted to design something Contemporary with a splash of urban “Glam.” It was fun to imagine the character traits of these make-believe tenants, certainly an enjoyable aspect of designing model rooms

Model Room #1101 – 647 sq ft​

Living Room

The two Arteriors chandeliers are our “over-the-top” extras lifting the space with sparkle and focus. The furniture came mostly from Camerich, a Contemporary line from Alchemy, Seattle with exciting design options. Our color palette was muted, with blush, ivory, soft blues and black wood details. We designed for the personality profile of “worldly, sophisticated, well-traveled and educated.” The challenge in this particular space was to work with two round concrete columns – a tricky spacial planning feat! The Camerich furniture suits this urban retreat well – the apartment size Amor Sofa, and soft taupe leather bound Jane Coffee table. The round dining table could not be any larger than 42” diameter, and we found this custom piece at Room and Board with a lovely ceramic table-top option. (Hot food can be set directly on it)! And what better place than the sitting area for a bar cart from Arteriors!

Wall art included African masks on the wall above the Ming writing desk and chair from Camerich. Contemporary area rugs from Kalaty, Kas and Generations are sized according to each room layout, and the Karrington and Zanadadoo chandeliers twinkle with the city lights at night.

The bedroom is large and open with plenty of room to move. The day bed in the niche is constructed of sumptuous, butter yellow leather by Camerich, and the outstanding Violetta floor lamp from Arteriors offers just the right recipe for elegance. In the bedroom the queen sized bed looks like a cloud and smart round bed side tables with marble tops and black leather casings complement this restful room.

Model Room #803 – 576 sq ft

Living Room

This EQ3 apartment size sofa with chaise fits perfectly within the niche. Decorative pillows from DV Kap pull the room together with our color scheme of blue, orange and ivory.

The living room console is from Greenington, a Seattle based, bamboo furniture company. Also a beautiful abstract painting by Kelly O’Neal with three stunning Omaggio marble vases from Design Within Reach create a perfect vignette! The Elise Column Floor Lamp echoes the vertical shapes of the Seattle skyline. The Amisco Pub table and stools have plenty of space surrounding them, and their Mineral metal finish blends well with the interior concrete. I could not resist hanging the Earth, Wind and Fire wall mirror on the concrete pillar to expand the room.

Our selections in furnishings were like putting a puzzle together. This compact, galley kitchen is fully functional and the apartment size appliances add a European flair. Small urban spaces like this require ingenuity in design, maintaining the ability to move around comfortably within the space.

According to Belltown Design, everything begins with color! Having developed two color palettes, we created specific mood boards for each. Detailed study of each floor plan was important and rendering each space with a living-traffic flow according to exact measurements was critical. Because every square inch counted – we were working with a variety of niches, angles and pillars – procuring furnishings with the precise dimensions was essential. O2 Belltown Apartments is Chainqui Development’s first building in Seattle, and is certainly one of the most handsome buildings in the Belltown neighborhood! It provides a new outlook in an old section of town with the storefronts now leased to Asian Restaurants, and it adds “international” to the local language. Express Installation Services were top-notch. Their services for us included receiving, inspecting, storing, transporting, and installing our furnishings. With 65 pieces of furniture & decor, we couldn’t have done it without them! Thank you to: Jenny Tsen at Chainqui Catherine Miller at Reclaim Danielle Mount at Alchemy Stephanie Blom at Design Within Reach David Reinke at Room and Board Tanya Friberg and Lee Crane at The Finerie