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A Quick MOTO Bedroom Update: Caitlin And Jess Have Fun New Additions But Also Need Some Help!

Hello!!! We promise we haven’t forgotten you or our bedrooms. But admittedly, Caitlin and I both know we haven’t been as on top of our bedroom progress as we had hoped. SO SORRY!! However, progress has been made (I actually have a very exciting announcement:))!! So today we wanted to give a little update on the progress and ask y’alls opinion about a couple of things we are a little stuck on. Design should always be collaborative! So we’ll spare you a long intro and just get right to it. Caitlin take it away…

Caitlin

Before we get into it – everyone, please wish Jess a happy birthday! I couldn’t ask for a better work wife, friend, confidant, or inspiration. I was nervous meeting Jess for the first time – I was intimidated by how cool she was! – and was pleasantly surprised to discover the kindest person I’ve ever known. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BUNGO!

I know. I KNOW! I know what you’re thinking. “Caitlin, you’ve been working on this space for over a year. What’s the holdup?” It’s a fair ask, so I’d like to see your question and raise you an inquiry of my own: am I, uh, dumb? Because guys – I can’t figure out how to go faster. How are you managing your decorating budget with your more necessary expenditures? Am I totally missing something? (Seriously, I’m asking.)

Maybe you can relate – it just feels like a struggle to prioritize my own home when there are birthday presents to buy, destination bachelorette parties and weddings to attend, cross-country moves to pay off, car payments, medical bill installments…it all adds up so fast! So time and time again, this (functional, livable, halfway-finished) space is pushed to the back burner. I’ve been struck by the curse of the “good enough for now” room – has anyone else been afflicted? PLEASE ADVISE.

But it’s not all doom and gloom! Over the past few months, I was able to stash away a seemingly-paltry sum – just over $1,000 – which I spent on a few essential upgrades. My biggest splurge was on this vintage Danish teak and mahogany gentleman’s chest. It’s perfectly sized for the space (4′ wide and nearly 4′ tall!) with an ultra-functional combination of dressers and shelves. I paid $750 in total for this one – including delivery from the Palm Desert area, over two hours away! – so it wasn’t cheap, but it was well worth the wait.

That’s a keep-forever piece of furniture, folks! I love the classic proportions, the warm-but-not-too orange wood finish, and the simple raised detail of the drawer pull. Let me sell you on the vision a bit: imagine framed art on the wall, a vintage statement lamp with a punchy shade, and a full-length mirror hung to the left side of the dresser. This $98 mirror is my current frontrunner, but I’m thinking about painting the frame in some way. Thoughts?

Looking into the room, you may clock two new additions: plug-in Stilnovo-style sconces! The damage? $127.45 for the pair, and $84.73 for the TaskRabbit who mounted them to the plaster wall. The shipping took an eternity and we had to manually assemble each sconce, but I couldn’t be more pleased with the finished product. I still need to mask the cords a bit (using this tutorial from Sara, bless her), but I’m holding off until we land on a paint color. To that end: help! The cognac/cobalt/olive/gold color palette is MUCH more flexible than I’d anticipated – it looks good with every paint color I’ve thrown into my mockup! When all of your options are good options, how do you decide? (I’m open to suggestions. Begging for them, even!)

caved and bought a kindle last week in an attempt to free up some space – SO worth it

It wouldn’t be an update post without an admission of regret: I don’t think I made the right nightstand call. I grabbed these Serena & Lily-style side tables at TJ Maxx, and they’re a perfect fit in so many ways…but now, after the addition of the wood dresser, they look a little out of place. Too coastal? Too glam? Too fussy? These nightstands do technically check all of my boxes – the right size, the right shape, the right functionality – but something is off. Am I overthinking, or do you agree?

Man – the room gets more and more unhinged as we go! DON’T JUDGE ME, PLEASE. This is my dresser, stylishly adorned with the 12-year-old television from my first apartment in LA. I love having two TVs in the house – Dennis can play EAFC with his friends in the living room while I binge Investigation Discovery in the bedroom – but this placement is GARBAGE. Den’s view of the TV is often blocked; I’m essentially parallel with the screen, which is surprisingly not conducive to productive viewing; and, most importantly, I’m wasting SO MUCH GOOD STYLING SPACE. The flat surface that houses our monstrous black box will soon play host to 9 square feet of art, trinkets, and ephemera. Just you wait!!!

can’t wait til these are outta this area!

Which brings us to our final wall: a big, blank, shoe-corralling YAWNFEST. I’m imagining a Frame TV hiding up here, mixed amongst some sort of gallery wall. (A TV we can both watch while laying in bed at night, no strange positioning required! Can you imagine?) Ideally, I’d like to move the shoe storage out of the bedroom entirely – we have a lot of hall space, and I think I could figure out a way to hide them with some sort of skirted table – but I am very open to suggestions.

I know that this all doesn’t seem like much, but it’s felt like a lot of progress to me! I do still have a few large expenses looming: a good vintage light fixture (and an electrician to install it – our building still has the original wiring, and I know my skill level), the Frame TV, high-quality framing for a few precious art pieces, and maybe some swapped nightstands…but I can (truly) see the light at the end of the tunnel! I know I can DIY some window treatments; I know we can handle painting; I know that eventually, it’ll cool down enough to warrant making the bed with more than a sheet. It’s getting there! But man, I’ll take all the feedback I can get. What say you???

Jess

Alright, first things first… I NO LONGER AM SLEEPING ON THE FLOOR!! Let me tell you that I. Feel. Different. More together. More distinguished. Maybe less embarrassed to have friends see my bedroom. It’s been amazing. The first night was wild. It was like I was sleeping on a tower overseeing all of my land. After that, I nearly set up an office in my bed but knew I’d have no chance of actual productivity. But man, between my new custom Buildlane bed (saying that is still a dream come true) and my Tuft & Needle mattress, you can’t tell me that when I’m in that room I’m not a full-blown freaking princess. Here is a sneak peek. AHHH!!

BUT WAIT. Please please know that literally 95% of the bedding and the rug will change! Right now this room is a hundred shades of beige but NOT in a way I think is good and to me it just looks drab. So avert your eyes from those things and focus on that beautiful bed and incredible bench:)

Can you stand it!? I have a bed and it’s one that I know I’ll love forever. I said it in my last post about the design process, but the goal was not only to design exactly what I wanted for this room but to also make sure this bed was versatile style-wise for the future. I chose fabrics and colors I’ve loved my whole life so regardless of what room and style I put with this bed, it will work. I will also steam it a little more before the shoot I promise. But I kinda love the lived-in look.

This is a much better representation of what the colors look like in person. Warm but elevated (that’s at least what I’m telling myself the vibe is). As a reminder, I got these incredible fabrics from Kravet. The velvet is Clarke & Clarke in “Honey” and the linen is Kravet Basics x Thom Filicia in Sweeting – Ivory. I also couldn’t be happier with Buildlane’s construction! It’s exactly what I envisioned. If you are a designer that needs custom furniture I can’t recommend either of these companies more.

Oh, and that little wall sticker in the first bedroom photo is the paint color I’ve chosen! White Flour by Sherwin-Williams.

If you can believe it allllll of these sticker samples are white. Like white, white! But as you can see, in my room some go blue, purple, and even yellow. Wild, right?? I even ordered the one that Sara used in her living and dining room and it’s the top middle one. It’s so blue in my room but perfect and happy in hers. Before I ordered the samples I was sure that was going to be the one before I put it up on my wall. That’s why testing is sooooo important in the space you are painting. Recs are great but it’s impossible to make a final call without getting a swatch in the actual room. DON’T DO IT, K??

I know that painting it a different white seems a little nuts to some but that’s exactly what I did in my last apartment and it made all the difference. It felt brand new in the best way so I am pumped to get this color up on these walls! Plus, since I’ve lived there for almost 4 years my wonderful landlord is paying for the painter. Thank the lord since I legit have 11 doors in my bedroom (french doors and screens to the balcony) as well as all that trim. So could I do it myself?? Technically yes but it’s a no for me dawg.

Now, let’s hear it for the bench!

I am still pinching myself that I, Jessica A. Bunge, have a Katy Skelton piece in my home. Due to some back-ordering issues for the original Kelly Wearster patterned fabric that I had picked out, I decided to go solid with the main bench fabric. I matched the color to the off-white in the Gaston Y Daniela green check fabric which turned out to be this Kravet Basics. It’s actually so so perfect and gives me a lot more room to play with pattern on the bedding. Plus if I’m totally honest, I was getting a little “square happy” and very grateful to have been pushed to pull back a little:) Look, your girl loves a square shape and sometimes I need to be saved from myself!

So again, PLEASE ignore the bedding and rug you see. It’s NOT how it will look when it’s done. Can you tell I’m extremely nervous people will think that I think this looks good?? It just doesn’t do the bed or bench any justice!

Now, I have two questions on a different topic. I’m not sold on what I should do for my curtains.

Question #1: I love the lightness of my simple linen IKEA panels but have dreams of them being a soft warm taupe. Should I get new ones or try to stain them with maybe tea?? My only concern is that I do really like them as-is and could save them for the future. The I could just get new panels in the color I want.

Oh, and here’s yet another ask to please pardon the mess that was my bedroom last year! This was the only decent picture I had to show the curtains. I also realized I’m going to have to get them hemmed if I don’t raise the rod which is annoying but not the end of the world. See next question…

Question #2: I’m undecided about where I would hang my curtain rod. As you can see it’s currently it’s on the window moulding. I’ve always intended to raise it above to give the room more height. But since this is a 110-year-old building maybe that’s not the move? But I’m also planning on doing a tile border under the crown moulding so covering the majority of that side might look strange? Thoughts??

Now, I typed this question and then I made these graphics and I’m more torn. I way prefer the rod above the moulding (I realized I did in my living room lol) but picturing the tile and having them under the rod does seem odd. I just don’t know. I guess I’ll tile first and then decide?? Again, thoughts?

Ok, that’s where we’re at and again, we promise we are moving as fast as we can! Any thoughts on our questions would greatly be appreciated:) BYEEEE xx

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Emilie
1 month ago

I think taking a year (or more) to decorate a room is very normal! For myself, I enjoy doing things over a long time. It helps me enjoy all of the little changes more, and I like the process as much as the finished product.

Juanita
1 month ago

This update is so relatable. For most people design happens over years, not weekends/months, and getting a glimpse into the process is so fun. Also love both of your voices, Caitlin’s budget woes are so real (IMO saving $1k over a few months when budgets are already tight is a very impressive feat). And Jess – “The first night was wild. It was like I was sleeping on a tower overseeing all of my land” LOL! The bed and bench look awesome, so glad you did not give into trends and stuck with timeless neutrals, but with fun punches of color/pattern to keep them special. Very impressed / inspired with this update and can’t wait to hear more.

Leslie
1 month ago

I don’t find either bedroom inspiring.

Anna
1 month ago

Ladies, please stop apologizing for living totally normal lives in totally normal spaces!! We all love aspirational design but it’s scary how the interwebs can make us feel like not having everything be photo-worthy all the time is somehow shameful. Great design takes soooo much time and money that most of us simply don’t have. Enjoy the process and for heaven’s sake don’t act so embarrassed that you don’t live in a magazine!!

Cynthia
1 month ago

Thanks for the update. Love your choices!
Caitlin, I can understand your budget constraints.  We all have them. The chest & sconce are perfect!
Advice: Store the shoes that are out of season in a box in the closet or in hanging shoe storage. Target has some very affordable options. Keep the others in the hall if possible. 
As for paint color, I like the idea of a lighter green in the same color family as the sheets – Shagreen or Baby Bok Choy from Sherwin-Williams, for example.
The bedside table is nice, but maybe feels a little out of place. New wall paint might make a difference. I do like the shape. If you decide to change, a teak nightstand similar to the new chest might do. Here’s an example on Etsy.
https://www.etsy.com/listing/1783626084/vintage-scandinavian-teak-bedside-table?ref=share_v4_lx
Jess, lovely new additions! 
Advice: I say buy new curtains (you won’t save money, but you will save time) and keep the old ones for future use. The curtain rod placement all depends on the tile. They should go below the tile. If you skip the tile, the rods should be placed higher.
I’m so looking forward to the final reveals!

Lauren
1 month ago

You guys, a MOTO update on a Saturday?? Heaven!

Brigitte
1 month ago

To: Caitlin
Re: Nightstands

I think the issue is that the nightstands look like they are covered by grasscloth for a beachy feeling. In my opinion, velvet does not go with grass cloth. But since the nightstands look round would you be open to picking a rich cloth like satin or velvet heavily embroidered as tablecloths to cover up the “beachiness” of the nightstands and match the bed. It solves two problems by covering up the grass cloth AND introduces some pattern in the room since the room is all solids now (although you may be fine to limiting pattern to the eventual bed covering but you don’t seem like the type to shy away from mixing patterns since you’ve done so on others parts of the apartment). Anyway good luck!

MBJ
1 month ago
Reply to  Brigitte

I just think the grass cloth falls flat in the room, it might be a nice color/texture in a more neutral space but with all the lovely, bold colors in the room already, it looks pale in a sad way? You’ve also got a bit of a mid century vibe with both the bed and now the dresser. Certainly not everything in there should be MCM but I ammmmm kind of like hey what are you doing, you little glam beachy nightstands?

CWS
30 days ago
Reply to  MBJ

Agree– what about something like a pole wrap DIY to make them slatted wood but keep the shape?

Sheila
29 days ago
Reply to  Brigitte

Brigitte’s idea of using a luxe fabric to drape the tables is an easy option. Budget-friendly, too, if you can get the fabric at a good price and can sew a simple hem. They’ll also hide the visual clutter of the open shelf. Get glass rounds to protect the top.

carly
1 month ago

I love so many things about these additions, Ladies! Caitlin, that gentlemen’s chest is a dream, but I do think it means you need to swap out the nightstands.

Rachel
1 month ago

Caitlin, one thing I would recommend to stretch your budget a little further would be trying to DIY more. I have plaster walls and original wiring in my 113-year-old house, and you can definitely hang your own sconces and probably wire light fixtures. I’ve changed out every light fixture in my house myself. Put some of the money you’d spend on a taskrabbit toward a cordless drill, if you don’t have one already. You seem very smart and capable, and if you get stuck, you can always call an electrician later. 🙂

emily
24 days ago
Reply to  Rachel

agreed…..with love, feels a bit odd to spend almost $100 to hire someone else to hang plugin sconces when you’re on a budget! it’s essentially the same as a small shelf or piece of art if you’re not touching electric.

1 month ago

~Nightstands gotta go
~Consider that the curtains may shrink if dyed depending on fabric content
~I am purchasing those Stilnovo sconces asap

AC
1 month ago

I agree the nightstands in Caitlin’s room are not working, I think they’re reading more drab than they are because they’re next to the saturated upholstery & rug. If you’re open to experimenting you might consider painting them, they can still be neutral but bolder/monochrome and the texture would still show, maybe a back-painted piece of glass or stone on top to avoid chipping the paint.

BETH
1 month ago
Reply to  AC

Was going to suggest painting them, as well. Love the idea of glass or stone on top!

Donna
1 month ago
Reply to  AC

Caitlin, I would definitely paint the nightstands unless you plan to bring that woven neutral look in other areas of the room like bedding or drapes.

Sona
1 month ago
Reply to  AC

Caitlin, I was also going to suggest painting the nightstands. The texture could look really cool painted. Darn budgets! Such killjoys! I love what both of you have going so far.
Jess, The curtain rod height doesn’t bother me. I’d weigh which is going to be more trouble, hemming the curtains or moving the curtain rod? I agree that you should do the tile project before making a decision.

Grace
1 month ago
Reply to  AC

Agree, suspect they might be fairly easy to paint actually. All depends on the wall color you choose, but was picturing them in a dark olive. I think it would change the vibe completely, especially with a stone top as AC suggests!

Cathy
1 month ago

I love seeing the progress both of you are making and hearing about the process!
As for the round nightstands – maybe they can be painted? To me it seems like the color doesn’t fit the room.
I’ve been working on my bedroom for 8 years! The first year I had a window over the bed removed, bought a rug, headboard and new bedding. Then I took six years off to work on other spaces while I was debating paint colors. Finally 2 years ago, I painted the walls and ceiling. Finally last week I painted the trim and ordered curtains, which came yesterday. They’re beautiful taupe sheers! Can’t wait to get them hung.

Julie
1 month ago

Hello ladies, glad to see you again! No worries about the timeline/budgeting – that’s how most of us do it.

The round nightstands are taupe and nothing else in the room is, so yes to my eye they look out of place and always will with your color scheme. If it were me and I liked the function, I would paint them – a very dark shade of green, blue, or burgundy depending on your plan.

Speaking of taupe, for Jess, new curtains would be better than dyeing as tea dyeing has a strong pink leaning IME, and any dye process is liable to shorten the length and sometimes stiffen the drape/softness. Taupe’s really easy to find in Home Goods etc at the moment, so I would just go for new in this case!

Grace
1 month ago
Reply to  Julie

H&M also has some good linen curtain panels in taupe, including extra wide or extra long.

JeffreyC
1 month ago

Caitlin, I wonder if this IKEA shoe cabinet hack would work in either your bedroom or hallway. https://www.hunker.com/13771374/ikea-shoe-cabinet-hack

Lisa
1 month ago
Reply to  JeffreyC

I have used the ikea shoe cabinet in two apartments. They are tidy, take up very little space and can hold a LOT of shoes. If you don’t like the looks they’re easy to hack.

Jenn
1 month ago

Love this process update! Can Emily help y’all a little more if budgets are slowing you down?! If these spaces are blog content isn’t there a small budget to help out? $1000 seems like so little for the business.

Angela
1 month ago
Reply to  Jenn

Yes! Obviously I don’t know anything about how the financials of the blog work, but these posts seem to be wildly popular. Aren’t they generating revenue? Why not give these ladies some money to move things along so there’s new content for the blog?

Maybe it’s just me, but I’m more interested in a makeover done by Caitlin or Jess on their apartments than an aspirational farmhouse or river house room. They’re very pretty houses, no shade! But I’m much more likely to emulate Caitlin’s or Jess’s places, both for their styles and relatability. Why not do whatever it takes to keep this kind of content coming?

Lynly
1 month ago
Reply to  Angela

Could not agree more! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

Athena
1 month ago
Reply to  Angela

$1,000 is more than most people can afford for a bedroom makeover but considering how popular this blog is, a larger budget would help generate more traffic and readers. Though, I am not opposed to IKEA/Target bedroom decor, which is more in-line with what most people can afford. And, I agree about Jess and Caitlyn’s content being more relatable and interesting as most people rent and are not (and often will never be) homeowners. I am also bored to death of neutral decor so I appreciate that both women are embracing colour!

Sasha
29 days ago
Reply to  Angela

Yeah, the river house is very cool, but not a kind of reno/development I’d do in the next 10 years, as the money and the available space doesn’t line up with our medium-term life plans. Caitlin and Jess’ makeover is more relatable and applicable.

emily
24 days ago
Reply to  Angela

agreed…..I rarely open posts these days upon visiting the home page as I am just not interested in the larger houses EHD has been working on. I am a millenial forever renter in a large city and much prefer content that I can actually use (rental and small home inspo)

Eve
23 days ago
Reply to  Angela

I agree! ;-)))

Donna
1 month ago

Jess,
From someone who only uses white wall paint here are my suggestions.
Unless your walls are a true white (the color of printer paper) you may not be getting an accurate read on the samples. Also all the samples next to each other in comparison will exaggerate the undertones. Try putting printer paper behind or next to the sticker and separate the samples to get a true read on the color. And then I’m sure you are comparing all times of day in different lights. Good luck!

Ellie
1 month ago
Reply to  Donna

I must try your printer paper trick, thanks! I have done lots of painting of my house myself in the last year (including walls, ceilings, trim, timber sash windows, wardrobes – so I’m another who can’t get over the cost of painting those built ins….) and I found it crazy how different paint samples can look compared to how a whole wall or room looks when all of the original surfaces are painted over. I used the little pots of sample paint and began to wonder if they were even accurate!

Faya
1 month ago
Reply to  Ellie

Sample paint pots are usually a lower quality of paint. Better to spring for an actual quart in the same product line/finish you will be using.

Donna
1 month ago
Reply to  Ellie

The little sample pots of the lighter colors like white tend to be less accurate. Quart sizes are better and I always paint them on large white boards, not the wall unless it is paper white. Then you can move the boards around the room to see the color in different lights. Painting is labor intensive and as such, expensive. I’ll try anything to get it right on first try.

Mary B.
30 days ago
Reply to  Donna

Thank you for this tip! I chose the wrong white 2 years ago for my kitchen (still a point of contention between my husband and I, ha!) and don’t want to make the same mistake in our living room (which will ultimately be the new color of the adjoining kitchen). My issue was that the original color was a beige, so I was getting the totally wrong read even from the paint samples on the walls because of the surrounding color. Will definitely be using this tip as I make my selection! Thanks!

Donna
1 month ago

Caitlin,
How about a an olivey green with gold undertones like BM parrot green, green umber, greenhow moss.

Suzanne
1 month ago

I’ve only read Caitlin’s update so far, but I wanted to address the nightstands. Honestly, I think biggest thing might be the color. The grass cloth texture might not be right either, but it might work if it was natural rather than whitewashed. But I’m also wonder if new hardware might help. I really like the knobs and backplates from Matilda Goad, although i haven’t used them yet. I think the knobs in cherry, celadon, or pistachio would look good with the brass diamond backplate.
https://matildagoad.com/collections/knobs
https://matildagoad.com/products/brass-backplate-star
As for paint, I’m struggling with the wall color choice, maybe a pale mustard or pale olive, either with a sky blue ceiling including the cornice/crown molding. Progress is great! And it takes time when you don’t have a huge budget. Thanks for the update.

Athena
1 month ago
Reply to  Suzanne

Matilda Goad has nice products but shipping to the US (or outside of the UK, really, courtesy of Brexit) is SO expensive! Etsy is a better and more affordable alternative.

Suzanne
1 month ago
Reply to  Athena

So true, Athena. I’d like to find something similar locally, and sometimes Etsy is hit and miss. If I ever decide to add knobs like that, I’ll do a more exhaustive search.

Karen
1 month ago

I’m here for the shoe candy. Do I see 2 pairs of dog (Boston Terrier? or are they cats?) slippers? And taxi cab shoes! Pretzel slippers! 7 pairs of clogs! What are the spikey ones? Love

Eve
23 days ago
Reply to  Karen

Caitlin: I forgot to add that you are the one who turned me into a Charlotte clog fan! I have been on the hunt on Poshmark for those blue patterned ones for over a year! LOL LOVE!!!

Sarah F
1 month ago

I love these process posts! So relatable.

Caitlin, I agree with you about the nightstands, unfortunately.

krkrkrkr
1 month ago

Caitlin, I wish someone had told me this when I was younger: do not go to every wedding you’re invited to. In the span of my twenties through early thirties, I spent at least $50k going to weddings. That amount is insane, because I was not making very much money at the time. And before anyone second-guesses me, I honestly probably spent more than that. With engagement dinners, bachelor/bachelorette parties, wedding presents, dresses and shoes, flights and hotels (which cost more for weekend travel), it adds up to a lot of money that I should have saved. Looking back, I should have attended only a tiny fraction of the weddings I went to (like my brother’s and a one or two very, very close friends) and just sent a lovely note to the couple telling them how wonderful they are and how sad I was to miss their beautiful wedding. At the time, I felt like I HAD TO GO because of how important the day was, but really, I didn’t have to be there. True friends understand if you can’t attend their wedding because you can’t afford to. No joke, one summer I went to nine weddings. I could… Read more »

Sona
1 month ago
Reply to  krkrkrkr

I’m 67 years old and wonder how y’all go to all of the weddings of your friends these days. Especially destination weddings and the bachelorette parties that are usually vacations themselves. I feel for y’all.

Faya
1 month ago
Reply to  krkrkrkr

Many years ago we had a “destination” wedding because we wanted a small wedding but were obligated to invite tons of family and friends thinking most people would decline the invitation. Big mistake: so many random people accepted the invitation and came. I still do not understand why people we barely knew spent enormous amounts of money to come to our wedding. Just RSVP your regrets people, you aren’t obligated to go.

Skylar
1 month ago
Reply to  krkrkrkr

1,000% agree with this statement. I’ve found that attending, or not attending, someone’s bachelorette party/engagement party/bridal shower/wedding/baby shower has no correlation on future friendship, but it can be a lot of pressure in those 20s-30s years when your social circle is going through that phase of life. I say this with the wisdom of being well past those years, and regularly remind my younger friends that ‘an invitation is not a summons.’

Athena
1 month ago

Caitlyn, sell the nightstands and go with something mid-century. And Jess, keep the IKEA curtains in storage and buy new, but inexpensive ones. The worst thing you can do is blow money on curtains that are too expensive and can’t be used again in another home without alterations. IKEA is a great source for curtains so I wouldn’t spend a lot. And as someone who has the frame tv, it’s a gimmick. It’s a nice TV but don’t drop $1,000 on something for the artwork element only. I rarely use mine in the art mode! I think social media has made people think that something as innocuous as a TV has to suddenly have magazine worthy artwork. We don’t live in magazines and mess on the floor or an old TV is real life. And lastly, $1,000 for a bedroom makeover is a great budget. In a rental, it can be hard to spend money on a temporary home but I’d put more money towards really nice bedding and save on rugs, accessories, and curtains. It’s taken me about 4 years to get my rental bedroom right and I am still making changes. But at the end of a long… Read more »

Sally
1 month ago

I feel EHD really took on the survey feedback. So happy to see this post and settle down for a good read. As a person currently making me own design choices which can lead in different directions, useful to not only see this but be presented with the reality of essentially saving and budgeting as you go.

I do think that there are more challenges for young people today. At a time when housing affordability and cost of living is rising, there is also an expectation of extravagance which I just never faced. A hen’s night was a few hours and hiring a bus was considered lavish. Destination events for things like hen’s nights are lovely but they will inevitably strain budgets if they become the norm.

Looking forward so much to seeing both rooms.
Jess: buy the curtains you want if you can afford them. The tea thing sounds a bit experimental and may not turn out the way you want it.

Sally
1 month ago

Caitlin: forgot to include some paint inspo pics.
I’m loving this warm biscuit colour at the moment with all things but think would look especially great with your colours:

https://angelodonnell.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/15-AOD-Copley-Park_HR-1-1280×1920-2-1600×0-c-default.webp

As would this lighter one in the same house:

https://angelodonnell.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/4-AOD-Copley-Park_HR-24-1920×1920-1-1600×0-c-default.webp

Also loving this green:

comment image?itok=mzApMSRf

Also happened to notice these wall lamps earlier which yours remind me of, and this looks good too even if more neutral than what you might usually go for:

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Suzanne
1 month ago
Reply to  Sally

I love the inspiration photos! That warm biscuit color is so good!

Eve
23 days ago
Reply to  Sally

I am not feeling those top two colors At All, but love the green but not sure it would work considering your bedding color is green? Pls don’t paint anything close to a white skin color on the walls=IMHO it would be so so drab!?

E
1 month ago

Relatable transformations like this are my favorite part of the blog — surely some of the wild amounts of $$ and gifted content can go to rooms like these instead of the farmhouse or river house! Let’s spread the wealth and get better, varied content!

Mo
1 month ago

Advice Re: Dyeing curtains
I would advise against dyeing your curtains with tea unless you’re ok with a bit of splotchyness and an organic look 😉 I dye fabric fairly often and its difficult to get such a large piece of yardage to be completely even. You will need a REALLY big container if you’re going to do them all at once (best way to get consistent color across the panels). I think you’re better off buying new curtains, and saving or selling these 🙂

Mary B.
30 days ago

Caitlin, I love the bed and gentlemen’s dresser and sconces so much! Looks awesome, great progress! I do unfortunately agree about the bedside tables and hope you can find another spot for them as they are a great TJMaxx find! I love the shape, but wonder if something in black might work better?
Looking forward to continuing to see the progress on these rooms! I love the mid-project update, and the transparency on each of your challenges. Design takes time, and in the end you are both going to have rooms that you love even if it is taking a little longer than originally anticipated.

priscilla
29 days ago

Jess, based on what I’m seeing, definitely move the curtain rod up. it will provide continuity with the living room and make the ceilings look taller. Congratulations on your big girl bed!

Shawn
29 days ago

Caitlin, your room has such rich color! Wondering if you might find some inspiration in Reath Design? Their color work is a-maz-ing and might be a fun jumping off place to start playing with wall color. Agree that the texture and color of the nightstands is, right now, an outlier. There is a boldness, either in color, form or texture to your other pieces. In contrast the nightstand is quiet and almost soft. It doesn’t have a similar “friend” in the room, which is amplified by the high color contrast with the rug.

Cat
29 days ago

I join the zillion others to say: it just plain takes time. I’m not sure where the deadlines arose, but if they are self-imposed or work-imposed, I urge you (all) to reconsider. Inspiration famously does not keep a timetable, and it would be simply miserable and counterproductive for you, Caitlin, to devote money/energy to something that isn’t just what you want. Myself, I’ve been working on our principal bedroom decor for a certain number of years (it starts with a ‘t’ and ends with an ‘n’ and has one vowel between the two). This summer I made the great leap forward of buying-hemming-hanging drapes over the woven blinds (Jess, I vote for raising the curtain rod), and at last know how much wall space that leaves to hang art. Said art is still stacked under the bed. And yet, the world continues to spin on its axis…!

sam
29 days ago

I would paint the side tables, they are just a little ‘meh’ as they are for your space! A bold colour would be great

Eve
23 days ago

Hi to both of you! 🙂 IMHO:
Caitlin: YES, i would DEF replace the nightstands-you are right they do not go with the look/vibe at all. Maybe you can sell them on Facebook Marketplace? I also agree to get the TV off of that dresser! I do like the dresser but somehow with the TV on it it makes it look cheap/no bueno? I also agree to getting the shoe rack off that wall and stored somewhere else.
Jess: I LOVE the bed and the bench! Good choices on both! 🙂 I agree on dying the curtains taupe (Or getting new ones) = the wall Def needs some contrast! I would def tile the border first to see what it looks like with the way you have the rods now. Personally, I think that will look the best, but that is up to you! 😉