One Room Challenge ... Week One - The Inspo

…and so it begins!

An inauspicious start to be sure. I decided to join in the fun on this challenge as my master bedroom has never quite been finished. This picture is what it looked like when we moved in 9 years ago in it’s 1980’s glory. Shiny brass trim and peach-y carpeting.

This the listing photo of the master bedroom when we bought the house. That’s a king sized bed. We’ll talk later about the sad tale of the carpeting and it’s destiny to remain (insert sad face).

As usual around our design studio, it’s been a busy week! I had grand plans of having the initial blog post fully completed over a week ago, have our bedroom thoroughly tidied up and a great “before” photo living here. That will have to wait until this weekend, I fear!

Oh I had grand plans when we moved in – and I have accomplished a lot in our home but our bedroom has been a challenge since we first moved in. I’ve decorated it a couple of times but with each iteration I never quote got it complete.

As a designer, I can tell you it is challenging to do your own space: both from the timing perspective (I do have a business to run!) but also? As designers we know there will always be a better solution out there just waiting for us to discover it!

New trends, new styles, cool new pieces of furniture. When we moved in, I embraced some vintage pieces I owned. I knew I loved black and white so loved up the room with a black floral. Fine but almost as soon as I’d got 70% in? I was over it.

Then, when pink came back in style, I thought wow! My signature color AND I can decorate my bedroom. So I got most of the way through that but it still felt off.

Then we got SO busy with work and with life and I was just thankful our room was functional reasonably pretty and super comfortable.

About six months ago I stumbled across a photo that I just loved. And I didn’t love it because it was new and trendy, or a taboo color. Nope. I loved it because it was the summation of everything I’d always loved in my childhood bedroom and my grandmother’s home. It was a classed up version of all the rooms I’d loved.

Funny thing? I did reverse Google search and discovered it’s actually an ad for Bernhardt furniture, lol! However the final room won’t really look like this but to me it will FEEL like this!

What do you think??? I love it and I guess that’s what matters. I showed it to the hubs and he loves it. And that matters. But this is about the feeling this creates. It’s about the bedroom I had in my grandmother’s home and the timeless elegance it held. The way I felt like a princess and lady-of-the-manor all rolled into one when I was there.

And since this is a blog, I’ll share a little of the version of the room, then share some of the fabrics and furnishings that are gathering in preparation for the next six weeks!

This is the first time I decorated when we moved. Bedroom was in the smaller end of the room – which was actually great, but when we bought a king bed? No more!

This was from about four years ago. Pretty, but pretty beige. This one didn’t last long and I don’t think I even have any pictures.

This is what it (basically) looks like now! I’d share pictures but honestly I’m writing this at midnight and the hubs is sleeping.

Snagged a few photos after doing a quick stash and tidy. Oh boy, I didn’t realize the iPhone lens was so cloudy. 🙁

This is the wall of windows that looks out on our backyard. GREAT morning light and a pretty view. Very private. House came with shutters throughout. I kind of wish they weren’t here. They are expensive and do a great job of both insulation and light control so removing them is kind of non-negotiable with the hubs, so they stay.

These dressers are are the ever popular Malm from Ikea. I’m NOT a huge Ikea fan (although as I say that, the chairs in the foreground are ALSO Ikea, so there’s that!!!). These dressers are great storage and fit that space perfectly so they’ll stay for now, but I’ll show them a little overdue love before we’re through.

A few additional things to know.

I have these lamps that were my grandmothers and were in that bedroom I used at her home. I inherited them and they’re sort of a prized possession. Anyone that has ever worked with me KNOWS that lighting and great lamps is really important to me. So these lamps MAY get moved to the living room in lieu of something a little more modern. On the other hand? Maybe not.

A ceiling fan: I did get a nice decorator-ish one but sadly she is not super functional, she’s a little loud and the hub’s one request in all of this, is a better air-moving fan.

Is photoshop allowed in the ORC???

A special thanks to Linda, who created the One Room Challenge to motivate and inspire completing just one room in your home! Be sure to check out ALL the participants in the Fall 2020 edition of the Popular, One Room Challenge