A Main Bedroom Designed for a Couple

Brian is a former downhill skier who spent much of his life hitting the slopes, traveling around the globe and competing in four Olympics. But since marrying and starting a family, his life has changed dramatically, and his home decor is no exception.

Take his third-floor main bedroom. More like an outdated ski lodge than a bedroom, the space had been rustic and masculine, complete with lots of pine and heaps of plaid. While the dated design may have suited a bachelor, it didn't appeal to wife Heather, whose tastes tended toward the glamorous and elegant.

The couple called me in to see if I could find a couple-friendly design solution, and I called on my crew and got set to sync the masculine with the feminine.

To create this equilibrium, I decided the room's theme would be "chalet chic." I chose a relaxing, gender-neutral color scheme featuring rich cream, pear green and bark brown. I painted the space in a light cream, left the hardwood floor intact and created two major zones in the room: a comfy sleeping space and a restful sitting area.

In the bedroom, I put in a luxurious king-size bed with two wooden bedside tables. I mixed rustic and chic by installing a stunning brown leather headboard and adding creamy paisley wallpaper behind it. I also added lavish bedding: luscious linens, a variety of pillows and even a whimsical leopard-print throw. On the windows, I put up woven bamboo and jute blinds and fronted them with drapes in a beautiful cream, green and brown striped fabric.

In the sitting area, I created a gorgeous feature wall by updating the room's existing exposed brick with a cut-stone veneer treatment and adding a very cool, freestanding gas fireplace. I also put in a brown leather club chair, an ottoman and a big area rug.

To make the room lighter and brighter, I got rid of the existing ceiling fixtures and replaced them with a track lighting system. I also put beautiful lamps on the bedside tables.