Carrollwood · Tampa, Florida
The Krueger Residence
A cinematic entry foyer, staircase, and powder room where dark academia meets tailored traditional design.
A Story Begins at the Door
An immersive introduction to a home filled with personality
The Krueger project transforms an entry foyer, staircase, and powder room into a richly layered experience that establishes the character of the entire home.
The design brings together one client’s love of dark academia, storytelling, and cinematic wonder with the other’s appreciation for tailored, traditional interiors.
- Location
- Lake Magdalene, Carrollwood
- Service
- Renovation & Furnishings
- Scope
- Entry Foyer, Staircase & Powder Bath
- Style
- Traditional Dark Academia
- Influence
- Literature, Wizardry & Cinematic Worlds
The Foyer Story
Drama and wonder, balanced with a measured hand
A deep, moody palette establishes the room’s cinematic atmosphere. Damask wallpaper, picture-frame molding, antique gold finishes, and curated artwork create a space that feels storied and immersive without becoming themed.
A tiger-patterned stair runner with antique gold rods adds a regal element, while meaningful artwork and keepsakes make the gallery walls feel collected rather than decorated.
The design embraces the magic of storytelling while remaining thoughtful, sophisticated, and unmistakably personal.
The HLM Designs Perspective
The Powder Room
A jewel-box interior with its own sense of discovery
Gold-toned botanical wallpaper, sculptural hardware, rich wood, and warm metallic lighting continue the cinematic experience. Extending the wallpaper across the sloped ceiling visually softens the room’s unusual architecture and creates a more enveloping environment.
Details Worth Discovering
Every layer rewards a closer look
The Balance
Dark, but never heavy
Deep walls and rich patterns are balanced by metallic finishes, reflective surfaces, natural light, and a luminous ceiling that encourages guests to look upward.
The Personal Layer
A gallery built from meaning
Artwork, keepsakes, landscapes, florals, mirrors, and unexpected objects create a collected composition that reflects the people who live within the home.
The Favorite Detail
A ceiling that changes the room
The wallpapered foyer ceiling introduces lightness above the dark walls and immediately establishes the sense of wonder that defines the entire project.
Refining the Architecture
Creating visual balance within an existing home
The powder room sits beneath the staircase, resulting in a sloped ceiling that could have made the space feel compressed. Continuing the wallpaper upward visually dissolves the angle and turns the architectural constraint into part of the design.
On the staircase, the existing mahogany finish was preserved while heavier traditional spindles were replaced with slimmer profiles. The additional negative space creates balance against the layered walls while allowing the original wood to remain part of the story.
Your Home, Reimagined
Ready to create an interior with a story of its own?
HLM Designs creates highly personalized interiors that balance function, artistry, atmosphere, and the unexpected.