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"House Tour"
Thanks to a pair of fucshia curtains that inspired me to repaint the walls (white!), our guest bedroom has undergone a refresh. I think it’s kind of cool to see how tastes evolve and how that evolution affects what you do with some of the same basic items. We didn’t get any new furniture for this room, so it’s just the same stuff used in a different way. I updated items with new fabric or paint and added a few new accessories for what seems like a brand new room. Because the walls are white I brought in color and interest via fabrics, finishes, and accessories. So, this is definitely something renters, who aren’t able to paint their walls, can do as well.
Here’s how the room looked before:
And here it is now. The headboard really makes a major difference along that back wall.
The paintings on the walls are all originals and painted by me. (See more about my first abstract painting here.) The plates as art are from Target and Crate & Barrel.
While I didn’t replace sheets or duvet cover, I did buy two down-filled 26 inch euro pillows and navy euro pillow cases from Ikea. Several of the other updates in the room were easy DIY projects. To see more detail in previous posts click below:
- Burlap headboard with nailhead trim
- Painted dresser with gold feet
- Striped Bench
- No-Sew Pillow
- DIY Framed Art
- DIY Abstract Art
It doesn’t have to cost and arm and a leg to completely change the look of a space. Here’s the budget breakdown:
Homemade headboard – $80
Curtains – $60
Bed skirt – $30
Paint – $47
Fabric – $3
Sunburst mirror -$40
Total: $260
You can easily spend $260 on a headboard alone so updating the entire room for that price is great. Has one item inspired a whole room makeover? Or have you refreshed anything around the house lately?
-J
-J
Instead of going out and buying new furniture to redo the home office we both share, I challenged myself to update it using what we already have, not spending more than $150. In addition to my own self-imposed challenge, the mini makeover came with stipulations from the husband. I kind of imagine this is what it’s like for professional designers who have clients that insist on certain items staying. He specifically requested that two items remain: the futon (he had as a bachelor ) and a rollup, cloth Godzilla poster. It was another challenge in itself to decorate around items that would’ve been on my “goodbye” list. But when he saw the “after” of the room he was really happy his things were incorporated, so I am glad.
The biggest impact came from a fresh coat of paint and curtains. I also added lighting and accessories. The Godzilla poster inspired the bold color for the garage sale lamps. I shopped the house for most of the other accessories. The ghost chairs and pillows came from the master bedroom. Since the office furniture remained the same, the main difference was just rearranging it. I separated the glass and metal wrap around corner desk into two separate desks. Before, the two main desk areas were connected by this corner piece.
The black shelves displaying A’s movies and trophies moved to a different wall. 
I rehung the Godzilla poster above the futon and incorporated some meaningful souvenirs from a special trip to South America by hanging them on letter hooks. (I already had the hooks, originally from the dollar bin at Michaels.)
The room used to read as dark and uninviting, but now the new wall color (BM Stonington Gray) and bright accessories make it feel much more welcoming. It’s basically a microcosm of the whole house in terms of color scheme: a mix of softer neutrals, pops of white, with a little bit of bold and bright. I am enjoying the difference!
Here’s the final cost breakdown as it is here:
Wall Paint – $33
Curtains – $11
Corkboard – $8
Tacks – $2
Fabric – $5
Garage sale lamps – $8
Spray Paint – $4
Wire organizers – $7
Ceramic owl – $2.50
Rug – $15
2 Lamp shades – $32
Total: $127.50
How about you guys? Have you decorated a room around a sentimental piece? Or do you issue any self imposed challenges for anything else? Like exercise or nutrition? Do tell.
-J
P.S. You too can get your very own Godzilla poster – take a look here.
Update: I found the chairs on sale – yay!
Sharing with….Thrifty Decor Chick, Working with What You Have
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