Weekend Decorating - Splurge & Save On The Master Bedroom

Most people work full-time during the week, leaving only the weekends to pack in chores getting done, errands run, family time, couples time, and somewhere in there, fit in a little time to maintain  (or update) home decor. What helps to fit it in, is take a moment during the week, perhaps during lunch, to plan what tasks need to be completed, and little by little, tackle them and cross them off your list. Since we just moved this past November, getting settled has taken a little time, especially with the holidays, but it also means not every room has been rushed to get thrown together - we've been taking time to 'get to know' the new house and its spaces. One room that is finally (slowly) coming together for us is our master bedroom.

Now yes, it would be nice to toss out all the old furniture, rip up the rug, tear out the builders ceiling fan, but, as with most people, we don't have those kind of funds available. So how do you get the most bang for your buck? Planning. Have a vision of what you would like the end result to include: Added moldings around windows, crown molding for ceiling and tray ceiling, replace existing ceiling fan with a chandelier (or updated fandeleir), and eventually, change the rugs. Those are some of the bigger ticket items that can help refresh a master bedroom, and another is to work with what you have, making minor alterations (such as changing hardware on furniture, update art for walls, layer in a new metal, invest in better quality bed-linens and drapery panels, update decorative hardware - and of course: paint.

Just right find at The Red Collection!

 Gorgeous - but too large for wall space.

Left - too skinny. Right - too short & chipped.

Friday afternoon, I ventured out to a few of the local consignment shops, specially hunting for a new shape of mirror to hang over our existing silver-leaf chest of drawers. I was looking for oval, and found a few, but they were either too small, too large, too skinny, too short, or a good price (only $24!)  - but damaged. Since shopping consignment is pretty much a final sale (vs. shopping a specialty home  store), you really need to trust your gut - and follow your instincts. Although I was specifically looking for an oval mirror, I also kept my eyes open to what was around me and spotted an elongated octagon mirror - it was the correct scale, wide enough and tall enough for the space, it was gold and it was priced just right and not damaged. After I circled the shop two times (like one of Katy Perry's sharks! lol) I made my decision and said, this is the one!

Although the scale was right, the shade of gold was too yellow - but fear not! A quick dry-brush of a burnished gold from Ralph Lauren paint, and it became just the gem I was looking for. And perfect timing too, because the weekend before, I had finally found a sunburst mirror online, and it arrived Saturday morning. The sunburst mirror was a bit of a splurge at $59 (from Kirklands) but it had the right finish, and the right style of rays I had already been looking for, both in stores and online. A similar style on Overstock was $128 and the SAME mirror (from Overstock) was $500 (oh the games retailers play). To relate the two mirrors I bought for the space, I'm layering in a few other gold hints - one tiny detail being new drawer pulls for the furniture.

 

Tons of brass hardware at the Habitat for Humanity ReStore! 

Octagon knobs relate to the octagon mirror over the silver chest.

You would think that because drawer pulls and knobs are so small, their cost would be too - but no, their not. Luckily I remembered popping into a habitat ReStore back in Phoenix and was floored to have seen all of the gold hardware they had available. Makes sense though - so many people buying homes built in the 80s or 90s wanted to update to nickel, so they removed all the brass hardware - from bathrooms, from kitchens, from closets and doors. So when I knew I wanted to change the hardware on our existing furniture, I knew a source to check on would be the Habitat ReStore. It took a little digging, but I did find 3 octagon drawer pulls (from Hickory Hardware) two weekends ago in Greensboro, and found the 4th at another location in High Point. So this weekend, along with the mirrors, I also updated the bedroom side tables - I just need to find two smaller pulls for the top table pull-out. in the meantime, I just painted the pull front with the same gold mirror paint. And just need to change hardware to brass on the dresser too.

 Tested the back of the bedroom door to see how he greys would flow with existing wall color and the black furniture.

This past week, we also had the door opening to the accessory closet fitted for a pair of 15-lite French doors, which will be getting installed this Friday (yay!). And speaking of doors, I painted two of our bedroom doors a medium grey. Just like with picking paint for the house, testing the colors with tester samples was a huge help. C (Marquee - Magnet) was just the right shade of grey to pair with the existing pale grey walls (Behr - Gentle Rain).

Friday I picked out the greys (ONLY 3) and tested them on the back of the (black) bedroom door - watching their color change in different light: sundown, nightlight, candlelight, sunrise - made a decision, got the paint the next day, and now, builder white doors are gone - but again, maintaining the existing hardware (to help save on expenses - sanding the dated yellow tone & shine gave them a more vintage look)) - plus, this grey (Magnet) is the grey I'll use to 'quick-fix' update our bathroom vanity (until remodeled next year), creating color harmony in the spaces. Although I've done bold pattern mixes for the bedroom before, I'm using those mixes in common areas (such as the living room) and wanting a more soothing and sophisticated look for the bedroom.

Little by little, the new space is coming along - and without breaking the bank. Just a little saving here and there, mixed with a little splurge and paired with existing pieces - plus paint.

Very much looking forward to the doors getting installed Friday - French doors to allow the light from the accessory closet window to still come into the bedroom space (I love natural light - especially from the sun!) - Hoping to get them painted Sunday!

Thanks for stopping by!