In the Bedroom

I’m attempting to make the bed more often. Is it a New Year’s resolution? Not really, but I’m sure I’ll end up breaking it, so let’s go ahead and think of it as one! Make the bed every day in 2014. Two days down, many more to go.

How many pillows on a bed are acceptable? When does it cross over to being an obnoxious number? I’m testing out the idea of a row of euro pillows with some of the larger throw pillows we already have on hand. They’re 22″ and 24″, versus the euros’ 26″ each, but it’s a good approximation if you imagine that they’re in matching white shams. Yay? Nay? Seven pillows seems excessive, though I suppose they could replace two of the standard pillows in front.

I’ve never been very good at making the bed, so I assume euro pillows will magically make it look magazine-shoot-ready at all times. That’s how that works, right? To aid in this quest, I chose white linen/cotton bedding. It’s perfectly rumply, but not disheveled, and the bed looks artfully undone in the mornings instead of messy. It’s an arbitrary (and likely all-in-my-head) distinction, but one that I like nonetheless.

Check the wall color: Sherwin-Williams’ Comfort Gray. So much better against the woodwork than Sea Salt! I shouldn’t have second-guessed it. And I for sure shouldn’t have third-guessed it, having tested an unfortunate greenish color that didn’t even last to the light of day. I hated it and painted over it as soon as it had dried enough. Comfort Gray, FTW. Look how pretty it looks with Brandon’s favorite painting, Dying Flowers.

The bedroom needs more artwork still, and better lighting. I did just thrift a vintage yellow banker’s lamp for one corner of the room, and it’s awfully cute. But did you notice in that first photo how the two bedside lamps we have don’t actually match? Isn’t that a nice touch? I bought the white one for our library ($10 at the time, from IKEA) when we first moved into our old house in 2007. Then when we were expecting Eleanor, I stole it for the nursery and went to buy another to put back in the library, but by then they were only available in silver. They’re fine lights, but a mismatched set of floor lamps is not quite what I had in mind for our bedside lighting. Even if I spray painted them, their bases would still get in the way. I usually like sconces flanking a bed, but the windows and layout of the room aren’t going to accommodate a pair, so I’m on the lookout for table/task lamps instead.

Besides painting the room and changing the linens, I’ve added a jewelry armoire. It is the most ridiculous piece of furniture I’ve ever owned, and also my favorite. Perhaps that deserves its own post.