Tag: Bedroom

Where Do You Find Inspiration?

I feel like I’ve been deep in planning mode for so long. I finally get to execute! The laundry room is of course first, but I’ll be working on a bathroom too. And I’m getting the urge to shake things up a bit more too and go bold.

* She says as she dials back the color and pattern in her bedroom for all-white bedding. *

I have a question for you as we head into the weekend. When thinking about a room makeover, do you look to inspiration images or do you start with a major item in the room and go from there?

I start with an individual piece. Every time. I can’t remember looking at a room and using that as the starting point (and I LOVE looking at beautiful rooms). It’s always about the color/texture/pattern/shape/etc. of a fabric, wallpaper, furniture, or whatever, and then it flows from there. I think of the individual elements in a room as crayons at my disposal, to the point where I have thought to myself “ooh, I got a new crayon to play with!”

Is that weird? It might be a little weird.

Let me give you an example. My bedroom started with the Quincy bed, which is usually shown in either a traditional or country room. I have seen and liked similar beds styled in different ways, but there was never a room that I looked to specifically to pull my own bedroom together. The bed worked with the dresser, which needed to work with another style of dresser and so on. I pulled it together from the pieces to form a whole.

When I work with clients though, they almost always start with rooms they love as inspiration. And it’s a great place to start! But I think the difference is that a client is looking to a decorator because they can’t imagine how to put the puzzle pieces (or crayon colors) together.

So I’m wondering where you fall. So many of you have lovely homes! Do you pull pages from magazines? Dog ear catalogs? Stalk flea markets and estate sales for serendipitous pieces? Are you pinning to a Pinterest board, and is it mostly products or finished rooms, or a healthy mix of the two? I’m so curious about how we all approach things!

May 18, 2018
The New Design Plan for August’s Room
I’ve talked about rug choices for August’s room before. Basically, I was between ivory (what we already had), something super colorful, or graphic black and white. The ivory wool rug that was in there had been in his room, both here and in the old house, so it felt like time for a change. Vibrant, colorful rugs with a lot of pattern and movement, I’ve found, are excellent LEGO-hiders. Either you step on them, or they get vacuumed up — not good either way. So black and white was the winner!

My rug would be perfect in the room, but it won’t be ready until next year. Instead, I ordered this 6×9 black and white cotton flatweave.

There was a ton of painting to do (ceiling, walls, trim, doors), so obviously that will have a big impact in the room along with the new rug. The other big change, furniture-wise though, is the bed. I had always meant to get around to upholstering the bed. I finally got serious about it and then, you know what? I realized that I could buy a bed that was already done for not much more than it would cost to do it myself. Sometimes I like a project. Like painting! I’ll do that, sure! But upholstering is something I always think I should DIY, and then I put it off and put it off because honestly it just doesn’t appeal to me. It’s not a skill I’m dying to add to my repertoire. So I saved myself the hassle and time of trying to perfectly upholster the bed (because it’s not worth doing if I can’t do it perfectly), and I ordered one. $170 and done.

Next came the windows. I spent a ton of time sourcing fabric thinking I might do custom roman shades. In the end, August picked his curtains out at IKEA. He liked the “moose” on this RÖDÄRV pillow and then we spotted and picked up the matching curtains.

I had seen that pillow months ago when I was there with my friend, helping her choose a sofa. I told her it could be cute in August’s room, knowing I might be working on it, and then I promptly forgot about it. Funny that he gravitated toward it without any nudge from me!

Here’s how the plan came together, combining what we already had with the new pieces and a few new accessories.

I’ll show you how it all turned out next week! Meantime, sources.
1. Modern Metal and Wood Ceiling Fan, West Elm
  Confession: this is the only thing shown that I have not yet purchased. I’m looking at a bunch of others too and having analysis paralysis.
2. Minimalist Travel Star Wars Posters, Justin Van Gendersen
  I bought these for Brandon before August was born, but he hath passed his nerd-cred down to him. These aren’t available anymore, but there are plenty of other great prints.
3. Red Pillowfort Column Table Lamp, Target
  I picked a pair of these up when Target first launched their kids’ line, and they’ve held up really nicely.
4. Oak Park Elementary Dresser, Land of Nod
  Long-discontinued (here’s a similar dresser of theirs), we’ve had this since August was a baby. Still in great shape, and I know it’s silly, but I like that it’s named after my town!
5. Star Wars Boba Fett Fathead Wall Decal
  LIFE-SIZED.
6. Safavieh Bentley Writing Desk, Wayfair
  Sturdy metal for a boy whose not always gentle on his furniture.
7. Vintage Chippendale Chair, Turn the Tables (Consignment Shop)
  I drove out to pick up one set of vintage chairs and came home with another.
8. Happy Faces Art Print, Kim Johnson, Minted
  It can’t all be Star Wars.
9. Threshold 12″ Black Wall Shelf, Target
  A good price for these — I’d been looking for something similar!
10. Threshold 12″ Black Mirrored Wall Shelf, Target
  I broke up a grid of four shelves with one of these mirror-backed versions.
11. Paint: Frosted Olive, Dutch Boy
  “Olive” for a boy that wanted light blue? It works, trust. And in full disclosure, this isn’t a sponsored post, but they are sponsoring the reveal post next week.
12. Linnea Red Upholstered Twin Bed, Wayfair
  Bright, poppy color and subtle seaming details! My only complaint is that as a cost-saving measure, the side rails are split in two with a support holding them together. Sound, structurally, but there’s a seam and a potential toe-stubbing issue.
13. Windsor Floor Task Lamp, Pottery Barn
  No longer available, but this one from Rejuvenation is similar.
14. RÖDÄRV Curtains, IKEA
  The colors in the print tie everything together.
15. PUDERVIVA Linen Duvet Cover, IKEA
  A sophisticated color that would also be beautiful in a more toned-down room.
16. RÖDÄRV Embroidered Pillow, IKEA
  I adore this little design, and the embroidery is a nice detail!
17. Medallion Flatweave Rug, Williams-Sonoma Home
  Cotton, rather than my usual go-to wool, but the scale of the pattern is so good.
August 16, 2017
The Guest Room, Painted Pink

This post is sponsored by Dutch Boy^® Paints.

Why did I hesitate to paint the guest room anything other than pink?

The walls were white when we moved in, and they were fine. Unobtrusive and neutral, but kind of boring. When I finished selecting the furniture working on the room’s and layout, the walls were still white and I thought, hey, this would be a fun opportunity to go really bold with the color! I tried a rich, deep teal. It was a pretty color, but so clearly wrong for the space. I thought about going in a different direction, skim coating the walls and putting up wallpaper, but this was just supposed to be a quick project! I knew repainting was in my future.

I had resisted pink because it’s so often my go-to and I wanted to try something different. But in this case, pink truly was a great choice for the room. Lovely and soft, but still a noticeable color. I used the new Dutch Boy^® Platinum Plus Interior Paint + Primer formula in Peachy-Keen (306-2DB). It turned out awesome! Here’s a shot after I did the cutting in and just before rolling the walls.

I like a flat finish for walls, and this paint has primer built-in. It covered in just one coat even over the dark color. Dutch Boy Paint’s new Platinum Plus formula with Stain-Shield Technology is durable and easy to clean, and it’s a great price at around $35/gallon.

Most of the furniture is the same as it was when I first showed the guest room A few months ago. I moved the bench to the foot of the bed and turned the dresser, but I kept the teal chair and side table where they were, and it’s the same bed (which fits the space so perfectly). The big difference is that I got rid of the single nightstand and brought in a matching vintage pair. I painted them black, using the same paint I used on the doors: Dutch Boy^® Dura Clean^™ Cabinet, Door, & Trim in Authentic Black (437-7DB).

I like to mix sets so that the nightstand(s) and dresser aren’t perfectly matching, and I think every room benefits from interesting vintage pieces or antiques. I’m proud of how this room is turning out, but the matchy-matchy definitely was a little more ‘catalog’ than I personally like for my home. The dresser stayed, but was rotated and put on the adjacent wall.

I’m very into the black nightstands and the contrast they add. I don’t always go for symmetry, but a room with the bed centered like this makes perfect sense for this space.

That peachy pink is so good in the room. The new wall color even made the existing carpet look better! It’s low on the list of priorities to replace, and I think the white walls called more attention to it. Now it’s the subtle flooring backdrop it should be.

The bedding stayed the same too. I added a pom pom bedskirt that’s super cute, but I kept the white sheets, duvet cover with subtle embroidery, and statement pillow. That pillow totally makes the bed, and now the wall color plays up those pink tones.

I’m thinking I’ll probably do something fun with the window in the future, but now that the wall color is right, it doesn’t feel nearly as pressing. And pink! You know I’m always down for more pink. This Peachy-Keen is perfect for a room with interesting angles and not a whole lot of natural light.

Room by room, this house is getting closer to my overall vision for it. This was such an easy change too, mostly just the paint! It was pretty before, but now it feels so warm and personal. Not bad for a gallon of paint and a day’s work.

July 18, 2017
Better Sleep (and a Giveaway!)

This post is sponsored by Sleep Number^®.

I’m a more patient mom with enough sleep. A more creative designer, a better partner, a better everything. For me, getting enough rest means not pushing myself to stay up and do one more thing because if I can just get myself into bed at a reasonable time, I can usually fall asleep pretty easily. If you’re someone that has a harder time of it though (like my better half), Sleep Number has some great tips for better sleep.

We’re loving our new mattress, and I’m pretty into checking the SleepIQ^™ feedback that the bed provides. I knew from talking to Brandon that he doesn’t sleep as soundly as I do, but look at the difference in our data. And this is a big improvement for him! He used to get even less rest before.

Those numbers are from a few weeks ago, and it’s cool to see in the app how they’ve improved and changed over time. Brandon’s paying attention to his patterns and implementing some helpful sleep solutions, using that information to find better sleep.

I was thinking about it and I realized that we’re opposites with other furniture too. I love our teal couch in the living room because it’s deep and the cushions are so soft. He prefers much more firm seating, like our beige armchairs or the black and white sofa in the library. Having a mattress that adjusts on each side has been really great for us! I keep my side at 40 and he’s most comfortable at 65 — a big difference. It’s a fantastic bed for couples, and they can tailor the right solution for you in store.

Giveaway

We’re sleeping well on our Sleep Number mattress, and I’m thrilled to offer up a chance for one of you to do the same! One Making it Lovely reader will win the awesome prize of a queen sized Sleep Number p5 mattress. You can enter by following the directions in the Rafflecopter widget below.

Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Open to eligible legal residents of the 50 United States and D.C. at least the age of majority in their jurisdiction. Begins: July 10, 2017 at 10:00:00 AM ET. Ends: July 20, 2017 at 9:59:59 AM ET. Subject to Official Rules available at http://mediakix.com/sweepstakes-makingitlovely/. Void where prohibited. Sponsor: Mediakix LLC.

July 10, 2017
Shopping for Our Sleep Number Bed

This post is sponsored by Sleep Number^®.

I occasionally have restless nights, but for the most part if I’m tired, I can pretty much fall asleep as my head hits the pillow. I can sleep in a hotel bed, I can sleep on a couch instead. I can sleep in my kid’s room, I can sleep while fireworks boom. I can fall asleep in a chair, I can fall asleep anywhere! (That was cheesy. Sorry.)

Brandon though? Not so much.

He has a bad back, so he tosses and turns and is often awake at various points throughout the night (sometimes waking me up, too). When the opportunity to work with Sleep Number^® came up, I immediately thought that this could be great for him. He’s keeping up with our three kids all day, and that’s hard when you haven’t gotten enough sleep.

To find your ideal Sleep Number setting in the store, you lie on a mattress and they take it from 100 (most firm) down to a point where it feels most comfortable for you. There was a monitor above the bed showing pressure points on the body, and you could see them change as you either changed position or changed the setting of the mattress.

I would have guessed before this experience that I’d prefer a firm mattress, but I wasn’t really sure. Lying on the bed in the store, it felt fine at 100, but as we lowered the setting I realized I liked it to be sort of medium/soft. Anecdotally, 35 seems to be the most common Sleep Number setting, and I felt most comfortable at 40 or 45. Such a cool way to find what works for you! And like the beds, they also have a big selection of pillows and other necessities to choose from in store. (If you go to the Oakbrook location, Regina and Linda are both so sweet. They’ve been friends and coworkers forever.)

We ordered a new Sleep Number mattress to go in our bedroom, and our current mattress will go up into the guest room (that one is shot). I think Brandon is really going to benefit from being able to customize his side of the bed to his exact liking. It’s a fantastic bed for couples, so it should lead to better sleep for both of us.

I’ll report back again after we’ve had the mattress for a bit, and I’m excited to share that I’ll also have a Sleep Number mattress to give away! Look for that post to come soon.

June 20, 2017
Cute, Budget-Friendly Guest Room
Surprise! I have a whole new room to share! This was actually a styling assignment for Sauder, for use on their blog and social media channels, but I thought I’d share it here too (because it’s pretty darn cute).

I’ll pull together a ‘get the look’ at the end of the post. The style here is a little more on trend than the rest of my home with the white on white, boho fringe pillow, and mod lamps, so this was a fun space to work on! I approached it as I would for a client, creating a budget-friendly guest room.

The attic’s roofline makes this a tricky space. The only options for turning this into a bedroom would be a pair of twin-sized beds, one on either side under the eaves (which I adore), or a larger bed directly in front of the window. In this case, I would be incorporating a queen-sized bed, so that set the layout. I liked the way this headboard mimicked the angles of the room, and the perforated metal lets line shine through — a must if you’re going to block a good portion of the only natural light source.

Also, a note on safety! I installed window guards on the third floor’s lowest windows. I don’t love the bars, but I feel better knowing they’re there.

There’s a little more headroom on the other side, but it’s a small space. There is no closet, so a small dresser is kept empty — ready for guests. An armoire or chifforobe would be a nice alternative if you host frequently and want to offer some hanging space, or you could bring in a freestanding garment rack. A little accent chair and side table fill the corner on the other side.

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Instead of a pair of nightstands, there is an upholstered bench on one side, standing in as a luggage rack. It also works well at the foot of the bed — the usual placement in a bedroom.

The Moroccan rug was from my trip to Marrakech a couple of years ago. The wall-to-wall carpet in the room was nothing special, but it’s neutral with a low pile, so layering a rug on top works well. The walls, bedding, and curtains are all in white, and that long pillow makes the bed, perfectly playing off of the subtle embroidered pattern of the duvet cover and shams.

Be our guest! Be our guest!

Get the Look

I’ve used affiliate links when possible and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links. The Sauder furniture used in the room was chosen by me and provided by the company, but as always, all opinions are my own.
1. Viabella Queen Headboard and Footboard — $200 each, plus bed frame
2. Open Market Pillow — $128
3. International Lux Night Stand — $140
4. Round Sorrento Mirror (similar) — $200
5. White Grommet Curtains — $20
6. Erin Gregory, Blooms III — $189
7. Viabella Accent Bench — $155
8. Collins Brass Sconce — $64
9. Embroidered Diamon Duvet Cover and Shams — $80 (queen)
10. International Lux Accent Storage Chest — $245
11. Gold Desk Clock — $15
12. Metal Table Lamp — $43
13. Faux Fiddle Leaf Fig with Pot — $295
14. International Lux Round Side Table — $80
15. Maya Accent Chair — $155
16. Brushstrokes Throw Pillow — $22
17. Vintage Luggage — price varies
18. Marrakech Inverted Zigzag Wool Rug (similar) — $552 (7’6″ x 9’6″)
April 18, 2017