This Visual Trick Dialed Up the Coziness in This Large Kansas Bedroom
Words by Morgan Goldberg
Photo by Aimeé Mazzenga
For a pair of empty nesters, creating a cozy bedroom in their Kansas home was the ultimate dream.
But the couple was struggling to reconcile the grand, traditional architecture of their Overland Park house with their desire for a comfortable refuge, so they reached out to Minnesota-based interior designer Bria Hammel for help. “We wanted to create a relaxed space, but not ignore the formality of the home,” she explains.
By juxtaposing a regal four-poster bed, an ornate chandelier, and custom striped wallpaper with layers upon layers of soft textiles (and coordinating curtains), Bria was able to strike a perfect balance between classic elegance and warm tranquility.
The project: A French country-meets-cottage home
The location: Overland Park, Kansas
The room: Primary bedroom
The client: A couple of empty nesters
Photo by Aimeé Mazzenga
The item that started it all: The wallpaper really was the kicking off point. It’s designed with a custom hand block we had made for us in India and then finished by one of our artists. It has a really classic feel to it.
Something vintage: The rug! When it comes to vintage finds, rugs are one of my favorite items to source. They have so much character and really feel like they are telling a story.
The splurge and steal in the room: It’s definitely an investment to wallpaper an entire room—especially a large one like a primary suite—but it really made the room sing. Smaller accessories like vases, candles, and throws are a great opportunity for lower-cost purchases.
Photo by Aimeé Mazzenga
Photo by Aimeé Mazzenga
The design risk with the biggest payoff: The high-contrast bed. Typically you would expect to see a light and airy bedframe with the palette in this room, but we wanted it to be a statement and add a bit of whimsy. It really did become the showstopper.
The little detail with a big impact: Matching the window treatment fabric to the wallpaper created texture and coziness without stealing the show from the beautiful poster bed.
Why this space works so well: This is a very large bedroom that felt somewhat cavernous before we designed it. Adding the wallpaper and using a poster bed to draw your eye down from the soaring ceilings created coziness and a casual feel.
This room feels like: The perfect grand retreat.
The Goods
