Message Boards

I have decided that I am going to change out the headboards in this room.

Currently I have a set of twin beds in that room, and it is not a large room, and the beds fill it up. Since this room is not used much, the guest room next to this one gets used more with a queen sized bed.

My thought is that the headboards, though I love them, are so slim and feminine and I want to change the feel of the room. I didn't get to go to the next step with this setting so let me tell you my idea for the change.

Since I am currently selling some items on CL and there is a community yard sale in two weeks, I figure that now is my chance to clear out what I do not want. I have another bed in storage I am thinking of using.

The room is painted a coral and I do like that color in there.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Mary Ruth,

The floor will be dark brown plank tile that will go throughout the house.
This is a photo of the tile we are using, this picture was taken in our hallway.

So, Coral room, white trim, brown floor so far.

My idea is to use this bed, used as a Day Bed in the room with trundle bed underneath.

The bed is a 3/4 sized antique bed, so there is plenty of room to add a back to the bed (side against the wall) to create that day bed look to hold large pillows.

Not thrilled with wood and woodgrain on this frame so it will become black.

This will lead to a black and white and brown guest room idea.

Can't wait to see what you end up doing. Flooring is VERY nice!

OH Boy Mary Ruth, don't get rid of that pair of beds! They are fantastic and you will never see their like again!

This bed can be against the wall or in a corner, then a small nightstand nearby.

My question is this other idea I have.

I have this large painting. Got it on CL for $20 and always knew I would change it out. I am thinking to make it fit this guest room...

#1)BLACK: Would you do all black with minimal highlighted (picture has raised plaster texture going with flower lines) in white?

#2)WHITE: OR all white with black minimal highlighted areas, black frame?

To get idea of scale of picture, 48" high, 55" wide, the table in the photo is 48" wide. I would use this minus the lamp of course.

I want to hang this in the center above the day bed on the wall.

Bedding would be mostly whites with black and white patterns, more modern (not traditional toile).

Would LOVE your opinion!

The table in the photo is set up in our Florida house in the dining area. We were there only 2 months and I was recovering from Cervical spine surgery (one week after we moved in) and so DH set up for Xmas dinner the best he could with some direction from me, lol.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Mary Ruth,

Just first impressions and I'm not trying to influence you either way. Have you thought about using fabric in any way with the twin beds such as draping it through the tops of the beds and down the sides? Of course that may make them even more feminine depending on the fabric.

Is there space for a trundle under the other bed? Looks quite low to the floor to me. It seems to me that a 3/4 bed is too wide to use as a daybed and also too small as a guest bed - depends on your guests I guess.

I love the color of the walls and it looks as if the art work is made for that room. Why are you changing it? Difficult to choose between black and white if you redo the pic altho black may be too heavy for a bedroom - perhaps. I'd have to see this one in person to really know.

Here is the idea I am going for but without all the colors.

The headboards came with fabric on them, and I didn't want to repeat that idea. I brought these with me from Virginia, I had planned to redo the 2nd guest room with these headboards. But I feel they just do not fit here, too feminine, all my furniture is so bulky that I chose for here.

That bed I want to use can be altered to be just headboard and footboard with smaller board holding the mattress on the top and the trundle I already have is on wheels.

I should have posted the idea photo first but couldn't locate it. this is my inspirational photo from the internet.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Mary Ruth,

Lucky,
I thought about how heavy the black would be, but after spending some time viewing black rooms, that is what gave me the idea to go this direction with the guest bed. I do not want to paint the room black, though if I was younger I would, that way I would have the energy to put on all those coats of paint required, then the many it would take to cover it up if I got sick of it! LOL

I thought the black picture visual weight would be balanced by the headboard and footboard (bed) also painted black.

I do not mind you trying to influence me! LOL that is why I posted this, I wanted to hear other opinions on how this could be accomplished.

I was just sitting in the small room for a while and thought maybe we should build in the bed in the center of the room, that way I do not need any headboard or footboard, and can custom fit to the mattress. I would have room on either side for built in bookcases and drawers. That might be the best answer...

Will sleep on it and mull it over. Just was trying to NOT give DH any more work than he already has on his plate! lol

Forgot to answer you about the artwork being changed... I felt it went with my Williamsburg settees (in photo) and that color scheme I had in Virginia with RL red plaid upholstery. I guess I wanted to freshen it up. i did bring these settees with me, but they will slip covered in a raw linen beige type fabric.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Mary Ruth,

Catie,
You asked me once to let you know those tiles feel underfoot. Well you can feel the slight texture and since they are not all perfectly level, there is a slight shift in height here and there that you can feel. But other than that, I don't mind, and I am a barefoot gal.

LOS,
I know, that is why I took them with me! I love them, but I only have two guest rooms and I need a place to sew so I thought since the rooms are not being used most of the time, I would comadere one for my craft room, so I can shut the door when DH comes home and not see the clutter! LOL I do not plan on doing a lot of crafts, mostly sewing the bedding and making things for the house to match what is here.

I just LOVE the headboards! I thought of turning them into a daybed facing each other, that is an idea too... Then make a couple of pieces that connect the canopy at the top. They are solid Maple, I would hate to paint them black, but they would be more dramatic. Peter could cut a backboard that would coordinate with the existing headboards. This was my first thought, I hated the idea of painting them.

But the economy does not help in getting good prices for things right now, and I know I wouldn't get much for these, and think that what I already have is cheaper than buying something.

YIKES! my thinking of projects just made me realize I have MORE projects than I have energy! lol

This is what the headboard looked like with custom fitted top. I still have it to use as a template or pattern if I wanted to duplicate the fit. (CL photo)

This is a collection of old luggage (black) that we will make a furniture stand for and use as a night stand or side table in the room.

Also I am thinking of a couple of stools or a bench for sitting. If I kept the twin beds I have a chair like the one I redid for my GD (pair of that chair) and I can redo in B&W or mostly white with a bit of black, depending on what I do the large picture in.

That large picture might be too heavy for using with this bed idea.

Thanks for keeping my mind going about my choices, I really appreciate the time you put into responding and thinking about my guest room!

Just looked at this thread and can't believe I finally put all my ideas together for this room, not just inside my head anymore! LOL

[IMG][/IMG]

Closer detail of the German made bed.

[IMG][/IMG]

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Mary Ruth,

This is (headboard only) the headboard we will use for the Queen sized bed in guest room #1. That room has bright turquoise painted walls. Bedding in there will be mostly white with turquoise.

[IMG][/IMG]

Mary Ruth, I love the coral with white and chocolate, very chic. I also love the antique bed as a daybed. We have an antique sleigh bed as our sofa in the living room and everyone loves it. I'm just a little worried about painting the bed black. I love black and have it all throughout my own place, but black and coral can look very 1950's retro. My vote would be to stain the bed a dark jacobean brown, nothing reddish, so it will go with the floors. Then throw in some taupe to calm the coral down a notch. Best of luck, your ideas are great!

I love that idea Charles, Thanks!

the taupe would tone down that black/coral combination that was scaring me a bit.

Coral, white and taupe. I have pieces already that are that nice Jacobean brown, and I love that color!

I love that Jacobean brown with white, and I had a house full of white walls and dark mahogany furniture in Virginia and wanted a change. I also wanted to tie in taupe in the house here too. You solved that issue for me... potential for the bedding too.

Thank you so much for your suggestions! I am off to daydream some more about putting this room together, and DH just got home, I can discuss the mechanics of putting this bed together!

Thank you everyone! I am happy about this project!

I had no suggestions for you, but I think all of your beds are gorgeous, so I can't wait to see what you put together in the room.

Mary Ruth -- I simply adore those twin beds and hate to see you move them out but I do understand your reasoning. You have a great eye for beds and I also like the one that you're making into a day bed!

Martha

Graciepj,
I love the twin beds, but held on to them for a couple of years and still no inspiration came to me other than a lot of fabric for them. If you walked around my house now (besides the mess of trying things out in each room) you would see them as delicate. And I will hate to see them go, but must move on.
Thanks for the wonderful encouraging comments!

Linderhof,
I know! I offered them to my GD's first, but they like the day bed idea best.
Thank you for your supportive comments. That dark bed in the photo above, I found on CL a few weeks before, but no response, so when we were packing up the moving truck, I got an email from the owner of that bed, saying 'if you still want it, I have it ready to show'! I left the temporary apartment we were staying in and went to view the bed. Solid Mahogany (I can't lift it at all) AND made in the late 1800's AND sold it to me for $30! I could NOT leave it there! lol I showed up to the moving truck and my DH was shaking his head...and laughing... and they loaded it right up, went into storage with our other stuff for about a year, then into the house here. I love looking at it... and it will have a few uses made from the footboard, so I am happy to have that headboard be used in the front turquoise guest room.

Loved hearing from you! Thank you for the encouragements!

Here is a fabric I am considering for covering a chair with (I keep having to change out photo, comes in too large) corals with color kelp. The coral shapes are large, around 7" or so, dramatic.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Mary Ruth,

Mary Ruth, I LOVE your coral wall color. I am no help at all because I love the twin Maple beds and also the daybed. The only thought that I have for the room is that personally with that flooring and wallcolor, I would prefer a dark brown color for the bed and the frame for the beautiful art. I don't think I'd use black in this room. I know that whatever you decide, it will look "fantabulous!" It always does! I loved your VA home. Please keep sharing pics of this home. I enjoy looking at your pictures. Thank you for taking us along on your decorating journey. You have excellent taste and style.

paintlady,
Thank you for your response, I appreciate the advice and viewpoint, that is why I posted. This is my 32'nd move I think...(military counts for most) and most of the time I decorated with found objects and since I was taking ID classes over the years towards my degree, I would look through magazines like AD and dream of those rooms (back to Earth and my real budget) I scoured yard sales and antique shops to find what I could get to make my home mine.

I agree that the dark brown is the best choice and no black! I think Charles was right by mentioning the Black and White with coral walls would come out like 50's vintage, in that case I would have loved a black and white tile floor.

My GD's are the ones using that room when they come, and I wanted to please them at 15 &16 yrs old. But one of them is into decorating bold, and the other into traditional. I figured, they have that at their house, this is Nana's house and I can stretch their observation of decorating! They already love my house not even really started yet, so I can't go wrong! they just love that it is not like anything they have seen before with their experiences. So, I can make it however I want. My sister also picks that room with the coral walls to stay in, and she loves anything I do, I know she will love the soft cozy bed I am envisioning . I hope I can do this before her next visit! My guests get pampered!

Here is the picture (just took photos) to show texture on the painting. This is a hotel type picture, nothing valuable I can change it or get rid of it to get something else on canvas. Paid only $20 so I am not attached to it.
[IMG][/IMG]

Close up of the texture (lamp under it to show shadows).

[IMG][/IMG]

This is why I said I could dry brush over texture and still see the flower shape for a suggestion of the Amaryllis. Again, size is 4'7" wide and 3' 9" height.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Mary Ruth,

I love the dark wood with the coral walls!!!

Sounds like you have a plan MR.

I love the twin beds but understand if they are not making your vision. I actually prefer them without fabric. If you don't use them for beds, is there anywhere you could put them if you made them into a bench or benches?? Don't have a porch do you? or an entrance? You could even make them into one long seating bench by putting them both together. If the style would work, I can even see them making great benches for the ends of a diningroom table. I'm just playing around MR, imagination is going wild again.

Doesn't bother me to paint furniture either. I know that it can always be stripped if someone else wants them brought back to their natural state. For all you get out of stuff today, I'd rather paint and use them myself if I can.

Love the colors you are working with. That color on the walls is not something I would have considered but it looks fabulous.

Your choices are always great, you have a distinctive style and I love everything you do. What I like about your homes too MR, is that you are very budget conscience and find the greatest things at the greatest prices. Great style doesn't have to cost a lot of money.

VG, very rare that ALL you own fits into a new house. I bought those twin beds in the Va house in mind. But this house has a different feel.

I have a couple of chairs that I would like to turn into a bench, we'll see, not much room for extras here.

I have always loved coral color for a room, but in the Va house there was not a space for it. Now, I think this house holds it well. It is refreshing to visit with different colors in my rooms here. And my guests love to 'try' them out!

Yes, I shop on a budget, always have, comes from my humble beginnings and having to raise my kids on my own most of the time. I learned to stretch those pennies. We also do a lot for our kids and their houses so if I budget more gets spread around.

Thanks for the wonderful comments VG!

With your latest pics showing the texture of the painting I can see it would work well to rework it. I once made a 'work of art' gluing string on a board for the picture of foliage and flowers, then painted it and embellished with silver paint. Very easy. I did it just for fun and it actually sold very quickly in my store!

Lucky,
Thanks for the encouragement! Since I have nothing to lose, I should 'go for it' and try a few things with it. I thought I could get a paint medium and Gesso and have some Fun!

Mary Ruth I just love the beds. I can't wait to see exactly what you do in this guest room.
Whatever it is, I know it will be gorgeous. I can't wait for the reveal. Have fun, I'll be waiting.

lilsophie,
Thank you! Everyone has gotten me so excited, with all this cheering on, I am really enjoying how fast it is coming together!

DH is on board with the Trundle bed remake, we went over it today! He won't be able to get to it for a while, but I feel better with decisions made so extra stuff can go 'out' of the way!

We have a project going to be done in the kitchen too, and we did some garden work. Whahoo! I love it when things move along!

Mary Ruth, I'm a little late to the party a/c I'm confused. You say you want to use a trundle but how will that fit under the 3/4 bed with such low side supports? Also why are they so low?

I also got confused about whether you wanted to paint the room or the bed black but I see it is the bed (I personally would hate black walls. . . but I live in Maine not Florida!@)

I like the picture, like what I understand of your plans. DD uses suitcases (except white) like that in her guest room and it works out fine. Like the others I am looking forward to the project and the updates.

Hope you can still hang on to the beds or at least part with them to a really appreciative buyer!

I'm with paintlady and love the coral on the walls! Could you share the name/number with us? We have a tv room that I want to brighten up a little and it adjoins a room where I have some coral objects as accessories.

You've received some good input. I also admire the twin beds and your daybed idea. Very much looking forward to seeing the finished room.

Ohhhhh! I'm loving your plans so far. Going to love seeing your progress. The twin beds are beautiful too. I'd have a hard time selling those. LOL

The twin beds are so sweet - it would be tough to part with the set.

LOVE the tile - we stayed at a hotel that had a room done with the same and I've wanted it ever since. It is a fantastic choice!

The wall color is Valspar 304-A Bright Coral.

LOS,
Pretty hard to follow if just chiming in. I have the twin beds, but are too delicate and seem to have come to a dead end as to decorating with them to unite with rest of the house. I have the one bed that I can turn into the Trundle bed.
We will ALTER the bed using the head and footboards but alter the area where the twin mattress will be put lifting it to allow for the trundle I already own with wheels on bottom so I can pull it out and lift it up on scissor legs to make an extra bed. So, where the sides are in that photo do not matter, we will alter to what we need it to be. A fabric skirt will cover the hidden trundle bed when put away. And Charles D made a good suggestion about not using the black color and I can see that would be so different in mood than what I am aiming for. I think adding Taupe in the room will tone down the coral a bit and help to bring it up to date. I have my work cut out for me!

Lisa Ann, Thanks, It has been a hard decision as to which to keep! But I like the idea of the room having more space when not being used by guests.

I do love the twin beds and will miss them, but I also love the German-made bed. The detail is amazing! Either way, we have a BED! LOL

Funny how you NEVER forget something that stuns you when you walk into a room. That is how I fell for a Coral room, and it had Maple furniture in it, more like all things in the room were medium tones, and it had a lot of palm trees, I was in love till I went into a coral room with Dark furniture. Either way, I would love the room.

It is so much easier when copying a room, but I have not seen a room finished with all the parts I want in it, so I have to create it! It will be a hard project, but I won't give up!

I found this, and it could change my plan!!!

The headboard behind the bed, the sides extended by using 1/2 (cut in 1/2) of the foot board on each side of the headboard used on the back, and sides shorter made with extensions...

second photo shows basic simpler construction to get the idea.

I would not be able to use the large pic as the headboard is about 45" tall in the room taking up 1/2 the wall to ceiling space. But could use it on another wall in the same room.

More work.. but what do you think?
(of course my bed looks very different than the one in the photo, and minus the woman... lol)

With this idea, I can use a twin or FULL sized mattress with a twin for the trundle stored underneath. the shorter sides make it so the front part can be extended to any size really.
The middle support in the front as shown in the photo would not be needed as we would use a metal rail (covered in front with wood)to hold mattresses as they are on all beds using a frame. The weight of the bed on 3 sides (back weight on the headboard as well as metal frame) would be on the legs such as a platform bed is done.

I may be thinking too much about this bed!!!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Mary Ruth,

Here are my thoughts. I love that the second inspir. pic has a back to it. The thing I don't like is that it does look more like a bed. With the first inspir. pic, it looks more like it could be a sofa. I like that the matress is even with the arms. Is there any way that you could marry the two ideas together?

GOOD POINT! VG!

I think that I thought that the back being the headboard would let me keep it the way it is and appreciate the view of it.

I am going to do some math and come back.

I put my mind to it and drew up where the parts would be needed to create the trundle 'sofa' type look I had in the first idea.

This shows that we would need 10" to 13" additions to the back and sides. They can be joined to existing headboard and footboards. The part about this idea is that the footboard parts will bring the columns to the front of the sides, no set back like the second idea (and more recent photo of alternative design).

I am going to pass this by DH tonight and see what we can come up with. There is no rush so I will have to wait till he has time to figure out what he wants to do and how he wants to join the parts, transition over and make the corners in the back. All hardware will dictate what lengths and widths the parts will become.

There will be 10" difference in height for that center panel to the other panels (height set by footboard current height). The back panel can be cut from the bottom to lower height.
The 10" is a fraction of 1/5 th which works as far as a good formula for division of lengths, so I think this would keep visual interest in the design.

The blocks drawn on the tops of the posts, represent the columns and finials at top.

Thanks VG for your vision and your help!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Mary Ruth,

MR, I think between you and your dh you can and WILL make it work. You plan on painting it anyway right? so even if you had to add an extra piece of wood or something, it would be fine once painted. Check out the hardware stores and Habitat for Humanity too, you may find something that you could add to the back of the sides if arms arn't long enough.

Thanks for your input VG, the wood for the additional parts will mostly come from the side rails, and there is bamboo detail that can be transferred too on those.

I am going to check out a hardware company that I used to use for custom kitchens. And I know metal places can fabricate anything. Not sure what DH will want to do.

I will check those places because old wood is nice to use. I will stain and glaze over the wood so the match does not have to be perfect, Oak can even be used and will have a bit of grain show through. YAP thinking outside the box!

quote:

LOS,
Pretty hard to follow if just chiming in

No I meant I had read it all but not understood it all! I love the bed with the model! (Is your DH disappointed that she doesn't come with?)

I think what you are thinking of doing is the type of construction we did when I had my shop. The footboard was cut in half and a side attached to either side of the head board. This made like a settee (or day bed) Think we also did it with cribs! I remember buying two such beds (settees) at an auction one night. That was a fun fitting in job in my vehicle!

LOS,
Well sorry you had a hard time following, I was keeping up with the posters remarks and suggestions.

Yes, we have access to a shop right now and that is why I am thinking of using the benefits available to me. We'll see if the men want to do it or not, either way, I benefit.

I miss working in custom shops! So much creativity every day!

My DH is looking like a deer looking at headlights! LOL, will give it some time to see if we can do it. If not, we can sell and move on. In this house we cannot store what we cannot use. We have 1800 sq ft and that is for living not storing! lol

Just a thought, and I don't live in a climate like Florida, so don't know if this is even possible ....
How about using a marine varnish or something for outdoors on the twin headboards to waterproof them, and turn them into an outdoor arbor with benches facing one another?? You would need to build the benches and use the headboards as the bench backs.

Like I said, just a thought. The headboards are so unique it seems a shame to get rid of them.

TTFN,
Candy

Christmas Candy
That IDEA IS BRILLIANT!

In Florida here the climate is brutal on wood! I would love to do that with those headboards!!! But, I think they would last about a year if that. I think the Maple would hold up, but ideally should be made out of Teak.

If I had covered, screened in area I would try and do that!

Thank you so much for that idea!!! I can envision them done that way on a nice patio! That would look awesome! Or in a garden room, or in a wide hallway, one on each side of the hall!

OMG...if I lived closer to you I would drive over there right now and take those headboards in the first photo off your hands in a jiffy!

zone9lady,
PM me! I am an hour from Orlando (to the East and a bit South on East coast...

Mary Ruth,

It's fun seeing your plan come together for your room re-do. Thanks for sharing the plans and designs for the bed. Love the color you have chosen too; always a favorite.

Yes, Zone9a lady, it's a quick drive and you should have them!

Mary, I sent you a PM.

I've been trying to follow this post, albeit unsuccessfully, work has been crazy this week.

It sounds like your plan is coming together and I can't wait to see what you finish with.

I love the coral too. I'm seeing a lot of that color lately.