Is it weird that I’m totally nervous to show you the “before” pictures of our bedroom? Especially because I have no “afters” yet. I feel so vulnerable. Hold me.
But this is my motivation to finally focus my attention on our bedroom. Yesterday, I gave you a couple of tips for making your bedroom a sanctuary for you and your man. I’m going to implement those tips and a few more over the coming weeks.
But today is all about analyzing the current situation so I can figure out where I’m going. Like I said before, some of you will probably be horrified by the state of my bedroom…and some of you will think I’m a spoiled brat for not being happy with what I have. So it’s a real lose-lose. Yay me!
My bedroom definitely has some real pluses and a few minuses. Probably just like your bedroom.
It’s a fairly large room so I have plenty of space for my furniture. The downside is that the layout is a weird. Because of the location of all the doors, I can’t put my bed where I want it. I’ve always thought that a bed should be the first thing you see when you come into a bedroom. In my case, it’s the tv, a closet door and the dresser. Not ideal, but there’s nothing I can do about it unless one of you wants to come and move my closet and my husband’s office.
I adore the paint color, which is nearly impossible to photograph, so you’ll have to trust me. It’s Restoration Hardware Cappuccino and I adore it. It’s rich and a little darker than what I usually pick. But it looks gorgeous with the white trim and the cherry furniture.
Our furniture is beautiful. We inherited it from my husband’s great-aunt right after we got married. It was nearly new then and is way nicer than anything we could afford. It’s probably not what I would have chosen if I made the purchase myself, but I have grown to love it. The only downside is the batwing hardware that’s typical on colonial furniture. I’ve thought about changing it, but some of the drawers need pulls that have a 2-1/2″ center. Those are HARD to find. Any suggestions?
And the nightstands? Come on. Really? Mine doesn’t even have a lamp! What? Don’t you keep a year-old copy of BHG and a paintbrush on your nightstand? And my hubby’s nightstand? All I’m going to say is that The Flintstones called and they want their clock radio back.
And this big, blank wall with the big, nekkid windows does nothing for the coziness factor.
I really did like this bedding when I purchased it a few years ago. But it has not worn well at all. It was very inexpensive, so I won’t feel bad changing it out. Can you tell that I’ve been suffering from over-pillowfication? Who’s been there with me? Can I get an amen? The nightly stacking of the pillows has become an ongoing joke at our house. I’ll be doing some major pillow-simplification.
I have quite a few limitations when it comes to dressing up this room. I would LOVE to rip up the carpet and put in hardwood. And I would LOVE to add some architectural features like crown molding or board and batten. But we’re still neck-deep in finishing the basement. T’aint happening.
So there you have it. The Good, The Bad and The Ugly Pillows. I’ve got some ideas about where we’re headed with this makeover, but I’d love to hear your ideas.
{ 53 comments }
I have the same hardware. No idea what to do with it, but, if you come up with something, please let me know! I have thought about spraying them but don’t think it will go.
Can you put your bed on the wall with the windows for a different layout?
That’s a great suggestion and I wish I could! You can’t see it in the window picture, but on the far right is the door to my husband’s office.
If I put the bed there with a nightstand, it would block the door.
Can we say awkward layout?
I’m really excited to see what happens with this room. It looks a lot like my current room – complete with brown walls, hand me down dresser, only one lamp on a nightstand and blue accents.
I really like damsk sheets/duvet covers. Ours are from Macys – super soft but plain. We have white sheets and a cornflower blue duvet cover. Plain and simple, but then again so is our room.
Sorry, forgot to mention the hardware. You could always fill the holes and drill new ones. Then just touch up the putty area with stain that matches?
Um…how bad is it that I had that same Flintstone up until a year ago when it finally broke. I win by the way, my room looks way worse than yours.
)
Kristie´s last blog ..The Poopie Zoo…I mean, Petting Zoo
would your bed fit on the window wall? and have you seen this post – http://missmustardseed.blogspot.com/2010/03/sytycd-week-5-fabric.html – on Miss Mustard Seed? I could see something like this spanning the windows and covering the space between to make a huge awesome canopy/window treatment.
Heather´s last blog ..Baking Challenge – April ’10
Good news is that it has great bones and a lot of room for some interesting pieces. I also like your bedroom color. Your furniture is very traditional so I would work that that- and then throw in some fun embellishments. Maybe a sitting area with brightly patterned chairs. I love the idea of a chandelier in the bedroom- that would pull in the classic furniture and add luxury. I would also go with a really nice comforter, but dial down the pillows- I am a pillow-holic too! I think that Ballard Designs has some great items that would work well here- or you could do silk panels, I love these:
http://www.shop.com/Ruched_Silver_Grey_Pearl_White_Silk_Curtains_Drapes-296391260-340984398-p+.xhtml?sourceid=298
HTH!
Those curtains are gorgeous!
I feel your pain. We did a complete make-over in our bedroom/bath/closet/dressing area two years ago. The walls are red, the furniture cherry and there is nothing on the walls yet. What’s wrong with me? This summer is the time. I’m going to dive in and put holes in those walls if it kills me.
Southern Gal´s last blog ..A Beautiful Saturday in April
After all of my recent blog hopping, I’ve come to discover that I think EVERYBODY has that same hardware on their funiture.
Our bedroom is painted a very similiar color & has a pain in the butt layout. One wall has 2 windows & the only logical place for the bed. The wall to it’s right has the closet door & bathroom door. I would love to rearrange the room, but it doesn’t look like it’s gonna happen anytime soon. Also, we have zero art/pictures on the wall. I removed everything when we repainted last year & been too lazy to put anything back. Sad, huh?
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I think you should try rearranging the furniture in a few different ways to see what you like best. As someone suggested, moving the bed in between those two windows might work, and it would feel welcoming on your way in. Or you could leave the bed and the big dresser/mirror in the same spot and reposition the tall dresser between the windows.
I would try painting the hardware on the dressers to update it. Maybe rubbed bronze or a dark silver. Whatever would tie in the metallic finish you may want to use in accessories.
What about getting some kind of chair to put in that corner when you first enter the room? There is definitely enough room for a nice sitting area there. And it will be another chance to add fabric, texture and lighting.
I can’t wait to see what you come up with!
Melanie´s last blog ..Popping in with a few pictures!
Aha, don’t worry about what other people think of what you do or don’t have. Don’t worry about what other people will think of what you will or won’t redecorate. You have a beautiful style and seem to have a good sense of yourself and your family. Only worry about those living in the house when it comes to whats right or wrong with decorating or redecorating.
Also, good luck. It does seem like an awkward room (I know the feeling) but that could make it all the more fun. And when it’s finished you’ll get an even bigger satisfaction that you took an awkwardly designed (architecturally) room and made it work for you.
I would have such a good time doing your bedroom with you, Kimba! First, since the TV is the first thing you see coming into the room rather than your bed, I’d get a cabinet with doors for it. A pretty cabinet ~ something you find and paint up perhaps or add fabric inserts to the doors. Now you’ve got something nice to see when you first enter the room.
You could paint that hardware; and girl, you need a lamp! I’d also move that tall dresser in between the windows where the hope chest is sitting.
I’d put the hope chest at the end of the bed with a cushion for sitting on and put a chair in the corner where the tall dresser presently is. I don’t see any pictures on the walls, so I’m wondering what other colors you like. Do you still like the brown and blue in your existing bedding, or are you looking to go a totally different route?
Kathy @ Creative Home Expressions´s last blog ..Here’s Your Chance . . .
A cabinet! YES! I already have one that might work. It would just need painted. Hmmmmm….What color? Thinking. Thinking.
I think I snorted something out of my nose when I read the Flintstone comment. Let’s just say I can relate – did they all go buy them the same day they purchased their sweater vests and knit ties for their senior photos???
It’s hard to get a feel for the room layout…I’m at a loss. But something must be done about that hardware!
jennifer juniper´s last blog ..Stuff I Learned – Tutorial Tuesday Wrap Up
You nearly made me pee my pants. That is all.
Kimba,
I can’t wait to see what you do with your room!! I love that picture at the top of the post. I have been working on mine for a couple of months and believe me,
mine looked WAY worse thAn yours! Yowza! I should be done this weekend.
Blessings!
Way to put yourself out there! Seriously, nothing like a little peer pressure to get ourselves moving!
I’ve seen someone remove hardware and use strips of fabric as pulls. She ran them through the hole and tied them to create a loop that hung down. Maybe twine or burlap strips would be another option. I think the piece of furniture was painted in a white shabby chic style, so the casual fabric “pulls” were really cute. Not sure if that look would go well with the more formal wood stain. Anyway…
We are adding onto our house right now to make a new master suite, so I really look forward to your tips and seeing your afters!
Have you tried Lee Valley for the hardware? I know they used to stock lots of off sizes. I live in a whole house of awkward rooms, including my bedroom. There is one place to put the bed and it has been there for 10 years now – driving me crazy not to be able to move it. I laughed at the pillows – my husband grumbles that he has to remove one extra pillow every night! Can’t wait to see what you do with the room.
We just moved into a larger home and the master bedroom is the last room that I have to finish. It is SO big that I just don’t even know what to do. I bought a rug from Home Goods and that is going to be my starting point. I can’t offer advice on this room because I could sure use some myself. Maybe I need to do a post about it and get some ideas like you have done.
By the way, I had that same clock radio until about 10 yrs. ago and my hubby said that it had to go;-)
Melanie´s last blog ..How I Met My House.
We just moved into our home a few months ago so our room ain’t so much to write home about either. I still haven’t decided on a color for the walls. The rest of the house is already figured out and almost complete (is decorating ever really complete) but the master bedroom is still in need of window treatments, rugs, paint and new bedding. I was too sad when my hubby said its one of those rooms he avoids. Ouch.
I had that same dresser in my room when I was growing up. My parents sold it when I was a teenager
Wish I had it back now. The brass batwing hardware may not be in style right now but I actually think the piece is beautiful as it is.
Kimba. That hardware does not need to be replaced. It is not dated; it is classic. It is just right for your furniture. Remember: if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
And if I were you, I wouldn’t worry about the fact that you can’t reposition the bed. But everything else is fair game! For instance, you might put your chest at the foot of your bed. You may want to put something else between the windows, but I’m betting that you want to do some great window mistreatments that go all the way to the floor, so there may not be much space between the windows after you add those.
Unless the clock radio doesn’t work well, I wouldn’t bother with replacing it. Use your money, instead, to buy two beautiful lamps.
And I think would be wonderful to include a painted piece in this room to complement all that beautiful cherry. Perhaps you could find a cabinet or armoire to hold your TV and paint it in a wonderful color in your bedding and window mistreatment fabrics. The great news is that your wall color will look wonderful with just about any color you choose.
Have fun! Thanks for being vulnerable!
Richella´s last blog ..English teacher
I say definitely some ORB spray paint on those pulls. I actually love the traditional shape, but a more antiqued finish would make it so that they weren’t the first thing you notice about the lovely furniture.
LOVE the idea of a cabinet or armoire to hide the TV, so it’s not the first thing you see upon entering the room. Also LOVE the idea of a gorge chadelier! You certainly need some window treatments to cozify.
Have you thought of doing a big statement on the headboard? I loved the giant upholstered headboard they did on All Things Thrifty. http://www.allthingsthrifty.com/2010/03/tutorial-how-to-make-fabric-headboard.html
We’re in the same boat, girl. We’re redoing our cavernous empty bedroom, too. Except I don’t even have the pillows. And my nightstand has breast pump parts on it. Just keeping it real. Can’t wait to see what you do. Maybe I’ll get the bug.
Kendra @ My First Kitchen´s last blog ..Easy Broiled Fish
I don’t have any suggestions but I am looking forward to your make-over.
I have a hodgepodge of furniture in my bedroom that I’m dying to replace, but there have just been more pressing needs in our house, so it keeps getting bumped to the bottom of the list. In other words, I can relate! This is the year I really want to do something about it, though, so I’m hoping your makeover can inspire me. I change my mind about what I want to do with mine every. Single. Day. I need to just make a decision and go with it already!
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Actually, most of the pulls from Home Depot were 2.5 centers when I was looking this month. I have a built-in dresser that had 3.5 C-C pulls, those were very hard to find! I found a cup pull that was long enough to cover the old holes at HD, and drilled new ones (2.5″ centers) inside. There is also this site that allows you to search by size:
http://www.edirecthardware.com/cgi-bin/edhcatalog.pl
Great room! Love that wall color. I would keep the dressers the cherry color and spray paint the hardwear so you can keep it since its a hard size to find. How bout white? I think white distressed knobs would pop against the cherry wood. I have a strict 4 pillow rule on my bed…we each get a sleeping pillow and a pretty one and that’s IT! I get so annoyed with making my bed if there’s lots of stuff to straighten and fix…lol i guess I’m just lazy!
Bless your heart here I think your amazing and have everything together and your bedroom reminds me of mine. After your post yesterday I went home and rearranged the bedroom. Better for now but I’m dying to decorate and paint it.
Jennifer´s last blog ..Welcome Birdies
I did this with my living room…asked for suggestions that is and got SO MANY great suggestions. I posted some after shots today. Decorating is so much fun!
First, your room looks pretty fabulous! Love the color and you have beautiful furniture. I’d say take your favorite color and add it in pops. Maybe put a comfy chair in the room and make a little ‘reading’ or ‘sitting’ nook. Sorry I’m not such a great help, but I know others will have fabulous suggestions.
You’ve got a great room to work with!!
-FringeGirl
I like the color of your walls…looks great with the white trim, which I love. My feeling has always been that a TV doesn’t belong in a bedroom, so I’d either remove it or put it in an armoire. Since you have the floor space, put in one (or 2 or 3) large plants (like your intro photo of the white room). Add some nice artwork or your choosing…calm land- or seascapes are nice, and there you have it! Hope that helps.
My ideas:
1) Invest in matching bedside lamps! My hunny and I don’t even have matching nightstands (one is brown wood, the other is white…one has drawers, the other has shelves, etc.), but having matching lamps with pretty shades gives a real sense of cohesiveness to the room and makes it cozy when we get into bed! We also hooked up a dimmer to the bedside lamps (the x10 kind that you can remotely activate even) so we can dim them for some romantic mood lighting
2) Could you place a mirror (perhaps a full length one with a pretty frame?) in that space next to the TV so that from the doorway such that you could at least see a reflection of part of the bed frame?
3) Or if you don’t do that, what about placing a more “bedroomy” piece of furniture in that corner where the TV is (or even just next to the TV)? Looking at a TV stand and TV says “home office” or “den” to me. A cedar or blanket chest covered with some of the spare pillows, or a dresser or vanity/makeup desk would look heaps more “bedroom-ish” in my opinion. Or even a robe hook to hang a bathrobe on.
4) The walls look super-bare. A little bit of framed artwork or mirrors could spruce up a lot of that barren-ness of the large space. Even if you don’t opt for fancy, expensive, ornate frames, and just stick with basic wood framing with acrylic “glass”, it will still add color to the room.
5) Could you add a throw-rug on the floor somewhere? There’s plenty of room for one, might make the room cozier.
6) A pair of oversized comfy recliner chairs with a small table between them could create a cozy “reading nook” and fill in some of the empty space.
7) Add some colorful curtains to those windows to frame them. And put something on the wall in the space between them, or even a tall potted plant (silk or real up to you) to add some color.
You totally just made me okay with the fact that my bedroom is not magazine cover beatiful! I think you should try and find {or maybe make from your existing cabinet} a larger armoire type cabinet for the tv. If you wanted to go for a more rustic or maybe even tropical feel with the furninture you could try making your own hardware out of sticks or bamboo. My hubby made a tv cabinet with bamboo accents and the handle is made out of a stick of bamboo.
Kelli ´s last blog ..Going a Little Green
When you figure your room out can you come help mine? I’ve just avoided everything about my bedroom and focused on the other rooms. I laughed with your comment about your husbands clock radio because when I saw yours I thought the same thing. I think my parents had one just like yours when I was 5 or so.
Can we get a floor plan? I’m having trouble visualizing.
And I agree about drilling a new hole for the new hardware and patching up the old with wood filler and a little stain. Come girl, you’re handy, you can do that easy-peasy!
I really like the idea of the hope chest at the end of the bed with a cushion on top, and def a cabinet you can paint and hide the TV in.
First time comment for me here {I think, I tend to talk/comment alot!
} My bedroom is not a santuary. It’s tiny and small and I was in the middle of redoing it all when my sweet husband finally spoke up and said that he didn’t like it. That’s fine for him to not like it, but couldn’t he have said something earlier when I was pitching ideas at him and asking for permission? So, I’ve just stopped the project and now it’s driving me batty. Time to either strip it down and put it back the way it was or get ‘er done. Thanks for the inspiration to get back in the game!
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You’ve inspired me to be brave and post some pictures of my bedroom. Not that I’m GONNA do it, but I’m inspired to be brave. LOL! No, actually, I think I will do it, soon. Maybe this summer.
In the meantime, I’m trying to get going on making my son’s room special. I have to do things in stages!!
Kelleigh @ Kelleigh Ratzlaff Designs´s last blog ..Stocking the pantry!
Hey-we have the same color walls. You are so brave to post pictures-I don’t think you are a brat-your bedroom is on it’s way to becoming spectacular-it has great “bones’!
Kind Regards,
Jana
Jana @ The Summer House´s last blog ..A Visit To The Purl Warehouse
If you find the solution to that hardware PLEASE share it. We have 3 dressers in 2 different rooms with this hardware and I am sick ‘o it!
Am I right, or did you do a tidy for the photo shoot? If not, you are the tidiest parents I have ever seen!
Hi Kimba-
If you want a major change that won’t cost a fortune you should make your bed really stand out making it the focal point and lessening the need for lots of other stuff in the room. Add white crown molding above the bed like a window valance. This won’t require a lot, just a piece a bit wider than the bed and for the projection of about 8″ on the sides. Then hang inexpensive white sheets, matlesse bed spreads, or some white fabric from ceiling right under the valance to floor on each side to frame the bed. Next use more white sheets or inexpensive white fabric shirred on the back wall. You can do this with a staple gun, just pleat with your hands and staple at the top. Hide staples with white ribbon, but the crown moulding will hide most of them. Add swing arm lamps to each side to free up space on your nite tables – creating a clutter free look. Whatever fabric you use to hang on either side of the bed, use to hang simple curtain panels from decorative rods from the windows to warm them up. The color of your room with the white accents will add the desired punch and look very modern, plus it can be done pretty inexpensively. Add a textured white bedspread for the bed. Since your nite stands will be free, add some pretty white flowers in a glass or metal vase for some shine. Try to choose at lest two different white fabrics with differnt textures to provide interest. In the Philadephia area, where I live we have a store that sells $1.oo a yard fabric. I just got 30 yards of white canvas twill!!!
As far as those colonial drawer pulls!!!! – I have them on furniture in my guest room. I will have to think on that one and get back to you if I come up with something. Good Luck – can’t wait to see what you come up with.
I love how BIG your bedroom is! It may have lots of doors, but I still see its size as a huge benefit. That gorgeous pic you showed from Country Living reminds me of the makeover I just did in my master bedroom….here’s the link if you want to check it out! And Kimba, your before photos are nowhere near as horrific my before photos were…so don’t feel bad. Your befores could be a lot of people’s “afters”…truly.
http://nesting-instincts.blogspot.com/2010/04/my-extreme-master-bedroom-makeover.html
Courtney @ nesting instincts´s last blog ..friday’s fabulous finds: pretty art for your wall
Whatever you do is going to be fabulous! Make it romantic
XO
Kristin
Kristin´s last blog ..A fabulous giveaway!
I love the before – is that your inspiration? Great wall color. We can help – http://www.mydesignguide.com
I wish my night stands looked so nice…er clean. My bedroom is also my sewing room sooooo, it is aways in an upheaval. I do love your paint color and will be watching what you come up with. Sorry I can’t help you though.
Kimba, you have wonderful ideas and you’ve got the start of a charming room! I’d do JUST two things (to start small): 1) Ditch the bedding, and all those pillows. I like clean lines, those pillows are make me feel itchy. Just say no to pillowfication.
2) Put some crown molding up in your room. Every time we do this I am shocked at how fantastic it looks. Good luck, have fun!!
Susan´s last blog ..Do You Believe in Magic?
Ok, you are not a spoiled brat. but you are crazy for being embarrassed about your before pictures. Never in a million years would I show a before pic of my room in its current state. It is soo cluttered with junk. It seems to become dumping grounds for things we do not have a specific place for, mainly because that is the room that company doesn’t see. Yeah, I seriously need to do something about that! Your room has a beautiful starting point so I can’t wait to see the end result!
I’m with Kelly…in the state my room is in, I’m not sure i would reveal mine. Maybe? You’ve inspired me to do something about it. But I don’t want to spend any money! I have enough fabric, and paint to do a makeover. Have you considered painting your dresser and night stand black? to tie them all together. I’m sure you have. Let me know where this goes…looks like an inspiring time!
Can’t wait to see what you do with the room… we recently started doing our bedroom, and furniture layout is one of the hardest things to figure out!
For the furniture hardware… I’d definitely be tempted to paint them, even paint the bat-wing part a colour to blend in with the wood, and the handles another colour to stand out. That or fill in the holes and drill news ones for a single pull ~ but I can imaging buying that many pulls would add up real quickly!
RJ´s last blog ..The Living room… It’s About Time!
When the Nester did the 10 minutes makeover last year, I participated with my master bedroom. I hate to say this, but it has gone back to the close-the-door-we-have-guests-coming-over stage again. Please host a linky party so we can all update our bedrooms!!!
http://domestic-kate.blogspot.com/2009/02/10-minutes-to-room-youll-love.html
Paint is always an option for hardware!
I like the idea of a chair in the corner, opposite your entry door (someone above suggested it).
Not ideal, and I didn’t read to see if someone else suggested this or if you said you tried it, but could you put the bed on the wall to the left of your entry?