Design Consult: Calm, Cool and Collected

You may remember Lauren’s fresh and springy living room design consult from a few weeks ago.  She’s still putting the finishing touches on the room (and has promised pictures!!), and she’s so happy with her new space that she came back for more.  That’s right, this is Lauren’s House Round 2 – the Master Bedroom.

Keeping budget in mind, Lauren asked for a beautiful, light blue bedroom with an affordable new duvet cover.  Storage space is at a premium, so maximizing places to put clothes and other goodies is a top priority.  Here’s a quick look at the “before” of Lauren’s room:

Lauren’s bedroom is the perfect canvas for  a top-to-bottom makeover, with little furniture that she’s attached to (really just the bed) and tons of great architectural features like four windows (so jealous!), crown molding and beautiful wood floors.  Keeping in mind Lauren’s love of traditional, clean lines with a Pottery Barn-feel, let me introduce you to the custom design plan for Lauren’s fab new bedroom:

The jumping off point for this design plan is a calm, soothing blue on the walls, in a shade like Glidden’s Gentle Tide.  With natural elements like woven shades and baskets highlighted by shots of silver, this bedroom is sure to provide Lauren with the restful retreat she’s been longing for.

Here’s the low down for putting Lauren’s custom design plan into action:

Bedding.  With a beautiful, graphic leaf pattern, this neutral duvet cover is the perfect bedding for this organic space.  At under $70 for a duvet cover and 2 shams, it’s an absolute steal.  And as an added bonus, the white bed skirt that Lauren already has will look dynamite.  Dress up the bedding with this embroidered silk pillow and this tailored striped beauty and you’ve got one gorgeous bed.  [Keep in mind that Lauren can instantly change the look of this room by switching up the throw pillows to another accent color like a sassy hot pink.]

Headboard. Lauren’s bed is getting a brand-spankin’ new headboard – and she’s going to make it.  While Lauren could easily go out and purchase a beautiful headboard, that would set her back at least a couple hundred bucks.  The headboard she’s going to make will look awesome and it will cost her no more than $20 – much better, right?

Making this headboard couldn’t be easier – and all the pieces can be cut to size right at the store, so Lauren doesn’t have to worry about having any special tools.  She can just have this hardboard cut to the width of her bed, then paint it a crisp white and nail it to the wall behind her bed so that about three feet of the hardboard sticks up above the bed.  Then Lauren can just cap it off with this molding that she’s already painted and had cut to size, and presto! – instant headboard.  [ Check out the end of this post for pics of the hardboard and molding that Lauren will use for her headboard.]

Nightstands.  While the nightstands that Lauren has right now serve their purpose, the height difference between the two pieces gives the room a somewhat haphazard look.  By switching them out with these nightstands that are chock full of storage Lauren’s room will instantly look pulled together.  (And they’re 28 inches tall, which is an added bonus that we’ll get to later).  Lauren can pump up the natural feel of her room and add even more storage by using these woven baskets in each of the exposed cubbies in the nightstands.

Lighting.  The lamps that are currently on Lauren’s nightstands are beautiful and classic, but they’re a little tall for this space.  Topping off her nightstands with these swing-arm lamps will give Lauren the perfect light for snuggling up with a good book.

Secondary Storage.  The dresser that’s currently in Lauren’s bedroom provides oodles of storage and can be instantly updated by painting it a crisp white and changing out the hardware for some gorgeous knobs and pulls like these.  Painting the mirror to match, turning it vertically and leaning it against the wall on one side of the dresser will give Lauren a casual look that can be completed by a stack of books with a beautiful potted plant to bring some life to the room.

However, Lauren may not want to commit to painting that dresser (it used to belong to her grandmother) – no problem!  This fresh white bookcase has ridiculous amounts of storage and can be placed against the wall where the dresser is now and will provide Lauren with tons of places to store folded clothes, books and whatever else her heart desires.  Placing a few of these baskets (in the 13 x 14 size) in the bookcase will keep socks and other small items organized.

And don’t think we’re stopping there – Lauren’s bedroom is just begging for some under-the-bed storage.  Lauren will raise her bed on these bed-risers for added clearance and then slide a few of these storage bins under the bed for tons of extra (and hidden) storage.  (With the bed at a new height, this is where those new tall nightstands will come in handy).  The bed skirt should hide the risers, but in case they peek out from underneath Lauren can easily spray paint them white so that the risers blend right in.

Windows.  Keeping the style of window treatments consistent from room to room is an easy way to give anyone’s home a cohesive feel.  So let’s carry the breezy sheers and bamboo shades from Lauren’s living room into her bedroom for windows that enhance the serene and natural vibe of this space.  Since Lauren’s windows meet in the corner, she’ll want to buy three set of curtain panels – Lauren will just hang a single panel on curtain rods such as these on the outside of each window, and another panel where the two windows meet for a unified look.

Artwork and Photographs.  Lauren has a gorgeous black and white photo of her daughter that she would like to hang in the room, as well as several other photos.  Hanging them together in a loose grid pattern on the blank wall on the left side of the room will create visual interest and add a personal touch to the space.  Frames in either a wood tone or silver will look beautiful, and mismatched frames can be spray painted to give the whole set a cohesive vibe.  Above Lauren’s bed, I’d love to see these graphic wooden panels hung either four across or in a zigzag grid pattern or turned diagonally in a diamond shape.

Accessories.  Lauren can easily friendly up her nightstand with these gorgeous (and totally cheap!) mercury vases and spring flowers to add a pop of color.  Add this beautiful silver clock and Lauren’s restful retreat is complete.

What do you guys think?  Did I pull this one off?  Want a custom design plan of your very own?  And be sure to check back tomorrow because I have a surprise that begins with “G” and ends with “IVEAWAY” . . .

By the way, if you haven’t already been over to A Lil’ Welsh Rarebit you should definitely check it out – not only is my little ol’ blog being featured on it today, but Christy’s site is chock full of fun reads and she’s in the middle of her own family room makeover - so head on over!!