Hey homies! I really enjoyed reading through everyone’s ORC posts last week and I CANNOT wait to see every room unfold! If you’re new here or new to the One Room Challenge, it is a 6 week challenge to re-do a room from start to finish in front of everyone on the internet. Not intimidating at all. The whole thing is lovingly organized by Linda at Calling it Home and we have been asked to participate this spring!
To re-cap, we are redoing our master suite. We have literally NEVER decorated a space for ourselves. Are you shocked? I am mostly sad. The problem is, we barely have enough time to keep all of our children fed and showered let alone do something for us…thus…our master suite is going to be absolute fire. ?
Okay, so here we are…we still don’t know exactly what is going to happen with the floors. They are so much worse in person than you can see here. I just don’t know if I would ever live it down if I didn’t try…so try we will! Stay tuned.
As for the inspiration…We are going to attempt not to go total old-English-lady. Easier said than done considering the amount of Antique art Andy wants to use.
I do want everyone to have a good idea of the space, so I drew a little floor plan of what it looks like now:
Notice the extra special clothes piles, Tupperware bins and antique frames and art. This is real life. SERIOUSLY, THIS ROOM MIGHT CHANGE OUR LIVES.
Here is what we’re going for now…
We are moving our sleeping chamber (we are very fancy) to the small part of the suite because we really only *sleep* there. We are moving the massive IKEA pax closets and then creating a sitting area with two comfy chairs for all of our clothes to sit on.
In the office/sitting room, we plan on a small-ish sectional, a coffee table and two adorable matching desks. That wall where the desks are will have a TV that will be disguised in a gallery wall of antique prints (see before floor plan, no matter what, just putting art on the wall will be a huge accomplishment.)
This piece of art is a major inspiration. As noted in week 1, we found amazing original wallpaper underneath several layers and I’m hoping to bring a little of that feeling back in for the suite.
(Mid 18th century painted silk panel, either by Huet or Pillement. From the book French Interiors of the 18th Century by John Whitehead.)
See that amazing green paired with the bright orange/red/pink?! Then the little hints of blue and dark brown and black? I could stare and it all day. SOOO, because of this painting the sleeping room is going to be painted a lovely mossy green:
(These floors actually remind me of ours, except ours suck.)
Here is what I’m thinking for the bed wall:
Sorry for the grainy photo, it’s from World of Interiors from 1986. #classic. This is the bedroom of King Karl Jonah the XIV from Rosendal Castle.
So, big crown molding, sconces, some art and a canopy bed. I am learning from Pinterest that you can really f-up a canopy bed. MAINLY if you don’t use enough fabric. This week I’m going to be playing around with just how many miles of fabric I need to pull off this look.
In the sitting/office, we are painting the walls a peachy color to play along with the orange/red from the painting:
Here’s some inspo photos:
(Sir Albert Richardson’s Bedfordshire home, from World of Interiors, Sept. 2013)
Old British Lady…I told you.
We are planning on two matching desks, a lot of antique art and a *hopefully* somewhat less of an eyesore TV. But we watch TV, so that’s that, and I’m just going to own it.
Love the maximalism here. If I get rid of 3/4 of my clothes and shoes, I think I will feel totally okay with this look :)
OKAY! So now I need to actually make some decisions on furnishings…I was telling Andy in the car the other day that I feel a little guilty that I am spending so much time and putting so much energy into designing a room…that I could be solving world issues or something instead….and then I realized that I am raising 7 human beings and how they feel in our home matters. I believe in the power of home and the energy you create there. Anyway, I don’t feel guilty anymore that I spent the last 2 hours looking at only-very-slightly-different peach paint swatches.
Don’t miss everyone’s update this week!
Centsational Girl | Chris Loves Julia | Christine Dovey | Dwell With Dignity | The English Room
Glitter Guide | House of Brinson | House Updated | J+J Design Group | Lark & Linen | Abby Manchesky
Nesting Place | Old Brand New | Old Home Love | The Pink Pagoda | Rambling Renovators
Erica Reitman | Sketch 42 | Suburban B’s | Erin Williamson Media Partner House Beautiful | TM by CIH
all of these images are inspiring and i am looking forward to your color choices!
I’m always fascinated by designers whose choices are polar opposite from mine – and that, my friend, is you! I’m over here choosing between 50 shades of light gray while you’re layering mossy green over peach over orange. I cannot wait to see how this room ends up, even if your style is so different from mine. On the contrary, that’s probably the reason I am drawn to other’s colorful spaces because ours is so neutral and calm.
I love the old English lady look! Sleeping chamber + sitting room/office? Can’t wait to see it all.
You could choose the peach most flattering to your skin tone and call it wonderful. Looking forward to seeing this develop, love your inspirations.
So exciting!! I’m all in. I love that this is so different than the styles that usually saturate my feeds cheering for you!! Abby
I’m a new reader here, I can’t believe I didn’t find your blog sooner. I love your sleeping chamber idea. If you’re looking for a green, I have used Ralph Lauren Kauai (from the Naturals line) for a bedroom and it’s a wonderful, muted mossy green.
I love all of your plans! I can’t wait to see how it turns out. I especially love that you added the clothes piles to the mix…haha. I love seeing all the updates from the ORC pros. I am participating as a guest participant this year and seeing everyones ideas and plans is so inspiring.
Oh my goodness, I love you. I laughed a bunch of times at your narrative :) can’t wait to see how things come together!
I had basically that same conversation with my husband the other day – and got almost exactly the same answer back from him that you came to realize yourself (except I only have two tiny humans to feed and clothe….you two are absolute rockstars). I just finished our sons playroom and the happy memories they are making in there really do make all of those decisions worth it.
Candis, there is so much I love about this post… the colors you’ve chosen, the inspiration pics (“sorry/not sorry for the grainy picture from a book I’ve been hoarding since 1986!!”), the chinoiserie, the piles of laundry and Tupperware (ha!). I’m so, so excited to see what you do!
P.S. I also chose the colors of our home from a thrifted chinoiserie lamp and I still love the way everything works together.
I want a sitting room off of my bedroom. Love the old lady look. Now I am super curious on your furniture selection.
I love your inspiration and your current bedroom sketch! HA! Mine looks a lot like that with the piles of clothes. Somehow my hubby and I have never created a finished master bedroom either, all of the energy gets spent everywhere else settling the house, so y’all are really inspiring me to take this on too!
Wow! A sleeping chamber with a canopy bed like that really is fancy! Love the inspiration pics and looking forward to seeing all your antique artwork.
Two thumbs up for the English Old Lady look! :D As an old home lover/owner, I am following along closely.
Wow! Wow, wow, wow. I can’t wait for this one! Love your plan. Switching the rooms is brilliant.