Yesi's Girly Glam Bedroom

Yesi asked me for some ideas to take her bedroom from blah to beautiful a few months back. I took my time and tried to think up a room that would be really feminine and make her feel like a princess - a grown up princess of course! Here's the inspiration board I created for her:



Let's talk about the bed first. Yesi just bought a brand new mattress, so she's already got a great foundation. I'm suggesting a white quilted coverlet like this one. It's 69.99 at Overstock, but Marshalls carries these all the time for about $30. Peeking out underneath the quilt is a light gray bedskirt, and soft white sheets. Go for the best quality you can afford, and it will be a treat every night to get into bed. Pretty up the plain pillowcases by adding some ruffles on the edges, and trimming them with a satin ribbon. These ruffled pillowcases are from Anthropologie, but are an easy DIY  project! Pick up a second set of pillowcases and add extra ruffles to that set for some variation.

Yesi wants a new headboard, and likes the thought of making one herself. There are lots of tutorials for simple upholstered headboards like the one pictured, and it would be even simpler to make a rectangular one. Covering the headboard in a soft linen would add a little  texture, and Yesi could make the headboard tufted for a bit of extra luxe factor.

Then, for the ultimate girly touch, hang a bed canopy like this one over the bed. The curtains could run down behind the headboard and around the edges to make the bed feel like the perfect retreat. And a chunky throw in a neutral color will add the last little bit of cozy to the bed.

Next to the bed, we need a table! I'd suggest finding a fun little wooden one second hand (try craigslist) and painting it a soft creamy color. A little distressing would add the perfect shabby chic touch. Add a fun mercury glass lamp (again, Marshalls has lots of options for around $20) with a white shade, and a few sparkly frames with some inspirational quotes or verses inside will look great on the table.

Next up, walls and windows. Try Benjamin Moore's French Lilac (that's the background color of the board) on the walls, and a fresh coat of white on the ceiling. The lilac has soothing blue undertones, and it will be just the soft wash of color the room needs. These fun ruffled curtains (another DIY project if Yesi wants) hanging from simple curtain rods with crystal finials will glam up the windows. Hang the curtains up as high above the windows as possible, and wide enough that the curtains just overlap the window frame when opened. Yesi has a beautiful antique wooden dresser that she can use in her new room, and I'd love to see this fun mirror project hung above it. She can start with this frameless mirror set from Target, and hang the whole grouping above the dresser.

What's a girly, glamorous room without a vanity? The one pictured is a splurge from Pier 1 Imports, but there are lots of simpler options. Refinish a vanity from Craigslist, make one with some glass topped plywood and furniture legs, or build a simple wooden frame and cover it with fabric.

I love this ornate mirror from IKEA for over the vanity. But I'd paint it glossy white. Then I'd hang fabric covered bulletin boards on either side of the mirror and use them for jewelry display/storage.  Yesi can even add some pretty hooks (from Anthropologie or Hobby Lobby) screwed directly into the wall for added display.

On top of the vanity, Yesi can put one of these lovely mirrored jewelry boxes for her more special jewelry, and a couple of sparkly vanity trays to corral even more items. Mercury glass cups can corral makeup brushes, and a few more decorative boxes can hold makeup, scarves, and anything else she needs to store.

The last corner of the room is the 'reading corner'. Yesi can search for a thrifted cozy chair or chaise lounge, or go with a streamlined version like this chair and ottoman from Target.  A plug-in chandelier (this one is only $40 at Ikea!) can hang over the sweet little wooden end table Yesi already has. Some more sparkly or mirrored frames on top of the table, along with a pitcher of fresh or faux flowers and some new reading material will top off the table. Yesi can also hang a few pictures with large mats above the chair - maybe some elegant black and white shots of Paris? The key here will be simple, streamlined frames and nice chunky white mats to give the prints lots of class and presence.

I'm a sucker for little details, so a few more fun ideas are to replace her three doorknobs in the room with crystal doorknobs like these, a fun sweater throw pillow for the bed or chair, and a big woven basket to hold magazines are fun little touches that will really finish off the room.

So there you have it. A girly, glamorously feminine room for my sweet friend!

Lauren's Master Makeover

Not too long ago Lauren asked me for help pulling her master bedroom together. She had all the bare bones in place, and was looking for some help with accessories and art to take the room from good to great. I gave her some suggestions, and now she is back in record time with the after pictures. How fun is that?

For a quick refresher, here's what Lauren's room looked like sans pretty accessories and art.

And here it is today with some new pillows, mirrors and little accessories on the nightstands.



I love how much more pulled together everything looks now. Here are a few more angles for you to see how far this room has come.

Before:



And After:



One more Before:



And one more After:



I love how those mirrors add just a touch of glam to the space without making the room feel really gaudy. And that art on the side wall? Love it. :-) I may just have to get one for my own castle! What's your favorite part?

Oh, and anyone else want some help with their rooms? I have a blast doing this, and I promise I don't only do bedrooms! :-)

Linked to Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps on the Porch

Castle Consultation: Lauren's Master Bedroom

After seeing Trisha's room makeover, Lauren sent me pictures of her master bedroom and asked for help with art and accessories. She said:

Hi Jenny,

I wanted to send you a few pictures of our master bedroom. We have done some decorating but now we are sort of stuck. I love our furniture and paint color choices.. plus we don't have it in our budget for all new bedroom furniture but we could definitely buy some art and accessories.

I would appreciate any input you have!

Thanks, Lauren

Lauren's room is already off to a great start. I love the bedroom furniture that they have, and the two blue shades on the wall are so soothing.







And here is the idea board I created for Lauren.



As I mentioned, Lauren's room already has all the building blocks for a great room: great furniture, paint color, lamps and curtains. So my suggestions are for the finishing details that will really make this room a knockout.

First  up, let's talk about our color palette. The darker blue (Behr's Eminence) and light blue (Behr's Breaker) are the paint colors in the room, with the darker behind the bed.  The silver tone in the middle represents the hardware, lamp bases, and accessories in the room. The sandy tan color is found in the curtains, and we'll be bringing in art and pillows to tie this color into the rest of the room. The caramel color will be in the art, and the accent pillow to bridge the gap between the cool blues and silvers and the dark wood.  The dark brown represents the wood furniture, and the color is repeated in the art.

The trick to making dark furniture work with light colors is to find a way to pull just a li bit of that color out of the furniture and sprinkle it around the room in little accents. This helps the whole room to feel cohesive and tones down the stark contrast between light and dark.

This wall art from BBB is perfect for this room. It brings all of our colors together, and the ethereal print works perfectly with the calming mood that already exists in here. Remember to use a 20% off coupon to save a little more moolah! Lauren should hang this on the wall across from the window, replacing the flower pictures that are there right now.

Next we're going to address the lamps that Lauren recently purchased. The bases are great, and I love how they relate to the hardware on the furniture. I'm going to suggest a shade like these Pottery Barn Lampshades to replace the current shades. The shades are bright white, so they'll be crisp and fresh, and they have subtle detailing that really makes them pop.

To further dress up this area, we're going to bring in these round mirrors (from Target!) and hang them just above and to the side of the lampshades. (Closer to the walls)

Below them, on the nightstands themselves, I'm going to suggest bringing the frames from the dresser over to add some personality and sparkle, as well as that pretty white flower tealight holder. I love the little glass shelf on each of the tables, and I think that a few long and skinny hardcover books (in tans and light blue) should reside below the glass on one side, and a slim and sleek box (maybe for jewelry) on the other. Check Home Goods, Target or Walmart for one that's ready to go, or make your own by covering the right size box with fabric or paper. Silver or white will really pop, and a light tan would also work.

Now let's dress up that bed a little. I love the clean lined bedding and the colors are so soothing. We just need to add a little interest. Two of these euro shams (in sandy beige) from Walmart placed behind the blue pillows will add a little contrast and texture with their subtle tone on tone stripes. Then, in front of the blue pillows, this beautiful creation from etsy seller TheHomeCentric will add tons of glam factor. The sparkly metallic details bring in more of that warm caramel color and the metal rings relate to the hardware on the furniture and the mirrors on the walls.

Lastly, let's talk about the wall with the large dresser and curtains. I love the unfussy lines of the curtains, but they need a little pizazz. Adding a deep brown trim to the edges will spice them up in a heartbeat. I love how much texture grosgrain ribbon has, and Lauren can simply iron it onto the edges of each panel (a few inches away from the vertical hems )  with bonding tape. Her local JoAnn's or Michaels should have everything she needs.

Then, because we moved the frames and the votive holder to the nightstands, we'll bring in this silver beauty from West Elm to add a little sparkle to the top of the dresser. If Lauren wants something plainer, this one will work too.

So that's it! A simple idea board to make this room go from great to stellar, without breaking the bank. What do you think? Do you like my suggestions or do you have a better idea? I'd love to hear it! Oh, and be sure to check out Lauren's blog LifeUncluttered. It's so fun!

Castle Consultation: Mission Accomplished!

Back in October I made up an idea board for Trisha with suggestions on how to create a beachy, relaxed vibe in her master bedroom. Well, just a few short months later, and after $300, Trisha has really transformed her bedroom! But first, here are the before pictures:







If you remember, Trisha wanted to incorporate this painting so I designed the idea board around it. Here a refresher of the board.



And here are Trisha's afters!






I love that new bedding set, it really sets the mood for the whole room. Isn't that door-turned-headboard so awesome? Trisha and her husband ended up going a shade lighter with the paint on the walls, and I love the soft color. They also opted to paint their existing furniture a dark gray, which is so classic and moody! Love it! I think that fish up in the nook is an absolute stunner. Here's what Trisha had to say about the makeover:

The room is coming along great! I liked your suggestions so much for the curtains and bedding, that we have purchased both and couldn't be happier.  With the different patterns on the bedding and the curtains, I was a little concerned; however, they look really good together.  The green was a bit dark for our room, since we have only the one window, but we went with a blue/green lighter shade called "barely jade". It's all pretty exciting for us because you really gave us some new ideas, all based on the print we love.  The day we put the bedding on, we already had new life in the room.  It was so much more comfortable and alive.

Thanks again!!!!

So that's that. I am so glad that Trisha and her husband have a lovely master that they can relax in, and that they were able to accomplish so much on a small budget! What is your favorite part?

Do you have a room that you'd like some suggestions for? I'd love to help, so shoot me an email!

Linked to Metamorphosis Monday @ Between Naps on the Porch

Show me the Progress Party @ Serenity Now

Stephanie's Bedroom Suggestions

Stephanie asked me for some quick design suggestions for her master bedroom. I took a few minutes last week to come up with some simple ideas for bringing in a fresh new look to her room.

Stephanie's master bedroom has medium colored hardwood floors, dark espresso furniture, three windows in the room and Benjamin Moore's Dunmore Cream on the walls.

I came up with three simple options for her, each showing a comforter, some curtains and a rug, along with the color swatch of Dunmore Cream to show how each option would work with the room color.

Option 1 would be easy to implement, and would be light and breezy. I would bring in a few woven elements and some sparkly glass bowls and candlesticks to finish it off.

Option 1: Blues and Grays

Blues and Grays Rug

Blues and Grays Comforter

Blues and Grays Curtains

Option 2 is much more saturated and dramatic. Because of the windows and light wall color, you can definitely pull off the darker rug and duvet. If you like deep colors, do the red curtains, otherwise do the linen colored curtains. Throw a few cinnamon and orange pillows on the bed to bring some color to that side of the room.

Option 2: Warm Reds and Browns

Warm tones Rug

Warm Tones Comforter

Warm Tones Curtains (in linen)

Option 3 is a classic, timeless style, with a monogrammed duvet and a fun rug. The curtains are white Vivan panels from Ikea, but you could do any simple white panel. Keep the accessories simple and elegant.

Option 3: Classic Neutrals

Classic Neutral Duvet

Classic Neutral Rug

Classic Neutral Curtain

Castle Consultation: A Beachy Master Bedroom

Trisha asked me to help her infuse her master bedroom with beachy, tropical style without being cliche. She and her husband had found a great little painting that would serve as the inspiration for the room's color scheme and style. The picture is a print of a wood carving of the Hemingway House in Key West, Florida. Trisha and her husband like simple, elegant things, in a traditional style.

Here are some before pictures of Trisha's bedroom.

There were a couple of challenges in this room. One of them was deciding where the bed (and focal point) of the room should be. Another was the lack of abundant natural light in the room, (only one window) and the last was an awkward niche at the top of the wall that extended most of the length of one wall.

Here is the layout for Trisha's room now. It is very simple, but takes advantage of the whole room, allows there to be lots of breathing room in the center of the bedroom, creates a focal wall, and still allows for great TV viewing.

This is the picture that inspired the rest of the room. As you can see there are strong colors and elements in the painting, so I knew that everything else that we brought in the room would either have to "fade" into the background, or be able to hold its own with the painting. Here's what I came up with.

1. The colors of this room can all be found in the painting. We have a soft gray green, a sky blue tempered with a bit of gray, soft and warm tans, bright orangey reds, golden yellows, olive grays and deep espresso. Each of these colors will be repeated throughout the room, so that the whole room becomes one cohesive thought. The walls will become that gray green color (Behr's Rejuvenate) for instant moodiness.

2. Let's start with the focal wall. Trisha is trading her light blue upholstered headboard for a wooden door from her mom that she'll paint and convert. I think mimicking the finish on this nightstand from Crate and Barrel will be the perfect weathered look for the headboard-turned-door. First, give the door some character by beating it up a bit. Then paint it with an olive gray like Glidden's Olivewood, and finish it off with a whitewash over top. (Try this tutorial) We're going for a weathered, driftwood kind of look for the door.

Hang the door behind the bed, and then place this seagrass inspired duvet on top of the bed. The blue will really make a statement, while the strong geometric pattern of the white branches will mimic the movement of the ocean. A set of wheat colored sheets will warm up the white tones, and this chocolate textured pillow will look fantastic when flanked by two plush yellow ones set in the middle of the bed.

Then frame the Hemingway painting a bit larger, with a large white mat (2 or 3 inches at least) with a chocolate brown frame (if the frame is textured, even better!) Hang the painting centered over the bed where it will command the attention it deserves.

3. It was a bit of a challenge to find other artwork that would work seamlessly with the Hemingway painting. But once these sea plant paintings came up on my radar, I knew they'd be perfect. I'd hang them in a 2x2 grid on the wall below the niche, centered in the blank part of the wall between the TV armoire and the dresser. Aren't these graphic illustrations so cool?

4. Trisha is willing to refinish her existing furniture, so I'd recommend staining the nightstands and armoire a deep espresso to glam them up in a second. Swapping out the wooden knobs on the nightstands for these silver shell knobs will glam them up right away. Then set these beautiful rubbed resin lamps on top of the stands. The resin has little flecks of deep red in it, that will again pick up those colors in the painting. For the armoire, these beach glass starfish knobs will add a nice little bit of whimsy (top doors only!) and the rest of the hardware can be the silver ones that will be on the nightstands. If Trisha would rather save herself the work of refinishing, she can order these nightstands straight away!

5. Last up we have the bones of the room. Her long dresser can be refinished like this piece from Pottery Barn, with a warm (but not red) stain and lots of timeworn character. Swapping out the chunky wooden knobs for simpler ones will help the piece feel less clunky, and again, if she doesn't feel like taking on a refinishing project, she can simply order one in this finish.

That lone window needs some beefing up, so I recommend these breezy patterned curtains from IKEA. (Link is to an ebay listing, or you can buy them in store) They should be mounted about six inches from the ceiling on a dark metal rod and should just brush the floor. Make sure the rod is wide enough that the panels hang down on either side of the window, not over it. The length of fabric will add some luxury to the room, and they're light enough that any little bit of breeze will make them flutter gently.

Speaking of the floor, Trisha has carpet right now, but I'd recommend a wide plank hardwood in the future. Either way, this plush woven rug can go under the bed and will provide tons of cushy texture while bringing our whole color scheme together.

What about that awkward niche? Well, Trisha should order a bunch of long pieces of driftwood, grapewood and/or manzanita branches from this site and stack them haphazardly in the niche. It will bring in that last beachy vibe for a room that will go from blah to stellar in no time at all!

So what do you think? Does it feel beachy and tropical to you?

Inspiration for the Dining Room

I've told you how the dining room has been bothering me. It is painted, and there are curtains, but other than putting up a picture collage on the wall, I haven't done much with the room. That's all going to change, and here's my plan:

Let's start with the existing furniture. The table in the middle represents the Queen Anne style table that is currently in our dining room. I plan to keep it, it just needs a little TLC. Our table has a bit more presence, and some pretty detailing on the legs.

The dresser in the top left represents a dresser that we are turning into a buffet for the dining room. Ours looks pretty much just like this, except that the handles are a pretty scrolled metal instead of wood. This piece also needs some loving and repairing.

The corner cabinet on the right represents the cabinet that I want for my Spanish china. I found this one on Craigslist and it is just about exactly what I want, just a little out of my price range. If necessary, this piece could be refinished to go with the rest of the furniture.

The coat tree on the bottom of the board is one that we bought in Wisconsin. It is currently unfinished parawood, we are just waiting to decide on a stain for the rest of the furniture in this room.

The chairs beneath the table are examples of a style that I think would work with the table, and the other elements already in the room. I like the curving X of the back, and the fact that they have upholstered seats. Our current chairs are quite uncomfortable, and falling apart. I don't like them enough to try to fix them up. Hopefully I'll be able to find a deal on these, and I am considering using a different fabric to bring another layer of texture and pattern into the room.

The curtains are the ones I made a few months ago. I like them, but they need some tweaking. I want to paint the rod an oil rubbed bronze, change the way the curtains hang from the rod, and replace the tassel tiebacks with something that looks better.

The curtains are a really brilliant blue, so I thought that a few peacock feathers in a copper urn in the center of the table would look really cool. The iridescent colors of the feathers will pick up all of the existing colors in the room.

To the left of the feathers are a couple of amber colored tealight holders. I have a little DIY plan for these, stay tuned for details, if I can find them in a store nearby!

In the far left corner is a wooden footed bowl filled with decorative orbs. I found a similar footed bowl a few months ago, and I'll be looking for some balls covered in feathers, twigs and moss to fill the bowl.

Below the bowl are a couple of pretty little amber candleholders. I think they would look great above the buffet on little wooden shelves.

Below the candleholders are a couple of woven baskets. These, placed next to the coat tree, will be great for corralling all of the shoes that collect near the front door. :-)

I think this cream, blue, and tan runner will look great in front of the buffet, between the buffet and the table. Hopefully it will add some softness and color to the room.

Last but not least, in the lower right corner, are some functional accessories that will add a little more glamor. A natural woven table runner will look great on the buffet, especially when topped by this metal tray. The mosaic tray will look great on the refinished dresser in the corner, paired with a little wooden clock.

So there you have it! I am sure I won't follow this inspiration board exactly (I never do) but this gives me a vision for the room that will help me focus. What do you think?

Linked to It's Great to Be Home's Inspiration Party.

Castle Consultation: A Great Room with Potential

Jennifer asked for my help decorating her great room, and I was only too delighted to offer my opinions! (I have lots of them, so I am always happy to share.) Her great room is an "L" shape, with a living area on the left and a dining area on the right. She needed help tying the areas together, and deciding on the rest of the furniture, curtains, etc.

Here is what her room looks like currently:

It's a huge room, with tons of space, and isn't that builtin bookshelf awesome?

Jennifer's mother is a muralist, and she wanted her to do a mural of a tree in the dining room. She also wanted to go with taupes and ice blue, and has a glamorous, traditional style. I tried to keep all those things in mind as I designed an inspiration board that would help her pull this room together. Here is what I came up with.

I'm so in love with all the pieces we'll be bringing into this room. I started off finding the right curtains for this space. These striped curtains (1) have all the colors we'll be using; light, icy blue, crisp white, and different shades of taupe. Jennifer should take these panels home (or ones like it) and then, once in the room, match a paint swatch to the lightest taupe shade in the curtains for the wall color. Using one wall color throughout the space will help unify the two areas and make the whole area feel bigger and lighter. Oh and Jennifer should order 6 of the panels, one for either side of the three windows in the living area.

Next up is furniture layout. We'll be moving the sofa to be centered between the two floor to ceiling windows on the left side of the room, but we'll sneak this sleek little sofa table (2) behind the sofa, up against the wall. The deep espresso finish will blend with the chocolate leather sofa, and it will keep the sofa from feeling like it has been shoved up against a wall. These fantastic art panels (3) and (3) should be hung on the sofa wall, in espresso frames, centered over the middle of the table. They have a slightly warmer shade of blue in them, which will help this room to not end up feeling too cold and sterile. Below them, on the sofa table, we'll put two of these crystal lamps (4) for plenty of lighting and a little bit of bling that will echo the stunning chandelier we're putting in the dining room. These ones are tres expensivo, but there are great knockoffs everywhere from Big Lots to the Christmas Tree Shops. Jennifer can keep the crisp white shades, or swap them out for icy blue ones. This funky white vase (5) will look great between the lamps, while still leaving plenty of room for drinks on the sofa table.

On the opposite side of the room, in the right corner, we'll put Jennifer's existing leather arm chair and small ottoman, with this sleek floor lamp (6) behind it for a cozy reading corner. Of course, this little area will need a place to set down drinks or a book as well, so we found this leggy little side table (7) that will fit in perfectly. Icy blue pillows like these (8) on the chair and sofa will help break up all the dark leather, and Jennifer should look for a super soft version like these microsuede ones for an extra layer of luxury. We think two on the couch and one on the chair will look ducky. Oh, and for an extra layer of whimsy, add a white flower pin like this one from Etsy to the pillows.

This lovely little zebra print chair (9) will go perfectly between the leather couch and chair and it packs a solid punch of style. The soft beige colors calm down the busy pattern, and fit right in with our color scheme. Jennifer can keep the matching kidney pillow, or replace it with a blue one for another shot of color.

Jennifer's existing rug (10) has all of the perfect colors, and we think she should position it so that the longest end runs paralell to the couch, with the couch's front legs on the rug, and the legs of the small ottoman in front of the chair on the rug as well. The rug will help define this seating area as a little "room within a room." This painted white coffee table (11) will echo the bookcase behind it, and the little glass panels in the top have so much style. Then the large ottoman (currently against the wall) can be moved to face the chairs on the opposite side of the rug to provide more seating without obstructing any of the view of the rest of the room.

Moving over to the dining area, here is the beautiful chandelier (12) that will add glamour and drama to this space. I am absolutely in love with this glitzy fixture. It should hang right over the table and chairs, which I recommend painting a deep espresso. This geometric rug (13) will look great beneath the table and chairs and coordinates with the living area rug without matching.

The buffet that is at the head of the room should move over to the left wall underneath the white mirror, and it will be getting a makeover with some white paint and brushed nickel hardware. We'd love to see this buffet loaded up with a collection of white vases in varying heights, finishes and shapes. Check crate and barrel and zgallerie for some neat options.

The dining area needs a focal point, and we aim to please! Jennifer wanted a mural like this(14) in this area, and we think it would look great on the dining area wall between the two smaller windows. Jennifer should paint a block of icy blue (matched to the curtains in the living area) that fills the space between the windows (beginning and ending where the window's tops and sills are) and Jennifer's mom can then paint the mural of the tree in a deep chocolate color. We wouldn't want curtains to steal any of the attention from this awesome mural, so instead of the striped ones in the living area, we suggest these natural toned ones (15). But, Jennifer should only get one panel for each window, and then tie them back towards the corners to highlight the mural.

The leggy table on the right of the dining area will also get made over with some espresso paint, and I suggest swapping out the color photographs in the frames above the table with black and white ones for continuity and to make the pictures look more like art.

But what about the builtin bookcase, you ask? Well, I suggest painting the back panels an icy blue, or covering the back panels with a cool blue wallpaper. Either way, Jennifer should load up those shelves with books and accessories. Each shelf should be filled about halfway with hardcover books like these (16), some upright and others stacked horzontally. She can hit up book sales, library sales and garage sales for an assortment of books in blues, tans and browns. A few chunky white candlesticks will liven things up especially when paired with pale blue candles. She has a set of mirrors that will look great interspersed on these shelves, along with some black and white photographs in espresso frames, and a few of these succulents (17) in white pots. These are faux, but Jennifer can pick up a bunch of real ones if she prefers. Then, she should mount a few larger (8x10 or so) pictures directly onto the front of the shelves for some added interest.

For the crowning touch, Jennifer can place this round counter height table (18) in the center of the two areas (closest to the camera) with a neutral colored round rug (about 5ft wide) beneath it. The decorations on this table can change with the seasons, with a large bowl with decorative balls inside, a tall glass vase with lavish flowers, or a collection of pillar candles on a round platter for the holidays. It will lend a luxurious hotel-like atmosphere to the whole space.

So there you have it, a luxurious, glamorous room with plenty of style and lots of light and airy accessories. What do you think?