Debbie Travis' Facelift - Episodes - Debbie's Bedroom & Bath

After

It is the combination of dark wood tones, breezy yellows and blues, and cool white that lifts the spirits in this Caribbean-inspired bedroom. We knew from our hidden camera interview that Debbie wanted a plantation-style bedroom and we went all out to deliver. The centerpiece is a stately four-poster bed, stained deep mahogany and layered with pristine white linens and pillows and a billowy duvet.

Luxurious dark wood floors replace the carpet. The walls have a Colonial touch; heavily embossed yellow and white wallpaper is hung above white painted wainscoting.

More storage and hanging space was needed, so we built two tall cabinets that flank the window. They have been stenciled with a lattice design, a feature that adds to the airy, outdoor appeal of the room. The lattice is repeated on the bathroom cabinets, under a countertop that has been painted to replicate travertine marble.

The bathroom was completely gutted, and the closet removed to make way for a bathtub set into a glass-tiled surround. The new walk-in shower has been lined with the same glistening golden yellow tiles. Jim, Facelift's popular Scot, painted a mural of verdant tropical leaves that transports the bathroom to a South Seas island.

Click on the small photographs on the right to view each of the different angles of the room.

To view pop-up info about Debbie's Bedroom & Bath, move your mouse over and around the image below.

Click here to view all the photographs and pop-up info.

Colonial Walls

When hanging thick wallpaper such as this hand-painted, embossed design, care must be taken to apply a good portion of glue and let it soak in. Draw a plumb line on the wall to line up the first piece. Decide where the pattern repeats before you cut, and measure twice. Mistakes are costly.

We built the wainscoting by attaching two-foot wide panels of Masonite to the lower wall, and covering the seams with flat strips of moulding. Chair rail trim was nailed on along the top of the panels and the entire section painted white.

Four-poster Bed

To build each tall post, we stacked a railing on top of a porch column, and finished with a decorative pineapple finial. The bed frame is made with 1 1/2" x 8" pine. Notch out holes for the bed frame in the base of each post with a router and chisels. Before assembling the bed, finish the wood. First, to give the posts an authentic old appearance, use a hammer and nails to dent and scratch the new wood. Paint a base coat of rust red, and let dry. Brush on a dark walnut stain and rub it back so that the red shines through. Repeat the stain coat, rubbing back until the wood glows like mahogany. Once the frame is bolted together, apply varnish in a semi-gloss sheen.

Lattice Cabinet Doors

Jim painted a trompe l'oeil effect on the bedroom and bathroom cabinet doors that replicates the look of a garden lattice. The lattice stencil was cut from a sheet of vinyl, with slats cut on the diagonal in one direction. The base coat is pale blue. The first step is to secure the stencil to the door with stencil adhesive, and apply a thin coat of white coloured glaze with a roller. Remove the stencil and let dry. Flip the stencil and stick it back on the door. This time roll on white paint. The difference between the translucent glaze and opaque white paint creates the desired illusion of slats crossing each other in a lattice pattern.

Jungle Beat Bathroom

The shimmering golden yellow glass tiles and rain forest greens transform the bath into a refreshing and seductive island getaway. For the mural, start with two shades of green for the base and roll them on at the same time randomly covering the wall. Either use stencils of tropical leaves, or draw and paint in freehand. Choose different shades of green, brown and orange for the leaves and flowers.

Faux Marble Countertop

Jim and Peter teamed up to reproduce the look of travertine marble for the sink counter. Over a white base coat, sand and gray paint, diluted with water, were sponged in diagonal lines and softened with a rag. The veins can be applied with a feather or fine artist's brush, or scratched on with a nail or screw. For necessary protection and to give the sheen of real marble, apply three coats of acrylic varnish.