The Space Above

The aroma of freshly brewed black coffee mingled with the scent of air freshener inside Aruna Studio that morning.

Dayu moved briskly as she straightened a stack of the latest design magazines on a round terrazzo-patterned table. The pixie-haired woman stepped back to inspect her work one last time. She had even added an armchair across from the coffee table for Aruna.

“It’s already neat, Yu. You don’t have to keep checking.”

Aruna reminded her from the communal table they all shared. Her hands were busy sketching on tracing paper, while across from her, Marco was focused on examining a three-dimensional floor plan for a salon on his monitor. A soft pop ballad played from Marco’s computer.

“I still feel like something’s missing, Run.”

Dayu stood with her hands on her hips, circling the room in search of any detail she might have overlooked.

The entire front area was painted off-white, making the dark gray two-seater sofa stand out. Beneath it lay a warm cream geometric woven rug, adding a cozy touch to the space.

The front area was separated from the main workspace by an open black iron shelving unit. It held HPL catalogs, marble samples, and various interior fabric swatches. Through the gaps in the shelves, the exposed concrete wall of the main workspace was visible.

“What else do you think is missing?” Marco asked without taking his eyes off the monitor.

“The cushions are already arranged, the magazines are neat, and the coffee is ready,” Aruna replied, glancing around. “I think Dayu won’t be able to relax until she’s circled this room three times before Bu Kirana gets here.”

“Detailing is everything, Guys,” Dayu declared, wiping a Carrara marble sample with a small cloth.

Just then, the bell above the studio door rang.

A tall woman with a cheerful expression stepped inside. Aruna immediately got up to greet her.

“Bu Kirana?”

“Yes. Good morning!”

“Good morning, Bu. Please, come in.”

Dayu quickly approached and offered her a seat. Aruna took the black armchair across from her, while Dayu headed to the pantry to prepare the refreshments.

“Honestly, leaving the house without my two boys at ten in the morning feels like a miracle,” Kirana said with a laugh.

Aruna smiled. “So, Bu, you mentioned wanting to turn the attic storage space into a workspace for your illustrations. Is there something wrong with your current workspace?”

Kirana nodded. “I usually work at the dining table. But two days ago, I finished the final sketches for my new children's book, and then...” She let out a long sigh. “I went to the bathroom for a moment, and when I came back, my younger son had spilled chocolate milk all over my pen tablet and the papers I'd been working on. Meanwhile, his older brother was playing war with my expensive stylus pen.”

Aruna chuckled sympathetically. “Oh, dear. That must have been quite a mess.”

“You have no idea.” Kirana shook her head, smiling in resignation. “At first, I thought I'd just move everything to the attic. I'd have a proper workspace, completely separate from the rest of the house. But last night, I started having second thoughts.”

“Why is that, Bu?”

“My boys are very active. If I shut myself away in the attic, I won't be able to keep an eye on them. I need a little privacy from their reach, but I still want to know what they're up to.”

Aruna nodded thoughtfully. She glanced around as if mentally examining the possibilities, then leaned forward.

“Would you consider a mezzanine floor, Bu? If the ceiling height allows it, we could make use of the vertical space.”

“A mezzanine?”

“Yes. Your work desk could be placed on the upper level. That way, you'd have a quieter space to work, but you could still look down and see the children's play area below.”

Aruna picked up a pencil and began sketching a rough layout on a sheet of paper.

Kirana leaned closer to look. “That sounds lovely. But I'm a little worried about my eldest. He loves climbing. What if he tries to climb up there? Or throws his toys down from the top?”

“That's something we'll need to consider carefully, Bu. Safety comes first.” Aruna pointed to the sketch. “We can avoid horizontal railings because they could become footholds for children. Instead, we could use tempered glass or tightly spaced vertical wooden slats, extending almost to the ceiling. That way, the children won't be able to climb over them or push their toys through the gaps.”

Kirana studied the drawing with interest.

“We'll also need a comfortable staircase with double handrails,” Aruna continued. “And we can install a child safety gate at the bottom, designed so the boys won't be able to open it easily on their own.”

Kirana's expression brightened. “I really like this idea.”

“I'm glad you do.”

“So, what happens next? And how does the payment work?”

“Before we move on to the design contract and the formal floor plan, I'd like to conduct a site survey first. We'll need to measure the ceiling height, check the column positions, and examine the structural condition of the space. That way, we can determine whether a mezzanine is feasible and what kind of structure would be suitable.”

Kirana nodded. “All right. When can we do that?”

“Would tomorrow afternoon work for you? Around two?”

“Tomorrow at two is perfect.”

“Great. I'll put it on our schedule.”

Dayu returned from the pantry carrying a tray of coffee and snacks. The conversation continued over refreshments, with Kirana sharing more about her work as a children's book illustrator and Aruna explaining some of the possibilities for the attic space.

About an hour later, Kirana finally stood to leave.

“Thank you, Aruna. I feel much better now that I've talked this through with you.”

“It's my pleasure, Bu. We'll see you tomorrow, then.”

After seeing Kirana out, Aruna returned to the communal table. She passed Dayu, who gave her a thumbs-up to congratulate her on the new client, then headed straight for Marco.

She tapped him lightly on the shoulder.

“Marco, can you come with me for the site survey tomorrow? Two o'clock.”

Marco turned his chair toward her. “Sure. What are we checking?”

“The attic. We need to measure the ceiling height and see if a mezzanine is possible. Bring the laser measure and your field notebook, okay?”

Marco grinned and raised his thumb.

“Roger that!”