Rejuvenation

My parents have never really prioritized decorating their master bedroom. Until I got my hands on it a few months ago, it was filled with odds and ends that were left over from other spaces and a significant number of mismatched accessories. In person, it felt chaotic, dark, and not at all restful. And my parents are pretty awesome people. They deserve to have a space that feels light and calming.

Like many of us, my parents weren't interested in starting from scratch. It's not financially feasible for most people, plus - certain existing pieces had sentimental value (e.g., my dad's dresser) and certain aspects they just plain liked (e.g., my mom loves the wall colour). Keeping that in mind, we kept many elements of the room, and switched out the textiles and a few other pieces to update the look.

Here's what it looked like before I got my hands on it:

Art is too small/displayed too close together.

 Bedside tables don't match, which isn't always a problem - BUT they don't coordinate with each other either. Lamps are dated. Shelf (full of books no one reads) makes it feel cluttered.

Every piece of furniture is completely different, preventing a sense of cohesion.
Art above the dresser is too small. Curtains were leftover from my childhood bedroom.

Dated lamp. Dresser has sentimental value to my Dad (so it's staying as is). Knick knacks hold no sentimental value and add visual clutter (This is a minimalist day - normally, there are even more).

This side table is...wait for it... a filing cabinet. Also, I used it as a microwave stand in undergrad. And now it's my Mom's bedside table. Although there are times when multifunctional pieces can be awesome - this is not one of those times. The side table is too corporate for a bedroom, a colour that doesn't remotely coordinate with the rest of the room, and far too high for both the bed and the other side table. My mom deserves a legitimate bedside table.

 So there you have it. A dated and dark bedroom. 

(Also, words cannot adequately convey how much I dislike that bedding.)

Coming up with a design scheme was a fun challenge. My parents and I have very different styles - I imagine most of you are in the same boat. So I really had to think outside of what I naturally gravitate towards (light, modern, funky) and get a little more country and a little more traditional than normal. Here's what I came up with:

Check back on Monday to see what the room looks like now!