the story

our inspiration

This morning I celebrated the bedroom being 100% completed. What did I do, you ask? Since Violet is at my Mom's for the weekend, I made some coffee, drank it in bed while Millie took a nap on my chest and I watched a documentary on the lifestyle photographer Slim Aarons. All guilt free. Because it feels so good to have a finished space to sleep/retreat in. The main inspiration came from an interior designer named Jenny Komenda. She designs the most beautiful beauty-feeling Cali vibe bedrooms. Well... that's what we were after. I can't even tell you how fun it was to reimagine this space. But to really appreciate it, we gotta go waaaaay back to the beginning of our home renovation 9 years ago. Scroll down...

Bright bedroom with white bedding, wooden bench, and patterned area rug on dark flooring.
Mid-century modern wooden bench at foot of bed with ornate rug on dark hardwood floors.
Modern bedroom interior with white bedding, dark wood furniture, and brass wall sconces.
Minimalist bedroom corner with dark wood nightstand, white walls, and oriental rug details.
Gallery wall with framed artwork in a bright bedroom featuring white bedding and wooden furniture.
Bedroom interior with gallery wall featuring multiple framed artworks and navy blue pillows.
White bedroom with curated gallery wall displaying various framed artwork and sketches.
Bright bedroom space with white bedding and wall-mounted art collection in various frames.
Contemporary bedroom design featuring an artistic gallery wall with mixed media artwork.
Gallery wall displaying figure studies and artwork in various frames above a bed.
Collection of minimalist line drawings and artwork arranged on white bedroom wall.
Bedroom detail showing dark wood bed frame with brass wall sconces and framed artwork.
A bright white bedroom with built-in closets, teal accents, and a mounted TV on the wall.
Modern white bedroom interior with floor-to-ceiling built-in storage and teal decorative pillows.
Decorative items including a clock and vases arranged on a windowsill with sheer white curtains.
White ceramic vase with green leaves displayed on a sunny windowsill with sheer curtains.
Fresh green plants in a white ceramic vase sitting on a windowsill with natural light.
White linen curtains hanging from metal curtain rods near a bright window.
Built-in white drawers with gold handles beneath a window and decorative oriental rug.
Custom white closet system with hanging clothes and built-in drawers featuring brass hardware.
Long hallway with dark hardwood flooring and white walls featuring multiple doorways.
Minimalist corridor with dark wood floors, white walls, and framed artwork.
Before and after renovation photos showing a hallway transformation with improved lighting.
Before and after bedroom makeover showing updated decor and furniture placement.
Before and after renovation photos showing a bedroom transformation from exposed studs to a finished white-walled space.

THE PLAN

When we first moved in, we did some major wall changing. Took some out, added some back in. Replaced the windows, one by one. It's best described by these floorpans... the first one is the BEFORE. Before we did anything...

Simple floor plan sketch showing layout of bedrooms, living room, dining room and kitchen areas.

the demo begins

Here are the walls we took out...

Floor plan diagram with red lines indicating proposed wall modifications for home renovation.

current floorplan

And here's what it looks like now...

Architectural floor plan drawing showing room labels and dimensions for a residential space.
Before and after renovation photos showing dramatic transformation of a living space with blue accent wall.

Knowing we spend 99% more time in the main living area than we do in our bedroom, we made the choice to take out the master closet to make way for a built in media center in the living room. So for the past 8 years, we've been using the extra bedroom as a closet. Just racks in the room and an armoire. (not gonna lie... kind of got used to that big space for a closet!)

Then when we started our bathroom remodel, we moved our clothes downstairs and made the 'closet room' our temporary bedroom. A mattress on the floor like college. lol. Not ideal. Going downstairs to get dressed was also not ideal. Actually, downright annoying.

Dark hardwood flooring in a room with clothing racks and geometric patterned rug.
Modern room interior with recessed lighting and window showing storage solutions.
Long view of room with dark hardwood floors and storage furniture along the walls.

the bathroom started it all

The master bathroom was laughable, at best. More of a 'water closet' with the tiniest sink in America. So we merged the main and master bath to create a pretty new space.

Bathroom renovation progress showing toilet installation and unfinished walls.
Panoramic view of a modern basement renovation in progress showing white walls and lighting fixtures.
Construction progress photos showing framing and drywall installation in residential space.
Modern bathroom with black hexagon floor tiles, white subway tile walls, and wooden vanity cabinets.
White hallway with mounted hooks and framed artwork displaying coastal scenes.

the punch list

After the bathroom was done (that took 8 loooong months of using the Holocaust basement bathroom), we took a bit of a breather. Then COVID hit and we found ourselves with lots of time on our hands to dive into the bedroom remodel. : ).

THE TO-DO LIST:

  • block in the West window (it was my vision to be able to hang a large piece of art over the bed... something I've NEVER been able to do in any house we've lived in to date)
  • put in a smaller South window
  • new drywall + electrical + insulation
  • custom wardrobe built in cabinets (made by my Dad)
  • replace the flooring
  • new headboard + nightstands

Here are some progress pics...

Workers installing ceiling panels in an outdoor covered area during construction.
Room renovation in progress with people working on wall installations.
Workshop scene showing tools and equipment being used for bicycle repair and maintenance.
Workshop space with metal framing and construction equipment being assembled.
Empty room with wooden storage cabinets and shelving units being installed.
Collection of construction materials and tools piled against a white wall during renovation.
Interior room with white paneled walls and window during construction process.
Large oriental rug being laid out on floor during home renovation.

sources

In case you are curious where things came from, here's a roundup!

Headboard : Article

Nightstands: Facebook marketplace $30

Large mirror: Facebook marketplace $30

Framed art above bed: it's a deer bed taken on our ground near Beatrice. Ryan loves to deer hunt and this was a compromise as to not have any actual 'deer' portraits in the room.

Pillows - cobalt blue velvet sewed by my Aunt Judy

Boobie vase - sculpted by my Aunt Judy

Other artwork: I love you hand: Etsy / nude portrait: Etsy / large nude: thrifted / nude sculpture: estate sale in Arizona / watercolor of the flipping of the bird: painted by my Aunt Judy

Bedding: West Elm

Curtains: Target

Cabinet Hardware / Sconces: Amazon

Rug: Facebook marketplace for $50! : )