Nods to Nature and ‘Star Wars’ in 2 Boys’ Bedrooms and Bath
Bold color, graphic patterns and custom murals create a kids’ zone designed to grow up with brothers in Utah
As the design got underway, West worked more closely with her younger clients’ parents to create a kids’ wing that would both celebrate the boys’ current interests and allow for some flexibility in the future. “We tried to capture those elements and then put a spin on it that could grow with them,” she says. “So it wouldn’t be a room that felt young to them in, say, five years or so.”
After their initial design consultation, West and her team presented their proposals to her adult clients, who then shared the plans with their kids. “That way [the kids] felt comfortable giving their honest feedback, so it wasn’t such a formal setting,” West says.
After their initial design consultation, West and her team presented their proposals to her adult clients, who then shared the plans with their kids. “That way [the kids] felt comfortable giving their honest feedback, so it wasn’t such a formal setting,” West says.
For the younger nature fan, West used a palette of rich blues and purples with warm natural wood accents. Originally, she had intended to use bold wallpaper to establish some outdoorsy focal points, but back orders and other issues drove her to bring in an artist to hand-paint murals on the wall and ceiling instead.
“With the mountain mural, I wanted it to look like it was fading, with some dimensional mountains in there,” West says, “so I just picked the paint colors and told them how I wanted to do it.”
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“With the mountain mural, I wanted it to look like it was fading, with some dimensional mountains in there,” West says, “so I just picked the paint colors and told them how I wanted to do it.”
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The deep blue celestial scene overhead is all the more striking set against the muted purple and gray mountains. A thoughtful mix of colors, patterns and textures in the room’s remaining details, some of which West purchased on Houzz, balance the youthful playfulness and low-key natural sophistication she was trying to capture.
By finishing the bedroom with a statement-making sliding live-edge wood door, West incorporated an anchoring rustic touch. “It just really emphasizes the height and brings in some of those mountain raw, natural vibes in there that the little boy just loves,” she says.
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The long, narrow bathroom (6 by 15 feet) connecting the two bedrooms presented some of the project’s biggest challenges — as well as some of its biggest rewards, West says. As a bridge between each boy’s room, the bathroom was designed to merge the two themes. Natural accents like the wood vanity echo the mountain room’s vibe, while geometric patterns and pops of bright color tie in with the green in the older boy’s room.
Fitting a tub into the shower was a priority in the reworked bathroom floor plan. Around the tub, West opted for a fun patterned cement tile that extends from floor to ceiling. “It just kind of looks like it melts, and I think that effect turned out really cool,” she says. The pattern is meant to make the skinny space feel wider.
To accommodate the clients’ request for a TV in the bathroom without sacrificing style or space, West worked with a custom-mirror professional to create one that doubles as the vanity mirror.
The older boy’s bedroom integrates subtle nods to the Star Wars franchise in artwork and accents, as well as in a graphic green wallpaper that hints at galactic-style shapes. “It’s such a neat wallpaper because you can totally see the Star Wars geometric understated style in it,” West says. “But I feel like if you took that wallpaper out of that context, it could work in any space.” Another textured sliding door, in this case a custom green one decorated with crisscrossing raised lines, adds character.
10 Tips for Finding the Right Wallpaper Pattern
10 Tips for Finding the Right Wallpaper Pattern
West warmed up the green geometric pieces by pairing them with woods, golds and leather. Framed prints of Star Wars’ Han Solo and Boba Fett keep the theme present and polished.
The project allowed West and her team to channel the energy and personalities of their young clients while also creating a functional, memorable space.
“It was one where we had a lot of creative flexibility, and I think the parents were just pretty happy to have us run with it. And once we got that vision of what the boys liked, we were able to come up with some really fun ideas,” West says. “I think it came together really well.”
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More on Houzz
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“It was one where we had a lot of creative flexibility, and I think the parents were just pretty happy to have us run with it. And once we got that vision of what the boys liked, we were able to come up with some really fun ideas,” West says. “I think it came together really well.”
Tell us: What’s your favorite detail in this project? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
More on Houzz
9 Pro Tips to Create a Long-Lasting Kids’ Room
8 Sibling Bedrooms That Make Sharing Fun
Find a pro for your home project
Shop for home products
Kids’ Zone at a Glance
Who lives here: Two preteen brothers
Location: Pleasant Grove, Utah
Size: About 1,500 square feet (139 square meters)
Designer: Andrea West Design
When interior designer Andrea West was tasked with tackling two bedrooms and the bathroom between them in her new clients’ home in Utah, she started the process by sitting down with the family members who’d be using the space — two preteen brothers — for inspiration.
“We just asked them, ‘OK, what are some things that you love?’” West says. The younger boy was into climbing, hiking and all things outdoors and told the team he liked blues and purples. His older brother cited his Star Wars fandom and passion for the color green. “So those were our initial foundations as we approached the design,” West says. “We used their personalities and their interests to give us some direction.”