Transform teen room into a guest space

June 06, 2011

A guest room redo has been on my radar for about two years now. Basically since our daughter went off to college.

It looked like this for years:
checkered wall with bright colors girls room
My stepdaughter picked out the design and colors and I said let’s go for it! Her and her girlfriends helped me paint it back when they were wee ones in middle school.

But now it’s more of a guest room, and I feel bad EVERY time we have someone come stay.
Pink, blue and purple doesn’t exactly scream come rest and relax in your home away from home. ;)
I’ve been meaning to do this for so long, but I was waiting for inspiration to hit me. I kept picking out paint samples and swatches, but nothing felt right. I just didn’t know where I wanted to go with it.

I want a lush, comfy, hotel-feel, but still comfortable. I kept thinking a deep grey would look fab on the walls. I know grey is totally trendy right now, but I’ve had this little swatch of paint up for about 18 months:
IMG_5055

I’m so trendy I’m trendy after the trend hits. Yeah. Or maybe that makes me not trendy at all. Whatever. :)

Well, I just wasn’t feeling the greys I was picking out. So I decided to practice what I preach and wait for the inspiration to strike in the form of bedding or drapes.
I waited. And waited.
Waited some more.
Twiddled my thumbs.
Hummed a tune.
Crickets.

Then I kind of gave up. The pink and blue and purple needs to go and I was tired of waiting around. So I went with white bedding:
 

I found that lovely quilt set at TJ Maxx, and LOVED it. But it still needed something more…and the next trip into the Maxx delivered this beautiful duvet:


Ahhh, people! It had finally happened! (Just ignore the wrinkles.) Good. NESS. It took forever. But something had finally struck my fancy.

I wasn’t sure how it would look with the quilt, but I love it!:
tj maxx bedding

Ack! I just think it is gorgeous!

I pulled a deep grey out of the duvet for the sheet color:
grey green white bedding

But white sheets will work great too.

And I’ll be – look what was waiting for me on my NEXT trip into TJ Maxx:


Perfect!

I know it sounds like I frequent the place at least daily, but I don’t. Swear. Really.
(And no, all seven pillows won’t stay. At least I don’t think. I promise nothing.)

Just like that, the room was ready for a redo! I’m back to my idea of the grey walls, but there are so many beautiful tones to pick from!:
ralph lauren grey colors   

I’d like to pull one out of the bedding, but there’s two different tones of the grey. At first I was going darker because this room gets so much natural light, but now I’m leaning toward a lighter one.
Hmmmm…we will see! :)

You’ll notice I moved the bed:


I know it’s bad feng shui to have it situated like this, but over the past year or so, I’ve been using this room as my “sewing” room, since it has such great light. (And when I say “sewing” room, I really mean “iron and hemming tape” room.)

Anyway, the end of the bed is my perch when I work on fabric projects, and I like the set up this way, but who knows if it will stay.

Other than painting, I plan on making a DIY upholstered headboard, adding crown molding, painting the ceiling, adding some window treatments and painting the dresser that used to be in the Bub’s room:
girls room blocked wall

I’d like to tackle that chair too, but we’ll just see how ambitious I am. :)

Now I need to figure out what to do with this big honkin’ checkered wall:
checkered wall with paint

It won’t stay checkered, obviously.

But I did think it could be cool to keep with the same idea and do some board and batten molding along the lines of what I did in the playroom:
board and batten playroom

So that’s the short list folks – I’m just SO thrilled to have the biggest part done with the bedding. That’s the hardest part for me!

I shared how I (try) to start a room redo over at Beth’s place today – go check it out!:


I’ll be back with some fun projects – they were derailed by my DIY mishap this weekend but I’m persevering!! :)

Here’s my before and after for this month:
girls room grid wall

A little underwhelming at this point…but it’s progress!!

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Comments

  1. I love the bedding! I've been the same way, but with our master bedroom! I like a bunch of individual items, but nothing that sets the inspiration for the room! So, we've ended up with white bedding and tan walls! Hahaha! It's temporary though, as we are in an apartment but hunting for a house!

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  2. I love me so gray. I have for many years and actually had my first gray bedroom in the 90's. Waaaaay before it was cool. I'm smooth like that.

    Would it be crazy to keep the fabric on the chair and maybe just paint the wood white? Don't know how well the fabric is holding up, but I'm kind of digging it with the green in the duvet. (With the blue and pink walls... not so much. ha!) Just a thought. Maybe a bright white chair with brighter apple green or chartreuse (how on earth do you SPELL that!)velvety fabric. Yummy!

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  3. So, you didn't ask, but I'm going to give my two cents anyway. DARK. Go with the dark gray. At least 3 or 4 shades darker than the duvet (from what I see in the pictures). It would be fantastic with that white bedside table. Is painting the dresser white out of the question? Or (gasp) green??

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  4. I love that bedding! I think I some similar at Home Goods, but it's so hot here already that we're barely using a sheet on our bed and a very thin blanket! p.s. glad you remembered the party:) Ha!

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  5. Can't wait to see which grey you choose! I've had LOTS of fun choosing the right shades of grey. ;)

    BTW-for some reason, I'm never able to click on the title of your posts so I can link back directly to your post. It's weird. So I have to link back only to your main blog url. :(

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  6. First of all, I LOVE the duvet you found at TJ Maxx!! Its gorgeous & the colors are beautiful!! Can't wait to see how this room turns out!! I'm definitely with you, I think that you should totally incorporate some board & batten or some other type of molding on that checkerboard wall!!

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  7. I am LOVING that duvet! So pretty!

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  8. Love the bedding! Can't wait to see what you do with that wall!

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  9. Your room is really coming along well! Is the armchair in bad shape? Because if it's not, I think it'll look great once your walls are painted a moody grey.

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  10. The guest room is going to be lovely Sarah. I adore the bedding you found and loved your post over at The Stories of A to Z! Thank you for hosting the party. :)

    Heather@At The Picket Fence

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  11. I'm smitten with that green and grey bedding. LOVE it. I'm glad I'm not the only one who waits for the "right idea" to come to me before I actually start a project. Or the only one that uses that as an excuse anyway. :) I have paint swatches painted behind 4 of the pictures hanging behind my bed at this very moment. :)

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  12. Oh that bedding!! I love it! Can you hear my applause from here? Great find, beautifulchoice! And I really enjoyed reading your post @ Beth's. I'm trying to wrap my brain around redoing my bedroom, and now I have a great place to start! Thanks! :)

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  13. That bedding is to die for! Love it. Thanks for hosting.
    Veronica

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  14. Pretty bedding. Can't wait to see the room come together.

    Jessie
    www.mixandchic.com

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  15. oooh! Sarah! I love that bedding!
    Thanks for hosting the party! :)

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  16. That room is going to be such a haven of rest and relaxation when you are done with it.
    And you really have me sitting on the edge of my seat with this DIY disaster coming. Is it very bad of me to say that that are usually the posts I like best (makes me feel less like the goofy girl in town I know I am).
    Thanks for remembering the party! I had a post ready and it is now all linked up.

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  17. Love the bedding!!! I can't wait to see what color gray you go with!!! :)

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  18. I love those colors in the bedding. Great inspiration for the room. It already is a dramatic before/after. :D

    Thanks for hosting!

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  19. Don't you love when something just jumps out at you and becomes the catalyst for a redo !! The bedding is gorgeous, and I know that the paint color you choose will be beautiful. I can't wait to see what you do !! And, thanks so much for hosting this fun gathering. *Becca*

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  20. it looks great so far! thanks for hosting the party!
    ♥jaime...sevensisters

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  21. Love the bedding - can't wait to see what color you choose for the walls!

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  22. Love the bedding! Our bedroom is actually gray w/pops of yellow. We went with a darker gray on the walls and I LOVE it!!! It def has that spa-like feel. Not that you asked, but here's my .02 on the chair - from the pics, it looks like the fabric on your chair could match, perhaps you could just paint the wood until you get ambitious enough to reupohlster? A bright white would be gorgeous, with maybe a skosh (yes, it's a word) of distressing... I love chairs of that shape - so pretty!

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  23. I love the bedding. Gray and yellow has been on my radar lately.

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  24. I love the bedding! I would say either the second from the bottom gray on the left chip in the left picture or the bottom gray in the right picture. But what do I know, I am looking at it through a computer screen :) P.S. grey or gray?

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  25. Oh I agree- that bedding is incredible!! Great find!

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  26. Perfect color theme for a guest room retreat! Love it!

    And, you're right - not the best feng shui placement. However, since it's your guest room and not used that often for that purpose, you'll be just fine :D (There are a couple of things you could do, but after the room is finished ;)

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  27. I love the bedding!! So pretty!

    And thank you so much for hosting this party! It's so much fun to see what everyone has been up to! :)

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  28. Sarah, Your bedding is beautiful! It is so exciting to see you working your magic...can't wait to see how it comes out! I love what you have so far! :)

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  29. OOOh, I really like where you're going with it, Sarah! So spa-zen-like!

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  31. the bedding is GORGEOUS! I used Manhattan Mist (I forget what brand, sorry) and it is our FAVE room in the house and gets the most compliments (for wall color).

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  32. I absolutely love that new bedding!!! I think a darker accent wall behind the bed and then lighter gray on the other walls would look great.

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  33. Ooooh, I love the bedding you chose. It is so very swank and beautiful. I love the little pops of chartreuse (one of my favs). I love the thought of the dark gray walls. Very dramatic and chic or perhaps you could go with both the light gray and the dark gray. Use the dark gray for an accent wall behind the bed (where ever you decide to place it) and; of course, add a few more pops of chartreuse (silky chartreuse draperies that puddle on the floor would be divine). The black dresser is perfect with this color combo, perhpaps add a few more black pieces to this room for added drama. I love the chair. Maybe just a little paint and distressing on it would be the key. Anyway, you are a fabulous decorator and I know you will make everything work. Can't wait to see the finished product.

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  34. I love the bedding, but I HATE that you got it at the Maxx - if you see something you like, you'll never see it there again! (I kid, I kid)

    I love the room, and I think it looks great. Good job!

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  35. I am the worst at deciding on a paint color for any given room, but will give my 2 cents anyway!

    I love the wainscoting around the room with green or gray above. The wainscoting will make the room in my opinion! The chair would look great painted black with green, gray or especially a print to tie into bedding. Brings some "summer cottage/beach" into it!

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  36. A beautiful med-dark gray would be fantastic! Something a couple of shades darker to make the room feel cozy without making it too dark. Love it!

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  37. I would go for either the colour in the bottom strip (closest to the duvet), second colour from the bottom in the left pic or the middle colour in the right hand pic. A moody, almost peacock blue would look nice.

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  38. It's so refreshing to see new and fresh color ideas.

    Beautiful

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  39. Yellow and gray makes my heart flutter. What a great inspiration piece.

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  40. Love the new duvet! Can't wait to see what you do with the rest of the room. My mother-in-law has a comforter on the guest bed that looks just like that wall. Oh, and thanks for the party! Even if I'm a little late. :)

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  41. This Pinterest photo reminded me of what you're trying to do in your guest room...

    http://pinterest.com/pin/36211355/

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  42. Love the bedding.Funny I was going to suggest an polstered headboard!!! Why don't you paint the ceiling a dark grey and the walls a very light grey? I say no b&b to fussy for a guest room. A really comfy chair with an ottoman . Just thowin it out there! Door looks great.

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  43. I love the duvet & the dark sheets! This room is going to look fabulous when you're done!

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  44. Lovely colors in the duvet. When you decide on which gray to paint that checkered wall, why not attach a large vertical rectangle frame made from half-round molding, trace one of the duvet patterns onto butcher paper, and stencil it (enlarged) inside that frame. Inexpensive wall art that ties in the duvet pattern and colors.

    Anyway, have fun, it's lookin' great!

    Cathy

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  45. Since you are so talented, you might like the idea for a head board I got from my French friend in her home in Belgium. Here is the link: http://the2seasons.com/2011/05/22/easy-french-headboard/ It is a great headboard, and it would be free!

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  46. You've made a good old start! I adore that bedding - but him indoors forbids me to buy any more as I have an airing cupboard FULL vintage sheets from when my mother was 16, that I refuse to throw out.
    Perhaps I should use them to make something fab, so I can buy new stuff!

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  47. Isn't it amazing how stuff just comes together & to you when you let it and stop trying so hard? I vote a deep gray for the walls also, and I'd make sure it's a neutral enough gray so that if you change the bedding in the future, it will coordinate well. For instance, I wouldn't go with the purple-grays (or they could be blue-grays if my monitor's wrong) in some of those paint cards. Can't wait to see the "after" shots!

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  48. I have 2 of those yellow, brown wood upholstered chairs. They are so comfy, but I'm not crazy with the look. Please do something with your's, so I can copy!

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