The One Room Designer Iman Stewart Will Never Forget

Interior designers and other experts in the home industry work on an impressive number of spaces throughout their careers. But even if some of the makeovers and redesigns start to blend together after a few years, there are some rooms that are just truly unforgettable. 

So, to give designers a chance to revisit their favorite projects—and to bring you plenty of inspiration for your own home—we’re sharing the one room these pros will remember forever. For some, there’s a sentimental connection, for others, there was an obstacle they never thought they’d overcome. But no matter what, these rooms are worth remembering.

Iman Stewart approaches every project and renovation with fresh eyes. Her overarching design mantra is to draft spaces with the client’s personal style and influences always at top of mind. With that perspective, she recalls one of the most unforgettable rooms that she ever designed, noting the client’s personality made the space stand out.

“I will never forget this project because my client is also a friend I met over seven years ago,” Stewart says. “He is a comedian, and I would attend his stand-up comedy shows. And what really makes this project special is that he is from the same country as my father, one with vibrant colors and lots of personality: a little, big island called Jamaica. I wanted to make sure my client’s personality came out through his space.”

Vibrant, rich, and sophisticated, this bedroom is unafraid to play with color and texture, saturated in jewel tones and metallic accents. And when Stewart reflects back on the project, she has one word to describe the feeling: peace.

Read on to see how Stewart executed this opulent bedroom retreat.

As her client is from the Caribbean, Stewart knew this bedroom should feel warm, lively, and full of culture. The walls are doused in a rich shade of emerald green with blue and gold accents lining the room. The final look is completely luxurious—while still feeling livable. 

One of Stewart’s favorite elements of the room is the jewel-toned rug, which comes from her online home décor and furniture shop, ID-Style. 

“The rug is a favorite for sure,” Stewart says. “I also adore the nightstands, with their dark brown lacquer finish and the gold gemstones I attached to the headboard on photoshoot day.” 

More worthy favorites are the framed carnival-inspired masks used as wall art, which pay homage to the Caribbean Carnival—and just so happen to match the color scheme perfectly. Decorative accessories truly give a room unforgettable character, and the masks here are no exception.

The bedroom design is very reminiscent of Stewart’s personal style, as she continues to design tropical, luxe looks with African-inspired elements.

“I’m focusing on how to infuse culture within design, and I want to do this with more color,” Stewart notes. “I want to incorporate my love of color by selecting vibrant focal walls that compliment my clients’ culture. For example, the right lighting, accessories, and color can give any boring Zoom meeting an instant makeover—with a background complementing a client’s skin tone, space, and personality.”

There are often challenges to be met with any design, and Stewart notes that the drapes posed a peculiar problem in this renovation.

“The drapes, my God!” she recalls. “I was out with our newest design intern teaching her how to source. It is the dead of winter, I have my 4-month-old baby, and trying to shop for the perfect drapes is not the easiest, to say the least. We went to about 3 locations and gave up. A day later, I am forced to find something online, and with my tight deadline approaching, I am starting to panic.”

But, with every problem comes a great solution. “While searching like a madwoman, I find these sapphire deep-blue drapes that are blackout, a great selling feature for the client,” Stewart says. “On install day, the drapes turn out to become the same color as the headboard. Now that is what you call a designer's intuition.”

If there was anything about the room that Stewart would change now, it is only to finish the closet renovation as well and give the client more storage space—which is a project she plans to complete soon.

Stewart’s proudest moment during this project? “Having tequila at the end,” she jokes. “For real, though, having the whole team there on photoshoot day was such a proud moment, and I'll never forget it.”