Update: We brought in a few of the items on our to-do list below and it changed everything! Well, not everything, but a few things came out (the brown blanket is history, at least in this room) and a few other things moved around. Gotta love those last minute tweaks. Check out the whole shebang here.
Here’s what things are looking like right now (well, as of an hour ago when we snapped these pics and uploaded them):
Which is definitely an improvement on Monday’s more spartan look…
… but we still have lots to do (an quite a few things aren’t in their “final resting place”) but here’s what we’ve checked off so far:
- Get all of the junk out of there (thanks to a Habitat for Humanity ReStore pickup & moving stuff into the playroom)
- Buy a mattress & boxsping along with a cheap-o bed frame
- Dress said bed with already-owned bedding
- Add shower curtain & other bathroom essentials (towels, new toilet seat cover, etc)
- Paint the room
- Hang curtains
And here’s our outstanding to do list:
- Hang something above the bed to balance out the big window to the left (probably a large round mirror to soften the harsh angles)
- Add a nightstand & table lamp (here’s hoping we actually get around to this one)
- Put something on the empty bookcase between the bathroom door and the bedroom door (which will eventually be switched out for a proper dresser that we can use to store a ton of stuff)
- Wash and hem the curtains
As for the room’s layout, we tried about a million different things (bed placed diagonally in the corner, bed on the other window wall, bed centered on the back wall, etc) and this is the configuration that we loved most. Especially once we added in things that we knew we’d be including, like our green headboard (see how we DIYed that here) and our old yellow Pottery Barn rug from the living room (since we’re due to get a rug much bigger than 5 x 8 in there for Karl).
The off-centered, foot-of-the-bed rug placement wasn’t exactly intuitive, but we loved the rug so much with the walls and the bedding that we vowed to make it work. Bringing in those two slipper chairs that used to live in the living room (and squishing them together like a loveseat) helped to make sense of the rug placement and add balance to that side of the room. And once we introduce a night table to the left of the bed we think it’ll look even more balanced and make more sense in the space. Speaking of balance, we can’t wait to hang something above the headboard as we mentioned up in our little bulleted list. It’ll help balance out the window to the left of the bed, and a large round mirror is at the top of our list (for the nice curves it’ll add to a room with so many rectangles and squares).
We also added a $10 white bedskirt from Target to complement all of the existing bedding that we already had from our old guest room (the brown and white blanket is from Bed Bath & Beyond back in the day, the white comforter is from Ikea, the printed pillow cases are from Pottery Barn, the yellow pinwheel pillow is from Target, and the long blue pillow is from TJ Maxx a while back). The bedding isn’t 100% finalized, we just threw everything that we already had on and though it looked kinda fun. Who knows where we’ll end up tomorrow after we finish those last few to-do list items though…
Psst- There’s already been an update and a few of the bedding items have been switched out – check out this post for the room as it looked when our guests arrived.
Oh and the curtains are from Ikea.
They were $39 for two, which makes them $19 a pop. Not bad for extra long 95″ curtains (86″ ones never quite do it for me since I like them hung extra high to make standard ceilings like ours feel taller). Of course I still have to wash and hem them. Ack. And add crown molding above them – but that’ll have to wait a while.
When it comes to the little things, we even switched out the hardware on the closet door from this basic brass pull…
…to this cute lime greeny-yellow one (with oil-rubbed bronze hardware to match our curtain rods) for $1.25 at Hobby Lobby. Oh and speaking of those curtain rods, they’re from Target for just $9.99 a pop.
I’m off to finish those last few items on our to do list (and move things around for the 100th time), but I’ll leave you with this pic of what the room looked like just eight short days ago:
How crazy is that? You’ve come a long way baby.
How cheerful! I love it, and I’m sure Sherry’s parents will, too!
Love Love Love the wall color so much. Tried a teal blue on one wall in living room awhile back and lived with it for about a week and than had to paint it over it just stared to look baby blue in the room. I have to show my husband the color you used love it so much. He will have that look on his face when i tell him want to pain again!!!!!! I have loved your website for a few years now it just keeps getting better and better!!!!
Debi
Modesto, CA.
getcha some! it looks fantastic!
What a bright and sunny room! Does it make you regret not buying that single night stand on holiday?
Nah, not really- it was in really bad condition so we never could have sanded and restained it in time for mom’s arrival. We’ll figure something out I hope! We better- time’s a wasting!
xo,
s
Awesome job!
I agree…those curtians just dont do it for me. The rest of the room is cute though. And if you guys love it, well then who cares what we think!!! Great job on finishing that room so quickly. Your family will love it.
Hmm gotta say I love everything except the curtains. I love all the bright happy colors though! (I want to see the green luggage rack in there… it seems like it will look great with the headboard!)
Everything looks great, and I love that no 2 things are the same, but they look great together. I have to agree with annabelvita… I love it all except the curtains. Just doesn’t seem quite right. BUT, it’s your space and you’re the ones that have to love it! :) That’s all that really matters. :)
Agreed..everything works except the drapes..maybe you can dye those drapes in yellow that way the blue in em will turn green and you’ll have something that goes with the rest of the decor!
I have to also agree with Angela, Nichole and Aaroohii… something about the curtains and the bed together – just not quite right. Individually they work but together…???hhmmmmmm.
But its YOURS not mine plus your parents are coming to see the family not the room. Overall SUPER job YHL.
Same here..love the colors, just not the curtains. actually surprised with that choice—-doesn’t seem your style! have a nice fmily visit!
That was my first thought, too- everything is amazing… but the curtains. Love the teal walls, yellow rug, and the general cheeriness of the room! And love seeing it come together piece by piece….
I agree, but I think it might be the combination of the curtains and the brown and white blanket. I think the brown and white blanket is what is throwing things off. Love all the bright colors.
Brown and white blanket is dead to me. Dead I tell you. And now there’s something else at the bottom of the bed. Woot! Pics tomorrow!
xo,
s
I actually LOVE the curtains and think they tie all the patterns together really nicely.
I’m so relieved. The curtains + blanket combination weren’t working for me. They just seemed….off. But I still think this is the best wall color you’ve ever done, so I’m excited to see the changes you made tomorrow!
Jennifer B.
That’s exactly what I was going to say! LOVE the room (please God tell me where you got those colorful pillowcases) but the curtains I just don’t like at all. Aside from that, pure adoration!
Those pillow cases are from Pottery Barn a while back. Maybe try ebay? Good luck!
xo,
s
Good job you two! Love love love the headboard color with the color of the room. It makes it so fun and exciting! Have fun with the fam.
Looks awesome! I am totally in love with the paint color. Who knew bold could look so light. Hope you have a great time with your parents!
Love it!
I also wanted to add, I love the way you’ve incorporated circles in all over the room. From the curtains to the yellow pillows to the brown blanket, to the someday-mirror – it’s really cohesive!
Very colorful! Love it! Looks great! Cannot wait for you guys to do the kitchen! It was my favorite room on the other house! I’ll wait paciently…
Wow must of been typing fast meant to type paint not pain but pain works cause that will be the look on his face! ha ha lol
Wow!!! With the dark wall color, this still looks so bright! Nicely done!
I love everything about this room! All the different colors/patterns don’t match…they go! Love it, nice job :)
wow, you did it again!
ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT!!! The play on different patterns is out of this world! It looks great. The bedding from the other house looks fantastic with the new curtains. Might be my favorite room yet and you did it in such a short time frame. Looks like it could have been featured in an old Dominoe magazine issue. Way to go!
Going to be honest. I don’t love it. I love the wall color and while I understand you are trying to repurpose (one of the things I love about you guys) but I feel like you need to do some design editing after your guests leave. I just don’t see the cohesiveness of the room. It just feels like 19 random colors and patterns put into a room. Hopefully you feel that this is constructive criticism… b/c there is always much love for young house love from me.
No worries at all! We know different people will react differently to our rooms, and we never expect everyone to love everything we do (personal preferences and design senses definitely vary)!
We must admit that we’ve already tweaked a few things (gotta love those last minute changes) and we can’t wait to share the final pics when we have everything in place. Teaser: the brown blanket is gone, the chairs have been tweaked, there’s now something at the foot of the bed, we’ve added a side table, we hung something above the headboard, etc. Woot!
xo,
s
Unfortunately, I have to agree, Heather. I’m not digging it. I like the *idea* of it but all the patterns aren’t doing the trick for me. It sort of makes me head hurt. I feel like the room could be editted a little bit and be fabulous. I am digging the wall color and the bright palate.
I have to be honest, too….I’m not diggin it….which is sooo unlike my usual reaction when I see what you’ve done. Nothing seems like it goes together. :(
Its funny Sarah Richardson is having the same problem with her new show Design 101. She is using loads of patterns, colour and recyled/antique furnature, and people just are not going for it. I myself find it refreshing from the typ. Ikea/ scandinavian design that has been around for a while now. Love the curtians and the layering of fabrics and colour.
Maybe that’s my issue! I love Sarah Richardson and think the way that she layers patterns and colors is so much fun! Haha.
I’m definitely really excited about how it has shaped up in the last few hours (as is John, and from what we can tell Burger and Clara love our last minute tweaks too). So maybe once we share the final pics tomorrow you guys will be on board with a few of the edits that we made and some of the new things that we brought in? If not, no worries! To each his own!
xo,
s
You know, layered patterns can be tricky, and not for everyone, but as long as you keep complementary scales it really can work. My first reaction was that I love the whimsy and the springy cheeriness of this room. The backbone is such that you can change it with the seasons and create many different moods just with some shams and a blanket. I think for this time of year it sends the right message. I was surprised at the polka dots, but pleasantly so!
I agree with this. I loved the color but was sad to see what was done with the room. There are too many patterns going on.
Then you’ll be happy to hear that things are already changing! Gotta love those last minute tweaks. Check out the update at the end of the post for more details. Pics to come tomorrow!
xo,
s
I am in love with your house and often wish I lived in it. I was SO excited about the bold wall colour but with the whole room together it looks like something is not quite appealing to me. I think it’s the curtains with the floral pillow cases. I like them both separately but maybe not together. Still a thumbs up for pulling this all together in such a short amount of time!!!!
It looks awesome! Love all the color you guys brought in the room!
Wow wow WOW! Love it! I don’t know how you do it. I would have never thought to put all those elements together in a room… and have it come out as beautifully as that!
By the way, where is the luggage rack going to live? I think it would look great if you kept it the lime green color.
Right now it’s in the closet with some empty hangers. But who knows where it’ll end up. We still have 24 hours… haha.
xo,
s
I love it, too! I LOVE colors!!! And I really like all the different patterns.
How fun! It’s so bright & eclectic looking! Ack I just LOVE it :)
I agree! With all the patterns I feel like I shouldn’t like it (I’m still multiple-pattern timid), but I think it’s great!
Love the dark wall color and love ALL the colors in your accessories, it makes it so cheerful. Your guests may not to leave.
It is way better than I ever could have imagined. And I imagined it looking pretty great! There are so many colors in the room and I wouldn’t think it could work, but it totally does. Oh I love it!
Wow! I am totally not daring enough to try this mismatched look but I must say…I LOVE IT! It’s a totally cheery place and I’m ready to spend the night at your house. I do have one question weren’t you using the chairs and the rug somewhere else?
Yup, the chairs and rug used to be in our living room, but Karl (the new sectional) arrived and we no longer needed such a small rug (it’s only 5×8) or any chairs since our sectional is huuuuge!
xo,
s
It looks wonderful! I love all of the color – just gorgeous.
I’m loving all the colors and patterns you’ve got going on in there… it all looks so happy!! I never would have thought to put all those things together. You guys are so good!
I love the colors – bright and bold at the same time. However, all the prints seem too much to me! Something about the brown blanket with the pillows, rug, and curtains doesn’t sit right. I would ditch the brown blanket. Beautiful job in such a short amount of time!
I think the brown blanket is the only thing I don’t love.
Wow, what a transformation!!! Love it!!
Cute cute cute! Love all the bits of color all around the room. Your folks will love it!
Man, you guys work fast! Great job.
I really love it! I thought at first it would be too dark, but the bright colored accessories really make the room. I would love to see the green luggage rack used in this space. Maybe with a tray as a side table. I think whatever goes above the bed should be white. There are already enough colors with the rest of the room. Great space!
Really wonderful. I love it! Especially the pillows & the curtains. How have I never seen those at Ikea?!
The room looks great! I’m on a similar mission to get our guest room put together before my parents arrive in a couple of weeks. Have you thought about creating a floating nightstand? It might be a nice option with the window right there, and certainly a cheap DIY project that could be changed out later.
We definitely still have some sort of nightstand solution on our to do list. Ack- gotta get that done!
xo,
s
the paint color, bedding + rug look fantastic together. but the curtains are throwing it off a bit? Also, wouldn’t the chairs look better set up as just that, being that it is fairly obvious that it is 2 chairs and not a bench? sorry- it just gives the room a very amateur look.
Wow, what a huge difference! I am constantly in awe at how well you guys put a room together. I love this guest room. It is so fun and lively!
W.O.W.
never in a million years would have put together such an array of colors and patterns, but i must admit… it looks so FABULOUS!!! great job. can’t wait to see the final product. i have a feeling, this room will end up in my inspiration file!
Amazing space. All the colors play so nicely together and the curtains are a subtle playful touch. SUbtle and playful seems like an oxymoron doesn’t it! But, that was my first thought. Subtly playful, or perhaps a mature playful is better?
I love the idea of something round over the bed, too. But, do you ever worry about what the mirror will be reflecting? I know I am not in your space and that changes SO much, but it seems a mirror over the bed would be reflecting the bathroom. No? I suppose it’s a non-issue if your guests keep that door closed. It is very possible this is my own odd paranoia about hanging mirrors ;)
Anyway, I would love to hear your thoughts about mirrors and what they are reflecting.
Good question! We’ll have to hold a mirror that we already have up to see what it reflects. The bathroom door is way in the corner so I think it’ll probably mostly reflect the wall above the bookshelf, but we’ll have to see…
xo,
s
Looks awesome! I love all of the pops of color and those curtains!!
cute! i love it…now back to read the how-to.
p.s. do y’all do reader redesigns anymore?
We’ve stuck to sharing things that have been going on in our house (diary style like the good old days) recently, but feel free to share your Reader Redesigns over on our Facebook page. We love that!
xo,
s
I LOVE all the colors – it looks bright and cheery but somehow still pulled together and chic.
So cute! I love all the colors. Can I come stay? :-) It looks vacation-y which is really nice for a guest room. Is it bad I spend half my work day waiting to see your guest room (or the new couch or the latest paint job…).
I actually said “WOW!” when that first photo popped up. Great job, as always!
I must not have very good decorator eye because I don’t think this room matches. AT ALL!
Love it! How about putting the rug on a diagonal, you know almost diamond shape but not quite..
love it! Great job
While I love the dark blue and yellow in the room from the curtain to the rugs to the accent pillow. Everything on the bed, including the headboard seems super out of place. I think it’d be a lot more coheasive if you redid the headboard in something more neutral and got a less busy, in the same color story type bedding. I think I’d even prefer just white over it now.
I commend you on your whipping together a geust room though!
YOu guys did a great job with the room! It’s eclectic, warm, and inviiting without being too perfect or overdone. I’d be a happy guest there! (also, the bathroom post was good, too!)
Wow, this looks great guys! So bright and cheerful! I love the bold colour on the walls and I like that you’ve worked with what you’ve got on hand to pull it all together, amazing! Enjoy your time with the family, they are bound to love this room!
Forgot to add. I am in LOVE with the wall color. LOVE I say!
Have to agree a little with some previous commenters. I ALWAYS like what you do even if it’s not something I would have pictured or not my style, but this room seems to be a bit erratic. The patterns of the curtains, pillow shams, bed blanket, and rug just don’t seem to go together. I love the wall color, the white bedding, and the touches of brown and yellow, though. Just seems a little busy.
I agree. I am not sure I have ever not liked anything they have done. Something about this room has almost a cheap- thrown together look?
We’re just working with what we have, guys! And as we mention in this post, a lot of things aren’t in their “final resting place” (we’ve already nixed a few things, like the brown blanket, and added in a few more items from our to-do list). Can’t wait to share the pics tomorrow!
xo,
s
I think you two did a fab job working with what you have! Besides, who says everything always has to be matchy-matchy? (as my wise mother-in-law often says) I love the energy and spirit you guys infused into this room and I’m sure it won’t stay exactly as is, knowing your love of accessorizing :) I look forward to seeing the continued evolution of this room. And in the meantime, enjoy your family this weekend!
Don’t you just love accomplishment? Looking real good guys! Right about now, I’m having major plumbing issues so, I’m escaping vicariously through your guest room update. I need a rod out station installed &^%#$$$. Calgon, take me awayyyyyyyyy!