Bedrooms
See How Color & Pattern Bring A Design Editor’s Bedroom To Life!
Published on July 6, 2017
H&H’s Kai Ethier transforms her blank canvas of a bedroom into a haven of patterns and hues. The makeover included expanding the closet, removing a set of old patio doors and injecting loads of personality. “It’s got a really good energy now,” says Kai. Click through and slide the arrows to see the the dramatic before and after!
Kai and her husband, André, who’s a visual artist, feel most at home surrounded by colour and pattern, so it’s no surprise that their stark white bedroom left them feeling uninspired. Painted a soft, dusty pink and filled with vibrant fabrics and artwork, the space now looks much more fitting for the creative pair.
For extra storage, Kai designed a custom dresser off the daybed and painted it the same color as the walls for a seamless look. The artwork is largely a family affair — the paintings are by André and their daughter, Frances, 3, and a collage is by their son, Louis, 8. “The watercolor [top center] is by Jay Isaac, who’s one of my favorite painters,” says Kai.
Removing the old sliding glass doors and relocating them to the hallway made room for a daybed with storage underneath. The extra bed is an inviting spot to read, and if these busy parents can squeeze in a nap, the new skylight has a remote-controlled shade. Kai asked André to recreate a painting he’d done of Frances (hung over daybed) for this space. “The original was sent to New York, so this is an original of an original,” says Kai.
Kai uses a vintage ’50s dessert stand to store her jewelry.
Kai and André could barely open their old closet doors without hitting their double bed. To remedy this, Kai removed the closets in her children’s shared bedroom next door (giving them cabinets and a chest of drawers instead) and expanded the principal bedroom into that room to fit a queen bed. “André and I split the closet space half and half … ish,” jokes Kai. Trading closet doors for curtains saves space, and a new closet system keeps things organized.
Opting for an affordable lifting bed from Ikea meant Kai could splurge on the upholstery fabric, a bold print depicting traditional Japanese theater masks that she’d been coveting. “I love the colors and drama of it, and it’s abstract enough that I don’t feel like people are watching me sleep,” says Kai with a laugh. Suitcases and out-of-season clothes are stored out of sight under the bed.
Michael Graydon
House & Home February 2017
Kai Ethier