Bedroom Makeover: Before and After

Credit: Tracey Ayton

A king-sized bed with custom upholstered headboard anchor a coastal-inspired look for this master bedroom

Favouring functional requirements over esthetic details is paramount to the perfect bedroom makeover

When there are three small children roaming the house, it’s important for mom and dad to have a sanctuary all to themselves. Designer Karla Amadatsu of Kerrisdale Design Inc. worked with the parents of a family of five – six if you count the pooch – to transform the master bedroom into a relaxing retreat.

“The first thing we started with was a look and feel,” says Amadatsu. Before delving into the details or making purchases, it’s crucial to have a vision for the space and an idea of the mood it should invoke. When starting from scratch, analyzing inspirational photos helps to indicate your style.

“What’s jumping out?” asks Amadatsu. “Is it furniture styles or lines of pieces, or just the overall colour palette?”

Start with the Big Picture

Existing features and furniture also dictate the direction of the design project, and in this case, the current wall colour – Ralph Lauren Barn Owl White – and quality hardwood floors figured into the final product. “They didn’t want to repaint, so we worked with that,” says Amadatsu. “Paint is always the last aspect to be picked. I always warn clients, ‘Let’s not let that small detail limit what we do for the rest of the space.'”

It’s easy to get carried away with esthetic details, but the functional requirements are paramount to creating the perfect end result. Considerations like bed size, storage needs, lighting and floor plan all play into the type of furniture and decor you will purchase. After settling on a much-needed king-sized bed, Amadatsu anchored the room by creating a custom upholstered headboard with a striped Robert Allen fabric and nailhead trim.

“It’s kind of bold, but it’s classic at the same time,” she says. “I love how the florals and the stripes work together.”

Simple bedside tables are brought to life with small decorative details and beautiful lamps that act as jewelry in the room. Amadatsu also favours modest bedding, then adding ornate pillow fabrics to spice things up (Image: Tracey Ayton)

Prioritize Quality Furniture

Once the mood and primary function were established, Amadatsu began sourcing items and selecting fabrics – like the floral Kravet print adorning the pillow shams – to see how they relate to each other in the environment and to bring the vision to life.

“We prioritized where to spend the money,” she says, adding that bedside tables should be on the top of the list. “You’re going to have them for a long time, so it was important that we get the right pieces.”

Look for quality craftsmanship and select tables that don’t disappear in the shadow of your bed.

“It’s really important to have bedside tables that are in proportion to your bed,” says Amadatsu, adding that tiny tables with a king-sized bed are a major design faux pas.

Beautiful lamps have considerable impact on a bedroom and Amadatsu found these polished nickel Robert Abbey task lamps to be the right accent to mix with the more irreverent pieces, such as the framed prints mounted on each bedside. She custom-matted pages from a Cavallini & Co. calendar in Pottery Barn frames to create simple art that would tie into the other colour elements in the room.

From furniture to fabric, all of the elements add up to create what Amadatsu calls a “slightly coastal-inspired, fresh, pretty look,” and the perfect spot for these parents to unwind.

Originally published in BC Home & Garden magazine. For regular updates, subscribe to our free Home and Garden e-newsletters, or purchase a subscription to the magazine.