Orlando’s Master Bedroom Reveal

You guys, it’s me, Orlando (again)! Since we last gabbed, there have been some MAJOR updates in the Haus of Orlando. My master bedroom is done and ready to chat with you guys about what I chose and why. It’s only been a few days since I blabbed about my plans, but if you need to refresh your memory check out my intro post AND check out my even blabbier post on Hommemaker which has before pics and my plan for the space.

The name of the game with this makeover was ME ME ME. As you know, I just went through a slew of bad luck/life happenstance and it’s been strangely empowering. When you lose things you care about (for me, a boyfriend I loved very much and my dream job), sometimes it forces you to look inward and find your innate value. When other people make you feel unvalued, you look inside yourself to ask if they’re right. And often what you’ll find is that they’re not.

For me, the past six months have made me a bit fearless. It’s kinda like “I already lost my companion and my job, what do I have left to lose?” (I mean, a lot I’m sure… SHHHHH!!!!). What does this have to do with anything? Well I’m bringing it up because this sentiment had a lot to do with how I approached decorating my new place. While I was sad to be moving into a new place on my own, I tried to see it as an opportunity to do exactly what I wanted and not worry about anyone else’s wants/needs/desires. This new place was all about ME.

This was the rationale behind this full-size grown up human man painting his bedroom pretty pale pink. I wavered about it a bit, and was like “Is this going to cause me to be single forever?” But ultimately I decided I don’t wanna date the kind of guy who wouldn’t date someone because he has a ballerina pink bedroom. I love pink, always have. And I’m super stoked on this color. The color is Yours Truly by Benjamin Moore and it’s just ravishing. Many people have reached out to me to ask how this color reads in person so I’m gonna say right now it’s a little more saturated than it looks in these pictures. In order to color balance for details in artwork and to show off bedding, etc, it’s often necessary to brighten the room a bit in photos, so in real life this is a bit darker than it seems here. It is by no means deep Barbie pink, but as with all paint colors it’s a good idea to test it out on the walls before you paint the whole room. If I were going to do this again and only cared about what it looks like in real life (versus how it reads in a photograph), I’d likely go a shade lighter. I wanted SUPER pale pink. But this color is the perfect blogger pale pink, because once you’ve brightened everything enough to show the details in the room the color of the wall is exactly the color I wanted it to be in real life (keep in mind I was also shooting this for my upcoming book, so the way it looks in photos was obviously very important). Wow that was a really boring/long color explanation.

The master bedroom was the first room I designed, so I actually started it before I got laid off (i.e. before I got totally freaked about money). My first splurge was this GORGEOUS bed from West Elm (full disclosure, I paid for everything in this space, aside from the rug, dresser, and bedding, which I totally would have bought anyway and am obsessed with).

Roar & Rabbit Bed from West Elm

I recently became obsessed with an artist named Ben Lenovitz who has a company called Art On Block. He adheres his drawings onto blocks of wood, creating really great sculptures like this guy, who is the embodiment of my self-esteem. For the bedding, I went all out with pretty linen from Cultiver. Their linens aren’t cheap, but they’re a worthy investment that will last for a long long time. The great thing about linen is that it ages well and just gets softer over time. I chose to combine a blush pink duvet cover with sandy-colored sheets, white pillowcases, and a white throw. Previously, my bed had been a collection of a lot of different types of textiles (percale sheets, woolen throw, linen duvet) so I wasn’t sure I was going to like the all-linen look. But once all the bedding was linen, the overall look felt very 1990 Calvin Klein chic (in a good way). So minimalist, so sexy.

Linen Duvet in Blush from Cultiver

I’m obsessed with the design of the bed, with its amazing pleats and supple velvet upholstery. And this is coming from someone who used to be vehemently opposed to beige. I used to hate beige SOOOO much. But now I love soft neutrals and this color was just the warm kick that my bedroom needed to go from Pretty in Pink to FULL ON COCOON.

I’m in love with my cozy rug. The key to using a vibrant wall color is going neutral everywhere else. You have to choose where to have color and where to be soft and subtle, so this rug was the perfect balance of graphic, old-world style and minimal color.

One of the chapters in my upcoming book is about mixing vintage and new so needless to say, mixing old and new is one of my favorite pastimes. I love this cute contemporary Stem and Sphere lamp juxtaposed against this vintage gold Japanese screen. Fun fact, I chased Emily around for about two hours at Rose Bowl asking her if I should buy this stupid gold screen before actually doing so (she was like “YES SHUT UP ALREADY!”). THIS IS WHY NO ONE SHOULD GO TO THE FLEA MARKET ALONE TBH (and also why you should bring a disguise with you so you can hide from your friends when they get annoying).

I’ve already professed my love for my dresser. It’s truly a work of art. The top is made from a marble slab and the hardware is subtle and lovely. The wood adds warmth and another texture to the room. Fun fact: combining multiple textures and materials in a room makes it feel more eclectic and welcoming. Another gorgeous added material: the glamorous linen roman shades from Loom Decor.

The prints above the bed are from Hey Sosi, which is the brand of an incredible Barcelona-based artist named Sofia Schizas. I love her work and it makes me feel constantly like my life is terrible because I don’t live in Barcelona and hang out with cute Barcelona hipsters who all look like Penelope Cruz and wear dark-rimmed glasses and make art and talk about their emotions all the time. But I love looking at them every morning.

I am super pleased with my new bedroom, and feel glad every day that I chose to go so warm, feminine, and soft in here. The vibe goes well with my new I DON’T CARE WHAT YOU THINK GET AWAY FROM ME vibe, which is also a phrase I yell at strangers in the street and/or whist placing my order at Starbucks. Here’s the most important design advice I can give any of you: YOU DO YOU HUNNY. Because there’s literally no one else like you and who else should your house look like???

…Also plz paint your bedroom pink. You will NOT regret it. I promise.

Okay bye.

Resources: Bed from West Elm, Bedding from Cultiver, Window Treatments from Loom Decor, Rug from Rugs USA, Side Tables from Wertz Brothers, Lamps are Vintage, Dresser from Design Within Reach, Lamps from West Elm, Japanese Screen Vintage, Bamboo Pendant from Ikea, Marble Accent Trays from Crate & Barrel, All Other Accessories Vintage.

***Photography by Zeke Ruelas