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Marina Gianotti and Anas Benchekroun,
designers based in Montreal, had a special
pair of clients who knew exactly what they
wanted for their bedroom’s redesign: the
colours purple and teal. They also wanted
bunk beds—and a swing. Marina and Anas’
clients were their daughters Sofia and Ines,
now aged 11 and 10.
Teal and purple “are not colours I usually
work with,” Marina notes wryly. “I usually work
with toned down colours.” The redesigned
bedroom matches both of the girls’ “tastes
and likes.” White wainscoting in the bedroom
provides continuity with Marina and Anas’
two-storey, 1,400 sq. ft. home in Pointe-Claire,
Québec. When designing a home, Marina
believes it is important to ensure that “all
rooms fit together.”
“When working with colour, it is important
to have a key piece of fabric,” Marina advises.
An animal print fabric dotted with a modern
paisley pattern along with a sweet-faced
giraffe guided Marina’s “whimsical and
youthful” design. By mixing high/low, new/
old, and trendy/classic, Marina and Anas have
created a contemporary bedroom with soft
touches of nostalgia.
The chest of drawers, a childhood keepsake
from Marina’s childhood, was repainted in light
pur ple. Its eclectic glass knobs and Victorian
handles fit comfortably with the crystal
chandelier kept from the room’s previous
incarnation. Two pedestal lamps and coat
hook stars add to the room’s gentle glamour.
Modern reading lamps adorn each bunk bed.
“Kids change, so does their taste,” Marina
observes. The bedroom’s new aubergine
hues replaced the pink paint the girls had
outgrown. The white furniture and drapes
balance the room’s deep colours. This adds
to the room’s depth, making the 11 by 11 ft.
room seem larger. The bunk beds, originally
plain pine, were painted. Their frames, along
with the white vanity and window table, create
elegantly edged vignettes. The white furniture
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