Our Slutty Master Bedroom -- Now With Pictures (But Not Those Kind)

Yesterday I had dreams of meticulously cataloging our bedroom with my camera. To that end I hid all the extra pillows required to comfort a huge pregnant belly to sleep. I stuffed the cardboard boxes full of maternity clothes into the bathroom (I patently refuse to integrate that disgusting crap into my actual wardrobe). I made up the bed. And then... I was tired. Exhausted, actually. Apparently I only have about 30 good minutes left in a day before I start getting shaky and weird.

But I am a warrior, so I took a few pictures anyway -- just not as many (or as mind bendingly awesome) as I had hoped for. But pictures, nonetheless. Let's do this.

First of all, THANK YOU SANDERS! for enduring sample harvest 2012, in which I set out to try every Benjamin Moore color ever made. I'm actually really happy with Dior Gray. Sometimes it's purple, sometimes bluish, sometimes just gray. Always soothing and comforting.

So, this is not the ultimate configuration for our tiny bedroom... the rocker will probably get switched out and I need new lampshades and I did not style the space at all.

But you know what? I don't like a lot of shit cluttering up my space. It makes me nervous. And while I've been in a mad rush to acquire big basic pieces before baby arrives, I do believe in slowly collecting only accessories that you really really love. So it will all get there. Someday.

But let's talk about that ho-tastic bedding. You know, I don't buy a lot of brand spanking new stuff. I like vintage, thrift, antiques. But I draw the line at undies and bedding. I mean, if you want to get crabs and bedbugs that's your decision. Me, I like the delicious feeling of unconquered territory when I lay me down to sleep.

That meant new bedding, because my old linens were looking pretty haggard. I'm not sure how I feel about those crazy coral sheets -- I did order a new set in "blush," hoping they might be a little less HEY STRIPPER!. And then there is the giant faux lynx blankie. Practical? Yes. It will hide a multitude of sins, like leaves and maybe even baby vomit.

But maybe I like it better without?

Or with? I'm on the fence. It's twin size so I could always use it to cover Ike's new big boy bed or a sofa.

Anyway, that's what I have going on so far. I didn't really buy anything except for paint, Ikea linen curtains and bedding, so it wasn't an exorbitant makeover. I painted the frame around the Pop Chalee print... I think that's it. Minimal effort sans the endless repainting.

Ok, so maybe not minimal effort.

In case you're wondering, all the bedding came from Overstock and it was super cheap. I think I got a bedskirt, sheets, new pillows and the fur blanket for $200. Not bad.

What's bad is that our bed looked like this for five minutes before Ike came in and tore everything up in a mad frenzy of trampoline inspired gymnastics.

And that's why I can't have anything extra nice. So this will have to do.

I'm off to cut mats and other unfun stuff.

Hope you enjoyed the tour!

*** UPDATE ***

I forgot to include a before pic...

My eyes!

Calculating/Decorating

Sorry for the quiet around here of late. Ike's out of school again and I've been whipping us both into a frenzy of day trips and play dates. Today is dr. appt # 8million, so I don't have a lot of time but I thought I'd report on what's been going on around here.

A whole lot of painting, and none of it's good.

You're probably thinking: But, Erin -- you have Sanders! Every paint color he picks must be magical!

It is. And yet sometimes I foolishly do not listen to him. Sometimes I chicken out and second guess him. Sometimes I am an idiot.

Now my bedroom looks like this:

Also Ben is pissed that I didn't just use the extra gallon of dark gray navy paint from Ike's room instead of trying to pick a new, slightly different dark blue paint.

Did I mention that I'm an idiot?

But you know, it's hard picking colors for the last rooms in the house. The first ones go up pretty easily -- limitless choices! And then the possibilities narrow into a handful of pathways... and then I get confused.

Should I repeat a color, or choose a new neutral color? Because I'm not sure I love the dark blue. And peach didn't work (promise! and I did try Jumel Peachtone, aka orange sherbet, for the person who suggested it).

I am inspired by this trio of beautiful rooms:

This paint looks like Ike's room color, BM Deep Secret.

This one looks like the front room paint color, Dark Harbor.

And this is the missing element. Kind of gray, kind of purple. Kind of amazing.

Could be BM Evening Gown.

Or perhaps Evening Skyline.

And my wild card pick is Arctic Seal.

So you can see I'm thinking something purpley, but not Violet Beauregardey. Something warm and enveloping or perhaps deep and mysterious.

Or maybe Sanders will tell me to do something else entirely, and I WILL LISTEN.

Details to follow.

Also, I may be getting a new rug for the bedroom. And possibly designing it and the paint color around these curtains that didn't work for the living room:

Because, when the choices narrow down I try to make things more difficult by adding another level to the equation.

I can derive a polynomial function in my head faster than I can decorate (remember the shortcut, calculus nerds?).

But I am learning.

[photos via design traveller]