Master Bedroom Makeover: The Greige Edition
I'm sure I've said before, that the term 'Master Bedroom' in a normal, non-palatial home, totally cracks me up, hence the reason I can't resist using the term. But yes, it's just my bedroom. Nothing 'Master' about it, except that it's a little bit bigger than Edie's bedroom and has built-in wardrobes, so does that count?
In my dreams, it will be a proper Master Bedroom one day, with a slight re-jig of bedrooms, with a walk-through wardrobe and ensuite ala Kate Watson-Smyth's bedroom. One day.
But in the meantime, I hope you'll enjoy its latest look. Gone is the saturated pink, the darkest off-black and whatever it was before then (sage green?), and here is the May 2018 version. All greige and neutral, and well, I hope, Boutique Hotel-esque. At least what my version of a Boutique Hotel is.
Now first, let me say a thing or two in defence of greige and beige, which have dreadfully bad names these days (but not for long, I might add!). These colours have become synonymous with boring and bland, and understandably so, as for years they have been in the wrong hands, and have had the life and soul sucked out of them.
They have fallen in with the likes of Magnolia, and this really should not have happened. Because far from being safe and boring, they are actually magical colours (and pretty damn hard to get right too), that don't shout, but play a special role in a room whilst letting the other pieces take centre stage. Yet they're not boring, they're warm and welcoming. Not many colours can lay claim to that, so think about it next time, before you outright dismiss them as I have in the past. And it's not only me that's of this opinion: these colours were super popular at Milan Design Week last month, so, you know, expect to see a whole lot more of these warm neutrals over the next few years.
The colour I have chosen (and yes, after MUCH deliberation), is Donkey Ride by Earthborn Paints. The same colour as Edie's bedroom, which is in fact, breaking one of my own cardinal rules, but I loved it so much in there, that I just couldn't help myself.
It's a gorgeous neutral, and I can't recommend it highly enough. My bedroom is south-facing, and Edie's is north-facing, so it looks quite different in each room, but consistently lovely.
Also gone in here are the painted floorboards, replaced with this beautiful Light Taupe carpet from Cormar Carpets. Although it's been in for six months now, I swear it still makes me happy every single day. Plush carpet in bedrooms, brings a whole other layer of luxury that hard flooring just can not do. It's in the kids rooms too, and on the stairs, landings and back hallway. You can read more about that here - it really has transformed these parts of the house.
In warmer countries, I probably wouldn't opt for carpet in the bedrooms, but here in the UK, I will take all the comfort and warmth on offer thanks, so my vote is for carpet all the way!
In my quest for a Boutique Hotel-esque bedroom, a wall of floor to ceiling velvet curtains were non-negotiable. So a happy arrangement with the absolutely fabulous Drop It Modern last year, resulted in these beauties coming into my world. They sat perfectly folded in their boxes rather shamefully for MONTHS as fear of getting the whole curtain track thing wrong, apparently paralysed me. See here for more about my fears and how the wonderful Shading Specialists eventually came to my rescue and hung them for me. To say I'm pleased with them is an understatement. They are GORGEOUS, and again add another layer of luxury to the room (and do a much better job of making the room nice and dark that our old Roman Blinds did too!). They are THE perfect shade of taupe, and tone in perfectly with both the wall colour and my DIY headboard (which, for the record, I'm still very much in love with!).
The Albany Biba table lamps from House of Fraser (which sadly now appear to be sold out, but the floor lamp version is still available) are a brilliant addition. I needed something a little bit chunkier that their predecessors so that they held their own against the marbled backdrop and didn't disappear, and these are the perfect addition. I adore these Clarissa ones too, also Biba at House of Fraser, which are gorgeous (and currently on sale!). And I have to say the Leopard, Heron and Palm ones have caught my eye too. Did you know I have a thing for lamps?! I know, who'd have guessed?
Linen bedding, is a firm favourite, and this my Soak & Sleep blush 100% Pure French Linen in blush (gifted a while back, but on our bed more often than not!), mixed in with a few other existing pieces.
Despite this room now being 'finished' (Ha! Is there actually any such thing!?), there are a few things I'd like to change. The round Ikea mirror isn't really doing it for me. I'd like something a bit bigger, perhaps with a brass frame, and in my dreams that bigger round mirror would be flanked with wall lights. And come to think of it, as lovely as the vintage chest of drawers is, I'd love to replace them with something that requires less of a push and a shove to open and close again! I know, never satisfied...
The charcoal Agnes throw from Christy (also gifted), is actually meant for the TV Room, but I may have borrowed it for the bedroom. It's such beautiful quality, and I'm pretty sure it will make many appearances around the house. And as you can see, Cleo approves.
Ed also loves the room, as do I. It makes me happy and feels calm and uncluttered, and those things are pretty important to me these days. Now onto the living and dining rooms...
This post is in collaboration with Cormar Carpets, House of Fraser, Shading Specialists, Drop It Modern and Earthborn Paints.
In my dreams, it will be a proper Master Bedroom one day, with a slight re-jig of bedrooms, with a walk-through wardrobe and ensuite ala Kate Watson-Smyth's bedroom. One day.
But in the meantime, I hope you'll enjoy its latest look. Gone is the saturated pink, the darkest off-black and whatever it was before then (sage green?), and here is the May 2018 version. All greige and neutral, and well, I hope, Boutique Hotel-esque. At least what my version of a Boutique Hotel is.
Now first, let me say a thing or two in defence of greige and beige, which have dreadfully bad names these days (but not for long, I might add!). These colours have become synonymous with boring and bland, and understandably so, as for years they have been in the wrong hands, and have had the life and soul sucked out of them.
They have fallen in with the likes of Magnolia, and this really should not have happened. Because far from being safe and boring, they are actually magical colours (and pretty damn hard to get right too), that don't shout, but play a special role in a room whilst letting the other pieces take centre stage. Yet they're not boring, they're warm and welcoming. Not many colours can lay claim to that, so think about it next time, before you outright dismiss them as I have in the past. And it's not only me that's of this opinion: these colours were super popular at Milan Design Week last month, so, you know, expect to see a whole lot more of these warm neutrals over the next few years.
The colour I have chosen (and yes, after MUCH deliberation), is Donkey Ride by Earthborn Paints. The same colour as Edie's bedroom, which is in fact, breaking one of my own cardinal rules, but I loved it so much in there, that I just couldn't help myself.
It's a gorgeous neutral, and I can't recommend it highly enough. My bedroom is south-facing, and Edie's is north-facing, so it looks quite different in each room, but consistently lovely.
Also gone in here are the painted floorboards, replaced with this beautiful Light Taupe carpet from Cormar Carpets. Although it's been in for six months now, I swear it still makes me happy every single day. Plush carpet in bedrooms, brings a whole other layer of luxury that hard flooring just can not do. It's in the kids rooms too, and on the stairs, landings and back hallway. You can read more about that here - it really has transformed these parts of the house.
In warmer countries, I probably wouldn't opt for carpet in the bedrooms, but here in the UK, I will take all the comfort and warmth on offer thanks, so my vote is for carpet all the way!
In my quest for a Boutique Hotel-esque bedroom, a wall of floor to ceiling velvet curtains were non-negotiable. So a happy arrangement with the absolutely fabulous Drop It Modern last year, resulted in these beauties coming into my world. They sat perfectly folded in their boxes rather shamefully for MONTHS as fear of getting the whole curtain track thing wrong, apparently paralysed me. See here for more about my fears and how the wonderful Shading Specialists eventually came to my rescue and hung them for me. To say I'm pleased with them is an understatement. They are GORGEOUS, and again add another layer of luxury to the room (and do a much better job of making the room nice and dark that our old Roman Blinds did too!). They are THE perfect shade of taupe, and tone in perfectly with both the wall colour and my DIY headboard (which, for the record, I'm still very much in love with!).
The Albany Biba table lamps from House of Fraser (which sadly now appear to be sold out, but the floor lamp version is still available) are a brilliant addition. I needed something a little bit chunkier that their predecessors so that they held their own against the marbled backdrop and didn't disappear, and these are the perfect addition. I adore these Clarissa ones too, also Biba at House of Fraser, which are gorgeous (and currently on sale!). And I have to say the Leopard, Heron and Palm ones have caught my eye too. Did you know I have a thing for lamps?! I know, who'd have guessed?
Linen bedding, is a firm favourite, and this my Soak & Sleep blush 100% Pure French Linen in blush (gifted a while back, but on our bed more often than not!), mixed in with a few other existing pieces.
Despite this room now being 'finished' (Ha! Is there actually any such thing!?), there are a few things I'd like to change. The round Ikea mirror isn't really doing it for me. I'd like something a bit bigger, perhaps with a brass frame, and in my dreams that bigger round mirror would be flanked with wall lights. And come to think of it, as lovely as the vintage chest of drawers is, I'd love to replace them with something that requires less of a push and a shove to open and close again! I know, never satisfied...
The charcoal Agnes throw from Christy (also gifted), is actually meant for the TV Room, but I may have borrowed it for the bedroom. It's such beautiful quality, and I'm pretty sure it will make many appearances around the house. And as you can see, Cleo approves.
Ed also loves the room, as do I. It makes me happy and feels calm and uncluttered, and those things are pretty important to me these days. Now onto the living and dining rooms...
This post is in collaboration with Cormar Carpets, House of Fraser, Shading Specialists, Drop It Modern and Earthborn Paints.