A Gift for my Mother-in-Love :: A Redesign in Her Bedroom

Last Christmastime, we went up to Pennsylvania to visit my Beefcake's mom,

my dear mother-in-love, JoAnn.

Her husband, Jack, had just passed away in the Fall from brain cancer.

She had spent about 6 months just caring for him.

She was tired out and sad.

This was her first Christmas without him.

Jack was a simple man that didn't much care for painted walls 

or fluffy pillows or changing "the way things are".

Which made JoAnn rather frustrated because she is a very vivacious, fun-loving gal. 

Well, when Jack went home to be with Jesus, she decided 

she wanted their Master Bedroom

redesigned, and she wanted me to do it.

So, I did!

It was my Christmas present to her.

I asked JoAnn to leave the decor the way it had been till I got there 

so I could take a before picture.

She was so excited, she couldn't wait for me!

So, she laid waste the room of its lamp shades, tchotchkes and window treatments.

(If you wanna see the pictures REALLY BEEG- click on them-

I am warning you, they're BIG!)

We took a trip to Lowe's, TJMaxx, Target and shopped her home.

The carpet had to stay and so did the bed and settee.

Since I had to work with the deep red carpet, 

I played up its color with the addition of red accents throughout the room.

I found art in her basement, shells in her Dining Room

(they are in the glass pedestal jar on the corner chest below and one HUGE one 

on the desk holding old photographs next to the lamp), 

a gorgeous vintage and antique perfume bottle collection

in another bedroom, 

plates and a precious heirloom tea set from her dining room

(all on the shelf above the dresser below).

The bedding and window treatments are from Target.

The lamps from TJMaxx and More.

The Lowe's Valspar paint is a soft green with a silver glaze overlay,

and the brand/name escapes me at the moment, sorry.

This room took 5 days (mostly painting - I did it alone-because I wanted to),

and cost $800.

This room is now her guest room, and Mark and I get the honor 

of sleeping in here when we visit her home.

Merry Christmas, JoAnn!!

See her Dining Room, which I also had the pleasure of redesigning for her, here.

Our Honeymoon Suite aka The Master Bedroom

Well, guess what I was doing all day?

I guess the Post Title kinda gave it away, huh?

I woke up this morning bound and determined to finish our bedroom.

So, before it gets the real, lived-in look it usually has, 

I thought I'd take some pictures for you!

My beefcake and I took our honeymoon in Jamaica and 

we wanted the room to have an island get-away feel.

Many of the things in here were anniversary presents given to us last summer--

the comforter, the candle holder on the chest at the foot of the bed,

silver picture frames, the scrolly wall sconces by the mantel.

The cedar chest at the foot of the bed belonged to my maternal grandmother.

Once I finished gathering all the rest of the decor, I was able to finish the room.

The side tables/night stands were my great paternal grandmother's,

as were the marble lamps.

I remember them in her home when I was a child.

They are beautiful reminders of love passed down from her to me.

When our oldest daughter gets a home of her own, they will go to her.

Loot from beach-combing through the years.

Mostly on Southeastern, USA beaches.

My side of the bed.

I am reading "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn".

In the basket on the floor, is my stash of most every issue of Cottage Living magazine,

which sadly, got discontinued.

The top drawer of the bachelor's chest below, 

opens to reveal pigeon holes and a drawer inside. 

It slides out, also, as a writing surface.

It was a gift from my mother-in-love.

We fondly remember our stay at The Half Moon Club

in Montego Bay, Jamaica.

The sitting area opposite the bed. 

Our salvaged mantel, and other finds welcome you to this side of the room!

The chairs were a barter from a friend for slipcovers,

and the old window, a yard sale find for $5.

Lemonade made by my younger daughter.

Seaweed! Yum.

Our bedroom is on the third floor.

Our backyard trees, right outside the window, are as tall as the house.

So, it feels as if we are sleeping in the trees.

Our reason to love.

I hope you enjoyed the tour!

.

Antique Mantel Makeover, Jamaican Honeymoon-Style

I've started the master bedroom makeover. Finally!

I started with the sitting area wall. I still have much to do, but here's what's there as of today.

The 1840's mantel before, when rescued from a friend's shed:

She got a bath and found a place inside our home:

(Some candlesticks, a window, and the grating I am still working on, need to go in the mantel opening).

The smaller shells and pitcher were found at yard sales.

The hydrangeas are from my Pee Gee hydrangea tree.

This mirror has a gold plastic frame. It was hanging in our 1/2 bath when we bought the house.

Five packages of sea shells from the Dollar Tree, the HGG (Hot Glue Gun) and hours later:

This gold, glittery, foam thing found for $1.00 at Good Will was painted--

and now it likes being right here:

The candleabra was purchased off eBay.

I have had the large conch shell since I was 2 years old
when my Gram bought it for me in Key West, Florida.

Our honeymoon was in Jamaica and we stayed in the Half Moon in Montego Bay.

I did NOT steal the key holder- really, it broke, so I went to the front desk to report it, and they let me keep this one as a souvenir!

My lady was found at Good Will for $10.00, as were the necklaces and scarf.

I think she is sweet, but she creeps my hubby out, especially if she looks like she's staring at him in the reflection of the mirror.

I tell him to get over it, she's an air-head, and besides, she knows he's already married.

The chairs were a barter with a friend for some slipcovers.

Down pillows ($3.00/pair at a yard sale) were covered
with clearance Target napkins sewn into pillow slips
.

This week, I am working on another wall, here is a sneak peek:

I am so enjoying making our space into an island-get-away for me and my groom!

Taking My Own Advice in Our Master Bedroom

When I am consulted about redesign, and a client asks me which room is the most important, or where we should start, I tell them that the Master Bedroom is the most important room.
It is the last place you see at the end of the day and the first place you see at the beginning of the day.
It should be a place of respite, relaxation and romance with our spouse, the most important person to us during our time on this earth.
It should be the place that tells the story of your love for one another.
However, my own Master Bedroom was not a place of respite, relaxation or romance.
Somewhere along the way, I decided it was a bright idea, since we had a large bedroom, to have a space for me to be creative.

Hopefully you are sitting down, as I am ashamed to show you this:

In fact, before we moved our office into the basement last year, I had all my eBay/etsy sorting, scrapbooking, sewing, card-making  and gift wrap supplies in our bedroom. Ugh!
Thankfully, this mess was short-lived, we could only stand it a month and it should have never been in here in the first place.
I am a good teacher, but a bad student.
I wanted to amend my ways...so, this all got cleared out, and I am starting over.
I now work in the cafe' at one of the tables, and all my craft-making stuff is under the kitchen counters, hidden.

Here's what I did today to remind me of what is important:

At a yard sale: 2 matching frames $1.00 each, scrapbook paper at Hobby Lobby: $ .80, on printer: Mr. & Mrs.:

I hung the finished reminders on either side of our bed, above our night tables:

The side of the room, where the "creative stuff" was, looked like this today:

I hope to have this done within the week.
A fireplace mantel (that I talked about here) reminds us of the many bed and breakfasts we've stayed in.
The iron piece above the mantle (a gift from a dear friend) will get a mirror on the back side.
This will become a sitting/sharing/laughing/talking place.
With chairs, pictures, books, souvenirs, candles...
This room will tell the story of our travels, of things we cherish, of our love for each other.

When I am designing this room, I think not only of what I'd like here:

I think of what my beloved and best friend would like here:

Let us make it a practice to please each other for their good 

and for their true welfare to strengthen and build them up spiritually. 

Romans 15:2 (Amplified Bible)