Paint Party - Master Bedroom

The second room we painted was our master bedroom, but I waited until now to reveal it because I wanted a better sense of completeness in there.  While we were picking colors, I kept telling Ryan I wanted a "moody blue" - something deep without being cavelike, and something relaxing and zen.  The paint color is Agave by Behr, and I am obsessed with it.

My side of the bed - my mother's old bachelors chest as my nightstand

Reeeeallllly need to find an end table for RLowe - keep an eye out for me!

We finally have a haven for ourselves, a completely kid-free zone with places to sit, lay, and chill.  And a place for Ryan to sit down put his shoes on.  It's the little things, people.  I think there's still more to do, like find Ryan an end table plus add some more pillows to the bed and get some artwork over it.  But we're definitely heading the right direction!

Easy Breezy Master Bedroom Update

I have to confess, I've already redone a room I revealed.  I know you won't find it too surprising, but I wanted you to hear it from me first.  Remember the big master bedroom reveal here?  Well, by the time I got around to revealing that room, I was already malcontent with it.  So I set out to bring a little more Lauren to the room.

I think I fell into a little bit of a decor rut - green, blue, green, blue.  It's funny that neither of those is top on my list of favorite colors (hello, pink, purple, and teal), but somehow I find them so inspiring in home decor.  I always want to consider our master bedroom a haven and a place I love, so I set out for some tweaks.  Primarily in the bedding department.  We opted for a duvet cover and down insert rather than a bedspread, hoping that it would be easier to wash (and replace) given zoo-like conditions thanks to the four animals and one kindergartener that call Casa Lowe home.  So when bedding was 20% off at West Elm, I snagged this feather grey crinkled duvet (and the insert was from Overstock.com when they were having a deal too.  Yay for spam email!!).  I figured it would blend in our bedroom while bringing a slightly different (and more grounded) color into the room.  And of course, as usual, I was right.  Then the pale green accessories seemed out of place, so I did a little artful work with spray paint, grabbed some throw pillows, and voila!

You know I had to squeeze Ryno the Rhino in there somewhere.  Love him.  That pale blue wall paint shows up so bold in the pictures, but I promise it's soft.  Like a whisper.

Hmm, eying that bed picture has me wondering what's missing?  Do I need to dress up that end table a little more?  I promise in real life it doesn't feel like there's room.

So there you have it.  This wasn't the cheapest makeover in the world, thanks to the new bedding, but I feel like the grey is a good base for the next time I get a wild hair and want to update the accessories.  I'm trying to work a can of purple in here somewhere...

Masterful Bedroom Reveal

I am going to give the long-awaited master bedroom reveal another shot.  Blogger didn't cooperate last time.

I lamented on the master bedroom's original look here (I think the only room that still looks the same from that post is the master bathroom, WOW!), I've updated on the master bedroom here, I've lamented more about it here.  And I gave you a little peak of it in my rhino excitement here.  But now, the moment you've been waiting for - an as close to done room as I can muster - the master bedroom!

You'll remember that my goal was to soften the master bedroom and I did so by removing the masculine, dark stripe bedspread and replacing it with a muted green comforter from Target.  We repainted the dark, cave-like grey walls (what was I thinking?) a beautiful soft blue.  And the rest, my dears, is history.

So here you can see the green comforter (I promise it's more green than yellow) complete with the light blue throw and pillows.  You can also see the great, soothing blue wall.  The crystal ball lamp from Target adds just the airiness I was looking for, total opposite of our scrolly heavy silver lamps from before.  Other than an alarm clock, I've decided to keep that end table clear.  Above the bed you can see a stunning example of my homemade artwork.  I got the letters and frame from Hobby Lobby ($5 per letter and $5 per frame for a grand total of $20).  The frames were on clearance in the custom framing section - I was extremely excited.  It's so rare you find big frames for cheap.  I spray painted everything to match the room, and voila!  Now Ryan and I will never be confused about whose side is whose.

Next up is the dresser.  Notice the other pretty crystal ball lamp.  I added a key/wallet tray for Ryan that was mine in college (it may say Tridelt on it...).  The bowl and decorative balls we already had, I just spray painted the previously bronze bowl white - I have no idea why I didn't do this sooner.  It completely changed the tone of the whole setup.  What an awesome example of what a little paint can do!  Then you see my pride and joy, my rhino.  Behind him is a jug that used to be red.  Ahh spray paint.

Here you can see the shelf on one wall.  This one hasn't changed much.  This shelf was formerly dark brown and I changed it to white to keep with the light, airy theme.  I would still love to add a bench of some sort below this for storage, but as you can see in the corner, our bulldog's crate takes precendence right now.

 Here's a shot down one wall to give you an idea of the room.  That door leads to the master bathroom.  You can see sunlight shining in through the lone window in the room (part of the reason I needed to lighten it up in there!).  The pics are two of our favorites from our honeymoon in Jamaica.  And there are the shelves I was having trouble finishing last time you saw them.

Now what about those shelves?  I've tried several items on them, but this is where we are right now.  I added an empty flower pot on the top shelf (another college item that may or may not say "Delta Delta Delta" on it).  At the recommendation of my friend Meredith in the comments section of this post, I added some aloe vera plants that only need watering every few weeks.  I got the cute little green vases at the new Jo Ann store here in Fayetteville.  Also, please note the light and sheer window treatments.  I didn't want any light blocked at all.

Well that's it.  Now you've seen our pretty, serene, airy master bedroom in all its glory.  Oh.  Wait.  I forgot something.  The final corner of the room that keeps me up at night.  How do you ever successfully decorate around a MAN???  Please, Mr. Lowe, let me get a pretty little corner cabinet or something!!!

Another finished project

I feel like I need a medal.  Or maybe a gold star.  I have finished another home project.  Part of it has been over a year in the making.  I redid our bedroom!!  That's right!  Two weeks ago, I talked Ryan into buying the comforter and sheets I wanted.  Then we made a stop by Home Depot to get the paint to repaint it!  We got one coat on the wall two weeks ago, and like we tend to do, stopped.  So the bedroom has been in shambles for two weeks now - art on the floor, shelves off the walls, etc.  Today I got a wild hair and finished it up.

I was so happy - I had painted it grey originally with a heavy masculine bedspread.  I posted a picture of it in an earlier post.  Now it's a fun fresh spring green bedspread with a light blue wall color - just gorgeous!  All that is left is window treatments, a few touches for the shelf and dresser, and art to go over the bed that I plan to paint myself.

Isn't it pretty?  And it's finally done.  Who would have thought I would be halfway done, get a puppy, and finish the project 3 days later?  The part I mentioned that was a year in the making was painting the ceiling.  It's not a very interesting color so I won't show it.  Just know I've been staring at a blotchy half-painted ceiling for a year now.  And then imagine it being done - seriously, load off my mind.

Also, our good friend Shannon came over today and brought her sweet baby Jillian.  Alli is majorly into babies right now and she LOVED her!

And finally, for those of you wondering how the boys are getting along:

The Hizzle Dizzle

Drumroll, please!  The master bathroom is officially painted!  Oh, sure, I have a touchup or two to do on the ceiling.  And yes, I need to order new artwork.  Just three pieces though.  And I eternally question what one is to do with a tiny frosted window next to a toilet.  But maybe, just maybe, by the end of this week, I will declare it officially done.

Aren't you proud of me?  Just a few days after I griped about myself, I semi-finished a project!  And I made Ryan patch the wall where he put a hole in it hanging new cabinets in our laundry room, so as soon as he sands that, I can paint it too.  AND I painted over the stripes of sample paint in the living room and the guest bedroom.  I have a love-hate relationship with our living room color.  It's a spectacular teal with red and gold accents.

So I go back and forth with repainting this room a more toned down version of the teal about every other month or so, but then realize that I love it as is as soon as I try to pick out a new color.  Also, I regularly toy with changing up our master bedroom.  I find it to be a bit masculine and dark for me.

So I think that will be the next project - a complete overhaul.  I don't even know what I am considering in that room.  Sometimes, I think baby blue and deep purple, and others I think a more green and blue scheme.  I think I'll have to wait for that right inspiration to hit me.  Also, we're planning to darken the guest bedroom as soon as I find the right green.  The last green I tested turned a putrid puke color in the sunlight, so back to the drawing board.  Here it is right now (that's Ginger on the bed, it's her favorite spot):

I think that's the room that looks the most incomplete.  It needs curtains, another lamp, and some more wall art.  And could probably use a bigger nicer bed, but who wants to spend money on a guest bed?  So we'll probably darken the whole thing, once I find the right green, get some curtains, and call it a day.

So those are my current musings on my house.  By the time I get it just about perfect, I think it will probably be time to move again.  Oh well...that's the fun, right?