I’ve long been a fan of illustrator, maker and all-round creative juggernaut Beci Orpin so when the folks at west elm invited us to peruse her new bedroom, we jumped at the chance. Located in Melbourne, the room is shared by Beci, her partner Raph and their gorgeous grey cat Tio.
“The style I use in my work is bold, graphic, colourful and feminine without being too girly. I would say my home style is the same, although I like it to be slightly more understated when it comes to our bedroom,” says Beci of the room that had a very definite design brief. “I wanted pops of colour, lush textures – but still with a feeling of calm, and I wanted it to fit in with the things I already have in my space,” says Beci.
One of the more notable colour pops are the blue velvet curtains that formed part of the restyle. “I always wanted to see what our bedroom looked like with velvet curtains – now they’re up I love them so much. They suit the room perfectly,” says Beci.
The rug is another standout and its playful bohemian vibe and gorgeous 70’s colours perfectly complement Beci’s style. “The Charm rug is a joy! Also having a chair in our room feels very grown up indeed and I love the warmth of the rusty colour too,” says Beci of the gorgeous velvet clad occasional chair that provides a cosy bed for Tio too.
This isn’t the first time that Beci has collaborated with west elm having worked on special events and invitations for the brand in the past. “Professionally, we’ve worked with Beci a number of times for west elm and it’s always a joy collaborating with her,” says Lexi Kentmann who handles pr and brand marketing for west elm.
“Beci’s approach is a real celebration of Australian style – it’s warm, relaxed, collected and witty. Working together on this project was a dream – the colour, the creativity and the mixture of the collected and curated, while still paying homage to Beci’s style – honoured her joie de vivre,” says Lexi.
Post makeover, Beci is very happy with the space. “I love it – actually way more than I thought. I wake up daily feeling like I have my life together, because my bedroom is so beautiful! The pieces I had in our bedroom previously were all things I had collected over time, and I love how the west elm pieces fit in with those, and almost elevated them so they are shown in a whole new light,” says Beci.
Styling: Heather Nette King | Photography: Mike Baker
