A Toronto resident named Josée has reached out to design columnist Virginie Martocq with a common yet specific interior design challenge. She wants to infuse her bedroom with a warmer, more personal atmosphere that leans into a masculine aesthetic, featuring tones like tobacco and deep blues.
Leveraging Architectural Details for Impact
Josée has a key advantage: her husband works for Metrie, a moulding company, giving them easy access to materials. Martocq sees this as a major opportunity to create a stunning space. Her primary recommendation involves significant architectural detailing.
For rooms with ceilings at least eight feet high, she suggests installing substantial crown moulding around the perimeter. This moulding can cleverly conceal cove lighting to wash the ceiling with light. She advises complementing this with beefed-up window and door casings and heightened baseboards.
Creating a Focal Wall with Panelling
The bed wall is the ideal canvas for drama. Martocq proposes installing panel moulding to create large rectangles. One wide rectangle should frame the bed, flanked by two narrower ones aligned with the nightstands, ensuring reading lights are perfectly centred.
For paint, she recommends a cohesive scheme: all mouldings in a pale mushroom grey or white, with the crown, casing, and base in a semi-gloss for definition, and the panels in a flatter eggshell finish. The ceiling, illuminated by the cove lights, could then be painted a deeper colour like a powdery blue or dark mushroom.
Alternative Solutions for Lower Ceilings
If the ceiling height doesn't accommodate heavy crown moulding, the focus should shift entirely to the bed wall. Martocq recommends using 1x2 or 1x4 wood strips to create a bold geometric grid or striped pattern directly on the wall.
This focal wall should then be painted a rich, grounding colour like a deep mossy green in a flat finish. This approach creates a strong anchor for the room and allows the bedding and rug to build upon this base colour.
Selecting the Right Furnishings and Finishes
Martocq emphasizes the importance of a layered look. While one could upholster the panels behind the bed, she prefers the dramatic effect of a dedicated headboard or bed frame placed in front of the panelling.
She also highlighted specific products to achieve the desired look, including a sculptural floor lamp from West Elm for a corner, a neutral upholstered bed from CB2, and textured accent pillows and durable rugs from Canadian retailers like Tonic Living and Structube.
The key takeaway, according to Martocq, is meticulous planning. Ensuring that lighting and furniture are deliberately centred within the chosen wall pattern is crucial for a polished, intentional, and perfectly masculine finished bedroom.
