Turkeys and Tidewater Blue

Spring is finally here…at least on the calendar. My husband eagerly awaits the arrival of spring. For him it is turkey season. For me it is a time of renewal and that means paint! I cut this picture out of House Beautiful some time ago with my daughter’s guest bedroom in mind.

When the men headed out of town for a weekend of turkey hunting, we headed to the Sherwin Williams. She has built in book shelves on one wall in a guest bedroom—great for storage and display, but it was dull and empty for the newlyweds.

The bed is from the groom’s childhood. You know the one…brown, ugly, oak. They spray painted it black and she found a great blue comforter and shams at Target. From there, it was simply a matter of getting a little paint on the walls and giving the bookcase a personality on a budget.

Because this is a 1940’s cottage style house and the bedrooms are very small, we needed a very subtle color. We took a sham to the paint store to help us choose a color. We chose Tidewater Blue—a pale blue with gray undertones. I think blue is one the hardest colors to “get right”. I was pleased to see that Sherwin Williams now offers a five dollar trial size. We chose a blue about two shades darker for the inside of the bookcase. The silver mirror and the plaques were both sale items at Hobby Lobby.

Our next task was to fill these shelves on a budget. We began collecting things she already owned and looking at wedding gifts---a black, blue, and silver theme naturally emerged. She needs a bedside table and it is not on the budget this month, so we added a lamp from her college days for soft lighting. We found plenty of black books at the thrift store for 25 cents each. Just remove the dust jacket to find the color you need for your shelves.

I removed one of the shelves to add a little variety and accommodate this large collage frame. (The groom previously had it hanging in the living room with the “strangers” still in it :). Sunshine redid some of their favorite photos in black and white to fill it. The picture on the easel is a signed picture of the very first kindergarten class she taught. We found the clock for 66 % off at Hobby Lobby. We added baskets, candle holders, and a few other things from Hobby Lobby and Garden Ridge—and all on sale. I think it is important to vary heights and textures to add more interest.

I found a neck roll pillow with the perfect blue and had it monogrammed. I think details “make” a room. Next up is a bedside table, window treatments, and another picture. We’ve ordered the fabric and will just do a valance. That is in the budget for next month….she’s learning :)

My husband says every time he goes out of town I either paint something or buy a dog. He’s lucky! Now I have another house to paint in!

I’m joining Susan at Between Naps on the Porch and Smiling Sally for Blue Monday…tidewater blue :). I hope you’ll visit both of these ladies. You won’t be disappointed!

Christmas Under Glass…A Holiday Cloche Party

Marty at A Stroll Thru Life is our hostess . I think she is singlehandedly responsible for making the cloche this year’s “must-have” decorating accessory. Who knew you could do so much with a simple bell jar??!! Some of you might remember that I gave one of the guest bedrooms a makeover last spring. You can see it here. I thought I might bring a little Christmas in here—“little” being the key word.

This is the room where my three year old niece sleeps when she comes to visit. Although it is blue, white, and yellow; it’s definitely a feminine room—just right for Miss Priss. I thought she might enjoy a doll house Christmas vignette.

I retrieved a few things from Sunshine’s childhood dollhouse—the one I adored and she tolerated :). I decorated it for Christmas even back then.

A tree by the fireplace is perfect. Don’t you love the tiny blue and white tiles and dental molding?—perfect for this bedroom! The tree is decorated with angels, bow, and snowmen and has lots of presents waiting underneath for a good little girl! Just a little something to bring Christmas into the guest room…to make my guests feel the warmth of Christmas all through the house. I’ve changed the sheets to some I think she’ll like too.

More snuggly snowmen! Don’t forget to click here to see more cloche fun! I hope you will visit me on Tuesday for Deck the Halls. Come show off your decorations! Mr. Linky and I have kissed and made up :)

Metamorphosis and Blue Monday

I'm so excited to be joining Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Metamorphosis Monday. I've been working on this project for a while and have shared just a tiny bit with you, but today I am ready for the unveiling of the guest bedroom I have been working on!

I am also going to post this over at Smiling Sally's for her Blue Monday event. This is my first time to join her. Blue is my favorite color so I'm excited to show you the blue in this guest bedroom. If you read my posts, you may know we have a wedding coming up...soon. I don't know what it is about weddings and babies, but I think they both put women in nesting mode! I didn't invite a soul to stay at our house, but suddenly felt the urgent need to redo a bedroom. I don't know. Maybe that's my way of letting off a little steam. Anyway, this is what I started with below--a perfectly decent, but decidedly masculine bedroom. The khacki walls and Ralph Lauren plaid and demin bedding were fine. But that inner nesting voice started talking :).

Good thing I'm changing things...that picture is way too high. I decided I would use two antique twin beds from another bedroom. They seem to be a better fit in this bedroom and probably more convenient for more than one guest. I had an idea of what I wanted, but wasn't sure about a color for the room.

So I started buying paint samples and just painting patches...living with it and looking at it in different lights and at different times of day. Once I got to this stage I knew I was committed. There was no way to explain those blue and yellow patches. After much trial, tribulation, and error, I decided on Whisper Yellow by Behr. I also decided to repaint all the wood work a ceiling white. It took me two and a half weeks to finish. I just never could find one day to devote to painting. I'd start and then have to clean up to go to a wedding appointment almost daily. I even showed up to have my hairlighted with renegade bits of Whisper Yellow. My hairdresser was not amused! I looked everywhere for fabric and online for bedding, and curtains.

This pillow sham was my starting point. I had used it in my master bedroom before I changed bedding. I bought the sham and euro shams on sale from Pottery Barn and then had them monogrammed in royal blue. They were just too pretty to waste!

You may remember the chair from an earlier Met Monday post. I found a blue stripe I loved and had it reupholstered. This chair, I have learned, is an early recliner and mission style.

I had given "the baby" the furniture in this room when he moved into his first apartment with his first job after college. Beloved did point out that now his apartment looked better than our empty guest room! After several antique and thrift store ventures, I found this dresser--not quite antique, just old. I paid $125.00 for it already refurbished. Some of you may not think this was a deal. Let me tell you, I do!! I happen to know that a good therapist costs over $100 an hour and that is straight where refinishing this would have sent me! I like that the top is still the original wood. It matches the beds. Those are very old marbles I've used in the vase. They were from my grandparents' house and I liked the color they added!

Finally, it's beginning to come together. The blue toile curtains are from Country Curtains. If you haven't checked out their catalog lately, I think you'll be surprised. They are not just country! The bedding is a white matilesse coverlet from J.C. Penneys.

I'm still tweaking. I have a couple more plates I may add...AW--that's after wedding.

Finally, this is the picture between the windows. I bought this by a local artist at a silent auction for a local charity. Now I know art "says" different things to different people, but it's not even speaking the same language to Beloved and me! He thinks it is lonely and depressing; I think it's serene and peaceful. :).

I'm so glad to share this with you and even happier to be through for now. I think I have "nesting" out of my system for a while--at least until AW (after wedding). Please join Susan at http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/ for the 16th Metamorphosis Monday and Sally at http://smilingsally.blogspot.com/ for Blue Monday!