Loft shows it has guts to keep commuters in the city

To save money, the intrepid couple decided to don safety glasses and sledgehammers and do it themselves. But after a year had gone by, they realized they had bitten off more than they could chew. Their house was still in shambles and they had run out of money, ideas and patience.

The weary twosome asked me to come in and help them out — before they changed their minds about the house and ran screaming back to the ‘burbs. They hoped I could finish off their bedroom so they could get some sleep — and have at least one room in their home completed.

So I gathered my crew and geared up to create a divine master bedroom and bath.

The couple wanted their third-floor bedroom to be an open space with a bright, airy loft feeling. They had gutted it with that in mind, but the shell of a room lay unfinished in a heap of dust and debris. So the first order of the day was drywall — a lot of drywall. I created walls and ceilings, and laid down a subfloor covered with beautiful dark vinyl that has the look of wood.

Once the basics were in place, I chose a color palette for the space. When searching around for inspiration, I found a box labeled “Barb’s favorite fabrics.” In it, I discovered a gorgeous sage-and-gold cloth that gave me the jumping-off point I needed for the paint, fabrics and tiles.

I then got busy dividing the loft into two zones: a bedroom and a bathroom. I separated the two areas with a wall of closets that provide storage, privacy and soundproofing. In addition, I closed off the smaller entrance to the bathroom with a series of woven panels on a track system that will slide across the space when privacy is needed.

In the bedroom, I put in a king-sized bed with a chocolate-brown upholstered headboard. For added warmth and ambience, I put in gorgeous linens and throw pillows in a variety of textures and colors. And, for a touch of romance, I installed a beautiful crystal chandelier above the bed.

In the bathroom, I created a little closed-off space for the toilet, but left the rest of the space open. In this open area, I installed a gorgeous old-style tub with cast-iron feet (after I reinforced the floor to accommodate this 700-pound beauty); a glass-enclosed shower, complete with solid white quartz walls and a feature wall in a beautiful green rippled tile; and a stylish vanity with a quartz countertop, a stunning sink in a gold-and-green paisley pattern, a mirror and two sconces.

After adding a variety of accents and accessories, this third-floor bed and bath were complete. With some high-end fixtures and finishes, a mixture of textures and colors and creative planning, Barb and Evan got the loft space they desired.

Now, with their bedroom-renovation woes behind them, the couple can finally get a good night’s sleep — and start dreaming about finishing the other rooms in their house. How divine!

Interior decorator Candice Olson is host of HGTV’s “Divine Design.” For more ideas or information visit www.divinedesign.tv. Her column is syndicated by Scripps Howard News Service.