Harry Murray
It’s a killer home the production and design team staged and styled for Emily’s upcoming book project and today we’re showing you the master bedroom, which is a study in how to do moody yet modern (and also, one of my personal favorite spaces here). We’re breaking down the seven things to keep in mind or try if you love this dark, cozy vibe, whether you want to use it in a bedroom, dining room or beyond.
The whole “paint the baseboard and trim the same color as the wall” movement is HUGE right now, and sure, maybe it’s a little trendy and in a few years will fizzle out (we hope not), but this is also clutch for moody rooms. For a truly uniform look, you’ll want to go with the same finish for both (or for something super dramatic, you can do a flat wall and a high-gloss trim, though the matte-on-matte is a bit more modern).
When you’re really working within a single color for your whole palette, it’s super crucial to vary up those textures so things don’t come off one-note. Here, we used linen on the curtains and duvet, velvet on the headboard, cotton on pillows, a textural quilt and a nubby low-pile patterned shag rug (all the bedding, by the way, was borrowed from The Platform Experiment, a staging company we teamed up with on this home to tap into their insane inventory of props).
A good rule of thumb to follow is to pick at least three to four textures and fabrics in varying monochrome hues to nail that perfectly layered (but still tonal) aesthetic. You’ll want to stick to darker finishes (like walnut) but careful that they don’t lean too red or else you risk losing the more modern edge of this style. Honestly, there is no better metal finish than gold for the moody, sexy vibe (though matte black is a good runner up).
And finally—and we can’t say this enough, but the dark tonal color is the star of this room/style, so keeping furniture pared back and also streamlined is the key to not creating a space that feels overwhelming or suffocating.
Because of the wall-to-wall built-in wardrobe, there’s no need for a dresser, but here’s a trick for everyone who doesn’t have custom woodwork that blends seamlessly into the wall: paint any larger pieces the same color. You can try it on a bookcase or dresser (though keep some of the other casegoods their natural wood tones to vary things up and bring in warmth).
We’re all pretty obsessed with this look (amazing job Velinda and Erik), especially because it’s rich, textural and luxurious but still modern and cool. ***photography by Sara Ligorria-Tramp for EHD, produced and art directed by Emily Henderson, designed and styled with Velinda Hellen and Erik Staalberg
