1.22.2019

Bedroom Design: Dream

Happy Tuesday, friends!

Did you have yesterday off for Martin Luther King Jr. Day?

I always think back to my kindergartners on this holiday. You can read a little about my lessons around the holiday, in this post from my teaching days.

Now for today's post...Friday turned into Tuesday! I was very excited for my 3 part series posting Monday, Wednesday, Friday, but the end of the last week just got crazy! That said, as I've put the finishing touches on this post, I've decided it's just too much content for one post, so the 3 part series will now be a 4 part series. I hope you're not tired of my bedroom yet!

As mentioned last week, I've been wanting to refresh our bedroom a little bit over the last several months. Over the last year or so, I've found that I'm drawn more to calm and neutral spaces and want a bit more subdued and serene design in our bedroom. When decorating our current house, the balance is always in choosing where to splurge and where to save. We know we won't be in this house forever, so I try to splurge on items I know I can use down the road; and save on items that may not be a fit for a future home. For example, I'd love to get an updated rug for our bedroom. That said, it just doesn't make sense to splurge on that now, when we may be in a bedroom that needs a bigger or smaller rug once we're in the next house. Pillows and bed linens, however, will "fit" in any bedroom so I have no problem splurging on those now.

All that to say, it doesn't mean I don't dream of the ideal bedroom, so for today's post I thought it would be fun to start with the dream and then share my reality design in Part 4 on Thursday.

We'll start with the focal point of a bedroom, the bed and then we'll look at my dream bedroom sitting area.

Similar to my Gift Guides, I'm linking my rationale for each design element, with links, below the design image. If you want to skip that, you can just scroll through and admire the pictures!


As a reminder, here is a picture of the current situation. I still do love everything about it, however, it just doesn't have quite the serene, calm bedroom feel I want at this stage.

Let's break it down:
The Bed: This is our current bed. It is actually 4 posters, but for the purposes of creating this design, it was easier just to crop out the end. I do get a few requests on Instagram for the source of this bed each year. It was handmade by a local company, Suter's, that has been in business since 1839. It is the Pencil Post Bed in mahogany.
Linens: All the linens you see are current, with the exception of the bolster pillow. The matelasse quilt and euro shams were from Garnett Hill and no longer made. I actually hunted for this exact style for a few years when I was still in college. I knew exactly what I wanted and said when I found it, I was going to buy it to have for my "grown up" home someday. I posted about them, actually, in my first few months of blogging in 2011 here. I love is the scalloped edge, the euro shams, and that it's heavier than a coverlet. Garnet Hill, if you're reading here (ha!) please bring the Orleans line back... after nearly 8 years, and Millie, I could use a new quilt! I have found a few similar options here (coverlet, shams), here, and here. I had the trellis standard shams and bedskirts custom made and the fabric is Kravet Xu Garden Veridian. Finally, the bolster, which I'm planning to order soon was something I had thought of incorporating for a while. Once I saw this bedroom by Molly Basile Interiors, I was sold. I was also sold on adding Bowood to the mix! Wanting to add some pattern and texture, while still remaining neutral, I chose this natural leopard in velvet.
Sunburst Mirror: When we first got the four poster bed, Bryce and I were just dating and our home was just his home at the time. The bed felt very traditional to me, so the sunburst mirror and other modern details like the ikat pillows currently on our bed were compromises we made to modernize the space when I moved in. This sunburst mirror was a Martha Stewart for Home Depot steal that was all over the blog world circa 2013ish. It's no longer available, but I've found some similar affordable options here, here, and here. I absolutely love a sunburst above a bed and think it perfectly fits my traditional meets modern style.
Mirrored Nightstands: Given the space constraints of our current bedroom, we're not able to have matching nightstands. Bryce's side of the bed really only has room for a walkway and slim nightstand. My dream is to someday have a pair of mirrored nighstands, though, and these I found for the design come in at a great price point. A close second to mirrored nightstands are these raffia nightstands at a not so great price point.
Bedside Lamps: I'm a big fan of symmetry if you can't tell and these splurge lamps are just gorgeous!
Bedside Art: When thinking of art, my brain went to symmetry again. I didn't want botanicals which would compete with the Bowood chintz fabric, or, mirrors that would compete with the sunburst. I eventually decided to opt for framed calligraphy. While not a big fan of word art, I think in a bedroom displaying your wedding vows or readings as art is quite romantic. It's affordable custom art, and you can bring in some color by having the calligraphy done over watercolor as shown here (though my exact dream one would have more of a pale coral watercolor to tie in with the coral throw), or through different ink choices. The calligraphy shown is from my amazing wedding calligrapher Virginia Lucas Hart (I bet you can spy our custom wedding invites and crest on her Past Work page). There are also many options on Etsy: I liked this one and this one. To frame the calligraphy, I opted for a splurge (since you're saving on the art!) burlwood gallery frame. I love that the burlwood brings another texture into the room and is a nice contrast to the mirrored nighstands and mahogany bed.
Bedside Accessories: I'm drawn to spaces that feel lived in, so topped my dream nightstands with some accessories. Books for both, of course, a stylish table clock for him, a tray and blue and white bud vase for her.
Bowood Bench: Can we talk about this bench!? I'm in love and made it "custom" for this design! Chintz can feel grandma really quick, so the ultra modern lucite bench legs are just what the doctor ordered! A pretty throw (comes in 29 colors!) atop the bench brings a pop of color I love and feels cozy.
Floor & Walls: Last, but, certainly not least, I have to mention the floor and walls. A cream rug feels soft in a bedroom and this wool one is affordable and has great reviews! For fun, I added grasscloth wallpaper to the walls. I've been dreaming of a grasscloth bedroom since seeing the bedroom of the always stylish Sue, the lady behind The Zhush.

The next and final part of my dream design, is a sitting area! A nice little sitting area in a room is wonderful for putting on shoes, enjoying a glass of wine as you get ready or relax with a face mask, and of course, is a place to throw and pile up all your discard clothes (ha!).


When envisioning this room, I simply added some square footage to our current bedroom and adjusted the windows a bit. In my dream design, if you were standing facing the bed in the last image, this set up would be to your right on the adjacent wall. 

Window Treatments: Let's start with that big window I designed! I couldn't stop with Bowood just on the bench, so my dream bedroom would have Bowood draperies as well. Again, to modernize the chintz, they'd be hung on a fabulous lucite and brass curtain rod! I'd also add a bamboo Roman shade. I love that natural elements like bamboo can really ground a space and also make them feel inviting. It's all about the mix and this dream bedroom should feel traditional and modern, masculine and feminine, formal and inviting. 
Club Chairs: These swivel chairs are casual chic and a great price point! To top them off, I added a leopard velvet pillow to each which matches the bolster on the bed.
Moroccan Pouf: A neutral Moroccan pouf adds some masculinity to the space, and while these poufs aren't all the rage they were a few years ago, I still love them! I'll never forget saving up to order a blush pink one for our sun room ages ago that cost $165...which felt very much like a splurge at the time. It's now in our living room and still a favorite.
Garden Stool: I have this very garden stool in our dining room. I treat blue and white pieces as a neutral throughout our home and think it's the perfect little table between the chairs.
Tortoise Frame: I've admired this Kate Spade frame for ages, and am not sure why I haven't ever bit the bullet and ordered it. I go gaga for anything tortoise. It's small size makes it perfect atop the garden stool.
Tocca Candle: As you're sipping wine, propping your feet up on the pouf reading and enjoying a face mask, this lightly scented candle will add to the overall ambiance.

Now, if you've made it this far, a few final notes:

  • On the wall to the right of the bed, adjacent to the sitting area, my dream bedroom would have this ahhh-mazing antique bamboo secretary!
  • I'd also add a fabulous dresser to the space. I really love this one and this one.
  • My dream bedroom would also have a dream closet like this one, and a dream bath like this one.
What do you think?

What would be the musts in your dream bedroom?

Do neutral, calm spaces appeal more to you, or bright, bold spaces?

Be sure to tune in Thursday to see how I'm taking this dream vision and adapting it for our reality!

Have a great day!