Date:  April 1, 2024  |   Story: Tiffany Adams  |   Photography: Rett Peek  |   Styling: Stephanie Maxwell Newton  |  

Antiques, pattern, and color don’t sleep in this primary bedroom makeover

We have an appreciation for older homes but not the patience,” admits the owner of this Little Rock residence. After recently purchasing a home built in 2021, she and her husband were eager to give the spaces—notably their bedroom—a curated-over-time feel. Seeing designer Jen Bienvenu’s work in the home of friends prompted them to reach out for her help. “Her style is different yet familiar at the same time,” the homeowner says. “I wanted our bedroom to be comfortable and warm but not feel cluttered.”

Jen found an almost blank slate on her visit to the site, with the couple wanting to replace furniture they had accumulated in earlier years. “For homeowners, the primary bedroom is often last on the list because it’s a private space that guests don’t see,” Jen says. For this reason, the room had become a catch-all. “It’s fun to walk into a project like this but also a big challenge because there were no drapes or artwork to pull from to get the design started,” she notes. To get things rolling, Jen and the couple created a furniture wish list that included a new king-sized bed, a chest, and bedside tables. Jen suggested sourcing the furniture through auction, allowing them to access antiques as well as a vintage mahogany four-poster bed. They were especially drawn to the bow-front highboy chest and opted for a small secretary rather than a table for one side of the bed. “We went through several iterations of finding things and then seeing it go to someone else,” Jen says of their hunt. “It’s a matter of finding the right estate that has all the pieces you need, so you aren’t spending an exorbitant amount on shipping,” she adds in regard to the process.

To offset the brown furniture, Jen covered the walls in a classic yet fresh pattern filled with blues and greens. Accent fabrics as well as the rug play to this palette without overwhelming the room while thoughtful artwork brings a personal touch. Jen notes that a number of local artisans—the portrait painter, furniture repairman, wallpaper hanger, and even antique dealers—played a role in creating the symphonic space. “Jen really listens,” the homeowner says. “I’m not naturally an interior design person, and I don’t have the vision, but throughout the process we trusted her and are so happy with the end result.”

Above: An antique secretary serves as a bedside table as well as a place for the homeowner to take work calls or pay bills without dedicating a full room to an office.

“We were not drawn to antiques before working with Jen, but I think she has a gift for using them in her designs.”
—homeowner

All in the Details
As the room’s design came together, the homeowners were eager to add more art. An oil painting by Tennessee artist Alice Caudill was brokered through Well and Wonder Artist Collective, which represents Southern female artists. The crisp, white Matouk bedding is accented with a scallop detail. B is the family’s beloved Sheepadoodle.

Courtly Canine
Local artist Molly Shirrell painted the family dog, affectionately known as B, in the style of the Old Masters. “It’s a focal point, not just something we put there,” Jen says. “Hopefully, it’s one of the things their kids will fight over,” she adds with a laugh.

Solid Foundation
With pattern on the walls and in the accent fabrics, a solid color was a natural choice for the pleated draperies that hang on a French return rod. Jen intentionally selected a brown Kravet fabric that is the same tone as the furniture, which leads the eye and elongates the room.

Up the Walls
Jen selected the wallpaper, Schumacher’s “Front Waltz” in Sage, to be a focal point that also provides balance between new and old. “It has a historical feel, but the blue-green colors are on trend,” she says.

Pattern Play
Speaking to the room’s curated feel, the skirted bedside table features a Thibaut suzani fabric with bullion fringe while the durable, high-traffic-friendly rug’s color was pulled from the wallpaper. Jen kept the teal-and-gold silk fabric that was on the side chairs when she found them at an estate sale.

Design Resources
Interior design Jen Bienvenu, J. Bienvenu Interiors Accessories, bedding, fabrics, furniture, and wallpaper J. Bienvenu Interiors Art Alice Caudill Art (Tennessee) and Molly Shirrell Art Lighting Roy Dudley Estate Sales Upholstery and window coverings Simply Charming Window Works & Design Wallpaper (installation) Aesthetics Wallcoverings