Wallpaper Mecca

INTRODUCTION

I am so excited to finally reveal this project which was about a year in the making! This client was so much fun to work with, that after the design presentation her only request was to “please do more!”. Originally starting as some finishing touches and master bathroom updates, this project quickly evolved into bold moves (including wallpaper on the ceiling) and three full bathroom renovations. Read on to see how we added some unique touches to this home!

THE DESIGN PROCESS

This client and I have a very similar personal aesthetic which made it even more fun one to work on. Our plan for the design was to incorporate lots of moody contrast, interesting textures and patterns and most importantly, to go bold. Any time a client asks us to “add even more black”, my heart skips a beat.

When Mike and I first walked into the house for the consultation, we were honestly confused why we were even being hired. This client has wonderful taste and had already done an amazing job setting up her living room and dining room. It was instantly clear that we spoke the same design love language and I knew I was going to love working with her. While the home was beautiful (and new construction), there were areas that the client wanted to make bolder and more dramatic, and I was more than happy to step in! The main things we planned to focus on were painting throughout, ripping out the carpet in the basement, updating the master bedroom, and incorporating wallpaper as much as possible. As the project evolved, we ended up gutting all three bathrooms and wallpapering more than just the walls.

The existing furniture was beautiful and we incorporated just about all of it into the design but the basement needed some more drama and excitement.

The basement hallway was begging for some excitement. With such a long space, we knew we needed to incorporate something bold and fun so that it didn’t feel overlooked.

The bathrooms had dark brown tile and builder-grade vanities and lights. These needed some spice!

The master bedroom was beautiful but our client wanted a bigger bed and wanted to make the room feel less feminine.

THE REVEAL

Their living room was already done perfectly, and just needed a new piece of art above the fireplace. These feathers set the tone for the rest of the house…bold contrast and rich texture.

Recognize this room from the before photos? We ripped out the carpet and installed wood-look LVT that matches the wood tone in the floors upstairs, but are more resilient for water damage (safer for a basement). We completely blacked out the interior room (appropriately named the mancave) to create a moody spot for entertaining. To add even more drama, we carried a geometric wallpaper across the entire ceiling in the basement and pulled in a new, linear light fixture.

The furniture in the basement was already well-suited for the space, so we completed the look with some new artwork and decor.

In the basement hallway, a black accent wall and the wallpapered ceiling create a cohesive feel with the rest of the space. Under the stairs, we hung a wall sconce above a bench styled with pillows to create a cozy nook and add some spice to an otherwise overlooked space. Down the wall of the hallway, we incorporated an oversized gallery wall complete with pieces our client picked from Brazil to represent home!

In the front of the basement, we kept the existing furniture and pillows (told you, she has great taste) and added some art to the walls to marry the textures in the space.

This basement is one that I’m never going to forget. We ripped out the brown tiles and blacked out out the shower with large, matte black porcelain tiles and black fixtures. The walls in the bathroom were covered in a marbled black and white paper and concrete-looking porcelain tiles on the floor add some brightness and allow the wallpaper and shower to be the focal points.

Here, we kept the original vanity and swapped out the faucet for a matte black to match the shower fixtures. The client’s existing wood mirror was the perfect pop of warmth for the space to balance things out.

The guest bath upstairs has a softer vibe to it but just as much drama. In here, we pulled in a marble-look porcelain tile on the floor and a soft, white glass tile in the shower as an accent between the white porcelain tiles on the sides. A soft purple and gold cork wallpaper adds major texture to the room with a warm, inviting touch. We carried the gold tones from the wallpaper into the plumbing fixtures and hardware in the room, even incorporating the client’s existing mirror which had originally been in their bedroom.

The master bedroom got a moody update as well with dark gray walls and a textured wallpaper behind the new canopy bed. Black and brass metals add a sharp contrast to the otherwise soft palette.

In the master bathroom, we carried in a geometric concrete tile, echoing the pattern from the wallpaper in the basement. Overall, we kept this bathroom bright and clean with darker accents for contrast.

In the office, we carried in one last black wall with a luxe, green velvet sofa in front of it. The rug in here pulls in a black and white geometric pattern to create a cohesive feel with the rest of the house.

As thrilled as I am to see the photos of this design now that it’s complete, I’m sad that it’s over! Let the search begin for the next client that will trust us to wallpaper their ceiling!

-dgw

Design Team: Devon Wegman and Sandra Chavez

Photography: Gene Yoon