Jane Lockhart has noticed an alarming trend: When it comes to decorating, her clients are now paying the least attention to their bedrooms, even though they spend a fantastic portion of their time at home in them. “In the end of a very long day, it’s easy to close your eyes and leave the mess and chaos to be sprinkled on a second evening,” she states. With this undertaking, Lockhart helped her customer purge excess furniture, including inherited pieces, and a hodgepodge of styles. Even though the designer remained well within budget, one big splurge set the tone for a cool, calm and elegant refuge: a new custom bed.
Who sleeps here: An empty nester who’s also a working professional
Location: Ontario, Canada
Size: 176 square feet
Style challenge: Helping the customer downsize her furniture and decor
Jane Lockhart Interior Design
As with any bedroom, the most significant piece of furniture in this client’s room is the bed. Lockhart replaced the springy 10-year-old mattress with a firm pillow-top version with hypoallergenic and ergonomic attributes.
Lockhart created a custom platform bed frame and reupholstered the headboard in charcoal gray faux suede fabric by Robert Allen Design; the custom touches add a sophisticated and tailored touch to the bedroom. The gray hue sets the cool and neutral colour palette for the space.
Hint: Lockhart highly recommends adding molding to interiors. Molding is an easy architectural detail but adds so much elegance and style to a room. Here, Canamould’s lightweight foam molding created for an easy cut-and-caulk installation.
Wall paint: Pure White, Martha Stewart Living; molding paint: Winter Snow, Benjamin Moore; window colors: Hunter Douglas; draperies: Drapes & More; lamps: Ikea
Related: The best way to shop for a greener mattress
Before Photo
Jane Lockhart Interior Design
BEFORE: This photograph shows some pieces the customer donated or sold.
“We kept pieces that had plenty of sentimental significance and layout purpose,” Lockhart says. “Eventually we got to a location that was empty enough for me to start sourcing new pieces and to incorporate existing favorite antiques and private things.”
Jane Lockhart Interior Design
AFTER: This bedside corner image showcases the room’s new palette of warm white, soft gray and bits of pink. Lockhart warmed up the area, which faces Lake Ontario, with lavish fabrics, soft throws and satin pima cotton sheets and bedding.
Hint: Small cabinets and classic or classic occasional tables create fairly and practical night tables. Lockhart spruced up this classic find with a new drawer pull and a darker blot.
Jane Lockhart Interior Design
Large windows allow plenty of natural light into the space — as well as the calming sound of waves crashing at night. Here, sexy silk drapes stitched on top of light-diffusing blinds and a wool rug are warm and touchable in a room that occupies long Canadian winters.
Hint: The designer layered the lighting in the room by blending natural light with LED bulbs in floor and table lamps. “I used a few bulbs on dimmers, which adds a romantic glow to the distance,” she states.
Chair: Jane by Jane Lockhart in Robert Allen Design fabric; framed prints: Windergarden
Jane Lockhart Interior Design
A dresser from HomeSense made of walnut with antique brass hardware provides storage space. It’s also flexible enough to be changed out to the living room or dining room area.
Hint: “Mirrors are usually inexpensive and come in all kinds of different styles,” says Lockhart. “You can use them outside of their practical purpose as ever-changing works of art — and they’ll reflect light and the gorgeous things you have added to your room”
Clock radio: Tivoli
Jane Lockhart Interior Design
Lockhart’s customer personalized this dressing table tray by lining its removable Plexiglas bottom with scrap fabric left over from the custom cushions.
Tray: FHE Group
Jane Lockhart Interior Design
Hint: Keep trays handy to encourage breakfast in bed and never underestimate the design ability of cushions and throw pillows.