An Updated Bedroom Design Plan & A Thank You Note To My House

We’ve hired pros for our new master bedroom remodel, so it is rapidly zooming into focus. The room is going to be done soon, but my decorating “plan” is still just a loosey-goosey collection of ideas.

As a reminder, here is what the room looked like in the raw “before” state:
Red House West || Bedroom Decisions
Red House West || Bedroom Decisions It’s hard to get a clear sense of scale, but just know that the room is tiny. The bed in these photos is a full, and it takes up pretty much the whole room. How to fit a queen bed and a closet for two was the challenge, and after taping out the size of a queen size bed on the floor, going through a whole pad of graph paper, and meeting with our awesome contractor, we’ve got a plan that’s going to work.
The closet is going in this long skinny eave that was housing Chester’s bitty closet and my sewing area:
Red House West || Master Bedroom
I had thought that we would each have a side of the eave as our designated closet, with a mix of drawers and hanging space (see my original closet plan here).  But after monkeying with the design I decided that the simplest solution is best.   The entire left side (where the dresser is in the photo above) will be built in drawers, and the entire right side will be hanging space with sliding doors.  This plan works better because the knee wall on the right side is actually higher than the one on the left (which slopes like a funhouse) so there’s more height for hanging clothes.  Will it be a long closet tube?  Yep.  Will it house both of our wardrobes? I desperately hope so.  Will it be a big improvement on our current closet sitch?  Most definitely.

Here’s a peek (in terribly lit iPhone photos) at what it looks like currently:

IMG_3538 IMG_3539Back to the decorating plan.  You might remember that I was debating between a spool bed and an upholstered bed.   I love spool beds, and I think they look especially sweet in small attic-y rooms, so when I found this I convinced myself it was the one (not in this color though):

The company’s website doesn’t include dimensions, but here’s the description: “The Farmhouse Spool Bed enjoys a vintage look that makes one nostalgic for the relaxed pace of a summer cottage. With its smaller scale, this bed will fit the coziest of bedrooms.”  Perfect!  My bedroom is cozy, I’m nostalgic for a relaxed pace, I enjoy a vintage look!  But when I got the dimensions I learned that what they bill as basically a dollhouse bed is TOO BIG for our bedroom.

Next I found this petite and simple bed at Serena and Lily:

Red House West || Master Bedroom

A totally different look, but I think it’s versatile and simple and, most importantly, it will fit in the room.  I thought I wanted a patterned fabric like the one I shared here, but after ordering fabric swatches I decided on a solid indigo linen.  With the sloped ceilings, paneled walls, and newly revealed wood floors, there’s a lot of pattern and texture in the room already.  I want the room to feel like a cozy and serene retreat for grown ups, so I figured solid was the way to go.  I bought the bed while it was on sale and got an email a few weeks later saying it was going into production, then nothing. For months. Finally in December I called customer service, and after talking to several people learned that my bed hadn’t gone into production because they didn’t actually have enough of the fabric to upholster it. They say they’ll get more in February, and to make it up to me they gave me an additional 40% off, and free shipping! Free furniture shipping to Alaska makes me feel like they’re paying me to buy this thing! I’m not counting my bed chickens before they hatch, but fingers crossed they’ll have enough fabric soon.

Assuming it all works out, I think it will look something like this (click here if you want to see previous plans):

Bedroom Plan Round 3

Finally, you might have heard about (or experienced) the big 7.1 earthquake we had here last weekend.  Nothing was damaged at our house, but the kitchen drawers and cabinets swung open, everything on the walls was akimbo, and a few things fell off the bookshelves.  To my dear darling house, house that survived the 1964 earthquake too, I say thank you.   You’ve earned those janky angles and sloping floors, and I am very grateful that you are strong and solid and keep my family safe.

20 responses on “An Updated Bedroom Design Plan & A Thank You Note To My House

  1. Emily

    I think the low, simple bed was a really good call – you’ll let in the maximum possible light from the window. I have major bed envy! I’m already loving how it looks and can’t wait to see how it comes together!

    1. Mera Post author

      The earthquake was a good reminder that there’s a lot to love about my house, most of which I don’t think about very often!

  2. pippin

    I do like your final decision on the bed. Looks like it will fit the space nicely. I can’t wait to see the final results. Glad you were not affected in the earthquake. My dad was a geologist working in Anchorage when the big one hit in ’64. For a geologist to experience this event he said was pretty ‘awesome’, but my mom had four little kids at the time she was terrified.

  3. zandra (Little Yellow Couch)

    Oh Mera, your heart must be going pitter patter in anticipation of that bed! While I love spool beds (I have two twins in our guest room), I think all of that detail might have overwhelmed your small space. And that S&L bed you chose is just perfect!!! At first I was mad at them on your behalf for not contacting you to let you know that they had run out of fabric. But it turns out their mistake was a really good one for you! So…Yay! Can’t wait to see how it all comes together.

    1. Mera Post author

      Thanks Zandra! I have to admit, my heart still swoons for the spool bed, but I think you’re totally right that it would have overwhelmed the room. Serena & Lily’s customer service was excellent–I have nothing but love for them!

  4. Nina D

    When I heard about the quake, way down her near the equator, I thught of you immediately. Glad all is well in your red house.

    LOVE the plan!

    1. Mera Post author

      Thanks for thinking of me, Nina! It was a scary experience for sure. On the positive side, it has gotten us in gear to create an emergency kit, which I’ve been half meaning to do for years.

  5. Dana

    Hooray for sturdy houses and furniture shopping to Alaska! That was the biggest issue for me as I was trying to feather our (rented) nest up there…and without the knowledge of any good antique stores. I like the bed you chose, though I am still partial to spool beds! It makes a pretty dreamy combo with your night stands.

    1. Mera Post author

      Spool beds will always have my heart, and one day when my daughter fulfills her dreams of becoming a princess who drives a side dumper maybe my room in her palace will be big enough to accommodate one. 🙂 Thanks Dana!

  6. Michelle

    It looks like great progress has been made! I love the wood floors and the low profile of your new bed—perfect with the window. I’m eager to see it’s finished state (I’m sure you are too).<3

    1. Mera Post author

      Thanks Michelle! I thought our hardwood floors were fir, so I was surprised to learn that the floor in this bedroom is actually larch! It looks very similar to fir, which is a good thing, since that’s what we patched it with. 🙂

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