July 6, 2014

Hello and happy Summer!

I recently redecorated our bedroom and thought I'd share pics with one or two handy tips. Should I show a "before" first? Yes, I think it usually helps get the impact across of the big change! ;-)

Historically there was a french door there that stepped out onto a tiny 'porch' (second floor level). For the entire twenty years that I've lived in this house the door would leak rain during heavy storms. It was just rotting the heck out of the wood floor in that area so we made the decision to replace the door with the window and remove the outdoor porch thing as well. Another reason it was a good idea is there are no other walls in the room in case some future owner has a dresser they need a wall for. SO. We had the window put in.

But of course now EVERYTHING in there looks like total crap, right?! So I got to work.

 The rug under the bed was in the living room for the last few years but two corgis who shall remain nameless started doing their business on it whenever I wasn't looking so I sent it out to be cleaned, left it standing in the corner of the living room for a few months, and then I realized this was a perfect spot for it!

The paint color I used is Statue of Liberty by Valspar. The chip looked like the perfect tinge of green 'aqua', and the coordinating fabrics I used all had aqua-y names, but it sure looks like a blue room to me!

Still, I like it a lot. I hadn't planned on going monochromatic, but I saw this spread at Tuesday Morning and was pretty sure it would work. Once I brought it home and put it on the bed I knew there was NO way I wanted a big ol' WHITE bed covering in the center of the room.  I made the toss pillows. I have a large amount of buttons collected and sorted and think I want to make custom monogram pillows for a while.  I can't swear I'll really make the bed like this every day unless a picture is being taken ;-)

Not sure if you can tell but the roman shade is nearly the same color as the wall.

Two things I want to share about these shelves. One:

Always keep an open mind. Some pretty yucky old things just need a fresh coat of paint, right? Two, here is a fabulous site for buying very inexpensive baskets in what very likely will be the perfect size you are looking for. I think these baskets were $5 each. Seriously! Bookmark that site!

oh! Sorry for that ugly photo in the middle of our calm blue tranquility :-) 

Ahh. That's better! 

I was watching Mad Men on Netflix during the time that I was doing this room and I noticed most of the windows in Betty Draper's house had these classic criss-cross sheer ruffled priscillas. My mom had them all over her house in the 70's. They aren't as easy to find as they used to be (Sears) but I did find a seller on ebay and I really love the look. Sheer ruffled priscillas are the search words you want to use. 

Working around the room, you can see in the before picture that we had a too big wall mount tv in this corner. (So glad that's gone! Traded with Melissa and she's happy to have a big ol' wall  mounted tv in her room)

When I first bought this house I had that drawer unit built in to the wall, since there was nothing but space behind the half wall. I'm glad we went back to having a smaller tv sitting in that spot as originally intended. And I've always been glad I had that made. Saves on floor space!

Behind the door is my granddaughter's favorite place to be :-) I mean, I HAD all that stuff so why not have it out and enjoy looking at it? 

This Hallmark tree was sold about ten years ago, intended for hanging 'family tree' photo ornaments on it. I wanted to see as many of my old rhinestone brooches as possible so I loaded up the tree that was headed for the donations pile. (In real life it's not nearly as jumbled looking. It's all the reflections and shadows in this pic I think).

You may have seen one of these little dressers before, still with the arms, or as in most cases; the arms were missing. This is the original intention of the design. Pretty cute, huh? Handy, too!

I applied the vintage wallpaper to the back of the door the last time I decorated in there, and I still love it so much that even tho it doesn't *match* I'm leaving it. For now anyway. :-) 

And there you have it!

I've made it my mission this year to throw out as much clutter and doo-dads as possible. It is very freeing and it makes it a lot easier to achieve results that are this calm.

Until next time...

Comments

[mary truax]

lovely!

[georgiapeachez]

Beautiful makeover, love the paint color.

[Sherri]

Just beautiful! Yes, so glad you shared the "before" first, too!

[Sandy]

Hey Jen, it looks terrific! Nicely done!

[Peggy Siemer]

I'm amazed at how beautiful this room is now. Not sure when you are able to do all of this, but I sort of remember when I had that kind of energy. Great job! Enjoy.