Guest Room Makeover Blog

A traditional home in Fife Scotland was in need of a little help to elevate two
bedroom spaces and top of the homeowners wishlist was nature-scaped
maximalism. This project was extremely special to me as it was for my parents
home!

I worked closely with my mum on the bedrooms which resulted in a two striking
spaces which either transports you to a peachy haven of oversized blooms or offers
an escape to the exotic, both worthy of the grandeur of a five star hotel.

The brief was simply, ‘I love you – Avalana my home’.

Dawn Carruthers, said: We’ve watched Avalana grow with pleasure, from the artsy
teenage girl always sketching to having her own online interiors business which is
taking the interiors world by storm.”

“Our home needed a refresh, especially the bedrooms, so I asked for her help. Our
guest bedrooms were functional but lacked personality.

“I let Avalana imagine the initial concepts for each room and the outcome was
decided on two themes: guest room one – bright, floral, lush and guest room two –
glamorous, tranquil, and edgy.

“I wanted to see a jungle cat as I reached the top of the stairs to pull me in and
satisfy a curious mind and having a designer who can tailor murals to sit exactly how
you would like in a space is simply wonderful. Not only do I have a tiger which
catches the eye on the landing but I also have a ceiling mural in the other guest
room which encourages you to look up and make use of the fifth wall, making my
home so unique.”

“If I could, I’d now get my whole home wrapped in Avalana’s magic designs even the
garage to showcase her work to everyone!”

Avalana explained how the design came together: She said: “Having been given the
freedom to design completely unique and different looks for the two bedrooms, it was
a case of looking at the main functions of the space and how to split this into two
aesthetics. I went down the route in bedroom one of fresh and floral adding mood-
boosting pastel colourways and playful use of the design from floor to ceiling. I chose
my Bodacious Blooms mural in blush and complimented it with an earthy darker pink
on the skirting to frame the wrap-around mural. Covering the doors in a metallic gold
really turned this ordinary fixture into something more glamorous.

Finished with textiles from a feathery chandelier to velvet fringed Avalana cushions, a
layered bedscape, blush accent chair and contemporary rug.”

“Bedroom two needed a point of difference so I talked my mum through a much
darker, moodier theme. Navy and teal are very calming in terms of colours but
teaming with metallic details and accents using furniture and accessories really
elevates the room and offers sumptuous luxury. I used my Caspian Midnight mural
across one wall as I know my mum wanted to incorporate a tiger. Coordinating
panels were then added using the same design to a plain dark navy background
surrounding where the bed would be positioned. It felt like it could transport guests to
a jungle at night and so brought in my contrasting animal print textiles such as a
zebra cushion and inky leo cushion cover. The room required pops of exotic regal
colours to offer a sense of luxury and so teal, orange and gold were used to bring
everything together. Having my own brand of fabrics and wallpaper it really is a joy to
be able to tailor interiors to specific client requests such as this.”

Speaking of the process from start to finish, home owner and mum Dawn said:
“Before mural orders were placed, furniture placement was confirmed and mural
design was tweaked to ensure key features were not hidden. Inspired and guided by
Avalana, we together selected statement pieces that were functional and stylish.
Assorted soft furnishings provide a really emotive cocooning feeling and each room
is warm and cosy in its own way and truly lifts your spirit.

“We discussed the importance of lighting. I had many suggestions and because I’m
her mum and I could be told straight, a response to one of my choices of light
fixtures was ‘dear god NO!’

“Of course, the final decision was mine and I have to say without being steered in the
right direction it could have been disastrous.”

Avalana added: “For the blush bloom bedroom, I had specified a two tier feather
chandelier in burnt orange from Coldharbour lights – this was a bold choice which
added to the playfulness of the room design while being a stand alone statement in
its own right. For the moody opulence bedroom I felt we needed something that
added that injection of glamour. We finally decided on a very large glass and brass
chandelier with the shards of glass allowing the light to twinkle across the ceiling and
adding an almost magical twist to the space. It was too heavy for the existing ceiling
fitting so we had to have workmen into the attic to create enough support for the
heavier light fitting. After scepticism from my mum at first on the additional work, all
was forgotten after seeing this stunning chandelier in place in the final interior – it
was definitely worth it!”

After working with her daughter Dawn said: “I have no hesitation in recommending
Avalana Design to friends and family. It’s actually been a really great opportunity to
work with my daughter while she is in her element and I’ve witnessed the hard work
and effort that she applies to customer service. I didn’t think I would be surprised but
she really did help to unlock all possibilities.”

Avalana Design – Caspian Midnight Wall Mural – £75psm

Avalana Design – Bodacious blooms Blush Wall Mural – £75psm

 

If you love the look of the above, all of these murals can be ordered as a sample. If you have any
questions about your project, please do not hesitate to contact me!

Avalana

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