3. Textural and Tailored
Designers: Shirry Dolgin and Aja Levi of
ASD Interiors
Location: Sherman Oaks, California
Size: 255 square feet (23.7 square meters); 15 by 17 feet (4.5 by 5.1 meters)
Homeowners’ request: A calm and modern space in which to relax at the end of the day. Plus, figure out how to place a bed on the back wall under low windows.
Special features: Custom-made bed, headboard, nightstands, wall treatments and drapery. “We wanted to maximize the potential of the full wall and make it a feature with everything fitting perfectly,” designer Shirry Dolgin says. “We made sure that all the details, such as the length of the drapery and height of the headboard, fit exactly as we envisioned.”
Why the design works: “Texture was the key jumping-off point for this design plan,” Dolgin says. “We wanted to make sure all of the elements combined would have luxurious texture. An important detail of the design was the wallcovering we chose to use behind the headboard. It was important to understand the scale and to make sure that it wasn’t too loud but had a subtle texture to tie in all the materials. It was that wallcovering in combination with the natural wood and fabric selections that created the balance in this space.”
Designer secret: “One of the best takeaways from this unique master bedroom is to have an understanding that when you’re dealing with space-planning challenges, it’s important to invest in custom pieces to really use the space to its fullest potential,” Dolgin says. “As opposed to trying to fit ready-made furniture that doesn’t work well for the space, it’s a better investment to make things that are custom for the space.”
“Uh-oh” moment: “We were really pushing for the pendant lights to hang from the ceiling instead of using nightstand lamps,” Dolgin says. “We do this often in order to keep the nightstands clean and clutter-free. It was a struggle to figure out how to get them installed without damaging the entire ceiling of the bedroom. Once we got over that hurdle and finally had them installed, the client woke up one morning and accidentally hit his head on it and broke one of the fixtures. It was an ‘uh-oh’ moment, but it was just a matter of him getting used to it, and now they’re happy with the outcome.”