Not many can say they enjoyed a refreshing morning cup of coffee and a glass of Rosé while visualising the potential of their living space, fully accessorised to their liking.

But Day 2 of the Jamaica Observer Design Week JA 2024 provided guests with a unique experience, displaying the potential of a new property for sale, accessorised with furniture that will make them stand out.

Hosted by home furniture and decor store Spaces Jamaica, the event dubbed ‘Brew and View’ was a bus tour to two rental properties in the Corporate Area, showcasing how Spaces can utilise a rental space regardless of size, to give it personality.

Spaces Founder and Creative Director Janelle Pantry says that it was crucial for guests to have a more intimate perspective of what interior design truly means in bringing the best out of your space.

“We realised that we wanted persons to have more of an immersive feel of what design incorporates and what design is all about,” Pantry said.

“Staging is a type of decorating and it is a service that we recently started offering to developers and realtors in the real estate industry. So we thought that this event would have been a great way of showcasing the added service that we now offer and showcase how persons can also get ideas and see our products in a more natural environment, in a home or in an apartment.”

In keeping with the theme, the day started with guests enjoying coffee at Spaces Jamaica’s location at 7-9 Ardenne Road, courtesy of Deaf Can! Coffee. The bus tour began soon after in earnest, the first stop being at The Camden At Millsborough, located at 27-29 Millsborough Avenue.

With coffee in hand, the viewing commenced with guests seeing how a fully furnished, spacious apartment could be utilised to fit the needs of the buyer. Pantry said that the use of neutral designs and colours were important, considering a buyer’s preference. However, using trends in modern design were invaluable in creating a look that would match what persons would use.

“We have gone from accent colour walls to a phase where we still want to incorporate some sort of decorative elements. From bold to more subtle accents that we use for the principal bedroom for the staging. You will also find textures such as panelling that is also something that is very trendy at the moment,” Pantry noted.

“You want it to feel fresh, you want it to feel new, you want to incorporate things that people would typically put in their homes.”

After the first viewing, an unconventional rest stop was made at Trio. Grill. Wine. Bar, where guests got to enjoy the subtle alliance of fruitiness and finesse of perfectly chilled glasses of Berne Inspiration, Cotes de Provence 2020 Rosé courtesy of Harbour Wines and Spirits.

The final viewing of the day took place at The Nitram of Waterloo, located at 44 Upper Waterloo Rd. While it was a smaller space, Pantry said that it emphasises how important staging is in displaying a property’s best attributes.

“What staging really is, is showcasing the best of what a property or unit has to offer while trying to detract from the negative that it may have. There is no one property that is perfect for someone, and staging highlights the best of what it has,” Pantry said.

It was an experience that was enjoyed and appreciated as guests returned to Spaces, the starting point of their journey.

Design Week 2024 continues today at Oppein, Montego Bay.

The Camden At Millsborough (Photos: Naphtali Junior)

Twin beds are used by Pantry-Coke for Spaces to create more space for the unit’s second bedroom. Naphtali Junior

The principal bedroom at The Camden At Millsborough, staged by Janelle Pantry-Coke for Spaces (Photos: Naphtali Junior)

The Camden At Millsborough (Photos: Naphtali Junior)

Falcon Bikes & Parts Limited manager and Onyas Kloset principal Onia Chambers (left) discusses the process of staging with Brianna White, senior sales consultant at Spaces during a tour of The Nitram of Waterloo. (Photos: Naphtali Junior)

Lifestyle curator Cecile Levee checks out the closet fixtures at The Camden At Millsborough. (Photos: Naphtali Junior)

The kitchen and living area of The Nitram of Waterloo (Photos: Naphtali Junior)

Raising Chateau de Berne toasts in celebration of DesignWeekJa 2024 at Trio. Grill. Wine. Bar were (from left) UTech student Tianna James, attorney-at-law Candice Stewart and Lissa-Marie Cochrane, cyber security specialist. (Photos: Naphtali Junior)

A trio of toasts was raised by (from left) Spaces Jamaica Founder and Creative Director Janelle Pantry Coke, Trio. Grill. Wine. Bar co-principal Carlos Max Brown and Dr Debbian Spence-Minott at Trio Wine Bar & Grill during Day 2 of #DesignWeekJa. (Photos: Naphtali Junior)

Enjoying sips of Rosé 2022 Côtes de Provence courtesy of Harbour Wines & Spirits (a division of Grace Foods & Services Ltd) and the Jamaica Observer Design Week publication at Trio. Grill. Wine. Bar were (from left) banker Marie Gayle-Baker; Tanya Sue Brice-Harris, Valerie Levy Associates; and graphic artist Lisa Dixon. (Photos: Naphtali Junior)

Janelle Pantry -Coke (left), Spaces founder and creative director, and Novia McDonald-Whyte, Design Week Ja conceptualiser, face the lens ahead of the start of Brew & View, a bus tour to two rental properties staged for sale/rent by Pantry-Coke. (Photos: Naphtali Junior)

Heather Blanco, entrepreneur, picked up a cup of joe from Deaf Can! Coffee barista Rushann Simpson ahead of the bus tour. (Photos: Naphtali Junior)