Bedroom Paint Project (or how we spent our first weekend in April)

Today, I would like to share a "before and after" of our bedroom paint project that my  husband so sweetly offered to tackle with me this weekend.   Isn't it amazing what a little paint will do sometimes to change the whole mood of a room? 

Six years ago, my husband and I relocated from Florida to Washington State.  My older son was finishing up college at University of Florida and the younger son was in high school and relocated with us.  We moved into a beautiful new home that was very close to the high school my younger son attended.  At the time, the home was perfect for us.  The house was large and had plenty of room for all the entertaining you do when you have a high school child at home.  Remember all the sleep overs and get-togethers?  What a fun and busy time of life that is for not only the student but the parent as well. Good memories...  The house we lived in had an oversized game room unpstairs complete with a large tv and pool table which was perfect for gatherings.  We also had a beautiful formal living room and dining room downstairs with a big breakfast room off the kitchen.  I have many happy memories of this beautiful home which was located at the end of a culdesac. Outside, we had a very large lot that backed up to a little retaining pond.  Each year two geese would come back to this pond and lay eggs.  We would watch the babies hatch and eventually learn to fly.  We had made a flagstone sitting area in one part of the backyard and a lighted flagstone walkway that led to a firepit that was circled by adirondack chairs.  We spent many chilly evenings sitting with friends around the firepit chatting and having a glass of wine.  On the other side of us, at the end of the culdesac, was a wooded area.   We loved our home and also our neighbors.  After my younger son graduated from high school and started college, though, we knew it was time to think about downsizing to a "forever cottage."  We decided to build a home that was in walking distance of town and also close to the water and our sailboat that we love.  We will always love the home we moved from, but we knew it was time for a change.  (I'll post some photos of my former home at some point.)  After working with our builder to make a few changes to the floorplan to suit our needs, construction began.  We moved into our little "forever cottage" in mid May of 2010 and have been very happy!  We love walking into the little Norwegian town we live in to go to the bakery, have dinner or browse through the shops.  Many evenings, we walk to have dinner at a local restaurant, then go for coffee and finish the evening by strolling to the sailboat to enjoy the sunset. 

When we moved into the home, we had our usual white woodwork installed in the home.  I love white reeded moulding and blocks around the doorways and a nice white baseboard trim so we had the builder add this to our current home.  We upgraded our paint to a very light beige color which would give a contrast of color between the white woodwork and the walls.  I knew this would be only temporary because, being from the South, I love color on my walls.  I have always thought that color makes your furnishings "pop" and knew that, once the newness of the house wore off that I would be getting out my paintbrush to bring the good old Southern charm into my Northwest home.  It is just who I am....less is not more....more is more.... so, this leads me to the project we tackled this weekend---painting the bedroom.  Let the taping begin! 

I love looking at decorating magazines and going on home tours for inspiration....but I also have a little background in art you might say and have always just kind of had an eye for decorating.  When I see something I like, I know it immediately...and so when I happened to see a room that Southern cook Paula Deen had redecorated in her home and spotted this color, I knew it would end up in one of my rooms in my house.  I loved it immediately.

These are before photos...

We are planning to put up crown moulding next week so we are not taping at the ceiling.  I'll post photos of the room with the moulding completed on another day.

Here is my dear husband taping and starting to paint.  Proper taping to do a neat job takes a lot of time...

The color is kind of a deep putty shade.   It has a little touch of green at night... but it is really a deep, dark putty color when you see it in the light.    Now, lets show you some "after" shots...

I love candles in a room, don't you?

I decided to hang this small oil painting I had under the crown above the bed.  I think it looks nice here and adds a little focal point between the curtains.

I had these pink shades made  in Houston for my crystal lights that are on the dresser.

I keep an older photo of my sister and I on the dresser in a little crystal frame.  





I have had this painting for several years.  I bought it when I lived in Houston at an auction. 

This is a little Dresden covered dish that I love...






I hope you have enjoyed my "before and after" tour.  I think changing the color has changed the mood of the room.  By the way, the color I used is called Quiver Tan in an eggshell finish.  It is made by Sherwin Williams.  Thanks for doing the room tour with me and have a beautiful day today! xoxo Kim

Comments

[Trish Rowley]

Hi Kim, just beautiful I love the colours in your room and I love your shutters. I cringe when I think of painting the rooms in my house I use to do them all and loved it but I had a spinal fusion in 2007 and I really don't think that I would be able to do it any more if I did it would take me months (my husband is like a bull at a gate when he paints) Have a great day Trish xox ;)

[Sandy]

Good morning Kim! Thought I'd write a quick note before I get ready for work. Love the color! Yes, it does change the room and makes everything else pop! I'm a big fan of color too, and just love Paula Deen! I have one her books Paula Deen, Savannah style. Talk about eye candy...it's gorgeous. Love your bedroom it looks so romantic! Have a wonderful day! Doesn't it feel good to add a little dramatic paint color?

[Bluebirds and Butterflies]

Hi Trish,
I hope you are having a wonderful day today. I am glad you love the color I chose. Really gives the room a different feeling. I know what you mean on physical limitations due to a variety of things...my little body is not what it used to be...and I am becoming more and more aware of this fact as time goes along. Once I get my rooms painted, I don't tend to change the colors a lot so I try to put a lot of thought into which color I choose. I will probably do my bathroom next and will post photos of that. I am thinking of using the shade in my bedroom but working a little lighter shade into it, too. Hope you had a wonderful weekend! xoxo Kim

[Bluebirds and Butterflies]

Hi Sandy, Thanks for visiting me before work. Hope you have a great day today. I am so glad you love the color. I have all of Paula Deen's cookbooks and also her Savannah Style book, too. I just glanced through her decor book again last night. I actually went on a cruise with Paula Deen and her family in 2008. I'll be posting some photos and writing about that in an upcoming blog. Enjoy your day! (((hugs))) Kim

[Lavender Dreams]

Your bedroom is gorgeous and the new color really warmed the room and made it even more romantic! I love that large mirror...and the painting you hung over your bed! Your bedding is so luxurious...and that bunny on the floor adds some whimsy! You are quite a decorator! WOW! So many pretty touches throughout the room! I really love it! ♥

[Bluebirds and Butterflies]

Thank you so much for the nice compliments on the bedroom. I am very glad you like the color. Always nice to have some feedback... I love the pretty pillows you recently bought. Like a fresh coat of paint, just changing things out sometimes gives us a whole new perspective. Hope you have a wonderful day today! xoxo Kim

[Joy]

Beautiful. Love the artwork. Is that a FL Highwayman painting I see?

[Bluebirds and Butterflies]

Hi Joy,
Thank you for the comment. Yes, that certainly is a Highwayman painting. I had it commissioned. The man in the photo is supposed to be my Dad fishing on the Indian River. So glad you stopped by and have a beautiful day! xoxo Kim

[plumbing supplies]

It looks like you take some italian style in decorating that room. Very artistic.

[Bluebirds and Butterflies]

Hello and thank you so much for the nice comments and visit. I am glad you enjoyed the paint redo photos. We are hoping to do some more painting over the next few weeks and I will be posting more rooms. Thank you so much! xoxo Kim