A shot of playful pattern was all it took to add some much needed oomph to this Cape Town bedroom

Having just finished renovating their home in Tamboerskloof, the owners hadn’t got round to decorating their open-plan bedroom and bathroom yet, and asked their friend Melissa Kerkhoff of Lula Fabrics for a quick fix that would make this space feel more inviting.

Bedroom makeover before

Before

Bedroom makeover after

HOW THIS ROOM WENT FROM BLAND TO BEAUTIFUL

“As this is a very modern space, I felt it needed something old and traditional to ground it and take the edge off all those contemporary clean lines,” says Melissa. She suggested using Timur Winter, one of the fabrics in her The Silk Road collection, as the starting point for the new scheme as it’s a fresh take on a centuries-old suzani tribal print.

“There are six colours in the Timur Winter design, which was used to make the bed cover, and I picked up the aqua and coral in some of the other accessories and fabrics,” she explains. “I love creating a sense of the unexpected with an unusual mix of patterns, like combining an exotic ikat with a sophisticated herringbone print.”

To up the comfy factor, Melissa added a grey vintage rug and an upholstered slipper chair. She then arranged a mass of scatters on the window seat to encourage the owners to curl up here with a book or simply sit and admire the lovely view. As a finishing touch, she replaced the artwork on the chest of drawers with a large piece by Jewel Closenberg.

“I selected this painting because of its strong presence, it’s become the focal point of the room,” she says.

THIS BEDROOM NOW has a one-of-a-kind, eclectic character. “It has a stylish, yet relaxed feel,” say the owners. “It’s become our sanctuary.”