starting slow, building style.
this post in partnership with state farm.
you know how When you’re just starting out decorating for the first time and you’re feeling a little cautious? maybe you’ve got boring budgets to contend with, or perhaps you’re in a rental so you don’t want to go too drastic, right? i think that’s quite alright — it’s sometimes wise to take things slowly, adding elements to our homes over time, rather than all at once. This process insures you make far fewer decorating faux pas, and get it just right, rather than wasting your budget with snap decisions. It can also be much more gratifying and fun to go slowly as you decorate, revising plans and tweaking your ideas as your awareness for your design aesthetic becomes more clear. you kind of grow into your space, or maybe you even move into your first owned-home and the design process can often be as fun as the outcome!
i thought since i’ll be leaving this home soon and moving into my new apartment i’d remind you what i did around here to give my bedroom a bit more style — some easy and inexpensive projects that you can do to completely change the look of a room without spending a ton of cash. and, they’re decorating ideas that are easy fixes — insuring that if you grow tired of them, or decide you want a change it’s no big deal. things like paint for instance are always an easy fix. i think i’ve painted my dining room three times since i moved here, so while the room may be shrinking (ha!) the mood change was always a pretty easy transition.
a few easy and inexpensive fixes:
• the dresser: i found it for $25 on craiglist. it was a beat up wood piece, so i gave it a coat of glossy black paint. a very small investment for a quart of paint and a little elbow grease.
• the gold gilded mirror: i found that at a fixture sale at urban outfitters. $20!!
• the bedroom wall: i painted the wall behind my bed with benjamin moore’s gravel gray. it gave the room drama and created a much more sophisticated look. again, 1 gallon of paint, about $40.
• the gold sconces: discovered at the flea market for $15! i love the way they look against the charcoal gray wall.
• the bedding: probably my biggest investment — some dwellstudio chinoiserie bedding that’s super comfy, great quality and makes a huge design impact. well worth it!
• an ikea cowhide rug: super affordable.
so it’s exciting to finally take some chances with your design plans as you get more comfortable with your taste — after all the hard work you put in to accomplish your goals around renting or owning your home, it’s time to start to have a little fun with your decorating — and without spending a ton of money.
I totally agree with one step at the time decoration. Even if I could afford to decorate my home at once , I wouldn’t do it.
agreed, you want your home to tell a story for sure. love the elements of your room, especially those gold sconces and your bedding—and killer wall color
Como ha ganado el dormitorio,
Muy buen cambio.
besos
Susana
I agree too. Its taken us 5 years to style our house. I admire those that can throw things together quickly but I have to say by taking it slow we have very little regrets.
That is the PERFECT color of greyish-blue. It’s exactly what I’ve been looking for to use in my guest bedroom!
-Anne
http://www.hammer-and-heels.com
Lovely – the one dark wall is a fantastic touch!
I have been thinking about painting that back wall dark grey, I really like the color you are using. Is it more charcoal blue ?
it is more charcoal black than blue. but there’s a blue undertone that comes through in different lighting.
Feeling inspired to unpack and decorate my new bedroom after reading this post! Love that you found affordable pieces at different stores and flea market. I need to start slow as the idea of doing everything at once sounds very stressful.
I love the wall color! It looks so much better!! I might try that color on a wall in my living room. Thanks!
Bianca from A Fabulous Challenge
This is very encouraging. Sometimes I feel down after looking at photos of people’s beautiful apartments. It’s nice to remember that my home – like theirs – is always a work in progress!
Great tips! That wall colour is gorgeous.
Thanks for showing this :)
I also love that dark wall with the gilded things (and I wouldn’t have thought of it myself, either)
Oh so lovely! The darker color seems to add a sense of definition and support to this space (feng shui) and makes the elements on the wall sparkle. I love what you say about growing into your space and loving the design process itself. Wise words. Totally agree. Best part: beautiful flea market finds! Gorgeous transformation. Bravo!
Who made the bed? Looking for a simple white upholstered headboard.
it’s from west elm, but i don’t see it on their site anymore. it’s a few years old.
do you remember what white you used ? its so crisp and perfect !
this is benjamin moore’s ‘decorator white’. :)
thanks!
Sarah
Vancouver
So inspired by your bedroom, every time I see it. I love that dramatic wall and the gold against it. I am a big believer in the transformation of paint….I would paint everything if I could. :)
xo
Melis
Hey I know this is an old post, but do you happen to have the information on the flooring? I love the color/style! Thanks.