Law Students

It's Like a Little Bit of HGTV

By Anonymous

Hopefully that title doesn't get your expectations too high- this is going to be more like HGTV on a crash diet with bad lighting, no film crew, and a single very un-trained designer who took band in middle school just to avoid the disaster that would have been her in Art class. So, with that set-up, and if you're interested in these sorts of things, I'd like to show you a few pictures of our master bedroom.

This is what the room looked like 2 months after we moved in:

Too big, too bland, and too little furniture. The pieces we did have were a motley collection from childhood (my side table), craigslist (our bed frame and JP's side table), and college (our dressers). I kept our room for last because (1) hardly anyone sees it and (2) I wanted to do it right. We saved money for nearly 18 months and purchased a master bedroom set through Costco (I know, Costco? but it's really nice stuff and the set was nearly $1,000 cheaper than the other "discount" furniture places in Austin). During those 18 months I slowly purchased linens and other decor through Crate & Barrel sales and those giant Bed Bath & Beyond coupons you get in the mail every few weeks. We also painted and installed a new, much prettier ceiling fan (and by "we" I do not mean me).

The colors really never come across as well in pictures, but the walls are a soft silvery blue. My goal was to create a room that looked nothing like the rest of the house. I wanted it to be soothing and almost hotel like- a little retreat for JP and me. And I love it. We still have a few projects. There's a picture (a canvas JP bought on the banks of the Seine in Paris 6 years ago that we'd totally forgotten about until I cleaned out the closets two weeks ago) being framed at Hobby Lobby right now that will go up on one blank wall by the bed and a shelf on back order from West Elm that will go on the other (with a few accessories), but it's close. And of course we have a few baby items that are temporary additions to the room- the changing table in one corner and folded up co-sleeper in another. But it feels like a real grown-up's space and I still get a smile on my face every time I come in.

The bathroom was redone as well, though I forgot to get pictures of it. It has a slightly darker paint color (a grey with more blue in it) that looks great with our dark cabinets, brushed silver fixtures and accessories, and white towels and rugs. If only I could get JP to use the beautiful mirrored medicine cabinet I had him install instead of spreading his toiletries out on the counter. His brightly colored tube of tartar control toothpaste really messes with my aesthetic.

Pics of the nursery coming tomorrow!

Full post as published by Lag Liv on March 20, 2010 (boomark / email).