Pretty in Pink
Writer Ren Miller | Photographer Peter Rymwid | Designer Diane Durocher, CID, Professional Member ASID, IIDA, CAPS-
Designer Diane Durocher’s goal was to turn a dark and masculine space into a cheerful, feminine guest bedroom, inspired by a fabric with a pink background and gray, white and yellow print. A sitting area at the foot of the bed turns the room into a multipurpose space.
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White-painted furniture gets a sophisticated spin with a gray wash.
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The adjacent dressing room carries through the Pretty in Pink theme.
Design brightens a dark room and salutes Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
2015 DESIGNER SHOWHOUSE OF NEW JERSEY IN SADDLE RIVER
A whimsical fabric with a pink background and gray, white and yellow print inspired the design of the “Pretty in Pink” guest bedroom at the 2015 Designer Showhouse of New Jersey. “We wanted the space to be light, feminine and cheerful, a contrast to the previous décor, which was dark and masculine,” says Diane Durocher, a state-certified interior designer, professional member of the American Society of Interior Designers, member of the International Interior Design Association, Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist and owner of Diane Durocher Interiors in Ramsey.
The fabric—used on the bed and at the window—also tied together the gray tile in the adjacent bathroom and the pink theme that Durocher chose to honor Breast Cancer Awareness Month. “I also wanted to honor the women in my life, whose photos I displayed throughout the room.”
Creative Process
Before installing the new, Durocher and her team had to get rid of the old, including Formica built-ins, carpeting and wallpaper. Then they undertook extensive electrical repair work and added general lighting, sconces and a chandelier because the room lacked adequate natural lighting. “We refinished the wood floors so they would flow nicely into the wood floors in the hallway,” Durocher says, “and we added crown and base molding to coordinate with the rest of the home.”
A new pale gray and white floral damask wall covering created the backdrop for the design, and pale pink paint on the ceiling with white trim added interest and balance. “We introduced furniture with a feminine distinction and had it fabricated in a white painted finish with a gray glaze,” the designer says. Gold accents in the lighting, furniture and accessories added a finishing touch. The team also redesigned the adjacent dressing room and bathroom (not pictured).
“Our space went from a very contemporary and dark room void of architectural details to a light-filled space that was indeed Pretty in Pink,” Durocher says.