Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Bedroom Project: tell me what you think.

Readers,

I'm asking for input here. Tell me what you think of these photos. I need input.

This room is a mystery to me. I never got to ask myself what, exactly, my "dream bedroom"would look like. I'm heavily influenced by what I already have, and things that are meaningful to me.
My great-grandmother, Lila (for whom Grace is named), hand-tatted these doilies. They might look a little "froo-froo" under other circumstances, but ..........because they were hers, I love them. I just don't think I'd ever see them in a store or photo and think, "I really really want those hanging in my bedroom."
However, is it too much on the bedding? Iwas thinking I'd hand-sew them onto the front of the shams. I'm not sure....

Some of you have manly-man husbands. How do you think that type of man would like/dislike having doilies on their pillows. *rolls eyes just thinking about it*

 This is the bed frame Ben made. I'm thinking of adding an upholstered panel to the front and sides as well as a headboard. Kinda like this Restoration Hardware bed.



I'm having a hard time finding linen, though. I have had to search online for something the right color. All that is in the stores right now is white linen....for Easter, I guess.


 Here's the curtains....still just pinned up, not sewn. I'm trying to get a-hold of the feel of this room first before making the drapes permanent.


 Do we like the flowers on the wall vases? I just don't know.........I don't want it to become too girly. I'm using them because I have them. Pretty much that's it.










I also have a new-found love for burlap.....which is, essentially, the poor-man's linen. I have a ton of it, and even thought about using it as the bed upholstery. However, it might be too brown. Here are pictures of some burlap pillows I found.....



This last one has crewel embroidery on it. I AM IN LOVE WITH CREWEL. My friend, Hosanna has been doing her own crewel embroidery since she was a teenager. I think it's the most exquisite home decoration I've ever seen!

Violet saw me messing with the burlap on a pillow and said, "It'll be pretty ruff, Mom. Pretty ruff for sleeping'!"


Still, though........I am  worried about it being too girly. :(

Ok. Feedback time!

6 comments:

  1. Ok. I'll be honest. I think the lace is too girly. But. I do think the burlap and crewel combo could work-- depending on the pattern you use. I mean, if you keep it more to the geometric side and less frilly and curly... if you know what I mean. I love the burlap. I love the curtains. But I severely dislike the upholstered bed :P

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  2. I agree with Lis. I think the lace on the pillows is lovely - but a bit girly; but the framed pieces on the walls I think you could get away with.
    I, too, love burlap. I haven't made pillows of curtains with it yet but I have used it to accessorize; especially at Christmas. If they're only throw pillows it doesn't matter if it's "ruff". :) I've never tried doing crewel on burlap; the weave is a bit loose and not uniform enough for attaching crewel stitches to; but I have seen some burlap with a finer weave that could be embroidered fairly easily, using a coarse wool crewel three-ply crewel yarn - not pearl cotton. I think a nice moderately curly design would be passable; but nothing too floral.
    Maybe you could applique the pillows? Something else I did with burlap accessories was PAINT it. It was a cinch.
    I love the curtains; I like that light flows through them. However, I DISagree with Lis on the bed - I think an upholstered headboard would be the bomb diggity in the room! I'd do something lighter colored though. Like linen. Or get a four poster. Although, they're pricey (unless you find one for $30 at a thrift shop like I did)
    I'd go with greenery in your wall sconces.
    As for manly men - when I set up house with Kevin, his one stipulation on the bedroom was no pink. I have floral sheets on the bed, and he doesn't care. I think as long as you stay away from frilly, lacy, pinky frou frou you're fine.

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  3. Love the curtains - I think the upholstered headboard would be great since the wall is so big - I am a fan of doilies especially if made by a family member (I also have them sprinkled through my house) the burlap reminds me more of an Americana style - which I really like, but I don't see it in that room - maybe if they were combined with other softer textured pillows? That's my 2 cents :)
    Diane

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  4. Well, I am far from a decorator as you well know, but have you thought about stitching the doilies to the burlap for shams??? The brown of the burlap could be a really pretty backdrop for the white/offwhite doilies. I LOVE the curtains and the upholstered bed (but color means everything there). Can't see the sconces very well, but I think they look nice to me? As far as the girly thing - we have the same problem here. I let Jeff pick the color for the room (which, of course, is the one room in the house that I want to change the color of now!). He didn't like the lilac/mauve color I'd picked out. So, we've got light blue -blah. Luckliy I got the browns in there to mellow it out - and found sheets at Costco that are great to match the spread/pillows I picked up at Ross. Course, now the set is getting worn out already and I'm needing to find something else already. Oh well - have fun with it! Nothing's permanent anyway;)

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  5. Love the family heirlooms in frames, love the bed-yes go for it if you can upholster the headboard! I'd skip the sides because the will probably get dirty to easily (little feet, etc. climbing up. I would not put flowers on either side of the window. Love the burlap for a accent pillow, but maybe only one? I liked the long skinny one with writing on it! The room is looking awesome!

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  6. I love that upholstered headboard! I think you should go for it with your current bed frame. Not sure I'd use burlap for that, but burlap pillows would be awesome. I agree with those above... doilies on the shams is too much. I do like them framed, however. The curtains are lovely, but also a bit on the feminine side, so I think bringing in the burlap would be great. I'd also suggest a taller/larger scale lamp for the side table. It's hard to see the sconces but I'd probably vote no on them, but it's a weak no. I totally get wanting to use stuff you already have. I have so many things like that now that I don't really love anymore, but keep trying to find homes for, because I have them. I'm slowly starting to move those things on to goodwill... :) Also... have you considered painting your dresser?? I think it would look awesome painted in that room. I've been seeing lots of painted furniture on pinterest lately and love it :) Haven't tried it myself, though! Oh, and I love the trunk at the end of your bed! That's my 2 cents... although I'm not sure you'd want to hear it if you saw the current state of our master bedroom! Such a mish-mash of leftovers from both of our parents, and no headboard at all, just the metal bedframe... oh well, we have other priorities right now :)

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