Master Bedroom Makeover Madness

I have completed my master bedroom makeover - at least for now.  I only have two projects left on my plate - to build a new headboard (can't do it until I can work outside again) and to find a new bedspread, duvet cover and/or quilt.  I had hoped to find a new bedspread right away, but I haven't seen anything that I liked yet.

The room is 11 x 15 and has baseboard heaters against the walls and doors to the outside, the hallway, the bathroom and the closet - it was very hard to figure out a layout that doesn't block the heaters and doesn't feel like a bowling alley!

So here are the befores and afters:

B E F O R E S

I didn't mind the orange when I first moved in.  It felt cheerful and I liked it with all the white.

      

During the summer, I moved the desk into this position to try and fill up some of the excess space in the room. 

As time went on, I became more and more dissatisfied with the orange.  Every time I thought of painting, it tired me out - until now!  I also desperately wanted to lose the bowling alley feel...

Welcome to my new master bedroom!!

A F T E R S

Everything is freshly painted - oh but this is a part-way through the process shot.  Notice the benches haven't been "France-i-fied" yet

I also painted the closet doors the same warm white as all the furniture.

The new cushion on the chair is a sequined Christmas cushion I bought on sale for 94 cents with a new reversible cover I sewed from a patterned tea towel (also bought on sale) and some leftover fabric from a pair of taupe velvet drapes I had shortened.

Here's the reverse side

                                       

The nightstands look sooooo much better now!

I picked up a string of battery powered mini lights and some grapevine balls after Christmas and decided to use them together with this cloche to create my own little night light. A little piece of burlap and a tiny black ribbon finish it off.  It looks really pretty lit up at night :)

I jerry-rigged a queen sized headboard so I could place the bed a foot away from the wall and not totally block off the baseboard heater.  

The headboard has a quilt draped over it to hide the fact that it is not wide enough for a king sized bed.  Very makeshift, but I can't build a new headboard until the cold weather is over and I can use my workshop again...

I really want to add some bedding with pattern and colours to punch up the room, so if anyone has any ideas of what colours would work well please share!!

     B E F O R E

 A F T E R 

Complete with my newly built headboard from a vintage door.

Whew - what an odyssey this makeover has been!  The energy flows better with this new furniture layout and I sleep better, too!   So happy :)

To see how I built the new headboard, click HERE
To see ALL the projects from the Master Bedroom Makeover Madness, click HERE 

Have a great week!

LINKING TO:

Funky Junk Interiors

In the Old Road - Favourite Rooms Party

Funky Junk Interiors - Whole Room Makeover Party

Stuff & Nonsense     2805     French Country Cottage

My Repurposed Life    My Romantic Home

Shabby Nest

Sassy Sites    a Little Knick Knack     Finding Fabulous

Funky Junk Interiors     I heart Nap Time

the Grant Life

You're Talking too Much     House in the Roses

Homemaker on a Dime     Serendipity and Spice     Mod Vintage Life

Between Naps on the Porch

the Vintage Farmhouse     Coastal Charm

My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia

Northern Cottage     the Delectable Home     Creatively Living

Homework     Not Just a Housewife     a bowl full of lemons

Saavy Southern Style     DIY by Design     Clean & Scentsible    a Beach Cottage

the Shady Porch

It's Overflowing    aka Design     Shabby Creek Cottage     Thrifty Decorating

From My Front Porch to Yours

At the Picket Fence

Thrifty Decor Chick     Rustic Crafts & Chic Decor     Involving Colour

Thrifty Decor Chick - Bedrooms!

What to do with a Cloche

I won this gorgeous cloche from Martina at Northern Nesting and ever since then, I've been trying to come up with an idea of what to display...



At Christmas, I bought a whole lot of vase fillers that were on sale at Superstore.  I jammed as many of the grapevine balls into this cloche as I could, but something was still lacking.

Then I came across teeny, tiny battery operated led light strings and I was in love.  I wound the light string around the balls and sat the cage on a square of burlap.  I tied a teensie black lace ribbon around the base of the little bird and VOILA!  I have a little night light that is perfectly lovely.

Cheers!

Linking to:
Mission: Possible Party
Ivy and Elephants     Thrifty Decorating      the Shabby Creek Cottage

From My Front Porch to Yours     Crafty Scrappy Happy     Artsy Girl Connection

the Brambleberry Cottage      Beyond the Picket Fence

Common Ground     aka Design
2805     the Charm of Home     French Country Cottage    At the Picket Fence
My Romantic Home     Funky Junk Interiors

a Little Knick Knack     Finding Fabulous     I heart Nap Time     Shabby Nest     Sassy Sites

You're Talking too Much
House in the Roses     Homemaker on a Dime     Between Naps on the Porch

Serendipity and Spice   Mod Vintage Life

the Vintage Farmhouse

Coastal Charm     My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia     Northern Cottage     the Delectable Home

Creatively Living

Homework      Sassy Sites

Not Just a Housewife    a bowl full of lemons

Saavy Southern Style     DIY by Design     Clean & Scentsible    a Beach Cottage

the Shady Porch

It's Overflowing     The French Cupboard

Lovely Etc.

Funky Junk Interiors

a Stroll Through Life

Bliss Ranch

Latest Painting & an Uplifting Quote

Today I came across a quote being shared on Facebook that really lifted my spirits.  I hope it does the same for you:

"People are often unreasonable and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.  If you are kind, people may accuse you of ulterior motives.  Be kind anyway.  If you are honest, people may cheat you.  Be honest anyway.  If you find happiness, people may be jealous.  Be happy anyway.  The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow.  Do good anyway.  Give the world the best you have and it may never be enough.  Give your best anyway.  For you see, in the end, it is between you and God.

It never was between you and them anyway."

-Mother Teresa

In addition to this, I finally finished a piece of art that I started working on before Christmas.  It was another "healing" piece for me.  I am very proud of it and when I read Mother Teresa's words today, this painting instantly came to mind.  I think they belong together.

I am so in love with earth tones right now!  Glorious greens, yellows, grays and browns.
"Wind & Light"
24x24 Acrylic on wrapped canvas

Have a wonderful day!

Linking to:
Sunday Sketches
Paint Party Friday

2805

French Country Cottage
Sassy Sites
My Romantic Home
a little Knick Knack
Finding Fabulous
 My Simple Home Life

Bacon Time with the Hungry Hypo
You are Talking too Much

Not Just a Housewife
A Bowlful of Lemons

Fleur de Lis Strikes Again!

OK, so I lied.  This week's post was supposed to be my bedroom makeover room tour, but when I was taking photos, I decided one of my nightstands still needed a little work.  It was just too bland.  I found a picture of a fleur-de-lis design on someone's blog (sorry, can't remember where I saw it now!) and printed a copy of it so I could trace the design onto the nightstand top.  Then I painted it in.

Here is the poor little drab thing before I painted and stencilled it.

Isn't it just so much better now?

I loved the outcome so much that I made a sign out of another Graphics Fairy French street sign.   I am determined to visit France someday soon!!!

Cheers!

Linking to:
Miss Mustard Seed

Sassy Sites    My Romantic Home    My Repurposed Life

a little Knick Knack    the Shabby Nest     Miss Mustard Seed     Finding Fabulous    My Simple Home Life
Bacon Time with the Hungry Hypo
Funky Junk Interiors     I heart Nap Time     DIY Showoff     You're Talking Too Much
House in the Roses
Homemaker on a Dime
the Graphics Fairy     Mod Vintage Life     Between Naps on the Front Porch
Coastal Charm
Cherished Bliss   Northern Cottage     My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia
Homework   A Bowlful of Lemons       Not Just a Housewife
Creatively Living  Clean & Scentsible
DIY by Design    Saavy Southern Style     It's Overflowing     Thrifty Decorating    the Shabby Creek Cottage

From My Front Porch to Yours
the Brambleberry Cottage     Beyond the Picket Fence    Crafty Scrappy Happy     Artsy Girl Connection
Common Ground
French Country Cottage     At the Picket Fence     2805   the Charm of Home

A little bit of France

More master bedroom makeover madness...

Still working with my Ikea nesting tables, I moved from the writing desk makeover to the two smaller benches.  I was growing tired of painting everything white, so I took a different approach with the larger of the two benches.  I chose the French postcard graphic from the Graphics Fairy website and enlarged it to an 11x17 size.  Then I traced the image onto the bench top, separating the postmark from the address.  I just used a sharp pen to trace through the paper and then a black Sharpie to darken the images.

Then for the little bench, I painted the top the same creamy white as all the other furniture and hand painted a fleur de lis on it with the words printed out in script underneath.

I added a box around it to frame the painting and then wiped a damp paper towel over the top of the finished drawing that wasn't dry yet.  To finish it off,  I sanded the edges of the bench to antique-fy it.

Then all I had left to do was paint the last two pieces of furniture in the room.  They got the white paint treatment to match all the other pieces.  (The after photos are shown first.)

Not terribly remarkable, but much nicer than before and now the room is totally coordinated.  

Master bedroom makeover complete!!  Yay, first major project of 2012 is DONE (even though I did start it right after Christmas...)  To see the full master bedroom makeover click HERE.

May all your projects be huge successes!

Cheers!

Linking to:
Beneath my Heart     the Graphics Fairy     Cottage & Vine 
Between Naps on the Porch       You're Talking too Much

Bacon time with the Hungry Hypo  the Shabby Nest

Miss Mustard Seed   My Romantic Home  A little Knick Knack

Sassy Sites  Simple Home Life

Days of Chalk & Chocolate
the Southern Product Queen  I heart Nap Time
Homemaker on a Dime 
the House in the Roses  Cherished Bliss   Coastal Charm
Creatively Living outside the box     Northern Cottage   Sassy Sites
My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia
Mod Vintage Life    homework    Not Just a Housewife
A bowl full of Lemons   Ruby Jean
a Beach Cottage  Clean & Scentsible
DIY by Design   Saavy Southern Style  It's Overflowing
the Shady Porch  Crafty Scrappy Happy
From My Front Porch to Yours    Thrifty Decorating
Beyond the Picket Fence    2805
At the Picket Fence  French Country Cottage
Funky Junk Interiors

A Little Writing Desk

I bought three nesting tables from Ikea several years ago.  I love them, but I was a little tired of the wood stain. The largest of the tables is used as a writing desk in my bedroom and during my master bedroom makeover project, I had to do something to freshen it up.  I was so happy with my dresser makeover, I decided to use the same look on the table and chair.  I also cleaned the stained wood with Murphy's Oil Soap, oiled it with mineral oil and buffed it to get a really nice sheen.

Here are the photos:

BEFORE

AFTER

I love this chair but the wood doesn't go with
anything in my house!

Here it is painted & lightly distressed.

I also made a bulletin board for myself using a frame I bought at a garage sale for $1, two pieces of cork from the dollar store and cardboard backing.

The rosaries (circa 1900) belonged to my grandparents, the photos are my sweet Lucy when she was a pup, the lavender is from my garden, the Otter card was a purchase I made in Sitka, Alaska during a cruise to Alaska and the two silver shells are from my holiday in the Maritimes.  I love looking at this bulletin board - so many lovely memories!

Can you tell I love all things France???

After I finished the job, I went back and changed out the knob.
Looks much better now!

Tune in next week for the next installment of "Master Bedroom Makeover Madness".

Happy decorating!

(Holy crap am I glad that orange paint is finally gone!!!!!!!!!!!!)

Linking to:

2805  My Romantic Home  a Little Knick Knack  Finding Fabulous  Sassy Sites

the Shabby Nest  Funky Junk Interiors  I heart Nap Time
You're Talking Too Much
Mod Vintage Life  Homemaker on a Dime  Cherished Bliss  
Northern Cottage  Homework
Not Just a Housewife  A Bowlful of Lemons  Creatively Living outside the box
Coastal Charm
Sassy Sites  My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia
Saavy Southern Style  DIY by Design  Clean & Scentsible  It's Overflowing
the Shady Porch
the Shabby Creek Cottage  Thrifty Decorating  
From My Front Porch to Yours
Brambleberry Cottage  Beyond the Picket Fence
Crafty Scrappy Happy
Artsy Girl Connection  the Charm of Home
Common Ground  My Repurposed Life
Ruby Jean
a Beach Cottage