Knight Moves: bedroom

Showing posts with label bedroom. Show all posts

10/01/2012

Nest and Other Changes in the Bedroom

I cannot fully express how excited I am about my new thermostat. Yes, you read that correctly...I am excited about a thermostat. What can I say...I'm a huge sucker for good design. After wanting one since first seeing it last year, I got a Nest through Reliant's Learn and Conserve Plan. I couldn't bring myself to spend $249 on a thermostat, so when I found out that the electricity plan included a Nest, I happily took the bait.

And I have to tell you, it's everything I dreamed it would be. It looks fantastic on the wall and the interface is so smart and simple. Plus, it can be controlled via cell phone or computer. I've only had it for about a week, so I can't confirm wether or not its presence will make us more efficient energy consumers, but I'm pretty sure it will deliver on that front. And let's be honest here...I do want to conserve energy but I'm mainly obsessed with the aesthetics. The design is so sleek and discreet...a HUGE improvement over the old white plastic one I had. Doesn't it look great?

So you might've noticed that the Nest is mounted on a dark blue wall and you might recall that my bedroom was formerly painted with Restoration Hardware's Slate, which is a warm gray color.

And thus, the thermostat is not the only thing in the bedroom that has gotten a makeover in the past month. One major wall in the room was going to have to be painted because of the bathroom remodel anyways, so my husband and I decided that we were ready for a change and went in a totally different direction in terms of color. He and I both agreed on navy so I color-matched some navy blue wrapping paper by Waste Not Paper that I got at my cousin's stationery store in Houston, Katie & Co. The color looks fantastic with Schumacher's Chiang Mai Dragon, so I'm going to use that fabric to recover a bench that will go at the end of the bed.

I'm pretty pumped about the Nest and the bold wall color. Especially with the new bathroom and freshly refinished and restained hardwood floors, the whole master "suite" feels like a whole different space. We just moved back in and I haven't hung artwork or draperies yet, so for now this little sneak peek is all I can offer. But stay tuned for the big reveal!

1/19/2012

Color Balance in the Guest Room

A while back, my in-laws gave us a rug that I planned to use in the guest room. Lots of major changes needed to happen to accommodate the rug's color scheme and after playing with different options, I decided to nix the rug because I wasn't 100% loving any of the options. If I was working from scratch, I'd use it in a heartbeat because I love the design and think the color palette is fresh and unique. However, like I constantly tell clients, if there is something that you're jumping over hoops to work around, then it might need to be edited out.

The walls are grey (Restoration Hardware's Slate) and the bedding and rug are both neutral so after removing the most colorful accent in the room, it was important to infuse color elsewhere. As a quick fix, I shopped in my own house and assembled a new mix of colorful accessories for the space. The color balance achieved by using turquoise ceramic gourd lamps on the bedside tables, a playful Lulu DK Colorwheel, a colorful mix of books, and some lively hued artwork actually feels pretty good. What do you think?

I still desperately need to reupholster the wing chair and having an upholstered bed made is also on the to-do list. Finally, I need to get proper draperies. I've been so busy with client projects that the adage, "the cobbler's children have no shoes" definitely applies to me! With those items, I'll be adding some textiles and will probably keep the mix pretty simple because I like the current color-neutral ratio.

This is the Lulu DK Colorwheel pillow. I love it but I'm kind of wishing that the colorway was Vine which is shown below...

Photo shoot spectators...

Using flashes of color along with greys/black/whites is a really easy and fluid decorating plan. It's a foolproof way to get the color balance right in any space. You can constantly change up your colorful accents without spending much time or money so it's great for those who are fearful of commitment. Plus, those accents - art, books, pillows, lamps, and throws - are fun to buy and collect as your taste and style evolves over the years.

Do you employ this strategy in your home at all? Are there specific color combinations that you love or are you like me and pretty much like all color (burgundy/maroon is the only caveat)?

12/22/2011

Bed Facelift with Auto Body Paint

I just got the old wooden bed back from Again & Again and it sure does look pretty now! MAJOR improvement over the old look...it used to have a cheesy rustic/distressed finish and now it's all glossy and sleek. I chose to go with an aqua auto body paint color like I mentioned in this post. It turned out great and I love that the color plays nice with the painting on the nightstand. It was painted by my grandmother in 1934.

I'm so glad that the old bed could be revamped. It's always nice to be able to use what you already have! Here are some shots of the bed...I played around a bit with different pillows and throws. I think I like the last one best with the duvet. What about you?

Here is the bed made up with my beloved COCOCOZY throw...

Then I played with some of the pillows from the living room...

Finally, here's the duvet that I've had on the bed...

What do you think of the bed? I think it's super fun and breathes new life into the room. Thanks to Again & Again for doing such a great paint job!

10/19/2011

My Current Favorite Shade of Blue

For a while now I've been infatuated with a particular shade of blue. There's not a common name like turquoise to use to describe it, but to me it's the color of the sky on a bluebird day in Colorado so I'll refer to it as Bluebird Blue. Anyhow, the obsession was prompted by the paint color on these doors at one of my favorite Dallas stores, Blue Print....

Here's a digital swatch:

And here's a bedroom board based around a super cool handmade Jielde lamp that comes in my beloved hue...

Interloper, acrylic on canvas by Jeff Depner

Two's Company Wall Flowers, Set of 3 - Amazon - $70

Large Meurice Pendant - Jonathan Adler -$468 (sale price)

Rossmore Headboard - Empiric - $685+

Custom Dorian Convex Mirror - Empiric -$575

Blue Jielde Desk Lamp - Empiric -$575

Empiric 2225-06 Chamfered Night Stand - Empiric - $995

Anichini Kanishka Pillow - Gilt Home - $200

Johnstons CashmereStriped Point Blanket - Gilt Home - $280

Empiric Bench - Empiric - $1175+

Amy Butler Hand Tufted Wool Rug Chrysanthemum - Layla Grayce - $1686

Brasilia Circles Pillow - Jonathan Adler - $195

Penguin Classics - Amazon

What is your reaction to the color? Do you get fixated on certain hues too? If so, what is your current color obsession?

Any favorite things in the board? There are lots of other items besides the lamp that came from Empiric and I'm lovin' all of them! That white nightstand with the dark blue interior is bananas. I also adore the painting by Jeff Depner.

9/15/2011

Another Guest Bedroom Idea

I'm still tinkering with fabric combos for a guest bedroom in our house. As I mentioned in a previous post, I have a new rug for the room. The rug calls for a new color scheme so I plan to have a headboard and bedskirt made in addition to reupholstering the wing chair in the corner. Curtains will also need to be made. Basically, I'm revamping the whole room!

I was thinking about going with a red as the dominate color so I pulled a few more fabrics in that color family. I'm not sold on the idea though and might go with a navy instead because I like the contrast it provides. Check out the images below and let me know what you think. I'm still on the hunt so anything is possible at this point!

Here is Schumacher's Ziggurat on the headboard and bedskirt. I've included light blue piping/cording to trim both pieces. I'm afraid this might be too geometric.

A bit more simple, here is a navy headboard from Live.Like.You and a plain navy bedskirt. I'd have to add some trim to the bedskirt to make it a bit more interesting.

Here are the red fabrics that are in the running...I like all of them, but don't think any emit the style that I'm going for.

Schumacher Maracanda Vine - Berry

Schumacher Charlton Floral Vine - Cherry

Schumacher Villandry Damask Print - Pomengranate

What are your thoughts? Since I'm not in love with any of the above options, I'll continue brainstorming and hopefully the eureka moment will come sooner rather than later!

9/07/2011

Sleep Number Lyocell Sheets + Giveaway!

I am such a lucky girl...last week I received a set of Sleep Number® Lyocell sheets to try out. I was asked to review this product and in all honesty, I have nothing but great things to say about it!

I am very particular about bed linens and I doubted that the Sleep Number sheets would be as good as the ones I already have. I typically sleep on Sferra Egyptian cotton sateen sheets and they feel amazing, so my bar was set pretty high.

After washing them and testing out the Sleep Number set for a few nights, I was delighted to find that the all-natural lyocell was just as silky and soft as the Egyptian cotton sateen. I think it breathes a bit better too because I haven't gotten hot during the night since sleeping on the lyocell.

The Lyocell sheeting comes in six pretty colors and I chose "Diamond," which is a classic white. As you can see here, it works perfectly with the euro shams that I already had.

The sheets are with equipped Sleep Number's SmartFit™ and Logic™ Label system which is designed to make bed making quick and easy. These clever features ensure a secure fit through fully elasticized edges and corners and these cool anchor bands that keep the corners from popping off. Putting a fitted sheet on my king-sized bed can be a frustrating task, but with these helpful touches, it was fast and hassle-free.

To sum it all up, I really love these sheets. They are super comfortable and the quality seems to be fantastic. Plus, they are made in the USA (with "imported materials") and I definitely appreciate that. I'm excited to be sleeping on them tonight!

I want you to be able to experience the fabulousness too and Sleep Number has graciously offered to giveaway one Lyocell Sheet Set!

Enter to win now via this link!

Also, if you're in the market for a new mattress, don't miss the Sleep Number Sleep Better Chat on September 23rd. Participants are eligible to enter and win a Sleep Number bed!

Finally, Sleep Number is having a huge sale right now and among other things, the Lyocell sheets are 50% off! Here are the details...

4/06/2010

I won!

I randomly entered the HomeGoods Happy Spring Challenge after reading about it on another blog and I'm thrilled to report that I WON! The "happy trend of the week" was Romantic Notions so I entered this photo of our master bedroom at the old house. My prize package includes a $100 HomeGoods gift card and a Flip Mino Camcorder! Needless to say, I'm super pumped. Thanks HomeGoods :)

3/23/2010

Room Recipe

I've gotten lots of questions about where some of our furniture/decor comes from so I thought it might help if I break it down, starting with the master bedroom. Exact items that are still available for purchase are linked below...keep in mind that I got every single thing in this room on sale, so it pays to be patient.

1. Bed - Z Gallerie - Victoria Sleigh Bed
2. Table lamps - Restoration Hardware - Crystal Banister Lamps
3. Nightstands - Bombay Company
4. Mirrors - Ballard Designs
5. Linens - Restoration Hardware - Italian Satin Stitch Bedding
6. Bench - Ballard Designs - Simone Bench
7. Rug - Jonathan Adler
8. Vanity Mirror - Wisteria - Embossed Bone Flower Mirror
9. Floor lamp - Local store
9. Chandelier - antique
10. Vanity and Chest - antique

Some of our stuff is no longer available or is an antique/hand-me-down so I've listed budget-friendly substitution ideas as well. I went as cheap as possible, because I know that most budgets are super tight. Just keep in mind that I'm not vouching for the quality.

I'm a big believer in high-low, however, there are certain pieces that I'm willing to pay more for. In this room, those items included the bed, crystal lamps, and linens. After I pulled the trigger on those, I filled in the gaps with cheaper finds. On bargain items, I like to see/touch before purchasing or make sure that returning the item is an easy option (for example, Target stores accept returns). The last thing you want, is to receive something that looks cheap and it ends up being too expensive to ship back. This factor is what makes thrifting/antiquing worth it...plus you can usually bargain with sellers.

Bed

Target - Seville Tufted Headboard