Date:  July 25, 2010  |   Story: Interview by Diane Carroll  |   Styling: Diane Carroll  |  

At Home in Arkansas: Where do you begin when designing a room for an 8-year-old boy?

Designer Casey Roark: For this project, I began with the color. When the Brooks family moved to Fayetteville several years ago, and Sam was a toddler, I helped Mary Beth Brooks with the design of his bedroom and the playroom next to it. Now that he’s older, she felt it was time to change some of the furnishings and freshen up the rooms. Because we wanted to keep a few elements, like the playroom’s Dr. Seuss-inspired mural based on the book “Sam I Am,” we needed a color that worked well with what was already there. I chose a bright blue for the bedroom walls to connect the two rooms together.

AHIA: The extra-tall headboard sets the tone for the entire room. How did you come up with that design idea?

CR: To me, a bed is the big statement in any bedroom. Usually, you can enhance the bed with fabric treatments and pillows to create a look for the room. But a young boy needs a simpler, sleeker style.

I worked with Interior Fabrics and Design to devise this headboard with upholstered panels that are adhered to the wall. The panels alternate between faux leather and textural woven cotton, so they’re durable as well. The panels became the room’s focal point, eliminating the need for art above the bed, which can be difficult in a kid’s room.

To complement the headboard, we added monogrammed pillows that spell out Sam’s name. Kids love something personalized, and these pillows are fun yet tailored enough to not be fussy.

AHIA: Your color choices—blue and brown as the base, with orange as an accent—seem ageless.

CR: That was the goal, to find colors that were boyish enough to work now but classic enough to transition through the years. When you work with colors instead of themes, longevity is one of the benefits.

Design Resources

Interior design Casey Roark Design, Fayetteville

Builder McMahon Brothers Construction, Fayetteville

Accessories Lighting Emporium, Springdale

Bed I.O. Metro, locations statewide

Cabinetry, computer desk Kitchen Distributors, Fayetteville

Chair Target, locations statewide

Decorative painting Studio Xi, Fayetteville

Fabric, bedding, headboard, pillows Interior Fabrics and Design, Fayetteville