When Good Design Plans Change: D20 Retail Design Update
The D20 retail space is coming along, and there have been some major developments since my last update—including a complete game store design pivot that I think made this project even better.
Here's the new plan, why we pivoted, and what's coming next.
What We Planned
I shared the reveal of the conference room and lobby of our real estate office in my last post…. along with the caveat that we were re-renovating those spaces and turning them into retail as part of the D20 Dungeon expansion. The lobby was to become The Apothecary, with the conference room transforming into The Blacksmith’s Workshop.
I had The Apothecary all planned out - and it was going to be stunning. Floor-to-ceiling bookshelves in dark-stained wood, filled with dice sets, miniatures, and spell components. A giant tree would anchor one corner, branches stretching toward exposed ceiling beams. Earthy greens, aged textures, shelves designed to look like they'd been there for centuries. An immersive fantasy retail space that felt like walking into a potion shop—the kind of D&D-themed store design that makes customers stop and stare.
I loved that vision. And I still do.
But as we began implementing the design and discussed more about how the retail space would actually function, it became clear we needed something different.
What Changed (And Why)
So, what triggered this realization? Simple. We talked to members of our community and identified a need for more gaming space.
While the D20 Dungeon venue is consistently booked for DnD sessions, there's another huge part of the gaming community we weren't serving well: Warhammer and Magic: The Gathering players. These games also require their own dedicated tabletop gaming space. And retail-only wasn't going to give our customers what they actually wanted.
The problem? Bookshelves from the original design wouldn’t leave room for players to game comfortably. And when you're trying to fit multiple tables and players in a room for epic tabletop battles, every inch matters. The Apothecary would have looked incredible, but functionality beats aesthetics every time.
The New Design: An Immersive Fantasy Gaming Hall
Instead of an apothecary, this room will now be transformed into a gaming hall where you feel as if you’re surrounded by ancient castle ruins in the forest. The goal: make it feel like you've stepped into a fantasy world where an old castle once stood, and it’s slowly being reclaimed by nature.
The Forest Mural:
Instead of bookshelves, the entire back wall becomes a forest. Picture dense trees, dappled light filtering through leaves, shadows creating depth. The kind of forest where you'd expect to stumble onto ancient ruins, which is exactly where the tree comes in. The mural ends where the tree begins, making it look like the tree is actually growing out of that forest (more on that later!).
For reference, the wall I’m referring to is below. And here’s the mural.
The Castle Ruins:
The doorway along this wall leads to the rest of the office building. While we once planned to hide it with one of the aforementioned bookshelves, the new design demanded a bolder approach. The doorway will now be blocked by a heavy, medieval-style door—the kind you'd find on a castle gatehouse. Thick wood, iron hardware, the works.
Next to it, an arched stone window frame, aged and weathered like it's been there for centuries.
Then comes the stone (which I swore I’d never do again after spending a summer hanging stone in The Dungeon). The stone will be hung partway up the wall, around both the door and window, stopping at mid-height, so it looks like castle walls that have crumbled over time. Add moss creeping through the cracks, maybe some climbing vines, and suddenly you're standing in ruins that nature is slowly reclaiming.
The Gaming Tables:
As for the Warhammer and Magic: The Gathering gaming space, we'll build three custom 30"x44" tables that can be used individually for smaller Magic sessions or combined into one large table for Warhammer. When not in use for gaming, the tables will pull double duty by displaying merchandise.
The Rest of the Room:
Much of the design for the rest of the room remains the same. We’ve already painted the walls an earthy green color, added ceiling texture to replicate the wall texture in The Dungeon, and installed beams. On either side of the fireplace, we’ll add shelving. A green area rug and rich-colored curtains will ground the room and make it feel inviting.
The Tree (Finally)
As for the tree… I’ve been chipping away at this project for the last several months and have somehow held off on sharing it so far, but now it’s time. BEHOLD!
Well, I’ll be damned if Immersion isn’t my middle name! (It’s not. It’s Ann.)
It’s been so fulfilling creating this massive tree out of almost nothing. I’ve loved the challenge of figuring out how to pull off each step, even in the moments when I was really uncertain if I could. But with every layer, the vision got clearer. It went from 'pile of materials' to 'holy shit, this might actually work.
And the best part? I’m not done!
Once the door is built and the mural is hung, I’ll be able to dive back into this piece of the puzzle by adding foliage (the current flowers were just haphazardly placed there for the moment), moss, and even a little fairy house. I can’t wait to see what the finished product will look like, especially paired with the other elements I’m incorporating into this room.
The Blacksmith's Workshop Update
Plans for The Blacksmith's Workshop (the other room we're renovating) haven't changed drastically.
So far, we've:
Painted the walls and ceiling
Replaced the pendants and center light
Replaced the countertops
Recovered the cabinets and installed hardware
Hung slat walls
We're no longer installing beams as originally planned, but I'll be sure to add wood-toned elements throughout to balance the aesthetic of The Gaming Hall.
Still to come:
Stain the countertop on top of the cabinets
Custom-built check-out counter on casters that can be moved to make room for additional tables
Lots of merchandise (that part is important) and finishing details
What I Learned
It's been a blast working on this renovation. The excitement throughout our office is palpable, and with every change we make, the energy grows.
Good design isn't about sticking rigidly to a plan—it's about creating spaces that serve the people using them.
I'll be sharing updates on Instagram and Facebook as the space comes together over the next couple of months, and I'd love for you to follow along.
Working on a design project that has you stumped? I'd love to have you as my next client. I work with clients on everything from full renovations to design consultations. Reach out here.
See you next time!
More From This Building's Transformation
Ready to see how this all began? Catch up on the full journey:
We Bought a Hair Salon (And Turned It Into An Office)
Where it all started—the moment we purchased this building and the vision we had for it.Airbnb, But Make It D&D: Introducing the D20 Dungeon
How we came up with the idea to turn the basement into an immersive tabletop gaming venue.D20 DND Dungeon Reveal
The full basement transformation—designing an experiential space that proved immersive retail could work in our building.Office Renovation Reveal: Before, After, and What's Next
The reveal of the lobby and conference room - and why we’re renovating them again.