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After living in our home for nearly 18 years, I am finally decorating our master! It's a difficult room that I have stared at for so long the possibilities escape me.

This is where you all come in. I need fresh eyes to help solve some dilemmas. I know, too many cooks and all of that. I don't prescribe to that theory. The more the merrier here!

ETA - The furniture HAS to stay where it is currently placed. We have tried every possible option, only to find there IS no other option.

I will start with my inspiration pic. I don't necessarily want to recreate the room, and this post is about basics, but I think it's important to show the direction in which I'm headed.

Many pics to post. As always, I'll let you know when I'm done.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: meldin,

This pic was taken as you enter from the hallway. There is a whole lotta ugly from the PO, including the bad tape job in the ceiling corners and the lovely stencil.

From the opposite corner.

The bed alcove which is the only place in this dance hall where the bed fits! I have so much trouble with this I'll post later in more detail.

What I do know is the headboard (it's actually a footboard) and nightstands are going to the guest room and will be replaced. The coffee table at the foot of the bed will be turned into an upholstered bench.

Looking into the large part of the room from the corner left of the bed. Looks bare, doesn't it? I thought about a huge ottoman in the middle of the floor. Thoughts?

The right side of the window wall. I couldn't get it all in one pic. The trunk is leaving and will need something in the corner. Stand mirror? Tall plant (fake, of course)?

Left side of the same wall. The angled ceiling makes things difficult!

The entry door wall. The return vent has been relocated and will be patched over.

What I lovingly call the wall-o-doors. I thought about putting a tall, narrow chest of some kind or possibly a jewelry armoire between the closet doors. The white table under the TV will go to the guest room as soon as I find something to replace it. And yes, you can peek into the bathroom that I removed the wallpaper from the lower walls. That's for another time and another post.

I am for sure painting the trim and doors white. Walls will be BM Rattan, which is the darker swatch pictured below. The bathroom walls and ceiling will be BM Amulet, lighter swatch. Amulet will more than likely show up on the ceiling in the main part of the bedroom. Thoughts on what to do with the slanty parts?

I have many more questions which I will add/edit into the above posts. I have fabrics on order and will share when they arrive.

Done for now. Have at it, kids!

You have lots of nice things/space to work with

My first thought is put the bed where the large armoire is and make a reading nook where the bed currently is.

Have fun...love the inspiration pic!

The bed doesn't fit on that wall or any other. The goofy HVAC chase in the corner makes the wall too narrow for the queen bed to fit with any kind of table on both sides.

I need that wall anyway for the armoire. We need all of the storage we can get. The closets are TINY!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: meldin,

Is there enough room to flip the dresser and the armoire? If so, you could move the television to the end wall and float a love seat or two chairs in the middle of the room facing the entry door and the newly positioned television.

These pieces are on my CL right now. All are in budget...mostly.

Next thought. Cover the headboard wall with fabric (tartan, of course) and make a matching roman shade so that when the shade is lowered, it looks like one continuous wall. It would make a great focal point and give you a pattern to play the bedding off of.

Gracie, though all are good ideas the dressers can't swap walls. They simply won't fit! The TV stays where it is. It's on an articulated mount that we pull out nightly to watch.

Gracie, we are posting at the same time. I definitely need a headboard, and that window is giving me fits! I may start a whole new post for it so this one doesn't get too crazy long!

At first glance, I see a lot of wood and not much fabric with the exception of your bedding. Could the chair and footstool be swapped out for an upholstered chaise? Floor length window treatments would soften everything too and it would be a good place to incorporate pattern.

I would strongly recommend you paint the doors and woodwork as they are not doing anything for the room. Chair rail molding painted to match the rest of the trim, with the darker paint color on top portion of the walls would bring your room's proportions together better.

The Lauren picture shows an area rug which also adds much needed pattern.

Cavin, thank you for your input!

I am definitely painting the trim and doors after finally convincing DH it's the right thing to do. You say a chair rail with the darker color above. Interesting thought! What color below? What color on the angle wall/ceiling bits?

There will be fabric. Lots and lots of fabric. I agree, there will be floor length window treatments. I am not sure just yet what they will be.

The chair and footstool will stay for now, though there could be some reupholstery in their futures.

Rugs will happen when the carpet comes out and hardwoods go in. Could be a couple of years down the road.

I adore the inspiration pic! I have saved it to my file!


I agree about painting the woodwork.

After seeing all the pics I undersatns why the bed won't work anywhere else.

Just how much like that inspiration pic are you willing/wanting to go?

Becky, if I could put everything in that pic into my room as is I would be a happy girl. Sadly, the money fairy hasn't visited me.

Seriously, I love it all. The headboard can't be quite so tall. If I were to have a footoard it would have to be shorter than the mattress. We are tall people and footboards just don't work for us.

Do you have ideas? If so, bring 'em!

I LOVE ANY RL inspiration! Has a dressy AND relaxed all in one look.

What GREAT BEAMS! I would play off an old house attic room in that section. I would use the beadboard inspiration in the alcove where the bed is. That would really make those beams fit in!
I LOVE Gracie's idea of a fabric headboard wall, though you could make it just the width of the bed up over the window height... and then incorporate that window treatment...

Carry the beadboard look around the room, stopping at the knee wall height around the room, but horizontal above the kneewall in the alcove like the photo. You can paint the beadboard to soften the look. Paint the beams too... LOVE that alcove! (try beadboard wallpaper?)

The other wall for the bed you say won't fit, one night stand can be in front of the window and not be exactly beside the bed... if that seems OK to you, I would put that night stand facing the bed instead of into the room. Could actually be a tall piece for that corner (with bookshelf above?)

LOVE all the SPACE you have in that room!!! Lucky YOU!
And I LOVE the fact that it is NOT a rectangle or square room, all the more to add special touches!

First I would put the easy chair in the space where the trunk is that you are going to remove. Bring it out farther into the room and center your dresser on the wall where it is now, with a mirror or artwork over it. Paint the table under your TV a darkish color or accent color when you get your bedding and drapes chosen. Could you pull your bed out farther into the room...maybe with a table behind it with a tall bush plant or really, just nothing but the drapes on the window. Then the bed would not look so "stuck" in the alcove....love the roominess of your bedroom. Paint will be lovely and clean looking.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: May,

I love the beadboard- both top and bottom in the picture. If possible I would really play up the attic as Mary Ruth suggested and pull the beadboard in too.

Mary Ruth, funny you should mention the beams. DH and I put them in a few years ago. It's an idea we had toyed with, then a friend dropped off some industrial pallets that were solid oak. We planed off the lumber and made the beams. Total freebie!

I really have my heart set on a wood headboard. I think it will fit the room better. Yes, it will be hard to find in my small budget, but I have never let that stop me before!

I do want to play up the attic aspect in the alcove. I appreciate all of the ideas so far. I have much to consider! I don't know that so much square footage of wood can happen right away, but beadboard wallpaper is an intriguing concept!

I will not move the bed to the other wall. Again, I have no place else for the armoire and really need the storage. We also need both night tables alongside the bed. DH has a CPAP that has to be there, and I need my reading light and alarm clock. All of that aside, we both sleep better in the coziness of the alcove than we did when the bed was on the other wall.

May, moving the chair is an option. I tried it there and it felt too short between the dressers. It may move when I get the window treatments and all in place.

The bed can't come out much farther than it is because of the bumped out wall that the TV is on. There isn't much room to walk through. Speaking of the TV, the table under it will be replaced with a solid cabinet of some sort. It is borrowed from another room.

Becky, I'm working on the beadboard ideas. There's just so darn much to be covered!

Hi Mel,

Is there an arch over the window with the HB?

How about using a wider rod with panels to "widen" the window behind HB? I will be watching for your solution for WT as I am working on a similar situation too.

Your existing pieces have gorgeous details. Are you planning to add rugs to the room?

Howdy, BR!

Yes, there is an arch over the window. One of those builder special cheesy palladian wannabes. The window needs to be replaced and the arch will go away. The top of the arch is only 6'8" up from the floor. Who does that? The jury is still out on whether the new window will be wider.

No rugs yet. I would love to have them, but the budget can't handle it quite yet.

Back to the window treatment. The issues I'm facing are:

East facing, so I need something room darkening.

Front of house, so a visible, ugly headboard back sticking up in the window will make me crazy, as will a permanently closed drape. I need the light!

I can't hang anything as wide as the bed because of the angled ceiling. I'm stuck making it narrower, and I don't like that. But, such is.

I really wanted bamboo shades, but I'm fairly certain that option won't work. The best I have come up with is a shade behind sheers like in the attached pic, with drapery panels added to the sides. I think the sheer will be enough to block the back-of-the-headboard view.

I don't have anything to add, other than if it were me, I would absolutely HAVE to have that cheval (?) mirror that you posted from CL. I think it would work in the corner where the trunk is partially under the window. But then again, I have always wanted one and never had the space to put one, so my opinion *might* be a bit biased....

Wow Meldin - I absolutely love that room. You have such a great space for a master!

LOVE your inspiration picture.I love the Criagslist pieces you have picked out too.Also the 2 pieces already in your room.They are large and substancial pieces needed in the room.That white table under the tv,paint it a stand out color.Blue or sage green color.A taller chest would look great there.At least you have a huge area to work with.A nice sitting area for reading.

If this was MY room,LOL.I would make that a wall of curtain panels where the dresser & chair is.Then place the bed there.It drives me crazy not to have furniture centered,and that bed would have to be centered on that wall.The wall of long panels would look great.
How about a wide roman or bamboo blind behind the bed?

New night stands,head board and pattern bedding-pillows,panels and a rug.Even that chest could stay at end of bed.Make a foam cushion for the top of it.
I cant wait to watch for your progress.Maybe I'll get inspired to move in my home....LOL

I'm trying to come up with a budget friendly way to accomplish that beadboard look of the upper walls on a low budget...

I'm no decorator. Howsomeever, IF the bed must stay where it is and IF you can do without the window, I would completely cover it up as a backdrop for the bed. Maybe a cornice above and draperies behind a wooden headboard. Anything else in my mind would be a little busy and distract from the headboard. I think the smallness of the area, the slanted walls, the window AND a headboard make for a lot going on.

Just my opinion. I don't expect anyone to share it

Terrific room! Just a few random thought, all JMHO, Mel -

The fan detracts from your lovely beams, IMHO. Have you considered removing it and hiding a paintable track in the roof's pitch, painted the same color as the walls?

Would paint the bed nook walls in your light color from floor to ceiling with no chair rail or other adornment. Otherwise, the line's broken up and the space feels smaller b/c the eye stops.

When you change out the window, I would use an interior mount shade (e.g. blinds, bubble or a monochromatic fabric) to blend into the wall and again, enlarge the space.

Hate to cover the window so would consider doing a very low diy headboard with a rattan covering for texture. (IIRC, you mentioned loving rattan.) I'd combine it with large, pillow-sized shams, acting as another part of the headboard.

When covering the bench (end of the bed), I would elongate it to coordinate with the bed's length. (Feels as if it's currently cutting off the bed, IMHO.) Perhaps you could retain your piece as a base but place a longer, upholstered top on it.

How about removing the TV from the wall and placing it on a movable stand for greater flexibility with closed storage underneath to hide the components? They're very affordable, IME.

Love all your furniture but the room doesn't feel that large (even though you have 2 sections) and it is rather heavy. How about switching to open shelving units for the nightstands?

If you built-in shelving + some closed storage from around the corner (behind the chair & ottoman) plus the entire wall (with the smaller chest of drawers), would that provide sufficient storage to remove the smaller chest? Incidentally, the rattan could be repeated as an accent within the storage unit.

Also, if you did that built-in, how about leaving a space to house the movable TV stand and floating two chairs (+ cafe/small table, if possible) in the center of the room for either reading or TV?

Do you have a lighting plan? Besides the bed nook, do you plan to update the other ceiling fan? That might be another way to lighten up the room. Many great fan options are available.

If you're interested in the beadboard wallpaper to use as a focal wall behind the bed, I've seen it everywhere, at many price points. IIRC, they carry it in the M Stewart line at HD. So, you might check their website.

Hope something's helpful. Looking forward to add'l photos and updates. Good Luck!

WINDOW:

What about pulling bed forward some (and night stands)... making the headboard YOU want.

On the actual wall... pull down shade for light control. Nothing on the window except window film (they have translucent kind, lets in light, you can't see inside clearly from the street, put on bottom part of window only if you want) masks back of headboard from street view, which you could always paint white to reflect more light against that wall.

NO lamps, use spots on ceiling (not where fan can flick in front of to create strobe flashing light, LOL) and use smaller night stands perhaps built into headboard? Lights can have switch wired to sides of headboards because you are going to work on the room anyway and any patching will not show after you wallpaper, etc. OR put electric to your headboard end table area and use a swing arm light you can install on to save counter top space on the smaller nightstands. You can also have a small shelf or holder for phone, etc.

You could get a remote shade for the small window and just raise and lower with a button...

The beams can be left natural if the wood is matching from headboard

Baileys' Mom, it is a nice mirror, isn't it? I'm on the fence as to whether I need a mirror in that corner or the chair will move there. The price is a little high, so I'll watch to see if it comes down.

Thanks, JC! I like having the space, but the cost can get out of hand.

Jackie, I am looking for a chest for under the TV. A cushion for the bed bench will definitely happen. I can't move the bed, it just doesn't fit. And I need a wall for the dresser. I would love a bamboo blind behind the bed. I have to think about that.

Becky, please share any ideas you come up with. I thought about using lauan plywood cut into strips. DH isn't on board with the idea...yet.

Lu, a cornice was part of my original plan. I nixed it because it can't be as wide as the bed and looks off-kilter to my eye. Agreed, there is a lot going on. Contrary to the way the room appears now, I like a lot going on!

AguaBella, it's nice to meet you! The fan will be changed, however, I am at an age and stage where I NEED a fan. I keep reading the rest of your well thought out reply. You have some great ideas. Thanks for taking the time to share them all. I have much to consider!

Mary Ruth, window film? GENIUS!!! I hadn't thought of that. You also present some interesting options. I must ponder!

I found this bed on CL today. Actually, it's a whole set that can be seen here:

http://chicago.craigslist.org/sox/fuo/3640070595.html

I don't quite understand the bed, and the seller was no help when I emailed to ask about it. All she said was that the headboard and footboard attach with wood rails. She didn't answer when I asked about the legs!

I could use the nightstand as well. I would gel stain to darken the pieces. I have another possible place for the dresser. Or I can sell off a different dresser from my growing collection!

So...waddya think? Too frenchy? DH doesn't like it. I try not to listen.

Nice set and a great price. Here it would be 3 or 4 times that. People want ridiculous prices here. From the picture looks like there are no legs and that the headboard and footboard go all the way to the ground. I've never seen one like that.

I think the headboard must SIT ON the leg assembly that would be under the rails if the design is like the night stand

Might be too matchy matchy for that room.... what that does is make the un-matched stuff look out of place... But it is pretty... just the bed would be nice!

Lisa Ann, the bed has me confused too. As far as the price goes, you don't see that here very often, either!

Mary Ruth, you may have solved the bed mystery! I was worried about the "matchy" aspect myself. The price is in budget for a bed alone, and I know I can sell the rest to a resale store in town if the seller won't separate the set.

I will be in that town tomorrow when I go to my parents' house. I think I'll go have a look!

NEVER hurts to check something out IRL!!! I hope it is to your liking!

We shall see, MR. We shall see.

I LOVE the bedroom set and the price is great too! They never have anything like that here...

Cathy, I like the price, and the look isn't bad.

I played around in paint and came up with this mockup. DH says he can live with it this way. I would make the whole thing the same dark color. Or perhaps paint the bed black with a brown insert? I'm thinking as I'm typing.

Correction: I'm obsessing!

YES, I am loving that! Feminine lines and also Masculine strength... nice mix. A more relaxed look too...cozy! Good luck!

I like this bed very much either way.I agree with where's the legs.Something gotta hold it up.And WOW a great price.

You know I just got the look.LOL.It looks West Indies - Island theme.With your pieces,painting adding some print fabrics around the room and some greeney on tops of dresser and amouire.And that bed, I'd be on Island time.

Edited to say....go get this bedroom set.The dresser and night stand are worth the price.Oh yea,the frame to bed might be a box wood frame and this sets on top.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: jackierenette,

Nice to meet you, too, Mel!

Love the headboard but still wouldn't do anything in this room to impede the window. How would you do the insert?

Plus, doing the DIY rattan option I described above allows your other pieces (e.g. the tallboy dresser) to stand out in the room. And, you may highlight the fabrics you apparently have on order.

Thought about your fan. They do have lights with retractable fan blades. Will think about some other options, too.

Besides a track above the bed nook (and possibly sides), I would probably use them in the sitting room, too - along with an updated fan. That way, you'd probably only need a reading light for the 2 floated chairs.

Agree with the earlier poster who suggested swing arms for the bed nook area.

Guess the above would be one option for a lighting plan. Everything's JMHO, however.

Good luck with everything!

I like the headboard as is and am sorry your husband doesn't like it However, I think the headboard with the woven insert is nice too.
Just think the carving on the headboard adds a little more oomph and gives a softer look.

Add me to the list that likes the headboard!!
Either way looks good, but definitely needs some legs.

I found an inspiration picture of a possible idea for behind the headboard:

Just a thought.
Candy

meldin, check your PM