Fall Decorating

I break from my master bedroom redesign to do a little fall decorating.  I love fall colors and decor but because the summer-like weather lasts until October (it was 85 last week!) and then I blink and it is Christmas so I don't do a ton of fall decorating.  What you see in this picture is basically it and is good until Thanksgiving.

I bought a bag of mini-pumpkins and gourds and let the boys each pick out a pumpkin (including one for the dog).  We use our fireplace frequently in the winter but it is still too warm so far now I decorate the inside of the fireplace.  Not only do I like the way it looks but it discourages little boys from playing the "throw the pumpkin at your brother" game.

I added some fall garland on the mantle...

...and wrapped the sconce candles with a wire strand of berries.

Happy fall!

Week 2 of the One Room Challenge.

You can start from the beginning here.

The week of a million paint swatches.  Or six actually.

Hello old friend...

I was trying to find a paint color that:

1.       Was light enough in color that it didn’t scream, "Look at me I'm an 80” ceiling!"

2.       Coordinated with the drapes

3.       A cool color to coordinate with our master bath.

 

Ruh roh raggy.  After 6 swatches I realized I had a problem on my hands.  The drapes had a warm yellow tone to it so there was no way I was going to find a way to accomplish #2 and #3.  The only swatches that worked with the drapes I didn’t love (turns out I don’t like yellow tones) and clashed with the temperature of the master bath.  Hence the reason this room has gone unpainted for 2 years.  

Scrap the drapes. Round hole, square peg.  I like them but I can't make them work with the tones of the space.  They'll find a better home in another room.  Now that I'm not trying to force the drapes I have a blank slate.  My husband thinks I'm crazy.

Off to Benjamin Moore.  Oh Benji you never disappoint.  I picked up their brochure of neutrals, organized from warmest to coolest, and chose the one right in the middle.  Revere Pewter.  I even gambled and bought a gallon rather than the swatch.  What can I say? I live on the edge.

It is a great color because it can look warn or cool, tan (above), green (below) and gray (bottom) all in the same room depending on the lighting and time of day.  

 

Coordinates much better with the master bath.

Mission accomplished.  When my husband first saw it in the paint can he didn’t like it.  After I put 2 coats up I heard the rare words, “you were right.”  After I cleared my ears to ensure I was hearing him correctly I decided Revere Pewter is my now my favorite color of all time for mostly that reason.  

To do:
Paint
Sweet talk the husband into crown molding
Paint trim
Finish shelves
Drapes/Bedding/Rug(s)
Art & Finishing touches

Head on over to Calling It Home today to check out the progress of the other ORC participants!

Master Bedroom Mood Board

I'm still plugging along on the Six Week Challenge.

Oh how I wish money were no object but alas it is so I'm going to try and reuse as much from what I already have as I can.  This is the direction I think the room is currently headed (we'll see where it actually ends up).  Minus the chandy's.   Something not overly feminine or masculine.  Something soothing and easy on the eyes.  A relaxing grown up room after a chaotic day.

Master Bedroom by mlinds featuring mod furniture

Master Bedroom Inspiration

I'm currently trying to figure out what direction my master bedroom design is going so I thought I'd dig through the bedrooms I've pinned for inspiration.  These are some of my favorites.

I like the art on the side wall here.

(source unknown)

I like the general, serene feel of this room and the triptych over the bed.:

Opal Design Group

I think my first home was this size:

HGTV

 



HGTV

Did you notice the last 2 pictures have trays on the bed?  When was the last time you had a try of food in your bed after it was made?  Never?

 

This isn't a bedroom but I like the photo collage and the mix of frames and might do something like this for the big blank wall I have (and you know I love the woodwork but I don't have the motivation to do that again!):

Traditional Home

I love the calmness to this room (and this was the picture I used for my own IKEA rast hack):



Aubrey and Lindsay

Next step...paint!

Young House Love

Our master bathroom was featured today over at Young House Love!  Thanks John & Sherry!

One Room Challenge: Week By Week

Welcome!  Join me as I attempt to redesign my master bedroom in 6 weeks through the One Room Challenge!

Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Week 5 (Part 1)

Week 1 of the One Room Challenge

Linda from "Calling It Home" has thrown down the gauntlet again for another 6 week challenge and I decided to accept that challenge.  Remember her? Her foyer inspired our living room renovation.   Just the fire under my bum I needed lit to get the room completed that I've been putting off for years!

I haven't told you much about our master bedroom evolution.  It started as two stinky (literally, it smelled) rooms with filthy carpet, sticker-ruined drywall and pink and purple walls.  It was amazing.  So much so that it served as nothing more than storage for 3 years.  We filled the bedrooms in our money pit so quickly with baby boys that we decided to hire an au pair.  Fail.  It lasted 24 hours.  Some people love it...just not us.  Anyhoo we renovated these 2 stinky rooms to be our new master bedroom to make room for the au pair that never was. 

Here is the back story (some pre-blog years):

1. We knocked down the center wall (losing closets in the process)...see that dark line in the center of this picture?  That is where the wall and old closets used to be.  See that door to the far left?  That actually opened into our oldest son's room (it was an addition and the layout never really made sense).

Wasn't it gross?  My dog may or may not have pooped in there a few times when we were away too long.  Aren't you glad your screen isn't scratch and sniff?

2.  Rotted, leaking windows were replaced with new windows (my husband installed them the day after our 3rd child was born because that's just how we roll).  He also wired for new sconces and recessed lighting.

3) We swapped out the source of the stink with 5" cherry hardwood floors.  I just noticed our old baby cradle in that picture.  My uterus just buzzed.  Then I remembered said baby (now a 2 year old) was up screaming for an hour last night.  Buzzing stopped.  Back to the room.

See that door in the far right?  That was an awkward closet that we knocked down to make the cramped master bathroom larger.

4) Speaking of master bathroom...We renovated our master bath, pushing walls out in a few directions and rearranging the old hallway.

5) When we knocked down the center wall we lost closets we built our IKEA hack cabinetry.  The cabinets to the far left are where that door to my son's room used to be.

{Screeching tires}...And then we stopped. We've been living with the room looking like this since then.

Booooorrrrringggggg.  It is time to get this thing done which I will attempt to do over the next 6 weeks!