Master Bedroom Reveal: One Room Challenge

Another One Room Challenge is in the books and I’m excited to share my final pictures with you.  I’m feeling proud of our Master bedroom;  I wanted something quiet, pretty and different from when this was my parent’s room.

It’s a big change from before we moved in

The biggest impact pieces came with new lampshades, bedding and stylizing the bookshelves.

I had the lampshades custom made by Lisa of Cruel Mountain, using a silk ikat fabric I found off of ETSY.  Lisa was a dream to work with and I’m so happy with the final product.

To the side of each lamp, I hung paintings of ancestors of mine from the 1700’s.

The duvet and euros are custom made from the Colefax and Fowler Bowood pattern.  That fabric has been a longtime favorite of mine and Im so happy to see it every single day.

I paired the bowood with Matouk scalloped lanai coverlet and two standard shams.  I love that the pink edging ties in the lampshades and brings in another element of softness with the scallops.  I die for scallops! Then, I went with one lumbar in Sister Parish Burmese pink fabric that I had left over from this ORC.  I mixed cream and white throughout the room.

I have to be honest that I almost just asked my photographer to photoshop out the bookshelves and left them the disheveled mess that they were.  The extra week of the challenge gave me the boost to actually get them styled.  It’s nice waking up to organized shelves instead of piles of mess.

The basket holds diapers and wipes for Rowan but the rest is just there for me to look at.  I have my favorite decor books, framed photos of the kids, portraits by Paul Ferney, and well loved books from childhood.

The side of the room that is opposite the bed has my bone inlay dresser.  I changed out the hardware and added a little tassel.

On top of the dress is a small, delicate lamp I found at an antique store in San Mateo just after I had moved out of San Francisco and I was missing the antique shops of the city.  That little giraffe print was a gift from my mom when I was pregnant with Josie.  I was overwhelmed with gratitude to finally be pregnant.  I love looking at it now to remember what a struggle it was to get Josie and how incredibly lucky I am to have three children.  The little gold mirror was an antique shop find.

Next to the dresser is a favorite painting of mine that reminds me of my dad.  I really loved the artist Sally Robertson and my dad surprised me one Christmas with a painting by her.  My dad was a huge art collector and I like to think he passed that passion down to all of us kids.  I think he’d love to have art trigger his memory.

As you walk through the vestibule, it sets the tone for the bedroom with the Sister Parish Burmese wallpaper.  I’m so happy with how it plays with the bowood.  And I love Angela Chrusiaki Blehm’s stunning art work and how the modern juxtaposes the traditional. (Check out Angela’s amazing One Room Challenge, here) With the ceiling papered in the vestibule, it feels like a jewel box.

Guess what?  I have a secret extra look for you!  I’ve been holding out on you.  In the summer, this room gets crazy, miserable hot.  So, naturally, I saw it as an excuse to buy more bedding.  I found a vintage suzani at vegas market and I fell in love with this deep fuschia color in it.

So, I present to you the summer master bedroom look….

Completing this room has been a labor of love for myself.  For the past almost five years, I’ve put my family first, which is not meant to be a complaint but rather a fact.  I know that’s the stage of life I’m in with young children and I chose to be here.  But, it does mean that I feel accomplished if I brush my teeth AND my hair.  Therefor, it was so nice to work on a room just for my husband and me.  Something quiet, personal and totally unkid friendly.  It feels like a much needed gift to myself and I’m really happy with it.

I have been thinking this will be my last One Room Challenge as I evolve and let things run their course.  But, never say never.  The challenge holds a very special place in my heart and Josie very sweetly has said to me, daily, “Mom, can my bedroom be the next One Room Challenge? I want it to be pink”  When a four year old utters the complete phrase “one room challenge,” it’s pretty irresistible.

So, you never know, I may just be back in the spring.  Plus, how could I possibly turn down another pink room?

Until then, the talent abounds over at Linda’s hompage, Calling It Home, check out the other participants here.  And thank you so much for reading!!

And a huge thank you to Tiffany Zabala for the beautiful photos!

Highs and Lows: ORC Week 5

This past Sunday morning, I handed Graham the key to my clunky mom car in exchange for his black sporty car.  Before he could protest, I whisked down our driveway without a single kid in tow.  I let his Audi drive as it was meant to be driven as the empty 280 freeway transformed into the autobahn on my way up to the city.  I had the only classic Silicon Valley staple, KFOG, rock me back to my youth while Rosalie lead me through one great rock ballad after another and I belted out my best Tom Petty.  Before I knew it, I was zipping through the still sleepy streets of the city and landing at the doorstep of my seamstress to pick up my custom duvet and shams for the One Room Challenge.  With a smile and a wave, I was back on the road again, completely free.   Those precious two hours will have me signing up for the ORC for as long as Linda will have me.  It truly was exhilarating and the mom break I was clearly in desperate need of.

However, with every high comes a low.  My custom lampshades that were in the mail last week hit a snafu.  Fed Ex dropped them off and had them signed for at the wrong house by a total stranger.  FedEx then discovered the mistake and picked them back up and brought them back to their warehouse.  Thank God.  However, online the package was marked as delivered so it was no longer trackable.

It took them three days to put the package back on the delivery truck and this was a package you have to sign for in person.  I needed to know when it was going on the truck so I could live my life instead of sitting around waiting to give a signature.  So I called many, many FedEx representatives where I received the most helpful information, such as, “we will let you know tomorrow, if you package is arriving at your home today or tomorrow” and another gem, “we will call you and let you know where your package is once it has arrived at your home”  Thank you, FedEx, thank you!!!  By a small miracle, it eventually made it here, which happened to be when I was on the phone with a representative, who was telling me, “the package didn’t make it on the truck today, it’ll go out tomorrow.”  Awesome tracking, guys.

Back to the good news, the lampshades are to die for.  I could just lay in bed and watch them all day if I could.   They are simply exquisite.  And my seamstress, as always, worked her magic and the bedding is gorgeous!  I can’t wait to show you but it’ll give away the entire room if I do.  For now, a sneak peek.

For the most part everything is in place.  I just need to style, which I’ve got to be honest is my least favorite thing to do.  But we’re almost to the finish line and I’m so happy with how it’s all coming together.

Please check out other participants great work, here.