Pretty Bedroom

Earlier this summer, Jill and Bob asked me to help them redecorate their master bedroom.  They had recently finished the adjoining bathroom and were hoping to bring a little polish to the bedroom.

They specifically wanted more bedside storage and lighting, a comfortable lounge chair with a view of the back garden and an overall “pretty” décor.  I wanted to give them more varied, practical storage and display options and a space that reflected their tastes, related to the new bathroom and brought the outdoors in.  Jill and Bob already had some special pieces we wanted to showcase:

fine antique furniture,
charming vintage accessories from her grandmother,
a lovely upholstered bed
and beautiful black and white family photos.

Detail of antique highboy we relocated to a more prominent place in the room

Detail of vintage mirror

Lovely winter view right outside the bedroom

We decided a soft blue-green palette, with brassy gold metal accents, would bring everything together.

Nailheads on new storage ottoman... we added little touches of metal throughout the room.

We chose new textiles in very natural, touchable fabrics.  The boldly embroidered draperies and shams are linen and rayon.  Roman shades are a nubby raw silk.  Decorative pillows are cotton, linen and viscose, and the duvet cover is a linen-rayon blend… with a watery scroll, almost ikat pattern on the main side and a muted floral on the other.  We ran both fabrics through the washer and dryer to shrink the fibers.  The duvet cover will get softer and softer every time it is washed.

Fabric for draperies and shams

Very nubby raw silk for Roman shades in bedroom and bathroom

New bed linens and decorative pillows

Floral fabric on reverse of duvet cover

We found an extremely comfortable chair, which is perfectly sized for the room, and had it upholstered in a velvet herringbone.  All the window treatments and bed linens described were made by Cathy Mares Custom Sewing.  The chair was special ordered through The Second Yard.

The bathroom had been painted in Benjamin Moore’s Sleigh Bells, so we chose Beacon Hill Damask for the bedroom.  It is a slightly citrusy cream that changes throughout the day from alabaster to the faintest gold to new growth green.  The ceiling is Ice Mist, a white with just a hint of gray.

The new bedside lamps are by Alex Marshall Studios and have the most beautiful aqua glaze.  I know they look very sleek and contemporary in photos.  But they have so much variation of color and texture in person.  Plus the added light was greatly needed!  We found an oval shade to freshen up Grandmother’s hand-painted Asian lamp.

We chose painted finishes for the new double dresser and Bob’s bedside table.  No new wood could really compare with the gorgeous cherry of the antique highboy and Queen Anne table.  The curvy upholstered bench and a funky, birdcage-like box bring more texture and storage to the space.  We decided to keep the doors and molding in their original stain to relate to natural elements throughout the house and the woodland outside.

Birdcage-like box adds extra storage under antique Queen Anne table



Overall, I think the room redecoration has been successful.  Jill and Bob seem very happy.  The greatest hiccup was Bob’s bedside table.  We had ordered it in August from a major home furnishings catalog (which shall remain unnamed).  Shipment was delayed until mid-November.  The rest of the room was complete, and this was the last piece of the puzzle.  But in November, shipment was delayed again until the end of December.  And to be honest, I had real concerns... would the table actually arrive?

So we cancelled the order and had something similar made locally.  We should have done that from the start!  We didn’t realize it was within our budget.  It’s a great time to purchase custom products.  All of the new furniture in the bedroom is American made.

We always wanted something simple and sturdy and painted for the new bedside table.

I hope Jill and Bob’s pretty bedroom inspires you to create a beautiful, restful place of your own in the new year.