Finally. The room that was supposed to be my first place of sanctuary in the chaos of my renovation adventure, is finished! The bedroom makeover has happened and only about 2 years too late. Not too bad…
…AND I LOVE IT!!
Before we get in to the good stuff, lets take a look back at how it was, in all of it’s pink shag-pile, conti-board constructed, 80’s louvre-doored glory…
I know what you’re all thinking… ‘what’s wrong with this? why change a thing? it’s perfect as-is’
Well, gone is the OAP fantasy….
TA DAH!!!!
The fireplace finally gets to shine in all it’s glory, framed beautifully by my newly constructed wardrobes. An IKEA hack of major proportions (and bravery/foolishness), has resulted in more floor space, a much more convenient layout and added storage space! I am not ashamed to say that I. Am. Proud.
My biggest issue with the original layout was that, on entering the bedroom, you were faced with the side of a large bulk of wardrobe. Not any more. The new layout has really opened up the space and your eye is immediately drawn to the focal point that is the fireplace. I really don’t know why I didn’t do it during bedroom makeover 1.0. Maybe the idea of potentially destroying brand new wardrobes was too much? Whatever it was, I’m so glad I did it!
Lesson 1; go with your gut feelings, be brave.
We decided, if you remember from an earlier post, to paint the room in Valspar’s ‘French Pavilion’, a colour that both my partner and I loved from first sight of the paint chip. we decided to paint out almost everything in it; walls, roof, door, mouldings and wardrobes. Brian wanted to try keeping the cornice white, just to see… which we did…and I really like it! This has made the space feel much bigger and really allows the eye to flow around the room. Matching the colour to the curtains, pretty much exactly, continues this effect and actually gives the room quite a luxurious and cocoon-like feel, especially at night when they are closed. What I love about this colour is that it changes a lot during the day, taking on various tones of grey or brown depending on the light.
We decided to keep the accessories and furnishings neutral in here, rather than introducing any stronger accent colours, sticking mainly to black, white and grey/beige. Adding in touches of greenery lift these tones and give a bit of life to the space.
Although it’s not my first choice of headboard for the room, the new paint job works well and it’ll do for now until I find something better. This was made from offcuts of plywood, but I think it would look amazing in older wood. Some of the original door framings and skirting boards are going to have to be removed elsewhere in the house, so this may be a potential upcycle project in the future. ?!
And what about that cabinet?! You now know what the leather pull handles were for! A bit of a paint job and some gold leaf on the doors has completely transformed her. I added hairpin legs as I had these for another project, but I really want to get simpler for this one. Perhaps ones that follow the line of the cabinet?
As for the soft furnishings, we went for a bit of a graphic stripe on the cushions, just to add some interest and a bit of an edge to the neutral palette. The geometric stripe has been contrasted by a soft grey Mongolian cushion. This, along with a few scattered sheepskins (all ethically sourced), soften the space. In addition, some added throws accentuate the feeling of luxury.
The bedding is linen. I love the relaxed look of freshly washed linen and it also means that I don’t have to iron. I bloody hate ironing.
The only part of the bedroom makeover that isn’t 100% what I wanted, is the chair. Don’t get me wrong, I really like the chair itself, and I think it looks really good in here. It’s just that I have seen the perfect chair. It was tan leather and VERY retro. It was ideal. I was in love. I just didn’t realise it until we got home. Home from the charity store…
Lesson 2; ALWAYS BUY THE THING FROM THE CHARITY STORE. NEVER DON’T BUY THE THING FROM THE CHARITY STORE.
So yeah, that’s the bedroom makeover! I’m sure there’ll be tweaks and changes along the way (touching up the sloppy paintwork around the ceiling is top of the list!) but for now, it’s finished. Walk away, Malcolm, put the paintbrush down…
I found your blog via Apartment Therapy. You have amazzzzzing skills!! I have been devouring your blog. Every room you have touched in your house is incredible. Your before and after pictures just blow me away. Seriously, i know they are the same space, but the transformations are just so darn gorgeous. What an incredible eye you have!!! I like moody colors also, but just too darn afraid to bite the bullet and do it. I recently shiplapped my living room, and have been searching high and low for the perfect moody color to paint/stain it. Everyone is telling me to do white. Blah blah, blah. I think i found it. So excited!!! Please, please, please share the color details about your headboard. Like the names and process. That color is what I’ve been looking for. Kudos to you for sharing all that you do. You are such an inspiration!! Can’t wait for your kitchen remodel!!
Hi Angela, thank you so much for taking the time to write such a lovely comment! It’s so great to hear that you are enjoying the blog…and to hear from another lover of the dark side! XD The headboard colour is ‘Downing Street’ by Valspar UK. It’s the same colour that I used on the doors throughout the house. 🙂 p.s I hope you totally love your dark shiplap colour!
HI,
This is the perfect solution to our raked ceiling problem, that is your Ikea Pax hack. Do you have instructions on how you pulled off such a miracle?!
Thanks
Hi Holly,
I don’t have instructions as such, though there are images of the mid-way stage on this post;
https://designsixtynine.co.uk/2017/02/20/bedroom-makeover-version-2-0/
I had built the wardrobes beforehand and measured out on the sides of the built frames. I then fitted the back and cut the angle. same with the doors. It was all very ‘on the hoof’ but it worked without any issues. Hope this helps. 🙂
Absolutely gorgeous! There is nothing I don’t like about this room and it’s giving me inspiration for decorating my own new home.
Thank you so much 🙂
Interesting to see an Aberdeen makeover on Apartment Therapy! Much better than snooping around on ASPC, all those samey interiors get pretty boring after a while. It looks amazing, you’ve done a really great job. (I feel your pain on the charity shop one that got away though!)
Hi Fi,
thank you so much. 🙂 I have to admit, I love an ASPC snoop myself! I still regret that charity shop chair. I haven’t learned my lesson though… I did the same thing this week. 🙁 I saw a chair that would of been perfect in the hallway. Will I ever learn? Lol.
Wow! What an incredible change. Exquisite taste, gentlemen. Question: was the fireplace exposed or did you “find” it during the remodel?
Thank you so much for the lovely comment. The fireplace was completely covered. A total surprise! 🙂
beautiful room! i also have an attic space that needs some love so thanks for the inspiration. two questions: what color paint did you use? and where did you get the striped gray/white pillow case? thanks!
dawn
Thank you so much! It is French Pavilion, by Valspar. The premium paint covers so well. The cushions were TK Maxx buys, so difficult to find, however, I’ve shown similar on my recent blog post. Hope this helps 🙂
You should be glad that I will never be able to visit you, as I would move into this room and refuse to leave! I’d bring a stack of books (or my tablet) and curl up by the window and live out my life in heaven! I simply love this room and the way you have made it into a dreamy space! Oh, to be so talented and imaginative! Beautiful!
Haha!!! This is my favourite comment ever!! Thank you so much! I will admit, I love the space too, and it is very relaxing, but I was very lucky to have a room with lovely bones to begin with. Have a great day x