Hi There . . .
It wasn't too long ago my client, Holly, sent me a text, something to the effect, her home office (& guest room) and master bedroom were "gross." I love her. She has the craziest life - full of kids and work travel. She doesn't have a tone of time, but she does have an opinion. She knows what she likes. With her main floor designed and installed last year during the family's spring break (check it out here), I was lucky that she loved it all. Over this Christmas break I am messing around with her Master Bedroom and Home Office designs. That may sound horrible.. working over a family break, but I am one of those early, early risers and get the most creative when it's quite in the house. Over several mornings, I read my favorite blogs, pulled ideas and worked on these spaces for Holly. I created all these design boards in the hopes to give her the best visual I could.
Take a look at the colors I am going for (cause it jives with the first floor and she already has a rug to work with with blues in it) . . .
Starting off - the space has one problem (to me) that has bugged me f o r e v e r. The windows. They are short with a ton of wall distance over then to the ceiling. The room itself is huge. These short windows have blinds on them which is fine, but in a room this big with such tall ceilings it's a shame not to make that a statement. My solution? Bring a pole and non-functional panels to the ceiling. The make "faux" flat, but pleated, roman shades that hang just under the pole on the wall and dip into the short window over the bamboo blinds, essentially covering all that wall and creating the illusion of very tall windows. The blinds will function as they do, but surrounding them with tall panels and roman shades that will create the drama this room so needs. Take a look here. Her side tables and lamps are great - we can keep those. .
I chose a light, airy overlay fabric in a graphic pattern - light color. This fabric has a structured and layered effect, three dimensional. Available in four colors, I am choosing the light "steel."
Paired with those amazing, tall statement windows, grass cloth in the entire room. It may seem too "tone of tone" and lack color - but the texture is what I am going for. This grass cloth will also help these huge walls. We have two other whole walls with no windows, so it needs it. That, and art ! Master Bedrooms, in my opinion, should be calming, generally, but this large space needs texture and pattern to keep it from feeling so huge and sparse.
Her existing rug is great. Love it, and it does drive the colors a bit. What I don't love is the size. Too small for this big room. Even though it's an 8 x 11, still looks to small. I want to add a huge textured sea grass under it and layer this on top.
Tall ceilings need big lighting. This Oly glass fixture is not only romantic and dreamy, it's a show stopper. What I am suggesting though is a little something extra, and different in the way of lighting to mix with it.
I love this fixture. It's unique for sure. I ordered one for my office (the smaller one) and hung it in a corner - it's a conversation, and adds just the most beautiful down light. Holly has a grey chaise in the space I want to keep. Plan is to add this fixture as well as the center chandelier. Off setting it by the chaise - gives you reading light and a gorgeous visual from the other side of the room - the bed side.
The second biggest problem I see in this space is simply the ample amount of wall space... now that may sound crazy, a huge bedroom would be so fab, but it can be daunting to decorate. How do you make it cozy without having a ton of stuff in the room? My advise is to make everything "exaggerated," hence the big windows. A big custom bookcase is another way. There is a huge wall opposite the bed with a nice TV storage cabinet on it. The TV actually raises up out of the piece, cool. But, and sorry Holly, I would sell it and do something different on this big wall. A huge bookcase / dresser combo that is dramatically high with hidden inside lighting and very modern with a lacquer finish.
Now I got the style and idea from another vendor of mine, Modern History, but I want to make it much bigger, taller and incorporate drawers. Similar in color and I love the gold edge detail, but raising it up and modifying a bit could fill that huge wall. I do want to keep it open on the back to see that grass cloth and add hidden lights to highlight large black and white photos and simple accessories inside. YUM !!! Again, another focal point from the other side of the room. This side of this large space with "glow" and have great presence, I think.
Holly's existing bed, side tables and side lamps - all good and all can stay, like I said - she has great taste, just needs help pulling it all together for a fully "designed," finished look. So here ya go Holly. Can't wait to get my hands on those windows !!!
Stay tuned for what I have planned for the Home Office and Guest Space !!
