Friday, April 1, 2011

master bedroom makeover

When we bought our home a year and half ago, this is what our master bedroom looked like...



The rest of the house required a ton of work, which put our room at the end of the "to do" list. Even though the carpet was new it is purple-ish, pink-ish, brownish...just plain ugly. But I'm leaning that there are somethings that I just have to live with. The furniture is very traditional, which is what I liked 11 years ago. I would go more Anthropology, Urban Outfitters, West Elm now, but I'm learning that we can't always replace the things we no longer like.

Besides, I have two sofas that are on my bad side that I intentionally pray for someone to throw up on so I have a really good excuse to get rid of them. So sofas 1st. Then carpet. And, well, that super dated ceiling fan, that has to go too. However, I've learned ignore it...for now.

We lived with a dozen varieties of green paint samples on the wall for several months.



Then I had a sudden change of heart and decided, with some help of a blog vote, that aqua was the inspiration I was looking for. It went up as an accent wall and I've been content since.

However, lately, it still seemed unfinished to me.

It didn't need much. I just purchased white grommet curtains to pick up the white in the Pottery Barn, I had to hold back all my impulses to buy until it went on sale, quilt.



I also added this funky flower pillow from Target to pick up the mustardy-gold color from the quilt. It is amazing what a pop of color adds.



Before:



After:





And now the room is truly complete. But, I must say that it isn't the quilt, pillow, or curtains that make our room feel special. It is the family history that makes it a place where l want to dwell.

This old trunk traveled from Norway in 1884 to the United States with my dad's grandfather. It now holds blankets and lots of memories, I am sure.



Check out the inside...



This bible from my grandparent's has beautiful pictures of famous paintings of biblical scenes inside the pages. I remember sitting by the bookshelf in their farmhouse dining room as a young girl as I flipped through the pages. It was the only thing I requested from them when they passed away.





And this is how it is used in our room...



Although this photo isn't my grandparent's farm, it looks very similar. In fact, when both my brother and sister saw it, they asked how I got the farm photo. They could not believe it was not our grandparent's farm.



Lastly, I remember reading in a decor magazine that you should keep kid photos out of the master bedroom. At first, I disagreed. However, I flanked both nightstands with engagement photographs taken 12 years ago and I get it now. This is our sanctuary. Every other room in the house is for the family. This is a space for the two of us, even though one boy often tip toes in and climbs in bed with us during the middle of the night. That's alright, the intention is there, right?



Wow, we were REALLY young!

What about you? I'm curious, have you made your master your sanctuary? What is your favorite item in your master? If you haven't created your space yet, what one item would be a dream come true for your room?

I can't wait to hear from you.

Much love,
Katie

P.S. I am linking up to Life Made Lovely Mondays HERE. Come on over and visit!

15 comments:

missmehoneybee said...

Love the pillow.

Im working on my room too. I want to post pictures but they are all coming out crappy. Just added a hanging latern that I got from Homegoods and a Fiddle leaf fig. I think house plants add alot even really nice silks. I just got some faux pussywillows that I added to a glass vase. Pictures soo I hope.

Love the trunk, that is soo cool, never get rid of it!!

Michelle Elkins AKA Mickey said...

I have a cute photo of my hubby and I on our wedding day in a cool frame on the wall. I want to redo our room as well, but I am waiting until we buy a home as well so I can paint the colors that I want. I loved that you kept paint on the wall for awhile to see which one you liked!

Brooke said...

It looks great! I remember the paint debate :D I love the pillow and the curtains.... oh, and those lamps are perfect too. I think I have the same exact furniture :D


PS - I keep meaning to thank you for the muffin motivation - I made them the other day and WOW - we scarfed 'em down in less than a day. Also, I bought the 3-day-straight frizz-ease product and am really loving it. Thanks for the tip on that too. Hugs!

Janna said...

Wow,so pretty. I SO want to makeover my master. I'm like you in that 8 yrs ago I bought a matching set of br furniture for our house and room that was much larger. Now it feels like our tiny master is wall to wall furniture. I can't afford to replace it all, and quite honestly we need the drawer space, so I'm still up in the air on where to start. I think replacing our King with a QUeen will work wonders, and soon I can justify a new mattress since ours is 8 yrs old now. Hopefully I can do a makeover soon. Your aqua is GORGEOUS!!

Melissa said...

AHHHH!!!! You two do look so young! Yet, it feels like that day just happened. Thanks for not posting a picture of the full wedding party. I prefer to think of myself as I looked during that time.

Rachael said...

i love the makeover. love it!! i saw that pillow in the country living magazine and have been in love with it since. great job!

Aly Allen said...

ah, your room looks perfect! thanks for sharing! i love that bedspread [where did you get it!??!]

Erin said...

Love it!! I have the same fabulous pillow from Target, in my living room.
My room has the same blue, too. :) We have turquoise & pink in our room with medium brown walls.
We love our room & do consider it our little get away. But, we don't follow the popular rule of no kid photos in the room.
Our room is actually the place where we have the wall of family photos. We love it that way. We don't have photos anywhere else. Just there. It a picture to us of our complete love.

mel @ the larson lingo said...

I LOVE that target pillow!! What a great touch! Your room looks great....I am itching to re-do our master!

kelly said...

jumped over from life made lovely & LOVE that pillow! i've seen it in a mag & on the web & i just love it! you're right, it looks really great with your quilt - it IS amazing how colors mix together & bring one another out!
love the aqua, too - looks amazing!

By the Bluegrass said...

What a lovely room! I bet you really enjoy spending time in it.
xo,
Sena

Adrian said...

I found you over at Life Made Lovely. I love your bedroom! The quilt is beautiful and that trunk is amazing. I too don't have any pictures of the kids in our bedroom. I like the idea of our bedroom being a space just for us as a couple because really the kids get the rest of the house, or at least most of it.

sarah said...

beautiful! I just got that same pillow from target today!! :) love your bedroom, and your blog! :) blessings!!

Jennifer Acee said...

It looks beautiful!
My parents have those type of lamps in their bedroom too, and decided to paint the cords the color of the walls. It looks pretty nice/helps them not stand out... just an idea. :)

Heather @ Life Made Lovely said...

it looks great! i love the wall color.