Before
After
This Central Florida master bedroom was well-furnished but visually heavy. Gold-toned grasscloth wallpaper covered every wall, matched by gold-and-grey striped bedding, a gold throw, and gold satin accent pillows. The bed was an upholstered frame with a channel-tufted headboard in beige, flanked by honey-toned wooden nightstands with dark urn-style table lamps. Plantation shutters were dressed with full-length gold drapes, and a tray ceiling with cove lighting added warmth from above. Nothing was neglected — the room was thoroughly decorated — but the overall effect was dark and enclosed. The homeowners wanted a master bedroom redesign that would lighten the space and bring it forward into a calmer, more contemporary feel.
Marilou Stones started by removing the grasscloth wallpaper entirely and repainting the walls in a soft cream that immediately opened the room up. The dark wooden crown molding and tray ceiling trim were repainted in clean white, which lifted the ceiling line and let the architectural detail read as fresh rather than heavy. The cove lighting was removed or switched off in favor of a simpler, more restful ceiling treatment.
The bed was replaced with a white upholstered platform frame featuring a straight-edged wingback headboard — a cleaner silhouette than the old tufted design. The layered gold-and-grey bedding gave way to a solid mocha quilted coverlet with tonal accent cushions in taupe, blush, and a soft geometric print. The wooden nightstands were swapped for a white lacquered bedside table topped with a crystal-base lamp and a small potted succulent — a lighter, more edited combination. Above the headboard, the single gold-framed painting was replaced with a pair of abstract prints in warm earth tones, hung symmetrically in simple frames. The gold drapes were removed entirely, leaving the plantation shutters on their own — a cleaner window treatment that still controls light and privacy. The existing beige carpet was kept, working naturally with the new lighter palette.
The master bedroom now feels twice as open as it did before, even though the footprint has not changed. Stripping the wallpaper and shifting from gold to cream-and-mocha gave the room breathing space it never had. The white bed frame and nightstand reflect light rather than absorbing it, and the simplified bedding lets the room feel restful rather than decorated. The en-suite bathroom — visible through the open doorway — now connects naturally to the bedroom palette rather than reading as a separate space. This is the kind of interior design project in Central Florida where subtraction is as important as selection. To see how Marilou and the Stones Design team approach bedroom transformations, explore the portfolio or get in touch.
We always recommend removing it. Painting over grasscloth leaves visible texture and seams that compromise the finished result. In this project, we stripped the gold grasscloth down to clean drywall before repainting in a soft cream. The wall preparation takes time, but the smooth, even finish it produces is worth it — especially when the goal is a lighter, more modern look.
The key is swapping dark tones for warm neutrals rather than going pure white. In this project, Marilou replaced gold grasscloth and heavy drapes with soft cream walls and mocha bedding — lighter, but still warm. The crystal lamp base, the earth-toned abstract prints, and the taupe accent cushions all add warmth without weight. The room feels brighter and more open, but never stark.
Plantation shutters are one of the most durable and versatile window treatments in Central Florida homes. In this project, the existing white shutters worked perfectly with the new palette once we removed the gold drapes that had been layered over them. Keeping the shutters saved cost and gave the windows a cleaner, more architectural appearance.
A bedroom transformation of this scope — wallpaper removal, full repaint, new bed frame, nightstands, bedding, lighting, and art — typically takes three to five weeks from design approval. The wallpaper stripping and wall preparation are usually the longest phase. We coordinate paint, furniture delivery, and styling, so the room comes together in a single final stage.
Yes, and it is often a smart approach. In this project, the existing beige carpet and plantation shutters were kept because they worked in the new direction. Marilou evaluates every element individually — if it supports the updated palette and style, keeping it saves budget for the pieces that need to change. The goal is a cohesive result, not replacing everything for the sake of it.
Every transformation on this page started with a conversation.
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Marilou Stones is an award-winning, licensed interior designer and ASID member serving Winter Garden and Central Florida for over 40 years.
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