Before & After: Ballard Designs Bridal Suite

Historic mansion and celebrated Atlanta landmark, Rhodes Hall, also known as “the castle on Peachtree,” is one of the most unique venues in the city for weddings. So when The Georgia Trust asked us to help update the bridal suite, we jumped at the chance.

Before

When a home (or anything, for that matter) turns 110 years old, there is inevitably going to be some things (okay, maybe a lot) that need repair. In its ongoing effort to return Rhodes Hall to its original grandeur, the Georgia Trust renovated the bridal suite, where the bride and her wedding party get ready for the big event. Significant updates were made to the space, and the ceiling was restored to its original blue color. All that was left was outfitting the room with furniture and decor fit for a bride on her wedding day. That’s where we come in.

Before we set to work we asked for a list of needs, which was mostly centered around making the space as comfortable and convenient as possible for the bridal party.

The very sensible requests included:

• Lots of storage for the wedding party to hold purses, makeup bags and dresses

• Seating for 6-8 with a flexible floor plan

• A barefoot-soft rug to cover the wood floors

• Sufficient privacy in a room with three walls of windows

• Easy-to-clean fabrics for lasting durability

Naturally, they hoped to create an attractive space for photography purposes — which was something we could guarantee!

We set to work pulling together an inspiration board and layout for the space.

After

The first step was settling on a color palette that worked with that fabulous ceiling color. Using the Valentino Rug as our foundation — which echoes the blue nicely — we headed to the Ballard Designs retail store to enlist a little help from a Design Solutions associate.

We pulled swatches from the store’s Fabric Library and laid them on the rug to make sure it all worked together. The subtle color palette of grays, spas and creams hit all the right notes, creating a relaxed vibe and a soft backdrop that wouldn’t compete with the blushing bride in her dress.

Next, we ordered floor-length custom panels to cover the entire expanse of windows in the room. We wanted curtains that could easily be pulled open for extra light or closed for privacy. Even closed, the creamy white Demere Stripe fabric lends an open, airy feel to the room.

To tackle the room’s storage and seating needs, we chose multi-tasking pieces, like ottomans, bar carts and tray tables on casters for easy mobility. The Addison Tray Table’s fitted tray top lifts off to hold makeup or serve snacks. The ultra-versatile Jill Bar Cart offers additional storage while doubling as a vanity in a pinch. 

The slim silhouette of the Blair Sofa adds plenty of seating — and effortless elegance — without taking up too much space. We slid a couple of long, shallow baskets underneath the sofa to keep personal belongings out of the way.

Every bridal party needs ample room to primp, so we placed not one, but two vanities in the room. The feminine design of the Genevieve Desk fit the decor to a T, plus the center drawer holds a laptop — just in case the bride needs to consult Pinterest for last-minute inspiration.

Upholstered Swivel Stools are covered in Sunbrella fabric for easy care (so no worries about the champagne spills). And every bride should take a few minutes to really admire herself in her wedding dress, so adding the full-length Bella Mirror was a no-brainer.

Obviously, the space wouldn’t be complete without a place to hang the bride’s dress. We stationed the Niles Double Coat Rack against the stone wall to hold dresses, coats, shoes, boxes and other items. We leaned a couple of Ballroom Folding Chairs against the rack for extra seating, too.

Finally, to ensure there was enough lighting in the room, we topped one of the desks with the Gourd Lamp. And we thought the antique styling of the Henriette Chandelier was a perfect match for the castle on Peachtree.

If you ask us, we managed to fulfill every request while creating a picture-perfect space for the bride on her wedding day. But what do you think? Tell us in the comments below.

Find out more about events and weddings at Rhodes Hall, or find wedding inspiration on our Pinterest boards.