Grand Stages and Soft Corners
Perhaps the most daring feat of the renovation was the conversion of the school auditorium into the main living suite. Most developers would have partitioned the massive space into smaller, manageable rooms, but Elena insisted on maintaining the “grandeur of the void.” The stage itself has been transformed into a sunken lounge, filled with oversized velvet sofas and floor pillows. The heavy burgundy velvet curtains remain, providing a dramatic backdrop for a high-definition projector screen that turns the room into a private cinema when the sun goes down.
The acoustics, originally designed for school plays and choir practice, now carry the mellow notes of Elena’s record collection with haunting clarity. To make the cavernous space feel intimate, she used area rugs to define “islands” of comfort and added a suspended fireplace that hangs like a piece of sculpture from the twenty-foot rafters. The original hardwood basketball court floors from the adjacent gym were salvaged to patch the auditorium floor, creating a seamless, warm timber expanse. It is a room that manages to feel both monumental and cozy, proving that you don’t need walls to create a sense of belonging.