Question:

Dear Steven and Chris,
My boyfriend and I recently moved in together and are renting a house. It is a really nice house except for the master bedroom, which is small with purple walls. We would love for the room to be masculine, feminine and sexy all at the same time.  

Can you please help us?!
Kait and Matt





Tips:

• Paint, Paint, Paint. We can't stress this enough. Even when you are renting, the cost and effort of painting is well worth it. (Even if you are required to paint it back at the end of the lease, you should really consider it.)

Masculine vs. Feminine - When you are trying to create balance masculine and feminine look, there are a few guidelines to follow - Here we will follow the some simple rules and end with three distinct looks that could all work for your space!

Colour - Keep the colour neutral masculine. We have found that it is very difficult to make a traditionally 'feminine' colour look masculine, so keeping the scheme neutral or slightly more masculine is a better way to go. Think greys, navies, whites, beiges and charcoals.

Pattern - Choose a feminine pattern that coordinates with your masculine colour. Look how this floral fabric doesn't scream "feminine" because of the grey and charcoal color way.



Menswear Inspiration - A pinstripe is a great fabric to tie everything together and add an extra layer of interest. For us it hits the perfect balance between masculine and feminine. All of these fabrics have been seen in menswear - some more trendy like the large scale paisley and others much more timeless like the sporty pinstripe.



Accent fabrics - Choose a few additional accent fabrics to pull the whole look together. This can be monochromatic or a complimentary colour depending on your taste. We chose the chocolate brown for your space and think that it will bring that balance for which you are looking! We think that this bedding is a great compromise between masculine and feminine.





Check out this inspirational sketch of how we envision your new space to be. It is chic, simple and comfortable for both of you. Enjoy!



Credits:

Bedding: Steven & Chris

Fabrics, Robert Allen