A couple with three young children and a correspondingly hectic lifestyle were looking to remodel their Alexandria home one room at a time. They hired Paola McDonald of Olamar Interiors for the job, which started with the master bedroom. “Ultimately, the bedroom felt like a priority because of their busy lives,” McDonald says. “They asked me to turn it into a retreat where they could rest and recharge.”
The wife also requested a “coastal” vibe for the space. “She wanted it to have a beachy feel, but without being beach-themed,” explains McDonald. “I used colors, textures and materials to evoke the experience of being at the beach.”
The large bedroom needed a focal point, so McDonald created an accent wall covered in large-format wallpaper from Thibaut, then placed the couple’s Restoration Hardware bedstead, with its imposing upholstered headboard, against it. The wallpaper, in shades of cool blue and earthy brown, conveys that coastal sensibility; custom linen Roman shades emphasize the brown while surrounding walls painted Benjamin Moore’s Constellation pick up the restful blue hue.
McDonald used the elaborate tray ceiling to add interest to the room. She painted the moldings and sloped surfaces crisp white, then covered the ceiling in sand-colored grasscloth from Thibaut. Both wallcoverings give off a metallic shimmer that imparts a layer of sophistication.
A rope-and-bronze chandelier, blue-glass bedside lamps and a bronze-framed floor mirror—all from Uttermost—complete the picture. Rustic night tables and a tufted bench are from Caracole.
INTERIOR DESIGN: Paola McDonald, IDS, Olamar Interiors, Haymarket, Virginia. PHOTOGRAPHY: Greg Tinius.
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