As much as I’ve enjoyed working on a few big things in secret in the past (the kitchen makeover and my suspenseful DIY flooring reveal spring to mind), I also love walking you guys through a project step by step and sharing the choices and projects that go into creating a gathered room.
Well, our master bedroom is next on my hit list, and that’s how I’ve decided to play this one – befores, betweens, in-process and all.
And I’ll be transparent with you guys: this “before” isn’t really a “before” at all… It’s an “after the three loads of laundry on the floor were put away and the bed was made for the first time in a long time” kind of shot.
But for posterity’s sake, I tidied up a little before snapping these pictures that show the very-blank-slate state of our master bedroom.
In case you couldn’t quite make it out because of the bright light pouring in, yes, that is in fact foam core board taped together and shoved into the arch of the window so we can sleep in past 6 am.
As you can see, the room is a little oddly shaped, with that bump-out window seat area to the left of the bed, and the angled wall with the double doors leading to the bathroom (bathroom not pictured for your own ocular well-being). It is beige from ceiling to floor, and while the lighting in this room can be absolutely beautiful, it can also be a HUGE pain when all you ask of the universe is grabbing a few extra weekend z’s.
So here’s what I’m dreaming for this space – some of these plans are already in motion, some may change depending on finds/budget…
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Wall color – A warm khaki. I haven’t nailed this down yet, because finding the perfect not-too-green, not too brown shade is proving kind of difficult. I really need to go get some sample pots and try them out in the space. But if you guys have any colors to suggest, I’m all ears!
DIY laminate floors – That’s right! This room is also getting some gorgeous walnut laminate flooring, like the main living areas of our home. When I was chatting with Select Surfaces about partnering on DIY laminate floors, I mentioned the upcoming bedroom project, and they agreed to provide the flooring for this room too!
Ceiling fan – I’ve been drooling over the MinkaAire Light Wave ceiling fan for over a year and would love to switch out the fan in our bedroom for this gorgeous design. Ceiling fans are basically non-negotiable in Texas, and I love that this fan proves they don’t need to be a necessary evil – they can be a beautiful sculptural addition!
Brass bed – I found my bed frame on Craigslist years ago, and I just might be buried with it. I get asked all the time where it’s from and where to find others like it, and I finally have an answer – this bed on Overstock is incredibly similar! In fact, I kind of love the tufted headboard so much I might try building one of my own to add to our bed.
On the bed – I’m still planning to use the leopard pillows I made with leftover fabric from our dining chairs. (You can find similar pillows here, or buy Braemore Jamil fabric here.) I would also love to add a textural faux fur throw.
Art – Minted has been kind enough to partner with me on a few pieces for the bedroom! I have some gorgeous burl frames I found at a thrift store and I’m so excited to fill them with these prints – top to bottom: Me, In Stitches | Slopes | Passage
Lamps – I spotted these mid-century inspired lamps at Target and I would love to add them to our night stands. In the “before” pictures, you can see the white-lacquer night stands I found at The Salvation Army. I really love them – I think they’ll add just the right amount of mod to the room, once the other pieces fall into place!
Rug – I am also thrilled to be working with Unique Rug Store on this room makeover! I chose this incredible vintage floral kilim and I’m so excited to work on this space so I can finally see it unrolled in all its glory. I had already dreamed up the khaki walls at this point, but the rug colors inspired me to bring in some pink and coral with the art.
Other plans, not pictured, include:
- A floor to ceiling curtain solution between the window seat nook and the rest of the bedroom, so we can enjoy a pitch black room at night, but pull the curtains open for brilliant light during the day.
- Figuring out how best to utilize the window seat nook – Pillows? Books? Plants? A petite pair of chairs?
- Possibly some kind of bold patterned wall treatment in the alcove where the dresser sits.
- Hanging a mirror over the vanity (I’m thinking round, like this one from Ikea in white) and creating a nicely-functioning little makeup station.
Projected Timeline:
Since we’re currently camping out in the guest room, and the contents of our bedroom are sprinkled throughout the house, I want this project to move as quickly as possible!
I’d really love to have the main elements of this space done by April. I work best with deadlines, even self-imposed ones – so that’s what I’m shooting for.
I pulled up the carpet and tack strips yesterday, and I need to do a little work on the concrete subfloor before I can proceed with the flooring. And I still need to choose a paint color ASAP!
Stay tuned for updates!
Update 1: “Green Tea” Walls – view the post here:
Update 2: DIY Laminate Flooring – view the post here:
Cassie Bustamante says
it’s going to be gorgeous!!! i love this plan so much!
Thank you Cassie! I finally committed to a paint color… So here goes!
Oh I love your plans!! Khaki – yessss!! I’m rather in love with murky olive colours myself lately but no where to execute said paint colour in my home – so I shall live vicariously through your choices 🙂
Thank you Kimberly! Murky olive has been calling my name for so long – I’m excited for the chance to actually use something in that family! I finally settled on a color and just need to pick up the paint – yay!
That bed! What a great start – I look forward to seeing the finished room.
Thank you Patti! I’m picking up the paint soon – hoping to tackle that ASAP!
We have Sherwin Willliams Wool Skein on our walls and it is a warmer khaki. You may have in mind something darker. I’m not sure what color might be on the same card. That rug is awesome!!!
Thanks for the color recommendation, Tina! Wool Skein is gorgeous – I’m going a little more green in here, but I am totally bookmarking that for a future project!
Before I ask my question, I just want to say that I’m absolutely obsessed with your blog and your decorating style. No shame, I read it every day and sometimes reread posts several times. You’re so very inspiring and I feel like I’ve found my bosom decorating friend when I look at your pictures. Okay, I think I’ve fan-girled enough. On to my question! When you’re deciding on a color scheme for a room (like your master bedroom), is there an object that you have that inspires you or do you just pull all of this from your incredibly creative mind?
Hi Paige,
Aw, thank you so much for the sweet comment that brightened my day!
Oftentimes, I like to find one piece that sparks inspiration for color combinations – if everything works in something like a fabric pattern, for instance, than I know I can pull more of those colors in throughout the room and they will all work together!
For this bedroom design, I became captivated with the idea of pairing khaki olive walls with the brass bed. Since I knew that was the direction I wanted to go, I chose a rug with a similar color base – and everything kind of snowballed from there, since the art choices were directly inspired by colors in the rug.
But there are other times where the color scheme is a happy accident, like in our living room. I added the vintage oil portrait on the mantel months ago and it slowly inspired me to bring more rusts and reds into the room and really warm up my decorating color choices!
When in doubt, finding a piece of art or textile that really makes your heart sing is a great way to get a color scheme going that you know you’ll love!
Bedroom looks great! I love the comforter on the bed. Who makes it and what size is it?
Thanks Diane
Thank you, Diane! The duvet cover is from Crane and Canopy — there’s a link up in the post to the exact one on their site. Mine is a Queen size 🙂