Young House Love

Home Decorating & DIY Tutorials

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A Fast Bedroom Makeover

Well, it’s late on Sunday night as I sit down to write this post. We just got back from a whirlwind weekend in Northern Virginia, where we did everything from helping John’s sister with a bedroom update to buying some stuff for the nursery. So today we’ll be chronicling ten things that we helped Carrie shop for, hang, and install into her bedroom for a nice little “adult upgrade.” And here’s Carrie now…

Carrie Picture Of Carrie

She recently asked us to help her to create a “grown up bedroom” after saving up some cash over the last few years since our painting sesh in her apartment back in 2011 (remember that?). She told us that she was ready to spring for a few nicer items – like an upholstered headboard, more substantial side tables, two table lamps, new art or a mirror for over the bed, and some updated bedding. So we got to work hunting down some options for her to choose from, while working with some of the things that she already had (like her Ikea curtains from 2008, the paint color we rolled on a few years back, and the green and tan area rug that she’s had for a while).

The vibe that she wanted was “that-soothing-mostly-white-hotel-room-meets-Olivia-Pope’s-bedroom vibe” (that’s literally how she described her dream bedroom to us). So we just got together and watched a bunch of Scandal on the DVR with big ol’ glasses of red wine in our hands and willed the room to redo itself. Just kidding, we shopped, assembled, and finished her room in about 24 hours this weekend (after ordering a number of things beforehand). So here’s how it looked when we got there on Saturday morning (don’t mind the missing bed skirt that usually hides the stuff under the bed):

Carrie Before

And here’s a moodboard that we made for the room, just because it’s fun to see how moodboard items can “translate” to real life (and we have some real-life after photos right within this post – so there’s about to be some instant gratification!). Oh but it probably helps to mention that this board didn’t get tossed together all at once – it was more of a slow-build over a few weeks’ time (we showed Carrie a ton of options in a bunch of price ranges for many of these objects so that she could make the call and choose what she truly liked best – especially since it was her moolah and her room).

Seven Things Mood Board

  1. We thought two of these Pier 1 pillows (on clearance for $14.98) would look nice in front of the white shams on her bed.
  2. This geometric brass-framed mirror for over the bed gives off that hotel-chic vibe (and it’s just $39.99 from Target).
  3. We thought this on-clearance soft seersucker king-sized bedding would add some nice texture (we always love a king-sized duvet/quilt/coverlet for a queen-sized bed, just because it provides extra drapey-ness)
  4. This $29 beaded metallic pillow is a fun complement to the green pillows, while tying into some other brass-toned choices in the moodboard.
  5. A set of two of these shapely chic lamps were $149 from Joss & Main (Carrie loved the posh brass bases and finials).
  6. This curvy queen-sized upholstered headboard was another Joss & Main find for $269 (the brass nail-head details sealed the deal).
  7. Carrie actually found these dapper little castered brass side tables from Ballard Designs herself (at 15% off) – and we all loved how they tied in with other items we’d been eying for her.

Those last three items were obviously more in the “splurge” category – but it was fun to mix in clearanced pillows and some discounted bedding along with a nice upscale-looking-but-affordable mirror. So here’s her room now, after adding those seven things (well, ten since there were two green pillows, two lamps, and two side tables).

Carrie After

It’s amazing how much the room has changed. The big curvy headboard and brass-framed mirror instantly added a ton of polish, and for some reason even the ceilings feel higher.

Carrie Straight On

And things like those charming white ceramic lamps on the brass side tables…

Carrie Nailhead Detail

…along with the textured new bedding and pillows, have added even more of that upscale, soothing-as-heck vibe.

Carrie Pillow Detail

It was really nice to work with some of the things she’s had for a nice long time, like those six year old curtain sheers and the existing rug. We also brought over two of these faux topiaries that we’ve had forever as a little room-warming gift for her windowsills.

Carrie Olive Plant In Window

As for Carrie’s reaction to the room, it was pretty awesome (come to think of it, I wish we had gotten it on film). She said she loved it about a million times, and even texted us later to say “I don’t think I said thank you enough. I’m in love with the bedroom. It looks better than I ever thought it could. Thank you! Thank you!” Is she sweet or what?

We also grabbed these detail shots for you, just to show that when you’re going for the white-on-white-with-with-small-pops-of-other-colors thing (like green and gold), you don’t want everything to be the same texture, because that can end up looking kind of flat. So instead, if you’re going with a somewhat monochromatic pattern, it’s fun to layer in some different materials, sheens, textures, and subtle patterns.

Carrie Grid Of Textures

For example, in one pretty small space you can find all of these things in the mix:

  • hard metallic nail-heads against the plush upholstered headboard
  • shiny white ceramic lamps with gleaming gold bases
  • breezy white curtains with some subtle pattern
  • a nice reflective mirror to bounce around more light
  • texture-rich seersucker bedding
  • a metallic beaded accent pillow

Oh and one simple organizing detail that we loved about Carrie’s apartment was this hook rail that she had hung for her chunky necklaces a while back. It’s such an easy and functional way to see all of her statement necklaces, and she says she wears them a lot more (and it helps to keep them from getting tangled up in a drawer). So I couldn’t resist sharing a shot of that:

Carrie Jewelry Hook Rail

So a big thanks goes out to Carrie for the fun challenge and for letting us share her bedroom with the internetz. We’ll be back with some more DIY stuff for you this week (and an awesome thrift store find for our own house!) since this was pretty much just hunting/hanging/installing stuff. We’re just so glad that that Carrie’s sweetly smitten with her “new” bedroom, and that we could see a mood board come to life and share it with you guys! What did you do this weekend? Was anyone else at Ikea on Sunday night? It was a madhouse. But sort of a fun madhouse…

Comments

  3. liz says

    Talent Strikes Again!

    Love your makeover, maintainable elegance with out being so stuffy!Love the egg tray as a jewelry organizer! Copying that idea for sure.

    Love reading about you guys, I am a little late to the party but so happy to find your blog, love your style, and your “voice” in the way you guys write… Also of course-the happenings of your adorable growing family!

    Your book is on its way to me now! Eeeeek!

    Reply

  4. Elizabeth says

    I’ve been stalking headboards like that on Joss & Main, but have been concerned about attaching it to a bed frame easily. Did it come with “easy to understand” means of attaching it?

    Would love more details!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Yes, it had two steel legs in the box with nuts and bolts so you can screw it into place securely and even lower it or raise it until you like the placement.

      xo
      s

  5. Rachel K says

    I love it!! A little unrelated but the first thing I thought when I saw the pic of John’s sister was “My son would yank that necklace right off my neck”. Goodbye dangly earrings too, lol!

    Reply

  8. Joyce says

    Love the room, it looks great! I’ve seen some things on Joss & Main that I liked but have been hesitant to purchase. I feel that some things are still a bit pricey and I generally like to see things in person before buying. What has your experience been with Joss & Main purchases.

    thank you for your opinion.

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      We’ve ordered a few big things from them over the last few years and have generally been really happy with them with one bad egg, haha! We got our white tufted ottoman in our living room from them as well as our big morroccan green rug (used to be in our living room, now it’s in our bedroom) and love both of them. Then we got a pink wool rug from them and it was super sheddy and frustrating over time (we no longer even use it because it was putting off bigger and bigger hairballs as the months went on). But otherwise we’ve been really happy, and the lamps and headboard were great. Not a scratch on them, and the quality felt nice and solid.

      xo
      s

  9. Cass says

    Nice room makeover! I have a question (please ignore my Canadian spellings): I’m in the process of doing a “grown-up” room myself…totally using the hook idea for hanging necklaces…but your shot of the bed skirt made me realise that I have no idea how to choose a bed skirt colour.

    Do I match it to my sheets (I have solid cream-coloured ones…just the one set…but I wash them weekly!) or to my quilt (white background with multi-coloured fabrics in the blocks). Would a cream bed skirt clash with the white of the quilt, or would a white skirt clash with the cream sheets? I’m clueless about this sort of thing.

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      I would pay the most attention to whether it goes with your quilt (either the same color or one that works nicely with it) since you don’t see the sheets much but always see it with the quilt. So for example, a white quilt with a white skirt and cream sheets would probably work great. Good luck!

      xo
      s

    • Carrie Petersik says

      Thanks! I wear that shirt all the time. It is from Banana Republic. I purchased it in January 2013. Hopefully they still make similar tops!

  11. Kismet says

    Couldn’t you talk her out of that awful fan/light?? Gah!

    I love the color scheme. You did a great job and it looks fab.

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      She’s a renter so that has to stay! It actually doesn’t look too bad in person (it kinda ties into the brass) and it’s functional because it keeps her room cool :)

      xo
      s

  12. mp says

    Love it!!! I’m getting ready to finish up the gut reno I started on my bedroom three years ago, so this is encouragement for me! I can see why Carrie said a million thank-yous.

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      So smart right? I have used one for earrings for years (got it back in NYC during my college days). It’s nice to keep everything separate but easy to see.

      xo
      s

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Sadly those flash sale sites are rarely allowed to say the brand and when they come their tags are usually removed (like items in TJ Maxx). Anyone recognize them? Maybe check overstock or amazon to see if they’re on there with the brand listed?

      xo
      s

  16. Kissy says

    Is it just me or is the joss and main website a pain? I’ve never shopped there and wanted to check it out but it sends me on an endless….click the link…reset your password….link is expired ridiculous loop.

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Oh no! That never happens for me but it sounds super annoying. Anyone have tips for Kissy? Is it your browser? Maybe try going through Firefox if you usually used Explorer? Not sure if that will help…

      xo
      s

  18. Mary D says

    FYI – I hate to share my secret, but you can usually find those egg crate dishes at TJ Maxx, Marshalls, Ross and Home Goods for only about 3 bucks! They are prefect on top of the dresser, but if you have a few of them they are also great inside the drawer too.

    Reply

  19. Laurie says

    Love it! It’s totally Oliva Pope-ish!

    What do you guys do for a bed that has a frame that won’t let a bed skirt hang properly? The bottom mattress shows so it needs something.

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      There’s a cool pin on Pinterest about upholstering your boxspring (just wrapping it in fabric) so it looks finished if you can’t get a skirt to work. Maybe just search “boxspring” and see if it comes up?

      xo
      s

  21. Andrea says

    Love the redo, and thank you for the shot of her necklace collection. I have an old coat rack just like that, that once hung in my grandpas farm workshop that I refinished and let my mom ‘use’ (It was always too big for an apartment!). I think I need to reclaim it and copy this idea!

    Reply

  22. Kari says

    Ahh I love this post, mostly because Carrie’s Second Design Dilemma is the reason I started reading ya’ll’s blog! An old DC co-worker of mine sent me the link back-in-the-day because it looked identical to the kind of room that I was moving into at the time (seriously- I think it’s the exact same apartment that I won’t mention on here out of respect for your privacy!). Ironally, I moved to Richmond 2 years ago after a short stay in DC/NoVa and became truly hooked! Your local whereabouts and thrift finds had me at hello. Keep being awesome :)

    Reply

  24. Kit Kat says

    I am curious why a mirror above the headboard? It does look nice but I would be afraid of it falling and breaking?

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      We just looked at a bunch of options for art or mirrors (art is fun to add color or texture or interest, and mirrors bounce around a lot of light and can add that extra gleam) and this one was Carrie’s favorite – and the price was right.

      xo
      s

  26. Jen says

    Oh my, I looked back at the previous post from 2011 and you mentioned Starbucks being next to the nearest Lowes. As a resident of Nova, I couldn’t help but think you must have been about a mile from where I currently live. If you really were at the Beacon Hill Lowes, you need to know there is a new Homegoods in the same shopping center now and a great store up the highway called Evolution Home that has antiques and consignments.

    Reply

  27. Kelly says

    I love the bedroom – especially the new headboard. This may be a silly question but do you attach the headboard to a generic metal bed frame? I have wanted to order a headboard but wasn’t sure what it attached to and if it would be difficult to do by myself. Any advice or suggestions would be appreciated. Thank you!
    Kelly

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Yes, it came with metal legs and the hardware to attach those into a standard cheap-o bedframe! It worked pretty easily and we could even raise and lower it to choose the height!

      xo
      s

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Aw thanks! We actually realized that we talk about goals during blogiversary week in late Sept so it’s sort of repetitive to do more of that in Jan… so we decided to keep that stuff around the blogiversary since it’s when we dive into the business side and behind the scenes stuff :)

      xo
      s

  34. Kim says

    my 13 year old got the same comforter from Santa! She wanted a PBteen one, but way too much $$. It is soft and I love the hotel white look! You guys rock! Love the way Carrie’s room came together!

    Reply

  35. Nancy says

    Funny how everyone has honed in on the jewelry organization! Great ideas and the room re-do looks perfect. I have to say that I love the faux topiaries you guys brought. You said you’ve had them forever, but I’d love to know where you found them if you remember. I need to add some plants inside my house and I just can’t manage to keep anything green alive! Thanks.

    Reply

  37. Victoria says

    I’m completely in love with that headboard! I would buy something similar in a heartbeat but our master bedroom is in the basement of our new house and there’s basically a shelf all the way around the room to accommodate the foundation. Our current short and stocky headboard (the tops of 3 IKEA Lack tables attached to each other) looks weird to me. Are you guys still doing the reader design dilemma articles? If so, I’ll try to take photos in the limited Alaska daylight tomorrow. My poor room needs help!

    Reply

  39. Lacy says

    I just bought that exact starburst mirror from target. Im totally in love with it. I also went to ikea today (monday) :) love your blog!!!!!!!!! i read it every week…keep up the awesome diy-ing!!!

    Reply

  41. Alana P says

    Is there a link to the headboard? I found one that looks like it but not the same shape on Joss and Main! Thanks!! I have that mirror already and adore it!

    Reply

  42. Leah says

    I often see these before/after pictures. I do love the results; Carrie’s room looks lovely. But, my big question is this: what happened to her stuff? It seems like her alarm clock and other items that were prevalent are now gone. Was she already getting rid of them, or are they going back after the pictures?

    I always wonder about that in makeovers. The room is often not clean beforehand, so that makes an even bigger difference. Maybe I just want to see a pic of her room decorated pretty but a little cluttery again :-)

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      John and I use our cell phones as our alarm clocks, so when we told Carrie that she suggested putting her alarm clock on the second tier of the far away end table (so that’s still in the room, just hidden by the bed, haha!). I think she was going to try using her phone and if not she had her alarm clock on that other side to use as usual. Just simple things like hiding clutter on the lesser seen end-table can work well while still keeping things that you need on hand. As for other items, she’s planning to craigslist the old side tables (they were from Ikea) and the old lamp is now in her office along with the art that was above the bed. Now that the bedskirt is back on, there’s still stuff hiding under the bed too!

      xo
      s

    • Leah says

      Fair enough! Thanks for the deets. I like seeing places when they look both made over and lived in. I appreciate that you about your blog — you often show us how life works with your designs.

  43. Ainsley says

    I love this makeover! So lovely. It’s giving me hope for our bedroom–it’s in serious need of an update!

    Do you guys ever think about doing small room makeovers like this for folks? I think it’d be such a fun extension of your work!

    Reply

  44. Amanda says

    If you use a king duvet cover for a queen bed, do you also use a king comforter, or do you use a queen and let the cover do the draping?

    Reply

  46. Meredith from Penelope Loves Lists says

    You know this organized girl is drooling (not literally, luckily) over the statement necklace organization. There is NOTHING that makes me happier than a storage solution that’s also pretty.

    And I love the mirror over the bed. So gorgeous. It’s annoying that we Bay Area Californians can’t do that. Earthquakes and all. We can dream, though. Looks awesome.

    Reply

  49. Charlotta says

    Ha, yes, I went to IKEA on Sunday (not night, but afternoon). It was as much of a madhouse as it gets in my town, which isn’t much actually. I live in >Sweden, and there is a great difference between going to any of the IKEAs in the Stockholm area (which is an absolute nightmare any day of the week) and going to the one in Uppsala, which is my closest town. Small town IKEAs ftw! :) And I managed to get out of there with only stuff that I needed (yes, I totally needed 1.5 meters of that amazing Blåvinge fabric).

    Reply

  50. Amelia Woodford says

    Already commented in your maternity MO blog then saw this one- yes it was a madhouse at IKEA that Sunday! we went for the first time on a weekday and thought it was nicer than the one in CP, MD (we live in DC) … only to find out the drawers we wanted for our PAX system were out of stock and they said it would be stocked by Sunday hence our “quick” trip back down there (getting them at $10 each instead of $40 makes it all worthwhile AND seeing you guys!) :D My husband was going to go in for me because our daughter fell asleep in the car, but I decided to go in (I handle crowds better) and I’m glad I did! (ok time for me to shut up now :D)

    Reply

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