From Falling Flat to a Calming Retreat

Designer Andrea Britt Pietragallo was determined to give her clients the perfect, serene bedroom to come home to after a long day of work—after all, one client was a forensic accountant and longed to have a calming space in her home.

This room missed the mark in a few ways, from its all-beige color scheme to the overhead lantern that truly belonged outside instead. Pietragallo worked to lighten and brighten the room, create a plush, hotel-like bed, and add an air of elegance to the room.

“We wanted the room to feel like a beachy escape, something that exuded a soft and airy feel," Pietragallo said. "To achieve this, we incorporated pale blue and white as main colors and added architectural interest to the walls and ceiling using white wood trim. The homeowners now come home to a place where they can rest and recharge, surrounded by beautiful things.”

A Clean Slate Apartment Becomes a NYC Dream

This bedroom was a blank canvas—and interior designer Becky Shea was ready to create an amazing space for her NYC clients.

“We asked the client which colors reminded her of peace, which textiles make her feel comforted, and what objects she wanted to highlight in the space that would spark joy every time she looked at them," Shea said. "Once we got down to the roots of human intentions being had in the space, we hit the drawing board.” 

The moody tones of the room give it a sophisticated flare, with dusty blues, black and leather at the forefront of the design. Shea added a navy jute grasscloth behind the bed for a textural element, and with the rooms views of the Hudson River, it is the perfect blend of naturalistic and industrial chic.

Worn-Out and Drab Turns Into a Peaceful Space

“Our client, a single mom who had become an empty nester when her daughter left for college, found it was the perfect time to refresh her bedroom,” Kristina Phillips of K + K Interior Design said about this bedroom transformation. “Because she works full time at a busy and demanding job, our client asked us to transform her bedroom into a peaceful oasis she could come home to at night.” 

This bedroom perfectly blends contemporary and traditional, boasting a bright, fun lavender on the walls alongside elegant accents like the luxe headboard and drapes. The custom floral bench seamlessly ties together the colors and textures of the room, completing the perfect space for this client.

A Bland Basement Becomes an Amazing Guest Bedroom

This basement bedroom is nested in a 100-year old lake house—but sure didn't feel like it. The room had minimal character with bare walls and little bedding, and designer Kate Lester Kate Lester was determined to change that for her client, who wanted the basement to house guests when they came to visit.

“I wanted the room to feel lake house-ish, but not too literal, so we went with a whimsical wallpaper that kept the room from becoming overly serious or too nautical,” Lester said. “Architecturally, there was a single beam on the far right of the room that had to remain due to structural issues, so we worked that into our design concept for the ceiling. We ended up adding a second beam for symmetry, and then painted both white to create a feeling of more height.” 

The playful wall prints give the room a retro, coastal vibe, and a patterned wallpaper brightens up the space—and you'd never guess this was previously a bland basement.

From Blank Slate to Edgy and Contemporary

Designer Tiffany Brooks was given free rein when it came to this bedroom makeover— and she loved it. Her client granted her the creative freedom to do what she wanted to the space, as long as she kept the existing bed.

“I wanted to create a bedroom that was upbeat and contemporary,” Brooks explained. “I started by giving a traditional style bed a bit of edginess through the bedding and backdrop. Then, I spiced things up by adding crown molding and trim to the walls and painting everything black to help punctuate the architecture. Dimmers on the ceiling light and lamps give the space a calm feel.”

The four-post bed, which was previously the only thing in this space, was incorporated into the final design with major upgrades to the headboard and bedding. Along with a dramatic accent wall, black trim, baroque-style starburst ceiling light, and a sophisticated sitting area at the food of the bed, this bedroom will never be bland again.

A Basic Guest Bedroom Becomes a Multicultural Creation

“The design challenge was to create an oasis which spoke to the multicultural lineage of the couple’s families—his is Danish, hers Indian,” designer Laurie Blumenfeld-Russo noted on this huest bedroom transformation. “My vision was to craft a cozy and relaxed aesthetic, a space modern enough to please the Dane, and glam enough to speak to the Indian side of the family.”

The result was a lovely bedroom filled with calming neutrals and pops of color, from the apricot pillows to the willow tree-printed wallpaper. The space feels organic and inviting with a blend of cultures and design styles—plus, the view is unbeatable.

A Bedroom Makeover That Didn’t Underestimate the Power of Pink

Starting with this blank slate of a bedroom left designer Phoebe Howard plenty of room to play. She hoped to create the perfect, elevate kid's bedroom for her client that was bold, bright, and full of visual interest.

“The room was pretty much a blank space, so I filled it with a colorful canopy, bright floral curtains, and a custom-made bed,” Howard noted. “Painting the walls and trim a bright white made all the other colors in the room stand out, including the accessories.”

The fuchsia, orange, and white color scheme make the cheeriest of combinations in this room, which also lets in much natural lighting thanks to the printed Roman shades. Bright yet balanced, this bedroom is an inspiring space to start and end the day.