TL;DR
Get business pricing on tools and workshop supplies
- Business-only prices and quantity discounts
- Tax-exempt purchasing
- Multiple users, one account, clear invoices
Interior designer Denise McIntire turned a plain white bedroom in a new-build Craftsman-style home into a darker, more layered retreat. The project paired a cedar-plank ceiling and faux beams with a floor-to-ceiling fireplace redesign, curtains for privacy and the homeowners’ existing furniture.
Interior designer Denise McIntire transformed a plain white bedroom in a new-build Craftsman-style home into a more personalized retreat, using a cedar-plank statement ceiling and a floor-to-ceiling fireplace redesign to address both the room’s style and its awkward layout. Apartment Therapy’s before-and-after report says the project also closed a leaking skylight, improved the television’s viewing angle and added curtains for privacy.
McIntire’s clients had moved into the home with a primary bedroom they described as a blank slate. The room had been painted white and left without details reflecting the homeowners’ style. They wanted it to feel like a place where they could relax with their children, while accommodating their existing furniture, improving privacy from neighbors and closing the skylight after it leaked.
McIntire first closed the skylight and planned the furniture arrangement, rug size and architectural details. She added picture-frame molding and painted the walls in Sherwin-Williams Iron Ore, a charcoal color. Cedar planks already used on the en-suite bathroom ceiling informed the bedroom’s ceiling design. McIntire stained the planks to match and added darker faux cross-hatching beams, linking the two spaces and bringing warm wood tones into contrast with the dark walls.
The original recessed lights were closed off after the beams were installed. The room kept its central ceiling fan and light, with wall sconces added for additional lighting. McIntire also reframed the fireplace and extended its existing stone finish to the ceiling. The homeowners can now adjust the television’s angle and watch it more comfortably from bed, according to the report.
How the Ceiling Changed the Room
The renovation shows how a ceiling feature can do more than add decoration: here, the cedar planks and darker beams connect the bedroom to the en-suite bathroom and give the new-build room a more defined character. The contrast between wood, charcoal paint and warm hardwood floors supplies the cabin-like feel described in the report without replacing the home’s Craftsman-style architecture.
The work also tied the visual update to practical fixes. Closing the leaking skylight addressed a maintenance problem, while extending the fireplace surround to the ceiling made the wall read as a more continuous feature and resolved the TV’s awkward position. Floor-to-ceiling curtains offered a privacy measure, and the washable rug was selected with a household of five and two dogs in mind, the report says.
For readers planning a bedroom update, the project is an example of design decisions being shaped by existing conditions and daily use. It also illustrates the trade-offs involved: closing the skylight removed a source of daylight, while the homeowners chose light-filtering curtains rather than blackout window coverings. The report does not provide measurements, project costs or details about how the room’s natural light changed after the work.
Popular right now
Ninja Flip Toaster Oven & Air Fryer, Large Capacity, Stainless, SP151
Vitamix Propel Series 750 Professional-Grade Blender, 4 Programs, Black
KitchenAid 5.5-Qt Bowl-Lift Stand Mixer, Porcelain White (KSM55SXXX)
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
From Blank Slate to Family Retreat
The homeowners’ brief combined several needs: privacy from nearby neighbors, a workable TV position, a closed skylight and a design that could incorporate furniture they already owned. They also wanted the bedroom to serve as a comfortable place to spend time with their children before bed.
McIntire, founder and principal designer of Elevated Spaces Staging & Redesign, selected curtains after discussing the options with the homeowners. The linen-blend panels filter light but are not fully blackout. She added existing sentimental pieces to the room, including a wedding-gift sign above the bed and a framed “guest book” signed by friends and family. Apartment Therapy reports that the couple’s children now gather on the bed to watch movies or read.
““It was lacking personality and personal style.””
— Denise McIntire, interior designer, as quoted by Apartment Therapy
Project Costs and Light Levels
The Apartment Therapy report does not state the renovation’s cost, schedule or completion date, and it gives no measurements for the bedroom or ceiling. It also does not detail the skylight’s repair history, the materials used to close it or the construction scope behind the fireplace work.
The article says the skylight was closed after it leaked, but does not describe any subsequent water testing or other verification. It also does not quantify the effect of closing the skylight on daylight in the bedroom. The curtains are described as light-filtering rather than blackout, but the report does not say whether the homeowners later plan to add shades.
How the Homeowners Use It
The report presents the room as a completed project and does not announce further renovation work or a follow-up date. The homeowners plan to live with the curtains before deciding whether to add shades, according to the article, leaving that window treatment choice open.
For now, the clearest reported outcome is how the family uses the space: the children join their parents on the bed for movies and books before bedtime. Whether the homeowners make additional changes, or how the room performs over time after the skylight was closed, has not been reported.
Key Questions
What was the main change to the bedroom ceiling?
Designer Denise McIntire added cedar planks stained to match the en-suite bathroom ceiling, then installed darker faux cross-hatching beams.
Why was the skylight closed?
The skylight had been leaking, and closing it was one of the homeowners’ requirements for the project. The report does not provide further information about the leak or the work involved.
How did the renovation improve the television setup?
McIntire redesigned the fireplace surround and extended the stone to the ceiling. The homeowners can now change the TV’s angle and watch more comfortably from bed, according to Apartment Therapy.
What did the designer do to increase privacy?
She installed floor-to-ceiling linen-blend curtains to provide privacy from next-door neighbors. The curtains filter light but are not completely blackout.
Did the report give the renovation cost?
No. Apartment Therapy’s report does not specify the project’s cost, timeline or completion date.
Source: apartmenttherapy.com
