Michelle Boudreau tackled her own bedroom and bathroom in her Racquet Club Estates home in Palm Springs.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY LANCE GERBER
Bedroom & Bathroom
Michelle Boudreau, Michelle Boudreau Design
Racquet Club Estates, Palm Springs
“Our bedroom suite was dated and dark with little storage.”
Michelle Boudreau
Challenges
Our home was built in 1960. The bedroom lacked adequate closet and storage space and a way to regulate sunlight and darkness. It also sat at an odd angle and had a strange layout. The bathroom lacked space for two people and had similar lighting and storage issues.
Aspirations
A sense of relaxing comfort. Space to enjoy daily living.
Approach
Structurally, I added three floor-to-ceiling windows to bring in light. The larger his-and-hers closets I designed disappear into the bedroom walls. Between them, a new floating vanity dressing table has a long mirror that makes the space feel bigger by reflecting light. I tripled the bathroom size by expanding it into the un-utilized outdoor breezeway and added a large skylight, allowing light to flood in. I also increased the size of the shower area and tiled it.
Materials
A palette of white, black, and grey lightens and brightens; marble and walnut wood are consistent throughout. I designed the custom walnut bathroom cabinets to have the look of vintage midcentury pieces. Round chunky brass pulls lend a modern feel. Carrara marble tile wraps the shower walls and extends through behind the vanity wall. The same tile in a larger format wraps the fireplace build-out, where custom walnut cabinets and shelves were built into each side for storage. The inset TV creates a lounge area. Artistic lighting that I found in London gives the room more of an edge, and two recovered Milo Baughman chairs in a bold, graphic pattern add texture. The sectional sofa and the bed with an exaggerated-height headboard fit the space perfectly because they were also custom-made.
“The new spaces balance beauty and comfort. Beauty makes me comfortable.”
RESOLUTION
Dividing the large bedroom into a sleeping area and separate lounge was key. Now, we can relax on the sofa and watch movies, using the fireplace on cool desert evenings. The enhanced spaces — brighter and more functional — show you can respect the style and aesthetic of the original architecture whilst mixing in modern elements and unexpected details, all with an artful balance and juxtaposition.
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