Design is always a progression… so I feel that a home’s decor is never complete.  I look at it as ever evolving.  My husband likes to think of this as crazy πŸ™‚  But I do feel that (for the moment) our bedroom is all but complete!  A few little things here and there I’m sure, but for the most part… it’s done!  I have had a few questions sent my way in regards to our bedroom, so here is a little synopsis of what we have done, where items have come from, & any other tricks I may have left out along the way.

The Before… Blue & Brown, Boring & Dull.  Enough said?

The After… Light & Bright, Neutral & Sophisticated.
{ For a tutorial on the floor mirror, please visit my post on Remodelaholic! }

Step One: New Layout

Try to re-position your furniture layout for one of the largest impacts in your space.  Even if it requires switching out pieces from other rooms.  Switch an end table for a nightstand & vice versa.  I always say it “Hunt Your HOUSE!”

Our room is a small square, with windows on both main walls.  There is no other option than to position or bed in front of a window.  We moved our bed to the other main wall, shifting it so the real window isn’t centered.  Fooling the eye, we mounted the drapery centered behind the bed.  That window is never opened (gymnastics are involved to get over the headboard).  So this allowed us to walk into our room with a little space & not right into our bed like we did before.

Step Two: Paint


I knew I wanted to do an art rail height trim detail in our bedroom.  For $23 in trim, an afternoon & a little help from the hubs, the moulding was up.  Big impact for little money.  Eventually, the goal is to add panel moulding… (the only real project left… but I am fine without it at the moment).  One of the most asked questions I get about this room is “What color is that gray?”  well… I made it.  I went out to our loyal shed, opened up some leftover gallons of paint & mixed them until I ended up with the perfect gray.  Free Paint!  Told you we did this on a budget.  Remember, if you have left over gallons of lighter paint, the paint stores can tint them darker for you (for free!).  You can’t ask for an exact color though.  It all depends on what the base color is, but if you tell them you want it grayer… they should be able to help.

Step Three: Customizing & Accessorizing

Wanting a real bed (not our Ikea special) & not wanting to pay the real bed price, we took it upon ourselves to build our own headboard { tutorial here }.  We got the exact shape I wanted, in the exact fabric I wanted, in the exact size that we wanted for $600-$900 less than what we would have paid at a major retailer for something everyone else could have.  It took us a good weekend to complete & we couldn’t be anymore happy with it now.  
Same thing with the bedding.  We used our existing West Elm Pintuck duvet bedding, but mixed up the sheets adding a subtle pattern & reinforcement of color.  Our accent pillows were another recent DIY.  Can’t find what you want… make it, or find someone who will.
Our Malm dresser got this campaign inspired treatment…  With a little gallery wall surrounding or tv that will probably grow a bit when the right items are found. All of the items on our dresser hold a special meaning between my husband & I.  Pictures, a conch shell we found on our first trip together, his father’s box… let the items tell a story about you.  
My nightstand got an update from a little tlc & silver leaf.  TIP:  I needed something large for the open shelf below my bar cart turned nightstand.  We have two sets of silver… one is real, one isn’t.  They are both in huge boxes… with nowhere to store one, the faux silver chest got a coat of paint & is now a pop of color in our bedroom.  No one would ever know that I am storing silverware next to my bed πŸ™‚
The only item in the room that was bought for this room was the area rug.  It was a Homegood’s steal if you ask me, but alas, it has no information on the back… so for those of you asking the name & manufacturer I am truly sorry.
Our room came together for less than $650…  It took time, it took patience, but it was completely worth the wait.
L I N K I N G   U P   T O:
Thrifty Decor Chick