cinnamon walls, linen sheets, and a little magic
a bedroom deserves to be your sanctuary – the place where your day begins and ends. so last year, I decided ours deserved a little attention. I invested in a new mattress. around the same time, I ordered two console tables to anchor the long wall in our bedroom. then, at the start of this year, I painted our room Cinnamon Slate, Benjamin Moore’s color of the year – a rich, moody clay that made everything feel warmer and a little darker.
so, when I called in one of my House Therapists this summer – Abby from Abby Lane Design – we weren’t starting from scratch. it was about collaborating with what we already loved and letting the room evolve into something softer, more grounded, more us.
we began with the bedding because the bed is the ‘center of attention’ energy in the room. we’ve slept on linen sheets for years, and two brands (from sheer experience) always deliver: Pottery Barn, which lasts through endless washes (truly!), and Linoto, a heavier-weight linen that drapes beautifully as the seasons turn.
we layered the bed in tones of Merlot and Fig, with a pop of green and leopard print pillows that I absolutely adore! to pull it all together, I pulled out an old purple quilt – one that is over fifteen years loved now – for the foot of the bed.
rooms tell stories through textures we’ve lived with, not just the new things.
the previous bedside sconces had gold-lined shades that swallowed the light. while I LOVED the playful prints, the gold lining was too heavy with the new wall color. we needed something brighter, so we swapped the lampshades for a lighter linen and the entire mood changed. the color still had that cozy cocoon feeling, but now the room glowed instead of sulked.
our previous bedside tables were metal – a more modern feel that was fine when phones were still charging in the kitchen. but if you know, you know that metal isn’t my favorite energy beside the bed because it conducts energy (hello, gadgets bedside), so new tables were a top priority.
the pair we chose are wood, complete with three drawers each and handles wrapped with leather. they also gave us something our home lacks: storage. I keep extra pillowcases and spare linens inside, things I use often but don’t want visible.
‘good’ Feng Shui is solving what’s real while keeping it beautiful.
the artwork above the consoles felt like the most important decision of all. we landed on a ‘fluid’ feeling print by celebrated female architect, Zaha Hadid. the image’s curve and its sense of embrace is the perfect first thing we see when we wake up. it speaks to both our worlds: my husband’s, in commercial design sales; mine, in Feng Shui and the energetics of spaces.
the second print came from Etsy, and if you’ve been with me for any length of time, you know I’ll always champion creators. I LOVE supporting an artist and knowing their creation now lives in our space.
finally…
our rhythm as a couple is early: we’re both up before sunrise, at the gym, then home before the world fully wakes. he likes to linger for a few minutes with coffee on the couch in our room – it is his mini reset before the day rushes in.
for years, he balanced his mug on my stacks of books or the arm of the couch. so, Abby found us a small accent table – just big enough for his coffee and a book. we made sure the table was weighty and stable (because Ruby is what we call ‘power friendly’ and can easily knock things over).
we paired it with a weighted floor lamp – and honestly, this reading light could be my favorite new addition. it gives just enough light early in the mornings and evenings, and it is another nod to grounding energy.
every detail Abby touched was orchestrated with beauty and function, design and energy in mind.
our Cinnamon Slate walls anchor the space.
the linen softens it.
the art personalizes it.
our lamps invite in a dose more light.
the tables provide space.
while we called it a “glow-up” for the contest over on Instagram, it was really a visual reveal of Feng Shui in motion, where we align the physical with a desired feeling.
so, if you’ve been watching the process, you’ve likely seen the layers unfold, choice by choice – but what you don’t see in photos is that exhale I have now when I walk into our bedroom and see a space that more fully reflects how we want to feel these days.
and on that note…
Abby’s been sharing mood boards and product links on her page and on her Substack, so do yourself a BIG favor and follow her, especially if you’re craving a seasonal refresh or curious about design collaborations for your home.
and if you’re in that in-between place – where your home feels fine but could use ‘something’ – remember, start small:
change a light.
introduce a new texture.
choose a piece of art that brings a smile to your face.
remember, you don’t have to do it all or start from scratch. just like shui, the magic isn’t in doing more. it’s paying attention and noticing what in your space is asking for yours! xo
