Susan & Joe’s Bedroom: After

Cocooning color. Moody walls in grayish lilac (gray-lac!) bring sophistication and drama without being too extreme. “We wouldn’t have thought of this color, but we love it,” says Susan. Framed family photos hung salon-style over the dresser add smiles (literally) as Susan and Joe enter the room.

Flipped floor plan. A new arrangement takes the bed to the opposite wall. (It’s nicer to face windows than to have them at your back.) A big space like this one needs to be filled to look complete, hence the addition of a desk and a chaise, covered in a durable cotton for the kids.

A perfect (un)match. Breaking up the bedroom set is more modern than having every piece match. The nightstands and dresser stay, but an oversize upholstered headboard replaces the old bed. It makes the largest item in the room a style statement and decorates a wall that would otherwise demand art.

Sparkle for spirit. Brass, silver, and glass add livable glamour and keep quiet colors from feeling blah; sateen curtains hung high make windows seem grand and luxurious.

Stripes, circles, and diamonds. A mix of similar-palette prints (rug, sheets, bed skirt) brings personality to an elegant space, so it feels like home, not a hotel. Shells on the hanging fixture form an organic design of their own and cast dappled light when lit.

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