Friday, September 7, 2018

The Cottage Master Bedroom Makeover


Hello, cafe friends!

It's been a while since I've featured a good Before and After here at the cafe. Fear not! We are still making improvements to the cottage!

Last  month, it was time to tackle the master bedroom.


 As you can see, the walls were in rough shape and the flat paint was doing them no favors.


My husband had some time off, so we decided to tackle the job.

He actually began the process at the beginning of the summer by replacing the former ceiling fan that had no light fixture with a new fan that offered overhead lighting as well.

I cannot tell you what a game changer this was! For an entire year, we had no light and no switches to operate lights. I would walk in to the room, reach for the switch, and get nothing but fan, at which time I'd struggle blindly in the dark until I could turn the closet or bathroom light on for illumination.

It's silly how we can live with something that annoying for so long, isn't it? What a simpler fix!

My husband, God bless him, has been painting every ceiling, too. That fresh coat of white makes all the difference!

So after fans and after ceilings, he figured I would be going swatch crazy on the walls. Nope! I knew what color I wanted.

Benjamin Moore Manchester Tan, the same color we had used in the hallway. It's such a peaceful calming color with just a hint of rosy undertone and some great light reflecting value, too. And this dark back bedroom needed all the light we could bring in to it.


And of course, we had to paint the trim with some fresh white, too.


Ah. It looked so much better! But honestly, the warm undertones in this duvet cover were not the best match for Manchester Tan. And sadly, my sixteen year old blue floral duvet cover from Pottery Barn had finally torn beyond repair. I needed something new, something sweet that said cozy cottage.


I waited for the Labor Day sales and then went to Macy's, where I found this Martha Stewart quilt and pillow shams at a great price. Half off, with another twenty percent off that. A great deal.


I love this double wedding ring quilt! It is made of cotton, and has the look of a hand embroidered heirloom piece.

And I must add, sleeping under a quilt as opposed to a down comforter? SO much nicer and lighter, especially in the heat of the summer! I didn't realize how heavy the comforter was until I slept under this quilt. I'm at that lovely age where I can easily get night sweats. I was constantly tossing off the comforter, and then tossing it back on, over and over and over. But with the quilt? I sleep like a baby! Or at least like a non-menopausal woman of a certain age.


The colors were exactly what I had in  mind. The fabrics pick up the colors that we have used on the main floor of the cottage. The blues, the greens, the tans.


And the pink and burgundy shades really look nice with the rosy undertone of Manchester Tan.


We installed light filtering blinds in the windows. Push them all the way up, and they disappear. Pull them down, and you have some privacy without blocking light completely.


I think the windows still need some curtains to frame them. Maybe some linen sheers or lace. I will know it when I see them.


I haven't figured out what to hang on the walls yet. And one day, one day I hope to get some real adult furniture in here. Decent night stands would be a start! 

For now, I'm adding fresh flowers from the garden, and that makes everything feel pretty.


We've spent the last year bringing light into what was once a dark and poky cottage. New lighting, new curtains, new wall colors. It has all helped immensely. But later this month, we will tackle the biggest lighting renovation yet. We are having two skylights installed in the great room, and solar tubes installed in both bathrooms. This will make such a big impact on the space, especially on cloudy days or in the dark of winter. I can't wait to see the results!

Thanks for visiting the cafe today!

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