Underground Playground
Underground Playground
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I N T E R I O R D E S I G N I P R O J E C T M A N A G E M E N T
From dumping zone to FUN zone
I was designated as a project leader as part of my career development plan following a discussion with my manager. I led the remodeling of two living rooms, applying my project management skills. Through this project, I was able to view the work as part of a larger showroom concept rather than as individual room settings.
In this article, I will talk about the one room setting where I created from scratch. This room highlights living with children - an area that IKEA places strong importance on - as well as creative solutions for furnishing basements, since many Long Island homes include them.
D A T E
February 2026 - April 2026
R O L E
Project manager and lead interior designer
[ I n t r o d u c t i o n ]
[ I n t r o d u c t i o n ]
There are many factors to consider before we design a room setting in the IKEA showroom, as we strive to "create a better everyday life for the many people" in line with our brand motto. After conducting a thorough showroom analysis, we select a key furniture item that helps define the overall atmosphere of the room setting.
As part of my career development, I created a comprehensive project timeline that outlined key milestones and deadlines for major tasks, which also clarified the responsibilities of each stakeholder involved. In this role, I took a proactive approach in identifying all possible tasks required for the successful completion of the project - from initial planning and design development to coordination and final implementation - and ensured that each task was assigned to the appropriate team or department.
By establishing a clear structure and maintaining consistent communication across all parties, I was able to keep the project on track, minimize potential delays, and ensure alignement with the overall project objectives.
[ M o o d b o a r d ]
[ M o o d b o a r d ]
This room highlights living with children - an area that IKEA places strong importance on - as well as creative solutions for furnishing basements, since many Long Island homes include them. As a design lead, I wanted customers to feel that they could create a fun, family-friendly zone using IKEA products, so I developed the mood board below to capture the playful and lively spirit.
[ P l a n n i n g ]
[ P l a n n i n g ]
After creating a mood board, I had dived into planning phase, where I get to ideate and create actual solutions for the new room. This phase is divided into three steps, which are rough planning, fine planning, and detailed planning.
During the rough planning phase, the goal is to brainstorm as many ideas as possible to explore various options and opportunities. It was important to design a solution that was not only inspiring but also commercially relevant. I identified several necessary solutions by using a function-bubble strategy. At the same time, I needed to design a layout that naturally directs customers toward the products we want to promote.
After we decided on our preferred option, I moved into the fine planning phase. During this phase, I developed more detailed solutions for each function bubble created earlier. I also researched finishes and materials for the room in greater depth and prepared the carpentry and electrical requests to ensure the room was ready for implementation. After creating all the necessary documents, I proceeded to produce realistic 3D perspectives to share with the departments partnering with us on this project.
[ F i n a l P h o t o s ]
[ F i n a l P h o t o s ]
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