At SmithHönig we find inspiration in our global journeys, the people we meet along the way and the stories they share. We incorporate travel, storytelling, and luxe finishes into our collections and we’re forever inspired by the talented stylists who incorporate our vision into their own spaces. Their personal touches are a continuation of the love we pour into SmithHönig’s home decor.

And speaking of pouring love into a project, meet Kathy Bauer, the one woman show behind Up To Date Interiors, mother, musician, and one of our favorite-ever interior stylists whose specialty is all things glam. Kathy spent many years as a military wife, so she and her family became total pros at making small, rented spaces feel like home. While they were living in Japan a few years ago, Kathy used SmithHönig products as part of her daughter’s room makeover, and it’s adorable.

Redesigning a rented space comes with its limitations, but Kathy used pieces that provided dimension and personality without permanently altering the room. Instead of totally overhauling the space from the ground up, she made simple changes, like layering textures, patterns and colors, to create a peaceful haven in a far away place for her little girl.

One of the challenges of redecorating a rented space is not being able to play around with paint as much as you might normally. Kathy overcame this obstacle in her daughter’s space by using a super fun mix of textured pieces like rugs, artwork, and pillows.

Take a look at how Kathy styled the space, using a few SmithHönig pieces to create a globally inspired bedroom.

To begin, she used our cotton/linen Thread Bare fabric to breathe new life into a storage ottoman. This was a simple upgrade using less than a yard of the fabric, but it totally revamped the piece. Now this functional item is something that looks like it was designed specifically for the room.

For another bright spot, Kathy layered in our lush velvet suede Wolfton Heath pillow. What a fun, high-end touch for a little girl’s bedroom. The tones in this pattern are amazingly rich and complement so many different colors and styles. We love how Kathy styled it.

The last SmithHönig piece Kathy used was the most subtle– and maybe the sweetest, too. She used our Parasol Acrylic Art Block in her daughter’s reading nook. We love this one because it was inspired by our own travels, but Kathy’s connection to it is super special.

Since the Bauer family was stationed in Japan at the time, their little girl got to see traditional Japanese dress in person. Kathy thought this piece would let her keep this chapter of her life close no matter where they roamed. We couldn’t agree more.

Kathy’s room makeover was nothing short of magical, and we’re so honored she chose to use our pieces. Design helps us tell our stories, and we’re so glad we could be a part of the Bauer family’s globally-inspired story, too.

Pink and pretty with a sweet global twist. This girl’s room is everything nice. Shop the look.