At least that's what the statistics show. I don't actually think that the statistics apply to me since I sleep, on average, about six hours a night but I decided that it was time to redecorate anyway. It's been 10 years since we built the house and that's the last time that this room was decorated. I can't believe it...TEN years!
Every time I think to myself, "I can't believe it", all I need to do is look at my bed linens.The sheets and duvet have lasted for what I consider to be a very long time. However, it's now at the point that the sheets have gone beyond "soft and nicely broken in" to "down right thread bare and somewhat transparent" and the color in the duvet has worn well past the point of "attractive patina".
If all of that weren't enough, my color palette has gone in a "lighter direction" and I'm returning to a more "feminine feel" for this room now that I don't need to choose a duvet cover that will allow for a 53 lb. yellow labrador retriever sleeping on top of it every night (she's decided that she's happier in the chair....the pillows shown on the chair in the prior photo have been removed) *wink*.
I've been thinking about this project since before the holidays but didn't really want to undertake one more thing at the end of the year due to the constraints of my job, the holidays, and the fact that I'm no longer in my 20's (or 30's or...you get the idea) and I can't survive on less than 5 hours of sleep for extended periods of time and still function.
This is the master bedroom. It has changed a little since this shot was taken three years ago, but not much. The wall behind the bed is wall papered in the same pattern that goes across the top of the windows.
Things that you don't see: A large chest of drawers with an mirror, another arm chair, a lingerie chest and the set of double doors that lead into the room.
This is a shot that was taken in the summer, four years ago. From this view, you get a better idea of how the ceiling looks and you can also see part of the hall leading to the master bathroom.
What's not going to change? The ceiling fan/light fixture, the carpet, and anything beyond the walls of the "bedroom". (This includes the wallpaper in the hall leading to the bathroom). I'm also not painting the bed or either of the dressers. I am, however, in the market for a headboard/foot board for the guest room so a painted bed in this room is not out of the question.
Most of the "budget" for this project will be spent on new bed linens and window treatments with additional money needed for paint and/or wallpaper. So I'll be in the "use what you have" mode for the majority of the remainder of this project.
After having considered "white washing" the existing paper using a combination of glaze and paint, I've decided against it. This is mainly due to the fact that, in order to seal the paper well enough to create a surface that would allow me to wash on the glaze and not have it sucked into the paper before I got it evened out, I would have to varnish and/or seal the paper to the point that it would likely "become one with the underlying wallboard" which would seriously impair my ability to remove it the next time that I want to redecorate.
I spent a couple of hours last Sunday afternoon looking through books at our local wallpaper store without success. Even if there's a miracle and I find something this weekend, I'll still be stripping wallpaper from the walls and removing the two rows of border from the ceiling. I'll be painting at least part of the walls and the ceiling. I'll be making and/or repurposing window treatments and buying and/or repurposing bed linens. I plan to paint at least a couple of pieces of furniture. Dependent upon everything else, I may even tackle some re-upholstery. Stay tuned.
Oh, by the way, I expect this project to take a a couple of months. This is due to my job, my need for sleep, and the fact that I intend to celebrate Valentines day, St. Patrick's day and maybe even Easter before it's complete so, be patient. I'll post the "other projects" and give you updates on this one as it progresses.
One last shot of the wallpaper:
xo,
S
