The Master Suite is frequently the last room I am asked to work on in a home. The public areas are given priority (those nosy, judgmental neighbors you know!), the kitchen is very high on the list as a prime living space with a need for function. Children’s spaces are often redesigned before parent’s as well; parents want to give their children the best they can. But as a result, as parents we often neglect our own needs in this effort.
A parent’s mood, energy, relationship sets the tone for family life and if you are neglecting yourself it will show in your family dynamic. You may be less rested or more stressed than you need to be!
I recently completed a master suite remodel for a family with four children. I had been to their home many times on other projects but had never even seen the master suite. This couple runs a family business (that requires travel) had recently lost parents (and inherited many belongings) and had become overwhelmed in their own personal space. They were surrounded with suitcases and belongings that left no room for rest.
Master Bedroom Before
The intense orange red on the wall, which the wife had mistakenly chosen because she thought it would be a happy color that gave her energy, overwhelmed the senses. Several dressers lined the space as there was not enough closet space and again they had inherited “quality” furniture that was dated but they hated to just give away so they added it into the mix.
We began by changing the color and getting rid of the poor lighting, and non-functional, broken lace window treatments. Then we edited the furniture to just a couple of inherited pieces that had memories attached to them and used them as bedside tables. We had the secretary wired inside as a charging station so it serves a modern function with the funky charm of mismatched vintage bedside tables. I am still working on changing the bed to the upholstered headboard in the rendering above, we’ll get there. You don’t have to make every change at once!
The chest at the foot of the bed serves as a packing surface for suitcases but we reconfigured the closets to include plenty of suitcase storage so there is no need to be surrounded by their suitcases when they are finally home from their business travels.
On the wall opposite the bed we added a custom wall unit that replaced the media console and two dressers. Clothing is now neatly stored out of site on either side of the large television space. TV in a bedroom is a matter of debate and really comes down to personal preference. In this case it was part of their rare relaxation time so I was going to make sure it had a stylish home. We edited the inherited items to one large vase and two small urns on the book shelves. When you have less items what you have becomes more important. The beautiful vase was lost before in a sea of knick-knacks. Choose what you want people to see and edit out the rest!
Master Bath Before
The master bath was not only dated but it also was storage for all of “grandma’s” sewing materials and machinery and other craft items. No one in this family sewed so there was no purpose in holding onto those items. We cleared out the clutter and gutted the whole bath to allow room for reconfiguring a walk-in closet, as well as adding a relaxing soaking tub and a shower large enough for the 6’7″ husband.
The clean lines, natural materials and soft colors of the new bath make this a true retreat. And again like in the master bedroom we edited to one or two pieces that held memories and made a design statement.
This horse had been collected in China by grandparents and was part of childhood memories while making a stunning focal point on our dark granite counters.
Even if you are not going to completely gut and remodel your personal space, think carefully about the color you surround yourself with. Even the color of your sheets can make a difference to how well you rest, you literally wrap yourself with that color.
Edit your belongings to those that serve a function, make a statement or have strong personal memories. In my recent move I realized how little attachment I had to some of the “stuff” I had been surrounding myself with. I moved only those things that were truly special or very functional.
Think about reusing items, like we re-purposed the secretary desk into a bedside table. Matching bedside tables are a cliche unless they are done in a purposeful symmetrical way as part of a well-thought out design plan.
Most importantly, treat yourself as well as you treat the rest of your family. What relaxes you? What do you want to do in your sacred space? Indulge yourself a little or a lot. You deserve it!
