PROJECT REVEAL: ARTISTIC GUEST BEDROOM DESIGN

What can you do with a dark, uninspiring room that used to function as an office space? Oh honey—everything.

In this post, we're pulling back the curtain and giving you a peek behind the scenes of one of my favorite transformations to date. We took an underused, light-starved space and turned it into a moody, sexy, art-filled sanctuary that practically purrs with personality.

You’ll get the full design tea: concept boards, sourcing trips (yes, High Point made an appearance), messy middles, progress snaps, and that final, jaw-dropping reveal. Along the way, you’ll pick up ideas on how to stop fearing the dark and start using it as your secret weapon—especially when paired with bold color, layered texture, and soulful storytelling.

Whether you’re design-obsessed or designer-curious, this one’s for you. Come see how the magic happens—from moodboard to masterpiece.

The Design Challenge

This room? She was giving basement energy—literally. Tucked away on the lower level of Ann’s Del Cerro home, the space came with a whole mood of its own: minimal natural light, awkward layout, and a serious case of “What do we even do with this?”

Before the magic happens, take a beat. Grab your phone and snap a few brutally honest photos of your space—no filters, no angles, just the real deal. Then look at them with fresh eyes and make a list of every challenge the room presents. It’s not about what’s wrong—it’s about what’s possible.

For this guest room, the list was... long:

• A long, curved wall (beautiful but tricky)

• A storage closet—but nowhere to hang clothes

• Basic closet doors with zero personality

• Foundation elements awkwardly jutting into the space

• Low natural light

• An off-center window and an off-center light fixture

• A tangled wad of exposed wires in one corner (rude)

• A window facing an exterior staircase = no privacy

• And let’s not forget: wall-to-wall carpet that had seen some things

Sound familiar? These are the moments where design gets creative. When you can name the chaos, you can conquer it—with style.

Our Creative Process

From the very first meeting, this wasn’t just a client consultation—it was a creative alignment. Ann is a powerful, intuitive abstract artist, and I’m a designer known for crafting elevated, art-driven interiors with a distinct point of view. We speak the same visual language: bold color, fearless expression, and thoughtful curation.

This was never about just decorating a room. It was about designing a deeply personal experience—one that reflects Ann’s creative soul and my signature approach to soulful, high-concept interiors. Together, we co-created a space that blurs the line between art and environment, mood and meaning.

The Inspiration: Art Meets Runway

Let’s be honest—when your client is both an abstract artist and a fashionista, the bar is high and the possibilities? Endless.

We pulled inspiration from everywhere: the quirks of the room itself, the layered emotion in Ann’s artwork, and the unapologetic drama of high fashion. This wasn’t just about decorating—it was about curating a mood. Every decision was intentional. Every detail, expressive. The result? A room that feels like it belongs in both a boutique art gallery and a couture show.

Ann lives for bold statements, and so do I. So naturally, I turned to the runway for rich textures, unexpected palettes, and those editorial details that take a space from stylish to unforgettable.

The Plan: Form Follows Fabulous Function

Before we got to the drama and decadence, we had to get down to the bones. First up? Functionality. We started by strategically laying out the room.

Once we had the layout locked in, the hunt was on. Custom solutions, space-saving workarounds, and design elements that not only solved problems—but turned them into focal points. Because in this guest bedroom, even the practical has to be pretty.

As part of the design process, Ann and I flew from the West Coast to the East Coast for High Point Market in North Carolina—the largest furniture market in the world. Because when you're curating a space this intentional, only the best of the best will do. We weren’t just shopping—we were on a mission to uncover rare, showstopping pieces that simply can’t be found with a click.

Before the Final Reveal, One More Glow-Up Moment

Just when you thought we were heading straight to the final reveal, plot twist—there was one more design dilemma we couldn’t ignore.

Right outside the guest bedroom sat a tired old linen closet with dated louvered doors—full-on builder-grade blah. Not Ann’s aesthetic and definitely not the energy we were channeling. Ann floated the idea of featuring her own artwork on the doors (because of course she did—icon behavior), and that sparked a creative jam session between her, David (our GC), and me.

Together, we dreamed up a statement-worthy solution: we replaced the old doors with clean, modern panels and turned them into a canvas for her art. I called in one of my go-to resources for custom digitally printed vinyl and had them reproduce one of Ann’s original pieces as a full-scale vinyl overlay. We wrapped the doors like they were gallery walls—et voila, that linen closet? Now it’s giving curated art installation at the end of the hallway.

The Final Reveal

The end result of this space is a moody, intimate escape that holds space for rest and inspiration. The guest bedroom now feels like a luxe, boutique hotel suite—artful, grounded, and glamorous.

The layered textures, intentional palette, and cozy scale give it main-character energy without overpowering the home. It's a visual exhale—and a celebration of bold, soulful living.

Design Challenges and Solutions

Every space comes with its quirks—and this one had plenty. But instead of treating them like problems, we treated them like invitations to get creative. Here's how we flipped each design dilemma into a defining moment:

• The long, curved wall: We didn’t fight the curve—we flaunted it. We wrapped it in a dramatic, textured wallcovering that set the mood, then echoed the curves throughout the room with rounded furnishings and soft, sculptural lines. More curve? Yes, please.

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• A storage closet—but nowhere to hang clothes: We struck gold at High Point Market with a stylish clothing rack that includes rounded shelving (functional meets fabulous), and we paired it with a tall, circular dresser to create a chic, open closet moment.

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• Basic closet doors with zero personality: We said goodbye to bland and hello to drama. Floor-to-ceiling custom drapery now conceals the closet, instantly elevating the room with hotel-level sophistication and a soft, textural vibe.

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• Foundation elements jutting into the space + a tangled wad of exposed wires: Challenge accepted. We custom-designed a hotel-inspired bed that wrapped around the concrete block, continued along the back wall, under the off-center window and continued to the opposite side and transformed it into nightstands. Seamless, sculptural, and smart.

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• Low natural light: We layered in sculptural lighting that doubles as functional art. The warm glow adds ambiance and makes the room feel sultry and inviting—even when the sun refuses to show up.

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  Wall-to-wall carpet that had seen some things: Enter: a show-stopping cowhide we hand-selected at High Point Market. Layering it over the carpet gave us instant texture, movement, and a high style.

  

The Takeaway

Let’s be real—if you’ve been ignoring that one dark, awkward room in your home (you know the one), consider this your permission slip to stop avoiding and start transforming. You don’t need to gut it. You don’t need to brighten it with 15 cans of white paint. You just need vision, intention, and a little boldness.

Whether you're thinking about a full redesign or looking for inspiration to get started, I hope this project sparks new ideas. And if you’re ready to turn that neglected guest room into something worthy of a moment, I’m just a phone call away.