Y'all, I am so excited about this paint makeover, I cannot stand it!
I've never been a white wall person, and after
painting this room "Sunlit white" five years ago, I knew I really wanted something more dramatic -- at some point. I always felt like I needed lots of accessories to bring some life to the white walls and just kept adding more and more stuff.
So I had some caulking to finish that I had never done, and that just morphed into patching holes, and next thing I knew I had moved the furniture and started painting.
And am I ever glad I took this risk.
I used the same paint I used in the dining room, Kilz Color Collection in Dark Umber. I was a little scared -- thinking it was seriously dark, and guess what, it *is* dark, but it's so dramatic and beautiful in here now that I just cannot get enough.
I had mentioned on instagram that I was inspired last year when I saw a photo at the Greyfield Inn.
*Click HERE to see a photo.*
It had the most wonderful red floral curtains with dark walls, and knowing I had the vintage curtains my mom made, I knew I had to go for it.
I always loved this fabric, vintage Cohama Karachi, and these lined, pinch pleated draperies hung in our dining room at the house I grew up in. She had them packed away and gave them to me about two years ago.
Oh how I love them, and knowing this is something I loved from my childhood is even better.
I ended up moving the furniture around because I wanted the bed against the gray wall, which freed up this space by the windows for my great grandfather's drop leaf table. The chairs will be getting new seat covers when I find the right fabric.
I was planning on an all-white bed, but after throwing one of the falsa blankets on there to get it out of the way, I decided I really liked the pop of red and added back the kilim pillow as well. The embroidered pillowcases are vintage from a great aunt.
In this corner, I used two dark and moody paintings inherited from a relative who painted. She also gave us the mirror, marble-topped dresser and chest on the other side of the room.
My dad's little cowboy boots and a vintage Prince Matchabelli perfume bottle are paired with a photo of my great-grandparents.
Oh how I love the iron bed against the gray walls. This is the bed I found here on the property and restored several years ago. I still love it.
I had mentioned to my instagram followers that I was planning to paint all the trim the same color, and am seriously glad I did. I am not a fan of dark doors/dark walls and white trim. I think it breaks up the color too much, so this just makes the amazing doors from the old house that I restored look even more special.
My great aunt Nannie's handmade gown hangs next to my grandfather's baby gown.
Then, of course I knew the mantel needed to be dark as well, so I painted it black.
And what a dramatic difference that made.
I accented with the candelabra my mother bought in Lebanon, a Moroccan mirror, plate and lantern I bought in Turkey, and some Native pottery from Mexico, Mattaponi, and Cherokee.
The Indian brass pot was inherited from the relative who gave us the furniture, and painted the paintings on the other side of the room. She lived in China after World War II and collected many fine treasures. The chair belonged to my great grandmother.
I also put back my Cherokee corn bead necklace and love how it looks against the black.
I had several of these dark and moody paintings from my relative and hung one here as well.
In this corner, I used some more pottery from my collection as well as my great grandmother's 1930s radio.
This painting was done by my late uncle in Montana in 1962.
This fabric though๐๐๐
I cannot express how much I love this room. I feel like the dark color gives it a bit of a modern look, but the antique and inherited accessories keep it true to my style, which is collected, antique and vintage. It feels so much larger now as well, and we are loving basically having a whole new room for the price of two gallons of paint and a few days of work.
It was worth it๐
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It all works...the moody darks and the warmth of red. I wish I still had some of the draperies from my past!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much! I’m so glad my mother saves everything and these were always my favorite. I keep looking for the same fabric so who knows I might get lucky someday as I do see vintage Cohama on eBay and etsy๐
DeleteThe moodiness in the room is amazing. Why do we think we want a white, bright, light bedroom when what we really want is soothing, relaxing and sexy? It's perfect for you, your furniture pieces and accessories. Don't you wish you'd done it long ago?
ReplyDeleteThank you Pat! I do love it and am so happy waking up there as it just feels so cozy and warm. Yes I wish I’d done it sooner for sure!
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