Last weekend, award-winning design-build firm, New England Design & Construction completely remodeled and redecorated a room for a child suffering from chronic illness. It collaborated with the Room to Dream Foundation- a non-profit organization devoted to improving the lives chronically ill children through household remodeling. The project took an existing cramped and cluttered bedroom and transformed into a clean, organized and smart space.

The project began last Fall, when Cory Desjardin- president, contacted award-winning architect Michael Collins AIA of the Room to Dream Foundation and award-winning interior designer Dennis Duffy ASID of Duffy Design Group to collaborate on a community outreach project. The project involved completely redesigning and redecorating a room for Xavier, a child suffering from chronic illness. Though a small room, the challenges were large. The room was cramped and did not allow a place for Xavier to rest comfortably nor did it possess adequate storage for toys, clothes, and medical equipment.

Cory worked with Michael, and Dennis  to design a feasible solution for the child’s room. After many drafts and revisions the final plans called for a set of bunk beds. But, these were no ordinary bunk bed. The stairs to the top bunk also contained drawers to maximize space utilization. The bottom bunk had built in drawers as drawers. A cubby behind the stairs was created for keeping those precious toys and stuffed animals neatly tucked away. A workplace was also created with a desk and chair next to Xavier’s bed.

Once the design was completed, Cory Desjardin coordinated materials and labor donations from local vendors and contractors. He managed the construction blitz starting on Friday and ending on Sunday just before the clients arrived for the “reveal”. Without a minute to spare, everything was completed and Xavier had a new room in which to dream and recover.