Ok. Here’s the dilema. You know how you read those articles (or blogs if you’re me) that talk about “design on a dime” or “budget decorating?” Well, they offer great tips on spending less and making the most of your money (keep these coming, please!), like buying new throw pillows or window treatments or a new comforter,etc. These are all wonderful ways to save, but there can be a problem with that.
What if you don’t need to spend a dime? What if because like someone we all know, you’re finishing one part of your house and it really doesn’t matter that you don’t like your master bedroom (but you’re going crazy looking at it in its current state??
Enter serious frugality.
You all know my tastes have changed over the years since I built my home and I might be tempted to redo every single room if money (and my hubby) allowed. Remember?
Not happening for now. So, as I was straightening up the other day and making yet another long to-do list/ around the house projects,etc., I looked in my bedroom and I simply could not take it another day.
Ok, this isn’t much, but here’s to spiffing up–not quite sprucing up– the master bedroom, part 1 (because it is NOWHERE near finished).
Doesn’t look like much, right? Well, the thing is…it’s not. But it’s different!
This is how our master started 7 years ago when we built our house:
I’m giggling just looking at it. Fabulously beautiful bed, but what a sad sea of beige. he he 🙂
So a couple of years ago, my sweet man (well, men) put down new flooring and we painted it a rich, velvety chocolate.
Enter new problem….here we are a couple of years later…..
and it’s pretty, but so dark…so not me anymore. (We all know i might even sand down the bed and distress it in white if I had my way–please don’t tell matt.)
While I have no extra budget to buy new bedding (unless i find a killer sale on some like this maybe), I walked by, saw all that brown and the heavy spread, and I just couldn’t look at it. I want to look at my bed and want to jump into it. I want it to feel light and airy, comfortable, yet luxurious. Don’t love everything about this, but it’s got a great feel….
Love the light, the comfy fabrics, the white.
And then I remembered this beautiful set of sheets my mom gave me about 5 years ago. They had been dismissed to my linen cabinet (I’m sorry, sweet sheets), and I ran in there as fast as I could and pulled them down. Still so pretty.
Since I wanted all white on the bed to break up the brown-ness of the room, I just replaced the damask shams with the lace sheet shams…so light and airy.
I wanted different textures, but again, with the not buying….so I grabbed an extra white eyelet pillow sham and tied it around one of my exisiting throw pillows….what’s it tied with? One of my favorite scarves. I can do without wearing it for awhile, right?
just folded the sham in half, and tied it with the scarf.
To break up the white (since this is very makeshift with little depth), I thought of some beautiful vintage fabric I snagged a couple of months ago on a treasure-hunting trip. I got 15 yards for $12….such a pretty aqua blue–and a little retro inspired and unexpected.
Some more tips if you can’t spend even one dime to freshen up your bedroom space….
Focus on what you do love:
I love our family photo grouping on Matt’s chest with the white flowers in the background. Even though they are artificial, I love the pop of white against the chocolate.
Add something you LOVE to your bedside table–it’s the first place you look in the morning and the last place you gaze as you’re closing those eyes each night–and declutter while you’re at it. Nothing makes me feel more frazzled than a messy bedroom (which mine is a lot of the time).
I added a couple of things….my blue jars and my one and only little blue bag from Tiffany’s–sweet brother, thank you for the beautiful gift…and the bag!
I love seeing that light filter through the blue glass in the morning. It’s so calming! Speaking of light, open those blinds, shades, drapes, etc. and let some good ole sunshine in!!
Ignoring the clutter piles on my hubby’s side (this is a separate issue entirely), I look at the space when I pass by, and think of spring. Of the grass between my toes and the ocean out my window.
Is it perfect?
No.
Is it finished?
nope–and yes, I know the red valances are still up there and I’m in desperate need of more throw pillows. 🙂
But is it a step in the right direction?
I think so.
And did I mention it was free???
I don't mean to egg you on but that bed would look amazing if you painted it white! Your sheets are very pretty:)
I'm hoping you're working on your blog, because it's all jumbled up. Or maybe it's on my end…