Our bedroom is roughly only 9 X 12; so it's pretty small and cozy. Not complaining about that. In fact, since we're empty nesters -- we could have our choice of larger bedrooms that once belonged to the kids.
But we like the cozy, quiet ambiance this room has. It's in the back of the house away from the road noise. Makes for good naps! :)
This is the position of my bed in my bedroom before my recent rearranging-- on Memorial Day.
This is over the winter-- My bed has been in this position (for the exception of a short time it was turned caddy-cornered in this corner) about 16 years!
This is a view coming in the door-- disregard the mess; I just want you to see there is a shelf to the left in this room right when you walk into the room. It used to be windows...the other side of that wall of shelves in what is now my computer room.
This is where my bed sits now.
I love my bed in this position. I have much more space all around my bed. The layout has roomy results with about 2 ft clearance all around my bed. Small by some people's standards but for defending the small home-- I say it works!
So what is my problem?
The shelves. The knick knacks, the clutter. In all reality-- just cleaning the shelves off would be a big improvement! So don't recommend that in the comments; because it wouldn't be original. I DID think of it first! ;)
So I'm looking at some options-- but nothing that requires, hammer, nails or paint. I'll be removing the striped paper in the back of the shelves. But nothing much more than that; I mean no major over-haul.
I'm looking for a decorative solution that will give me a different look but isn't permanent.
I've thought about a canopy. I like this or something like this. Casual and soft.
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Not this... too fancy and fussy for my taste.
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Love, love, love this! Have you read *home and harmony* ? Rie talks about her bedroom being the smallest in the house and making it live large with special touches... You can read it here
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I've also thought of some other options... Remember we have a cottage-farm house feel in our home...sometimes it's even got a cabin feel; especially in the winter months.
So I was looking at books... what do you think of books? Crammed to the HILT with books...
I love the deep richness of these books...but man! that's a lot of books. I did say crammed to the HILT ...maybe a bit much.
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then I saw this picture... Kind of bland. If not a little scary. Too edgy!
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Maybe something a little more down to earth. I like Amy's at MasonDecor solution here. Books with the whites of the pages showing. Knick Knacks more in keeping with a true collection! Not all hodge-podged. She has a nice touch.
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So what are your thoughts? Books and a more suitable collection of knick knacks... or a Canopy? Just cover it up?
Revi from Revisionary Life has been emailing back and forth with me about windows. She had *stray windows*
that she covered using sheet rock.
You can read about it here and here. She is decorating her home in a really nice Industrial Elegant style
She suggested via email before I posted this...
something, to cover it up without doing anything.
Thanks Revi!
That is another option for me. I'd love to hear what you think~
The grace of the LORD Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Philippians 4:23
17 comments:
We have a small room too but like you enjoy the quiet at the back of the house. I think taking the paper down and decorating in a uniform color would be calming and make the shelves look pulled together. Other than that I have not ideas really. My room is pretty set like yours too and we just keep the furniture where it fits best.
I would actually vote for moving the bed back against the original wall (or the wall with the other window) and hanging a curtain road spaning from the edge of the bed to the edge of the window to create symmetry, then you could either hand an opaque curtain to give the illusion of a larger window or do the canopy idea from it. I love built-ins and would suggest anything to save them (though I would also suggest parring down the stuff they hold so that their more decorative than ulitiltarian and paint the back of the shelves a nice darker, solid color).
I think that is the norm for larger families...parents take the small room. ;)
Definitely going to take the paper down if I don't cover this unit up with a canopy. I love the way the furniture fits now--much roomier!
Thanks for the comments. Pat
Hi Molly! So glad you chimed in on the thoughts and ideas. I like the built ins too, and am reluctant to cover them, for sentimental reasons. My husband and 2 boys built it for me years ago, when they were much younger. That is why I didn't want to just sheet rock over it. Definitely am going to pare down what goes there; but I really like the arrangement this way, we had it the other way for years and didn't think it would work this way. Right now, I'm pretty happy with.
I like your idea of a darker solid color. Hadn't thought of that.
Now the wheels are turning.
thanks for stopping by~ :)
Pat
Just a thought: if you have any of your wall paint left, painting the back of the shelves that color would give more flow to that area-- could still keep the "shelf" part white/light. Have fun looking for ideas!
I like that idea! someone suggested painting the shelves a darker color; grey is a darker color...;)
I like it.
I am definitely in the "paint the back part of the shelves a darker color to make them pop". A couple of reading lights mounting on the thicker parts of the shelves would be nice, or even "mood" lighting. Lots of luck! Ann
I'm thinking a solid paint color as opposed to the striped paper I have now...don't know how dark or what shade I'll decide on-- But the reading lights sound nice...
everyone has made great suggestions!
I don't think I have any advice....I am SO NOT creative. But hopefully with all the talented comments you've received, something will jump out at you and voila.
Check out Pinterest...tonnes to look at.
Blessings,
Connie
I like Rie's room, but if you notice, it is basically monochromatic...which makes it restful to the eye. I agree with those above, solid color (replace stripes on the wall) and if you don't want to wire the reading light(s) at the headboard area you can use pre-made wire covers that extend from the lamp down the wall. Use pattern on pillows or bed covering, but keep walls simple. :)
Have fun!
Well, my solution would be, if it were mine, to take off the wall paper, like you said you are planning on doing. Then I'd put several books on it with the white showing and then filling it in with white ironstone vases, birds whatever, even pictures, just in white, though. That will calm it right down and look beautiful with your lovely old white iron bed. I love your window treatments, it's a very pretty room.
Hugs, Cindy
PS I haven't read any of the other comments, so you may have been given some much better advise already.
I have nothing to add, sorry! I do like the idea of painting the back of the shelves the wall color. I look forward to seeing what you decide. :)
gail
I also have a small bedroom about the size of yours(I have a very small home, which I think is cozy myself).
I like the color of your room. I know in your post you said you did not want to paint but if it were my room I would probably paint the shelves the same color of your room and leave the trim white. I like a monochromactic room, to me it just feels more relaxing.
I am anxious to see what you to!
Hey Pat! I finally made it over to see your window dilemma. (Thanks for the kind words and links, too!)
A picture is worth a zillion words, though, and now that I see your room, and your fave inspiration photos, I'm wondering if a big old drop cloth or two might be just the ticket? Lowe's has them in a variety of sizes. If you did something opaque like that, you could still use the shelving for storing things you don't want to see, but don't want to get rid of! And if you get tired of it, you can upholster something, or even use it as a drop cloth. :)Keep us posted...
-Revi
I think remove the wallpaper and paint the shelves and wall background a color you love that goes with your room and fill the shelves with family photos. All kinds and all sizes. You could do frames all white/creams, black, or a mix. I personally like interesting frames of different sizes. I like to frame just really cute/funny personal photos, and also some professionally done. Can't wait to see what you do!
Hey, Pat - Thanks for your comments the past couple of days! Did you see on those bookshelves in my post from today? (the medallion wall paper or scrapbook paper or fabric they used on the back of the shelves?) I think a more up-to-date and bold pattern would look nice on your shelves, or a solid paint that is a contrasting color to your room. I have used scrapbook paper in my kitchen cabinets in the past - inexpensive. - here is where I shared that: http://theoldpostroadblog.blogspot.com/2012/01/update-on-my-kitchen-update.html
I would also consider reducing the knick-knacks and loading the shelves with books. Good luck! I am horrible about never rearranging rooms - I moved furniture all the time as a teenager ! Not sure what has happened!
Trish
I love the white canopy, love books, I like the shelves...I like everyone's ideas...maybe you could cover it with old weathered shutters of a some decoupage luann board which could slide away when you needed something from the shelves...but you can't go wrong with painted a darker or popping color, like that green in the first pic and just pare down and yes, sticking with white makes it seem restful to the eye. I love your bed, the twin to mine!
Lezlee
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