Speaking of neutrals and default colors (please read), my dear friend, Merrilee Liddiard of Mer Mag and doll shop, recently redid her bedroom and her transformation is stunning. I begged her to let me share it here on Lars. THIS is a wonderful example of neutral done right. She did an all over very blush pink and added in some rust orange, warm woods, and a dollop of black and white. Isn’t it lovely?! Today she’s taking you through the process of the makeover and sharing all the deets.
Before
Let’s start with some before pictures shall we? The house was a pioneer home built in 1896. Here’s how it looked when the bought it 5 years ago. Please note her adorable little daughter, M.
The process
When renovating part of this historic 1896 house from a dark Victorian front room to a contemporary, warm, master bedroom, there were a few things we knew we wanted. Most important to us was honoring this room’s beautiful past, while at the same time, creating an updated, calm space to wind down in, quietly read or draw, and most definitely, sleep, sleep, sleep.
Working with an old home
This room has been a work in progress for some time, and we ran into some tricky problems along the way. Our home is old enough that there is no lathe on the walls, but a crumbling plaster that we eventually had to take down. After the plaster was removed, we realized we loved a bit of a rough look, but knew we couldn’t keep it exposed. We decided to paint it – giving it a seal and hiring a local fix-it friend who added board and batten paneling around the room, topped off with a peg rail.
Putting in the peg rails
We didn’t feel comfortable doing the board and batten ourselves, as we were unsure how to anchor the panels into the brick, but our handyman had no problem with it. Oh, and a quick shout out to peg rails, my new best friend! They make storage in an old home, especially one without closets, just that much more fun.
Paint
For our paint, we used Stonewashed Brown by BEHR in flat, which in the right light has a subtle dusty pink hue to it – exactly what we were going for. We’ve always found a monochrome look best for the most cohesive serene feeling, so we used the same paint for the walls, molding, ceiling, and floors (which we painted in a dry-brush fashion) as well.
We also painted the boxier wardrobe the same color to help it recede into the rest of the room. Finally, we brought in my parents’ vintage midcentury dresser to add some storage, and a pop of warm weathered wood. They received it as a wedding gift, and it’s such a special and meaningful piece to have in the room.
We knew we had to get a new mattress for this new bedroom (our last one was simply awful) and wanted to try out the Allswell Luxe Hybrid. It’s just the right balance of soft and firm and we are in LOVE. We haven’t slept this well in years! In fact, each one of our kids has mentioned that they want to switch beds with us because ours is now oh so comfy. Sorry guys, but that’s going to be a no-go. With our natural linen duvet set from Magic Linen we couldn’t be sleeping any more snuggly. It’s soft, airy, and warm all at the same time, something only linen can do so well. We also added the tie top linen curtains in off white, also from Magic Linen, to get that ethereal look we’re going for. The semi-sheer linen works perfectly, letting soft light in, but still providing privacy.
We were all about calm in this room, but I was also interested in adding a tiny bit of graphic pop with the Square Tobacco rug from Nordic Knots. I love that the woven wool still adds to the natural feel of the room. Other elements, like a vintage drawing table, artwork, and mementos from travels add to the sense of story in the room – it really feels like home. And with how much time we now spend in this room, not to mention the great sleep we’ve been getting, it’s safe to say our master bedroom renovation is a slumbering success.
Thanks for sharing your bedroom, Merrilee! What do you guys think? Neutral done right, right?! I’m in love with the calming effect of the all over neutral blush yet the warm woods.
Check out Merrilee and her beautiful handmade dolls
Artwork from: Olle Eksell Print 1, Print 2
Bedding: Textured pink coverlet, Popcorn grid coverlet, and Candlesticks
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