Sunny-side up bedroom

Southern Living, Jun 2002 by Staab, Nancy

Beaded board, blackand-white accents, and a dash of yellow paint warm up this room.

Who wouldn't want their bedroom to resemble a breezy beach retreat? The crisp, clean look of historic Southern beach houses inspired Regan Coxe and her husband, Miles, to bring that atmosphere to their Edenton, North Carolina, master bedroom. The couple chose beaded board for the walls and ceiling to reflect this design style. "This material is typical of traditional beach houses in Sullivan's Island, South Carolina, where I spent summers while growing up," observes Regan. "The black-and-white ticking used for the bed skirt and cafe curtains also creates a beachy feel."

Sunshine and Light

In order to make the room feel breezier, Regan and Miles raised the original ceiling height from 8 to 10 1/2 feet. While the beaded-board ceiling was covered with a white-washed stain, Regan painted the walls a cheery daffodil yellow. The result is a bedroom that exudes sunshine yearround. "The color makes it feel warm in here all the time-even on a cold day," she says.

Bed Basics

Like many young couples, the Coxes are still searching for the perfect bed. As a temporary solution, they propped their mattress and box spring on a simple custom-made wooden frame and then concealed it with pretty linens. The frame not only adds height to the bed but also allows for ample storage underneath. Regan favors the tall bed because "you feel like you are climbing up into a cozy nest."

In lieu of a headboard, which would have blocked the light from the windows, Regan added several decorative pillows to create a similar effect. The windows, cased in wide moldings and rosette blocks, handsomely frame the bed-turning the room's awkward window placement into an advantage. Charming curtains complete the look.

Black-and-White Accents

"I've always loved this combination," says Regan. "It adds punch to interiors." She created a black-and-white sitting area by slip-covering a pair of mahogany chairs with white cotton duck fabric and placing a black tea table between them. The harlequin-- patterned pillows, trimmed with fringe, reinforce the room's color scheme. Regan also embroidered her bed pillows and a chair cushion with a Greek key border for graphic appeal. Coordinating antique transferware plates, suspended from the windows with grosgrain ribbon, provide a final decorative touch.

Vintage Details

The retro atmosphere did not end with the beaded board and cotton ticking. Pine floors, fanciful antique lamps, and colorful old paintings complete the beach cottage appeal of Regan and Miles's bedroom retreat.

NANCY STAAB