Introducing my very own Budget Master Bedroom Make-over!
I have been doing Postboxes for my clients, so I wanted to be the guinea pig and try out the process on myself this time! Typically in the past, I will purcahse items for a room here and there, and slowly pull a room together. But this time, I wanted to try something different: try the way I actually design for my clients. So, I drew up the floor plan, Mood Board, and Perspective just like I would for one of you! Then I went through the process myself. I was so much fun and so easy…it makes me want to do another room in my own house! So here is our master bedroom reveal…
Chalk it up to too much time on Pinterest, but those neutral gray-on-white-on-ivory master bedrooms just started calling my name! They looked so warm and cozy. Don’t you just love these? I liked our master bedroom, but I needed a change. Like I suggest for my clients, the first thing I did was start off with some inspirational photos that I found on Pinterest. (If you want some more eye candy I might have oh, let’s say another dozen or so of these neutral bedrooms on my Pinterest page HERE).
Oh, and did I mention I have had this weird obsession with pompoms lately? Everywhere I looked I saw them, and was snagged. In fact, below was my inspirational photo. I never could track down the sources for these linens, but are probably uber-expensive anyways, so I found my own budget versions.
Because like so many of you, I have a budget, so I had to get creative and make my money stretch. Luckily, my basics I could keep: my headboard, dressers, curtains, my side tables, and my chandelier. Honestly, they were all bargain finds from Walmart and Target anyways. My fabulous linen nailhead headboard I love, my wonderful father-in-law helped me make it as a birthday present one year. But if you love the look, I found an almost identical version for you (See the Source List under the Mood Board). So basically, I just focused on new bedding, wall paint, and I added in a new rug. I chose Benjamin Moore “Stonington Gray” as a soft, pale gray for the wall color.
The base of a budget job is to start with what you have. A lot of furniture can be reupholstered or painted for a new look too if you can’t start from scratch. Then start adding in new things slowly. Find examples of what you like, then try to hunt down the less expensive version on them. For example, I found a bedskirt I loved for around $200. So instead, I went the DIY route: I had a friend sew me a bedskirt with this gray fretwork pattern, the fabric is under $10/SY.
In case you are diggging some of the items I already owned, I found similar versions for you, just click on the number of the item you like under the Mood Board below!
Click on here for the source:
*When I picked up my mirrors, they were on clearance and no longer available, I found a similar mirror to pictured above
- *#12 is not shown in the Mood Board, a monogrammed lumbar pillow
*
Here is the breakdown of what I bought:
New White Sheets, Amazon ($25)
H&M Home Gray Striped King Duvet/Pillow Set ($49.99)
Gray Cable Knit Throw, Amazon ($36)
King White Pom Pom Quilt and pillow set, Amazon ($140)
Target Herringbone 5’x7’ Rug ($66)
New wall paint ($50)
Here is how I designed the room to look (before buying a thing):
I actually felt like one of my Postbox clients the day I ordered everything. Once I had my drawings, I literally laid in bed in my yoga pants and ordered everything online in oe sitting. Like twenty minutes and I had ordered my entire room. It felt amazing! Then over the next few days I watched all of those beautiful Amazon Prime boxes roll in! I waited until I had it all in, then I put everything together in thirty minutes. It couldn’t have been easier. My youngest daughter sleepily stumbled up into our room after her naptime and her eyes burst open. She cried out “Mommy, this is such a surprise! Your room looks so beautiful!” Then she and I promptly snuggled into our new bedding. Her fav? The soft cable knit throw.
Here is what my bedroom looked like when it was done. I’m so excited, I’m like a little kid of Christmas! I love how all of the bedding turned out. My favorite though is the pompom bedding. I know its a little girly, but when you pair it with the masculine stripes and herringbone patterns, I think it works.
I simplified the art on our mantle so it stayed in the neutral colors. These framed flower images (prints are from Ikea) were already in the room, just scattered around. I simply re-arranged to add them over the mantle. Likewise, the square silver mirror (from HomeGoods) used to be on the mantle, and I swapped it to the top of the dresser. (Both sets of dressers BTW were a 16th birthday gift to my husband from his parents…I bet he never thought he would be sharing them with a wife someday!) Also on top of the dresser: the wire basket was a gift from my parents from South Africa, and it is filled with seashells from past vacations. The artwork was a housewarming gift from a co-worker-it is the coordinates to our home. (A fabulous DIY housewarming gift idea to file away people!)
Each bedside table has a bronze fan and a pewter pharmacy lamp. I already owned these, but I have links to similar ones under the Mood Board above if you want something similar. The circle mirrors were a Target clearance happy buy! You can’t see it in the photo, but on the shelf of the table is a rattan basket, and that is where I corral all of the loose things…a book, lotion, glasses, etc. so that they don’t clutter up the table. I always like the idea of hanging SOMETHING over your bedside table…a mirror, art, a photo. The trick is to hang it lower than you might think. You want it to feel like part of your table vingette. You could even simply lean a frame against the wall.
Earlier, I had replaced the existing boring ceiling fan with this traditional nickel chandelier. It glammed up the room instantly, and if you are handy around the house, it was a simple remove and replace electrical job.
I kept our existing upholstered bench, but a great source is Target for inexpensive, pretty little benches. The herringbone rug was a mere $66, and worth every penny!
And here’s one of my favorite little monkeys jumping on my bed…
If this inspired you to go neutral too, let me know! I would love to see your ideas, or share your projects with me on my Facebook page. Let’s spread the love of the neutral (and maybe the pompoms too!)
Check out this bedroom post and a million more other fab design ideas, shared at:
Shauna says
This looks great! Besides the obvious cost of the goods, what would this room have cost for a client?
PostboxDesigns says
Hi Shauna, Thanks so much! For a bedroom I charge a client $350 to design the entire space and choose all of the items ($450 if they wanted 3D perspectives with it, like I show), then the cost of the furnishings. I give them all they need to buy directly so I don’t mark up on any of the fixtures or furnishings. Thanks so much for finding my blog! 🙂
Shauna says
That’s really reasonable!! Thanks for sharing, happy to be a new follower.
Nancy @ Slightly Coastal says
It turned out so great! That would be so fun to just order the whole room. I’m like you, it takes me forever to decide on everything and pull the room together. Buying it all at once would be fun. I might have to try this!
Nancy
PostboxDesigns says
Thanks so much Nancy! I know…and why is it I can pick out an entire room for someone else but it takes me a million years to make a single decision for MY house!? Sometimes we just need to go for it, right? 🙂
Cindy says
Adorable! IKEA has a similar duvet. We have one in my daughter’s room. It’s very nice, washes well and has been durable.
PostboxDesigns says
Thanks so much! I love Ikea more and more every time I visit…I’ll have to be on the lookout for it, as a back-up, just in case!