TWIN BEDROOM REBOOT

A designing mom takes a high-low approach for her growing boys

By LISA KRESL

Photo by KATHY TRAN

hen your dad is 6-foot-4 and you’re a 10-yearold male twin, it’s officially time for a big-boy bed. Brookes and Holden Spurgin are fourth graders at Good Shepherd Episcopal School, and they share a room. The family’s three-bedroom has a mid-century modern aesthetic. Mother Helene, an interior designer who is originally from Palm Beach, Fla., likes bright colors in her home. She decided it was time for the vintage white bamboo bureau once used in the nursery to go.

“I tried to design a room that was fresh and modern, something that they could grow into,” Spurgin says. “I love that they enjoy sharing a room, and I need to keep it that way as long as I can.”

Spurgin says the Hinson & Company blue-and-white splatter-print fabric was the first thing she selected, and she designed the whole room around that. The upholstered full-size beds were custom made, the rug is from Stark, the acrylic benches are from Scout Design Studio and the vintage mid-century modern dresser is from Antiques Moderne, a furniture consignment store. The bachelor chest and bookcase are both from Ikea.

“I dressed it up with brass hardware,” she says. “Kids’ rooms are the perfect place for a high-low mix.”

The vintage yacht club and golf flags on the wall are sentimental because they are from the boys’ late great grandfathers. “It’s nice to have a little piece of our respective hometowns represented in their room,” she says. “I made them look modern by framing them in acrylic and brass.”

Friend Kristen Dowd of Gypsy Soul Interiors created the large abstract painting. The boys’ only request was a comfortable chair and ottoman, so she bought a knock-off Eames chair from Amazon. “They fight over who gets to sit in it while knocking out their fourth-grade reading,” Spurgin says.

What do the boys think about the final design? “They love it, especially the larger beds,” she says. “The first few weeks they took pride in making their beds and kept it very clean. Sadly, the novelty has definitely worn off.”

Smiley’s favorite neighborhood shopping hack: Sur la Table. “We entertain a lot, so I am so excited we now can dash over to Sur la Table when we need a special pan for macarons or a last-minute bridal shower gift. Then we dash next door to the Paper Source to get an accompanying card and fabulous wrapping paper for the gift. So convenient!”