Gosh - I think back in November I stated that I was remodeling our master bedroom and may have casually mentioned that I would post soon. Lol... who was I kidding. Between a stabbing, (more on that later) Christmas and my busy season I cannot squeeze another minute into my day. However life is getting perhaps a tad slower so it's about time I catch up on my planned blogs.
First off, our bedroom underwent a minor remodeling about 10 years ago. We painted and I put up a border but we didnt replace carpeting or even paint into the closets. It was more about a change from the deep purple we had painted when we moved in.
That was colonial or american red from Benjamin Moore. I did love it and it went well with the bedding I had selected but I was so over it. Love that picture of the Jack Russel?? That was from Ikea and looks so much like our JR GeorgiaBelle that I had to get it.
Isn't she adorable? 12 yrs old and all attitude.
Slowing down now but still a little ball of fire now and then.
So here is that same corner after we first finished. First we took everything out and moved into the front bedroom that was my daughter's before she moved out last May. This was convenient because we could take our time and still sleep in our bed every night. This allowed my husband to first do the floor. We tore up what was left of that gross builder carpet. Yes we have been in this house for over 25 years. 4 children, 1 dog, 1 cat and still had that original carpet. Ours was the last room to have that removed. We did the spare room after younger son moved out. Just taking that out was a challenge - there was hardly anything left of it and I will not even begin to tell you how much dirt was under there - gross. My job was to take up all the staples...oh that was fun. But I did it as I knew I wouldn't be much help with the actual flooring.
Doing the floor took the longest. First we went to the outlet and paid for 10 more boxes of the laminate. Yes it is laminate. But a very high grade and thick one - very hardwood like. We had lucked upon 17 boxes that had been abandoned in the industrial unit next to our shop. We used it in what is now the spare room after #2 son had moved out and we really liked it. We were left with 9 boxes which was not enough. I went back to the place that it had been purchased from - also in our industrial plaza - and they still had it. However, when I had ordered and paid for the 10 boxes he then told me it was out of stock til January. Well hello that was NOT going to work. You know what it is like, you finally get settled on doing something, you have your husband on board and ready to go and you have to hit while the iron is hot. Then he said that he had the same board but in seconds. So? What makes it a second? A minor flaw in the colour here and there. And it was 1.00/sq ft. cheaper. SOLD. I added 2 extra boxes to help work around the flaws. Who doesn't love a bargain!
We loaded up the truck and hubby got to work. Over the next week or so he worked on a couple of rows a night and when I got home I would help clean up and dispose of garbage etc. This made it bearable for him and kept him from having too many complaints about his back and knees. Ok he still complained somewhat...
However, when he was about 2/3 of the way through, 2 weeks before Christmas, with deadline looming (Christmas visit from my daughter in Ottawa, her husband and my two grand-babies , something scary happened that set us back almost 10 days. I will blog on that on my next post. Suffice it to say everyone is fine but a stabbing was involved.
So the week before Christmas he buckled down and finally got the floor finished and painted the whole room including inside the closets. Wow what a change. The room seemed larger and obviously brighter.
We quickly moved back into the room just a day or so before everyone arrived from Ottawa. Also the paint we used was low VOC so I was relieved for that since we had little to no time before my 2 month old granddaughter and 18 month old grandson stayed with us.
I kept the dry brushed border as I still liked it and crown molding is not in this budget. The paint was custom mixed for me by my older daughter who lives in Ottawa and she works at a Paint and Wallpaper store there. It is similar to a Sherwin Williams colour that I fixated on and she colour matched it for me in their professional formulation and on her recommendation we used coloured primer that she tinted as well. This made for basically one coat coverage. Going over red we were concerned but the paint performed perfectly. That red took 5 coats and he was dreading a repeat of that chore. However, it did take only one gallon of primer and one gallon of top coat. We were missing one small teeny bit in my husband's closet - I can live with that but we do not have any for touch-ups. I am hoping to get at least a 1 liter can. My daughter is currently on maternity leave so that will have to wait til she returns to work.
The mirror over the dresser is one I found at Home Depot last winter. It was an in-store clearance that was announced one day while I was shopping for something else. I wasn't even looking for a mirror! But I know that you know that if someone loudly announces over a PA that they are selling something off you just gotta look. Low and behold they had these large mahogany framed, bevel edge mirrors marked down to 25.00!! I hemmed and hawed. I walked around, I went back. I had a vague notion that maybe it would look nice in my bedroom but I wasn't really sure if a) I needed it or b) wanted it. Guess what? I did want it. So with great difficulty I loaded into a cart, then loaded it into the back seat of my convertible mustang - with the top down - and drove carefully home blinding people I am sure and garnering many strange looks but really, it was 25.00!! It sat leaning against the wall in the spare room for over a year til I decided what I was going to do. That mirror was the last thing we did after the renovation and it made the room. Our nightstands, antiques from another story I'll tell you some day, are also mahogany as well as the small round table and slipper chair. Perfect!
The furniture is the Hemnes line from Ikea - It is amazing stuff. Very heavy and well put together (if I must say so - by myself). We had a bit of a hard time deciding on what pieces to get as we had that awkward space between the 2 closets. This tall lingerie chest piece fits perfectly and my husband uses that for his unmentionables. He also has the 3 drawer piece under the flat screen for his tshirts. Man does he have a lot of tshirts! I purged a large garbage bag and that dresser is still full.
The Hemnes tall 5 drawer chest is a new piece in the collection and as I mentioned fits in this space perfectly. The picture on top is in similar feel to the Ikea picture but I found it in a pile of 5.00 prints at Micheals on clearance. It depicts 2 ladies peering out to sea with a Jack Russel at their feet. Same paint style as well. I had to get it - still don't know as yet where I am going to hang it in the room but that will come when I finally get the headboard made and mounted.
Here you can see the 3 drawer chest which we placed under the flat screen. It has his tshirt collection in the drawers and all the electronic components are on top. It also effectively hides most of the cables. It is kinda in the way of that far corner of my closet but I can live with it.
The 2 mirror doors are actually the ones from my daughter's room. Home Depot didn't have any white ones left when we went so we purchased the less expensive beige frame ones and switched them out. I love having the mirror doors in our room - it helps to bounce more light around. Since we are on the back of the house facing north we don't get morning sun. It makes for a difficult time dressing in the morning - at least for my colour blind husband. They also help to make the room feel much larger and airier. It is a beachy feel? I'm not 100% sure what style you would say this is. Spa Like? Hotel? Whatever it is I find it very fresh and relaxing.
This is still a work in progress. Right now the bed is kinda boring. I changed the lamp shades from the antique tobacco coloured ones but I am not happy with the size. Target just opened in our neighbourhood (welcome to Canada Tarjay!!) and I have been checking out the shades. I think that will be the next thing I will change again. These white ones won't go to waste. I have lamps at the cottage that are in dire need of new shades!
Here is a picture I took today - a bit of a better shot but still a bit boring. The duvet cover, pillows etc are all from Ikea.
Now I have to decide on the headboard. I purchased fabric last summer. It is a nubby subtle silk looking stripe in brown and a very slight blue.
However, with the rug I just purchased today that may not be the best option now. I am thinking more along this line.
Below is one of my inspiration pictures for my space. While my room is not nearly as large it is a good size. I am wanting a bigger padded headboard. Perhaps tufted.
http://www.houzz.com/photos/1697580/Master-bedroom-traditional-bedroom-boston
I have also seen the duvet cover I want at Target. However, they only seem to have the comforter in stock in king size and I really prefer duvet covers for the fact you can change them and wash them much easier than a super large heavy comforter.
Like this
Maybe Canada isn't going to have these in a duvet. Is this still a style I should aspire too? I have a beautiful blue and white one that I purchased online before Christmas but I'm not sure how that will look with the new rug.
The rug is a turkish rug. Purchased from a local flea market (today). I got an unbelievable deal on it. Similar quality rugs online were at least 200.00 more. However, when we got it home I found that the 7x10 size looked more than a little undersized for what we wanted. I want to be able to put my feet on it in the morning. A larger one is on the way here and we will exchange it. How's that for personal service!! As soon as it arrives and we set it up I will take another picture.
Here is an interior shot of my closet. We purchased closet organizers from the Home Depot to further expand our storage capabilities. These units are relatively inexpensive and not difficult to put together. On the left side I have a smaller area for hanging longer pieces of clothing such as my pants and tunic tops and dresses.
On the right side we put 2 rods to hang shorter tops and sweaters. This expanded my usable space considerably. Not to mention how much tidier it looks. The paint and the floor go all the way into the closets. Ideally I wanted to take out that stupid piece of wall between the closets, tear out the closets completely and install built in's or the PAX system from Ikea. However once we started on the floor my hubby didn't want to stop plus again the budget wasn't there to include another 2500 in closeting.
Here is the left side of his closet. He has the chimney and vent section of the house inside his closet as well as the attic access so that was something we had to take into consideration. He has double rods on both sides.
This is the other side. There was just enough room for a narrow tower for his jeans, on the shelves, and drawers for his large sock collection. The two rods are a bit difficult to get at but his dress/work pants hang on the bottom rod and his golf shirts on the top. Now if I can only come up with a more attractive option for the laundry basket! Any and all suggestions will be considered.
I am going to try to take some better pictures of the finished room after the rug gets here. I will add them onto this post or maybe just a separate picture post will follow. I'd love some advice here as well on how to take pictures of a room that looks inviting! I have a great camera and 3 lens but still learning how to do this.
I will leave you with this before and after.
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| BEFORE |
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| AFTER |
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What do you think??
Love Ya
Debbie
I am not sponsered by either Ikea or Home Depot. These products are one's I used and I am expressing my own opinion.
Im linking to Thrifty Decor Chick.
