A regular H*T reader contacted me after seeing the mood board I put together for Scott and Robyn’s basement.  Michelle was wanting help with an inexpensive bedroom makeover.  And being that I like to pretend I’m an interior designer, I happily accepted Michelle’s request.  Currently, her bedroom looks like this…

It’s not a bad room to begin with at all.  Did you notice the floors?  And that upholstered headboard was a DIY project that Michelle and her husband completed together.  Michelle was wanting ideas for paint color, bedding, window treatments {well, door treatments I guess} and accessories.  After seeing my fandelier, she also wanted to incorporate the World Market pendant light into her room. Michelle asked that all the furniture stay {a bookcase also resides in her bedroom but is not shown above} but said that the sewing table and/or bookcase could be painted.  She was also looking to make the sewing table into more of a desk instead of a stand-alone piece.  After reviewing several pics of inspiration rooms that Michelle sent my way, I gathered that she was leaning towards a light, mostly neutral palette with a soothing feel.  In her original email to me, I also learned that Michelle likes a mix of crisp white and contrasting mocha with hints of green.  Taking all of that into consideration, this is what I came up with for Michelle’s budget-friendly room makeover…

I’m suggesting that Michelle paint her walls Dolphin Fin {by Behr, Home Depot}.  It’s a slightly tan-y gray.

Here’s a living room painted in Dolphin Fin so you get the idea…

{image courtesy of Alaina Kaczmarski}

For a fresh fix, clean white bedding {you can find it just about anywhere!} will instantly lighten all the dark furniture.  I found a few geometric print pillows along with a leafy green lumbar pillow to add interest.  The good news is they’re on sale for less than $13 each!  A white round mirror above the headboard will add in some curves.  {Frugal hint:  find any round mirror at Goodwill and spray paint it white.}  Spray painting the bedside lamps’ bases white will help to lighten things up, too.  The World Market chandelier is going to be the WOW! in this bedroom.  A furry sheepskin rug alongside the bed will add texture.  To keep all the furniture from looking the same, I suggested that Michelle paint her sewing desk green {similar to the one shown here} and her bookcase white.  Sliding up a white chair and hanging a DIY linen pinboard {like this} will further help the sewing table to act as a desk.  Those vertical blinds on the patio sliders have got to go!  I can’t wait to see how large and bright those sliding doors look when topped with a dark {either black or rubbed bronze} curtain rod and long, flowing white curtains.  Opening up that wall by hanging the window treatments high and wide around the patio doors will really have a huuuuuge impact.  {That’s one before-and-after I can’t wait to see!}  Finally, accessorizing with woven baskets, white ceramics and greenery {I had to throw in an orchid} will really bring some ease and life to the bedroom.  I dig these Jonathan Alder birds but really any cutesy piece found at Goodwill could be spray painted white for the same effect.

So, that’s how I would tweak Michelle’s bedroom without breaking the bank.  I was happy to hear that Michelle is excited about her mood board and actually has many of the items I suggested {rug, baskets, plants, white pots, etc} in her home already.  We must be on the same wavelength.  I know she isn’t in a hurry to tackle her bedroom makeover head-on, but when she does do it I sure hope she shares some pictures!  Pretty please, Michelle?

I bet you think I’ve forgotten about my naked entry hall wall and the custom art that y’all voted on for it.  Well, I haven’t.  It’s just I’ve got those 2 lil’ buggers nipping at my feet {and all the while Handy Hubby has been out of the country for work}.  I don’t trust 2 boys {5yrs and 2yrs old} around me when I’ve got an open can of black paint!  I’d say I’m 70% done.

After much debate, I decided to hang the wall art with grommets.  That means a full ‘how to add grommets to fabric’ tutorial is coming your way.  Lucky you.

The red ladder has been standing at attention in our entryway for the last week.  That whole ‘walking under a ladder is bad luck’ myth better be a myth.

I love the way this new piece of art looks old and worn.  My hand painted letters are far from perfect…even though it takes about 10 minutes to complete one!  {I have come to hate the letter “E”.}  At first, I wasn’t so sure about it.  After all, it is just a huge piece of fabric with black letters painted on it.  But, like most things that I do around here, now that I’ve been living with it for a little bit it’s totally starting to grow on me.