Bedroom character

Southern Living, Oct 1998 by Nesmith, Lynn

This guest bedroom lives much larger than its 12- x 13-foot dimensions, thanks to a thoughtful furniture arrangement and 12-foothigh ceilings. Tall windows over the beds and a dramatic painted finish on the walls enhance the room's sense of spaciousness and style.

"The bedroom is located along the front of the house directly off the foyer," says owner Kay Fuller. "Because the room is so visible, I wanted the design to be special."

To give the room character, Kay started with the walls. A bold faux finish in warm brown tones with an irregular striped pattern visually complements the room's tall ceilings. "A textured wall finish adds lots of character to any room," says Kay. The warm tones provide the perfect background for her collection of oldworld maps and monkey prints.

The room's three windows might have posed problems for some, but Kay took full advantage of their stature and position. "The windows along the front of the house are 10 feet tall, while the side one is only 8 feet," she says. For consistency, she mounted wooden box valances on all three windows at the same height. Rather than cover them with a fabric, Kay had the artist who did the walls paint a pattern on the valances to complement the faux finish. Simple brown linen draperies provide privacy.

Four-poster twin beds fit snugly under the two front windows. Bed linens were chosen with texture and comfort in mind. A simple cotton duvet sets a relaxed tone, and paisley-patterned shams and dust ruffles add color. Lynn Nesmith