Date: May 19, 2017 | Story: Tiffany Adams | Photography: Rett Peek |
A peaceful palette and thoughtful design features combine to create a dreamy master bedroom and bath for a busy couple
“We bought this house because I wanted to live on this street; it’s full of kids,” says the owner of this West Little Rock home. “Two years ago, I was at a dinner party and met the couple who lives across the street. I told them, ‘Some day I’m going to live on that street.’ When they came over to see who bought this house I said, ‘See? I told you!’” she laughs.
While she and her husband were fond of having a large space with a yard where their four boys could play (two currently live at home and two are away at college), they weren’t enamored with the inevitable projects the house presented—namely the work required to update the master bedroom and bath. Enter her longtime friend Ellen Yeary. “I have known Ellen since grade school, and we asked her to help with the house,” the homeowner says of the Little Rock architect. Yeary reworked the floor plan in the bath and recommended Brittany Nixon Brun of Brittany Nixon Creative to help with the interior design. “It made it so much easier because they [Yeary and Brun] frequently work together, and Brittany gets the story that you give her. She understood that I wanted it to be peaceful,” the homeowner says.
Classic Meets Calm
Brun spent time with her client and began to learn her likes, dislikes, and perhaps most importantly, her needs. “You get to know someone and you understand the lifestyle of having boys, and you think immediately, ‘OK, you need a bedroom that is a retreat,’” the designer says. “I knew it needed to be feminine, but not too dainty. It’s got to be true to their personality and the style of the house.”
A fabric swatch was the starting point for the design. “The fabric [Schumacher’s “Westbourne Grove” in Mineral] really jumpstarted the design in the bedroom,” Brun says. “It had just enough color and just enough of a traditional motif. The brown, cream, and tan kept it all toned down. Everything in this room is basically built on it.”
Brun used Benjamin Moore’s “Quiet Moments” on the walls of the bedroom to complement the fabric. The palette carries over to the bath where the designer went with “Healing Aloe” for the wall color. “This is a shade lighter and teeny bit more mint; it’s more of a sea salt color,” Brun notes.
Beloved Pieces
The owners had a number of meaningful antiques and works of art that had been passed down to them—many of which are in vogue today. Brun found a way to use these pieces to create a personalized environment, thus bringing a sense of comfort and familiarity to the owners. Additionally, much of the furniture found in the bedroom was previously used in other rooms of their old house, including a pair of tapestry chairs that formerly held court in the living room and a buffet that was painted and repurposed for use as a media cabinet. The bed, custom bedding, lighting, and many of the accessories were new purchases that give the space a refreshing feel.
Vanity Flair
In regard to construction and redefinition, the biggest change came in the adjoining bath. Yeary updated the footprint of the space, taking it from a dated 1990s room (complete with maroon and hunter green finishes as well as carpet) to a functional, breathable bath. In a move that Brun refers to as “genius,” Yeary designated the existing bay window area (which had accommodated a large tub) as the new home for a his-and-her vanity. “When they decided they didn’t need a tub, it just made sense to put the vanity on this wall,” Yeary says. “I really love to put vanities on walls where there are windows. It gives you great natural light at the face.” Additionally, eliminating the tub from the room’s design allowed for a makeup vanity with space for a chair. The toilet, which previously sat across from the tub, is now concealed in a water closet near the master closet. Practical features, including comfort-height countertops and built-in hampers, make the bath function well, thus adding to its calm feel.
Design Resources
Interior design Brittany Nixon Brun, Brittany Nixon Creative
Contractor Tom Colford, Tom Colford Custom Improvements
Architect Ellen Yeary, Yeary Lindsey Architects
Accessories and art Cobblestone & Vine
Bedding, fabrics, furniture, and hardware Brittany Nixon Creative
Cabinets Duke Custom Cabinets
Countertops and tile Inside Effects
Fixtures Southern Pipe & Supply
Flooring—hardwood Darrell Bradley, B&B Contractor
Lighting Brittany Nixon Creative and Cobblestone & Vine
Mirrors Ace Glass and Brittany Nixon Creative
Paint Benjamin Moore
Painting Tim Hanke, Hanke & Leech, Inc.
Rug Hadidi Oriental Rug Co, Inc.
Window coverings Mountjoy’s Custom Draperies
