Home Magazine Home & Garden Stay in Bed!
Stay in Bed!
by Christy Rippel
The story below is from our July/August 2021 issue. For more stories like it, Subscribe Today. Thank you!
Improve your master suite with tips from these three experts.
Trent Currin Photography
Our homes have never worked harder—since March 2020, they've functioned as offices, remote schools and exercise gyms. The reliance on our abodes to be all things to all people has made it more vital that the master bedroom be a retreat, and provide a true respite from the grind of daily life. We talked with three local designers who gave us a peek into bedrooms they've designed and walked us through the choices they made. If your bedroom makes you feel anything but calm, read on for tips and inspiration from the experts, and see what you can adapt for your own home.
Abby Hostetler
Abby Hostetler Design Co.
Project: Parents of young boys need kid-proof design, starting from scratch.
Abby Hostetler was tasked with turning a blank canvas into a beautiful, functional room that would work and play hard for the parents of three young boys.
"This family had lived in the home for a few years, but were busy with work and having children, and hadn't had a chance to put the time and attention into this space," says Hostetler.
The clients purchased the home as a new build, so finishes and paint were builder basic. Hostetler came up with a layered neutral scheme, but went with a bold accent wall in navy blue to set off the headboard and the new brass swing-arm reading sconces.
"The navy wall is actually a faux grasscloth wallpaper, and was the splurge in the room," Hostetler says. "The faux texture allows it to be wiped down with a sponge, so that if their toddler gets something on it, it's not ruined...real grasscloth can't be cleaned."
Woven wood blinds for light control are framed with flax colored linen drapery panels for softness. At the husband's request, a large TV hangs on the wall opposite the bed, and is anchored by a credenza that provides storage for the couple's hobbies—knitting, hers and gaming, his.
"I really wanted this room to reflect who they are, and give them a space to enjoy their hobbies," notes Hostetler.
The wife loves houseplants, and the credenza and stands lend a spot for her plants to enjoy the natural light from the triple window, and the husband has a comfortable, handsome gaming chair to indulge in a post-work relaxation session.
After shedding the IKEA oldies and hand-me-down castoff furniture pieces that once occupied the room, the husband declared to Hostetler, "I feel like we're finally grown-ups."
Steal this style!
Don't be beholden to design rules. If you want a TV in the bedroom, go for it. It's your space.
Consider hidden storage in the bedroom for books and hobbies.
If you have kids, don't save your bedroom project for last in the house. You need a spot to be husband and wife, instead of mom and dad.
Seely Nicholson
Elaine Stephenson Interiors
Project: A young couple wants a bedroom update, working with some existing furniture.
Seely Nicholson was hired to refresh a couple's master bedroom to make it a neutral, cohesive and calming space. While Nicholson often starts with a rug as a jumping off point in the room, the existing carpet would remain, and so she started with the pillow sham fabric in a rich chocolate brown. "This is the map fabric, I call it," Nicholson explains. "When I'm starting a room I use my map fabric and build out from there."
Nicholson's designs are often more colorful than this quiet bedroom, but she kept it interesting with intentional layering.
"We still kept the room nice and bright, but added additional pops of chocolate brown, such as in the accent tape on the draperies," she said. "The key to a neutral scheme is incorporating different textures, such as the rafia finish on the nightstands."
The couple did not yet have children, but Nicholson kept the textiles family friendly, and they welcomed their first child not long after the bedroom was completed. Some forethought in the design means that they don't have to be fussy with fabrics. While the baby is a new addition, some of the furniture in the couple's bedroom is not. They had the bed, a bench and some accessories, like the bird artwork over the bed, that they wanted to incorporate in the design. Nicholson married the new elements with the existing for a flawless finish.
"You can go in a different direction in the bedroom than in the rest of the house," advises Nicholson. "This house has a lot of color in the living and dining areas, and the clients like going from the more energetic spaces to a serene bedroom."
Neutral doesn't have to be boring. Layers of interest create intrigue.
You don't have to get rid of pieces you love to pull off a refresh, just build around them.
To determine a room's look, start with one fabric or a rug, and add in complementary textiles.
Theresa Dorlini
Circle Design Studio
Project: A bachelor desires a modern retreat.
Theresa Dorlini's bachelor CEO client purchased an existing home whose style didn't echo his own. It was built in the 1990s and had some good bones, but needed major alterations. Circle Design handled the renovation and tore down walls to make it more open, and that included in the master suite.
The result is the blurring of lines between bedroom and bathroom, with a three-sided fireplace visible from the bedroom, soaking tub and vanity area.
"The more open master suite is very prevalent in west coast and modern design," explains Dorlini. "We practice in Arizona as well, and I haven't seen a door on a master bathroom there in quite a while."
No door exists in this master suite, except for the water closet. The double vanity and shower are around the corner from the soaking tub and not visible from the bed, which with its handsome, deep brown leather wrapped finish, is a worthy focal point. The ceiling is dark-stained tongue-in-groove paneling, which is the same stain as the rich window trim, set off by warm white walls that continue throughout the home. Dorlini left the bed linens neutral and simple, and has noticed that clients want a tailored but simplistic approach to bedding.
"I think people are just paring down in general, and no one wants to wrestle with a bunch of ornate pillows on the bed," says Dorlini. "A couple of accents for color and texture is all that's needed."
The graphic rug and baskets provide interest, and in addition to the bed, the soaking tub, clad in quartz, commands attention. Another focal point is the aforementioned gas fireplace, which warms the space on cooler days.
The client was thrilled with the room. "He loved it, and the good thing is that we model everything in 3-D, so we could walk him through it before it was done," says Dorlini. But what doesn't come through in 3-D? "He loved his new view from the master tub," she notes.
If you are undertaking a renovation, consider any views and how to take advantage of them.
If you prefer a modern look, an open master suite might suit you. There are ways other than walls to create privacy.
Get rid of fussy, graphic bed linens. Solid colors are calming, and too many pillows are outdated.
The story above is from our July/August 2021 issue. For more stories, subscribe today or view our FREE digital edition. Thank you for supporting local journalism!
July/August 2021 Circle Design Studio Home & Garden Elaine Stephenson Interiors Abby Hostetler Design Co. Homes