Before and After: Guest Bedroom Redesign

This guest bedroom has a great view but it doesn't really have that "home away from home" feel. The dark blue and plum color scheme makes the room feel cold and uninviting. Interior designer Suki Che creates comfort and style using inspiration from Barber:

• Che wants to transform this bedroom into a space that's very warm and inviting along with adding some excitement with the bedding, the headboard and the window covering. Once the room is empty, the uneven blue paint on the walls is covered with a neutral beige color with sand granules added for texture. The trim is painted off white, which also lightens up the space.

• A red area rug with a bamboo pattern introduces warmth, color and the feng shui aspect of fire and passion to the hardwood floors. Just as Barber carried a diamond pattern through a client's home, Che uses bamboo to add visual interest throughout this room.

• The former furnishings were metal with awkward lines while the new bed is wooden and sleek. A simple headboard made out of three pieces of plywood covered with batting and linen lends another natural touch. The boards hang above the bed like curtains using bamboo as a rod.

• The bed is dressed in luxurious fabrics and the neutral silks and cottons set the stage for a punch of red from throw pillows. The combination of materials gives the room more character and also creates an elegant feeling.

  

  Before

  

  After

  

  Before

• To make the room even more comfortable for a guest, Che designed a sitting area with a colorful modern chair next to a table with a bamboo-inspired base.

• Another bamboo rod supports the window draperies, which are the same cream-colored linen as the headboard with brown velvet trim along the bottom. The material affords privacy while still allowing light in.

• Since Floss Barber believes that comfort in homes is achieved with natural materials, Che selected night tables with a mahogany finish. To create more positive tension, metal lamps counter the wooden furnishings. Barber also loves to play with scale so an oversized piece of art contrasts the serene feeling in the room.

• For a final touch, live bamboo by the window adds life to the space, which is an important aspect of feng shui.

paint (trim: White Solitude #CW057W semigloss; walls: Kindig Wood #8713W flat) (Duron)
bed frame and lamps (IKEA)
hardware for curtain rod and pole, curtain clips (Linens 'n Things)
bed linens, shams, duvet, accent pillows (Pottery Barn)
8x10 area rug with bamboo design (Marc Phillips Decorative Rugs)
night tables, chair, side table (Storehouse Furniture)
bamboo pole (The Importer)