When designing a bedroom, one of the top priorities is making the room feel like a calming sanctuary. You want it to be an escape, but you also don't want it to feel overly like a hotel room – luxurious and calming yes but you want it to feel personal to you and balance calming with characterful and cozy.
This is exactly what designer Shea McGee achieved in her most recent bedroom project. It's a space that feels both tranquil but also thoughtful. In fact, the entirety of her most recent project The Oaks, is an example of a home that feels incredibly luxurious, but also liveable too.
In a recent Instagram post, Shea took us behind the scenes of how she designed the relaxing bedroom. Blending wood textures and plush furnishings, Shea discusses the layers and tones in the space and how she made them all blend harmoniously.
Shea has been carefully considered cohesion when she designed the Oaks project. Each room is connected and matches the overarching style, resulting in a home that feels refreshingly peaceful and at one with its natural surroundings.
The main bedroom is the perfect example of this. Shea says she considered the rest of the property when designing the room. 'The primary bedroom pulls in finishes from the great room and then takes them to a more dressed-up place,' she explains in her Instagram tour. To align with the other rooms Shea says she 'incorporated the wood tone on the ceilings' of the bedroom to draw upon the oak theme.
It's clear Shea considered the desired feel of the space. The bedroom is relaxing and peaceful due to its calming tones and finishes. The subtle wallpaper is an example of this. 'We wrapped the entire bedroom in a mural wallpaper,' explains Shea. 'You may recognize this wallpaper, it’s the wallpaper I have in my basement and guest room. Our clients fell in love with it. It’s the perfect complement to this space.' Its abstract qualities allow the furniture and decor to shine, soothingly hugging the room while tying in with the bedroom's neutral palette.
Shea doesn't hold back on the wood when it comes to the design of The Oaks. In the bedroom, she continues with the organic textures and mixes wood in various shades and forms.
'We did a canopy bed with a wood tone,' Shea says. 'There was a lot of conversation about making the wood tones work between the nightstands, the bed, the ceiling, the floors, and even the dresser.' Acknowledging the amount of the material, Shea continues, 'We had a lot to work with and wanted to make sure that everything worked together, and the only way to do that was by taking the actual pieces and the samples and placing them next to each other wherever we could.'
Shea credits the planning process to the success of the room, proving that you don't need to coordinate perfectly for a space to feel united. 'I think this room feels cohesive because we took the time to lay everything out so it flows. It doesn’t need to match identically but it just needs to feel good together.' The modern organic color palette allows for all the wood and acts as a warming layer that adds to the room's coziness.
Subtle yet intricate, the Arcadia Block Print Quilt is the perfect bedroom accessory. Try it spread across a bed or neatly folded on a chest for a cozy yet elegant vibe.
The Oaks' main bedroom features a pair of luxurious green armchairs, much like the Clemence chair. Smoothly curved, it's an inviting, comforting piece that works so well in a room designed for relaxing.
For a calming feel, opt for neutral yet classic wall art. Shea incorporates an abstract painted mural but this Neutral Toile wall hanging would have the same effect on a smaller scale.
Layering wood and calming colors, Shea has created a tranquil bedroom that acknowledges the beautiful natural scenery and still feels full of character. It's the perfect balance of luxurious yet liveable.
