Ten Primary Bedrooms We Love
Opening the design vault to revisit a few favorite primary bedroom looks of the past.
25 March –
Ten Primary Bedrooms We Love
Contents
The bedroom should be a space of peace and relaxation to go to at the end of the day. But crafting a place of tranquility is easier said than done. Here, we’re revisiting a few of our favorite bedroom designs to get you inspired.
Knowing how important a relaxing bedroom can be to your overall health and wellbeing, we asked Shea and the Studio McGee design team to tell us a few of their favorite bedrooms of the past. When Shea and the design team start the process of designing any space, they look for imagery, materials, and even colors in nature that draw them in, and today, we’re sharing ten of our favorite bedroom designs in hopes of inspiring you too. Although each of these spaces is different, they all bring a feeling of serenity through layered textural details, calming material palettes, and thoughtful styling touches. Keep scrolling to see some of our favorite bedrooms designs from our latest Studio McGee projects and read about the design principles that bring them to life.
01
Natural Palette
The location of this project, Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, makes it easy to let the view be the star of the design show. Utilizing the color palette and materials from the local environment, Shea and the design team created a luxurious primary sanctuary for their clients to retreat to. We love all the natural materials used in this space—linen, wood, rattan, wool—and the sense of calm it sets throughout the room. The color palette can be found in nature, from sea-centric blues and greens to earthy browns and creams.
See the entirety of the Cabo Dos Vistas project here.
02
Elegant Four-Poster Bed
The primary bedroom design in our Hilltop Estate project features a light oak four-poster bed with a custom upholstered headboard for an elegant and relaxed look. The same blue tones are carried throughout the rest of the space with a vintage-inspired area rug and the stunning floral motif of the bed’s toss pillows. We love the way Shea and the design team combated a lopsided layout with a desk on one side and a nightstand on the other. “The trick to bringing symmetry to asymmetrical side tables is aligning the height of the lamps,” Shea explains.
See the entirety of the Hilltop Estate project here.
03
Meant to Be Touched
The primary suite features a stunning vaulted ceiling that draws the eye upward, accented by a striking textural pendant that brings a touch of natural elegance to the space. Adding to the layered warmth is a boucle lounge chair, offering both comfort and visual interest with its rich texture. The furniture and art selections are intentionally minimal, allowing these tactile elements to shine. Designed as a vacation retreat, the space focuses on simplicity and calm, with carefully chosen details that enhance relaxation while celebrating the serene, textural beauty of its surroundings.
See the entirety of the Tahoe Pines project here.
04
Loads of Texture
Though the space is sprawling, with more than one sitting area, Shea and the design team created a plan to make the room feel warm and cozy. One of the ways they accomplished that was bringing in a vintage rug with lots of neutral colors in it and some patina that adds depth to the design. Then they layered a tonal rug underneath of it to take up more square footage. The rug duo sets the tone of the room and the rest of the furniture was built off of it. The second element that makes this room feel warm and cozy is the plethora of mixed textures and materials seen throughout. There’s a lot of materials that have character to them, like linen, boucle, wood, and aged brass.
See the entirety of the Water’s Edge project here.
05
Shades of Cream
There’s nothing that says peace and tranquility like a cream-on-cream bedroom design does. “In designing this space, we wanted to stay true to the California aesthetic of neutrals, rustic textures, and an overall feeling of softness while incorporating a few surprises here and there,” explains Shea. McGee & Co.’s Northcott Bed is upholstered in a soft, white linen, capped at the foot of the bed with the Daxton Settee. The Carter Woven Linen Duvet in earthy shades of cream, white, and brown finish the bed’s dressing.
See the entirety of the Home on the Bay project here.
06
Soft Earth Tones
Perhaps one of our favorite primary bedroom designs is the one of our founders, Syd and Shea McGee. Reworked from its original design in 2024, the new primary bedroom is a study in soft earth tones and a bed that provides a pop of saturation. At the foot of the bed is McGee & Co.’s Philippa Settee.
See the entirety of the McGee Home Refresh here and watch the webisode featuring the space on our YouTube channel.
07
Minimal Color Palette
In our Mountainside Retreat project, Shea and the design team incorporated a primary bedroom design based on the client’s desire to keep the color palette minimal throughout the home. Shea and the design team added an element of warmth and dimension with an earthy grasscloth wallpaper, setting the mood of the space and bringing in so much coziness and character. Light materials and furniture pieces layered throughout the bedroom design works to balance out the room. Modern lighting fixtures are softened by an upholstered bed, a few beautiful vintage accents, and of course, sweeping views of the stunning mountains surrounding the home.
See the entirety of the Mountainside Retreat project here.
08
Muraled Walls
The primary suite in our Oaks Project is lined wall-to-wall in a mural paper. With soft tones of blush and cream, it creates an inviting escape. The rest of the room is built with a collection of vintage furniture with interesting curves and silhouettes. We love the laidback, organic shapes and textures.
See the entirety of The Oaks Project here.
09
Nontraditional Seating
The primary bedroom in The Houston Estate is not overly large in square footage, but it packs a lot into the space in terms of design. We love the pair of vintage accent chairs that sit at the foot of the bed instead of the more traditional bench. These were found at Round Top during a sourcing trip with the client. There’s another moment of untraditional bedroom seating in the corner of the room, an L-shaped banquette bench. Draped in natural linen, it adds so much lovely texture to the room’s overall design.
See the entirety of The Houston Estate project here.
10
Rustic and Moody
In designing this bedroom, Shea and her team sought to bring warmth and texture to the sleek, modern architecture of the mountain home. Drawing inspiration from nature, they layered organic materials to create a cozy retreat. Timber beams, stone walls, and marble fireplaces complement the limestone floors and wooden furniture, while leather upholstery adds a touch of richness. In the primary suite, these elements come together with an earthy color palette, striking a perfect balance between modern sophistication and mountain charm.
See the entirety of the Summit Estate project here.
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