Asian Style Banishes Boredom in a Bachelor's Bedroom Makeover
Beige walls and lost-looking furniture give way to a warm but masculine look with sublime natural light
When the single man who lives here was making a fresh start, he had a bed, a cabinet and a lot of beige walls. He was drawn to color and Asian style but didn't know where to go from there. "He needed a room that would be soothing and Zen-like yet still masculine," says Lisa Konjicek-Segundo of Olive Juice Designs, who transformed his beige and bare bedroom into a relaxing oasis. Here's how she layered in texture, manipulated light, made it feel larger than it really is and dressed it in a way that is comfortable and inviting.
Bedroom at a Glance
Location: Jack London Square, Oakland, California
Size: 11 by 12 feet
Budget: Approximately $5,400 (not including design fees)
Bedroom at a Glance
Location: Jack London Square, Oakland, California
Size: 11 by 12 feet
Budget: Approximately $5,400 (not including design fees)
The home is on the 15th floor in a high-rise, with expansive views of San Francisco Bay and the industrial neighborhood. The view inside was not so spectacular.
AFTER: The designer's first move was to soften the room, painting the walls and ceiling a golden tan as well as adding lots of texture. "I also wanted to play up the height of the room because of its tiny footprint," she says.
She added black and brown grass cloth wallpaper behind the bed to create a textured accent wall that accentuates the ceiling's height. For color she added a sumptuous Asian fabric on the Euro shams and the trim on the silk chartreuse throw.
"I normally would not choose sheers for a guy, but these diffuse the light and give it such a nice, warm glow," Konjicek-Segundo says. A basket-weave Duralee fabric adds more texture. "My client loves to leave his windows open, and the sheers cascade in the breeze; it really adds a sense of serenity to the room," she says. A deep brown cowhide "creates a nice form on the floor, and it adds another layer of texture," she says.
Wall covering: Élitis; ceiling paint: Twilight Gold #1069, Benjamin Moore; floral fabric: Schumacher
She added black and brown grass cloth wallpaper behind the bed to create a textured accent wall that accentuates the ceiling's height. For color she added a sumptuous Asian fabric on the Euro shams and the trim on the silk chartreuse throw.
"I normally would not choose sheers for a guy, but these diffuse the light and give it such a nice, warm glow," Konjicek-Segundo says. A basket-weave Duralee fabric adds more texture. "My client loves to leave his windows open, and the sheers cascade in the breeze; it really adds a sense of serenity to the room," she says. A deep brown cowhide "creates a nice form on the floor, and it adds another layer of texture," she says.
Wall covering: Élitis; ceiling paint: Twilight Gold #1069, Benjamin Moore; floral fabric: Schumacher
Konjicek-Segundo wanted nightstands that would work with the client's existing low platform bed and the less than 20 inches of space between the bed and the walls on either side. These hammered brass and dark silver drums add more texture and shine.
To save the nightstand's surface space, she chose brass twig wall-mounted sconces with dark bronze shades. A dimmer switch behind the headboard controls each sconce separately.
Sconces: Global Views; wall covering: Élitis; drapery sheers: Duralee fabric, made and installed by The Roman Shade Company
To save the nightstand's surface space, she chose brass twig wall-mounted sconces with dark bronze shades. A dimmer switch behind the headboard controls each sconce separately.
Sconces: Global Views; wall covering: Élitis; drapery sheers: Duralee fabric, made and installed by The Roman Shade Company
The client had purchased an Asian chest that seemed lost against the beige wall.
Konjicek-Segundo added a mirror, a large floor vase and tall bamboo sticks to stand up to the scale of the wall and create more texture. Now the cabinet is just the right size for the space.
Wall paint: Twilight Gold #1069, Benjamin Moore; trim and door paint: Mojave Desert, Benjamin Moore; mirror: Home Decorators (no longer available)
Wall paint: Twilight Gold #1069, Benjamin Moore; trim and door paint: Mojave Desert, Benjamin Moore; mirror: Home Decorators (no longer available)
Artful objects add a personal touch. The room has gone from looking like a blank and somewhat depressing canvas to a warm haven that suits the homeowner's personality and lifestyle.
We'd love to see your room transformation. Please post your before and after photos below!
We'd love to see your room transformation. Please post your before and after photos below!