Grove kept the primary bedroom color palette calm and serene with pops of bold pattern to match her client’s bubbly and fun personality. Organic textures and layers of bed linens provide a soft place to sleep and relax while adding extra interest to the space.
When designer Kirsten Grove was contacted by her clients to transform their primary bedroom, it was clear the room had been the last thing on the couple’s renovation to-do list. “They had renovated the kitchen, the living spaces, and the bathrooms, but their own bedroom was a complete afterthought,” says Grove with We Three Design. “They felt that as a space they spend quite a bit of time in, their bedroom needed the same attention the rest of their home had gotten.”
The primary suite in the 1930s home was “very basic,” explains Grove. White walls, a traditional bed, and not much else. “Upon meeting my clients, we quickly learned the wife is so fun!” she says. “She’s incredibly stylish and has a great personality, so we wanted to push the envelope a bit. We also picked up the fact that their living spaces had some fun design elements sprinkled throughout the house that were very quirky and clever and not super traditional. When we created the concept for the bedroom, we chose a bold Osborne & Little wallpaper for behind the headboard to get a feel for how far she was open to going with the design. As soon as she saw it she said,‘Let’s do it, let’s have fun!’”
With a blank canvas in front of her, Grove set to work pulling together a design that checked the boxes of bold and fun but also peaceful and relaxing. Wrapped around the room, the wallpaper—infused with pops of pink, blues, and greens—served as the springboard for the room’s color palette. Not wanting the furniture to compete with the wallpaper, Grove selected pieces that were neutral “but still made a statement,” she says.
A cane bed pairs beautifully with a blush scalloped upholstered bench from Anthropologie and bedside tables from CB2 that are minimal in size but maximize storage space. Vintage brass sconces scored on Etsy and light-gray velvet draperies give the room “some weight but don’t overwhelm it.”
Grove’s design resulted in not only a relaxing sanctuary for her clients, but a primary suite that feels like anything but an afterthought. “They absolutely loved it!” the designer says. “She wanted something she could be proud of, something that when she woke up in the morning, it brought her joy. She wanted to wake up excited for life and this design did that.”
bold move
Designer Kirsten Grove offers these tips on how to inject bold design into a bedroom while still making it feel like a restful sanctuary.
Create mood with the right lighting. “A stylish yet restful bedroom needs ambient lighting. Say no to harsh ceiling downlight and yes to table lamps, floor lamps, and sconces on either side of the bed. Strategically mounted ceiling lights can also add some nice drama to the space.”
Embrace wallpaper. “Wallpaper can bring character and dimension to a space. Keep the rest of your bedroom somewhat neutral and introduce accents of wood to minimize the intensity of any extra noise.”
Go for drapes. “They immediately add beauty and an organic element that most bedrooms will benefit from. Whether you choose velvet for some drama or linen for airiness, you can’t go wrong.”
