After lots of begging (on my knees) and persuasion, I was finally given the green light to revamp my bedroom.
Now you may be wondering...Kimmy, you're an adult, why do you need to ask? Well for starters, I am now living at my grandparent's house. I have a lovely apartment downstairs that I've been able to make my own, but my bedroom holds a ton of sentimental value for my grandmother. My great grandfather spent his last years in this home and more specifically in the space that I now occupy with an at-home nurse. The wallpaper that was up before redecorating had previously been there for 20+ years and my grandmother had a hard time parting from it. There were times when I felt a little bad asking to change it, but we ultimately had a really wonderful conversation about it and she was finally ready for me to start my project.
To start off the mini-renovation, the big stuff had to come first: handling the wallpaper and painting. The room has been covered in floor to ceiling wallpaper (picture below) for the last 20 years and while it wasn't the worst wallpaper in the world, I was craving a clean slate and a neutral calming color that wasn't so busy.
Before getting started, I spent a few days researching whether or not I would have to take off the wallpaper or if I could paint over it. Between reading online, calling local paint stores, and chatting with my Dad, I came to the common conclusion that if the wallpaper was in good shape with no bubbles or peeling then I could paint right over the top of it. However, I needed to make sure to clean the walls and prime with the correct primer.
To start the process, I took a dry cloth and wiped down all of the walls and corners to make sure all of the dust was cleared. Then, I began the tedious process of taping all of the corners along the crown molding. After this I started priming by using an oil-based primer. Choosing the correct primer also took some research. I would say most people use a water-based primer for inside jobs, but because I was going over wallpaper, I needed to use oil-based or else a water-based primer could seep through the wallpaper. After letting my one coat of primer dry overnight, I was ready to begin painting. (The one awful thing about oil-based paint is that the smell is absolutely terrible and you want to make sure your windows are opened or you have a mask on.)
In order to save money, I decided to use a neutral paint color that we already have in the kitchen of our house. It is an off white with a hint of blue/gray. I love it because of how calming and simple it is. I went with two coats of the paint to make sure that all of the wallpaper print was covered. And voila -- the hardest part was completed!
Once the paint was dry it was time for the fun part: decorating!
I have a very simplistic/minimal type of style when it comes to home decor. I don't like too much going on because then I tend to feel over-stimulated and not very calm. As someone who thrives off of a good nighttime routine and loves to have my cup of coffee in bed, I need my bedroom to feel like a safe-haven. While the paint job did most of the work when making the space feel more calming, I needed the rest of the room's accessories to match that vibe. A lot of the furniture/decor that I had prior to this project was mix and matched from my old apartment and also random pieces from my grandparent's home...two completely different styles. (My grandmother also almost threw something at me after I said the words, "it doesn't fit my aesthetic," for the 100th time.)
The first thing I wanted to focus on was the lighting. I originally had this awful green lamp that didn't fit any bit of my overall aesthetic. After searching at a few different stores, I found the Montreal Wren Assembled Table Lamp in White from Target. My favorite thing about this lamp is that while it's considered to be medium size, the lamp shade is taller which makes the entire lamp seem longer than what it actually is. I also love the simplicity of it and how it can easily go with just about anything beside it. I decided to put this up on my main dresser next to my circular gold framed mirror because I liked the contrast.
I was in dire need for a better bedside lamp and for the past few months I have been drooling over the the Hatch Restore alarm clock/smart light. The main reason why I've wanted this so badly is because my space is technically in a basement where I get very little natural light, so waking up in the morning (especially during those dark winter months) is extremely difficult for me. The Hatch Restore is basically a 6 in 1. It does all of the things: acts as a sound machine, bedside reading light, creates a personal bedtime and sleep routine, and is a sunrise alarm clock. You heard me. Depending on when you set your alarm for in the morning, the light slowly starts to rise just as the sun would so that you awake in a more natural, happy way.
After having received the Hatch as a birthday gift from my family, I now have it placed on my bedside table. I still have a lot of playing around with it to do but all in all I am pretty obsessed with it and can't wait to wake up in the morning!
The next thing on my list was a bit more simple: bedding. I started off this process thinking that I wanted to go with a darker toned duvet color, but instead I decided to save my money and keep my white duvet. Because I kept the duvet white I wanted my entire bedding to be white as well, so I went over to HomeGoods to find a white sheet set. It was only $20 (gotta love HomeGoods). In addition to new sheets I also persuaded myself into getting a beige throw blanket as well to break apart all of the whitewash.
I had a more difficult time with throw pillows because I wasn't entirely sure what look I was going for. I decided to keep my larger white throw pillows from before to add some texture, but wanted to spice it up a bit more with smaller pillows. The below is all that I currently have and if I'm being honest, I'm still not completely obsessed with it. I told myself to not stress, that finding the right pillows will come over time. I don't want to settle for random pillows just because I want this look completed.
The post difficult aspect of my room makeover was finding wall art. After searching high and low to find something that I loved while not spending tons of cash, I found this beautiful European Hillside framed picture from Target. The best part about this purchase is that its a large print that is already framed and only $40. A lot of other online stores had gorgeous prints but for the size that I wanted, were so pricey. In addition to the large art I also decided to get some smaller frames as well that I need to find prints for myself. I am on the hunt for 5x7 pictures that I love!
Once all of the bigger accessories were in place I realized that I needed just a splash of color here and there...so bring on the fake home plants! Real greenery has never been my thing, or I just haven't had the patience to take up the hobby yet, so fake plants have been a great addition to my home. Luckily, just about every store that sells home decor has awesome fake plants these days. In my room I have a mix from stores like CB2 and IKEA. CB2 is my favorite even though they are a bit on the pricier end. I purchased the larger plant, called Fejka, from IKEA and the one on my bedside table from CB2 a few years ago.
So there you have it! Finally a beautifully decorated, aesthetically pleasing bedroom for myself. I feel so at peace when going to bed and waking up these days. I am also very proud of the fact that I did it all on my own!