Creating A Dream Bedroom

Last week I wrote a post all about the Danish art of Hygge.

 

One of the most important places to practice the art of Hygge is in the bedroom, without a doubt. When you walk into your bedroom at the end of a long day, it should feel like a warm hug.

A Woodland Forest Christmas

Boy, it was tough not to share this with you before now.....but I feel like there's some sort of law out there that says that even if circumstances and busy schedules force you to decorate for Christmas even before Thanksgiving.....heaven forbid....there's no way you can let anyone know!

Well, that's exactly what happened with us this year. 

Welcome To My Heaven On Earth

It's that time of year when we are transitioning from a season of heat and humidity to a season of cool breezes and chilly evenings. 

At least, that's what's right around the corner for us up here on the mountain top. We've already had our first night that dipped into the 40's and it was heavenly! Clear and cold with a billion stars twinkling brightly in the sky - the kind of night that reminds you that fall is on its way!

Layers of Spring in the Bedroom

Exactly one year ago yesterday I stood outside in an ice storm, sick as a dog with a terrible flu....and directed the movers where to go with each piece of furniture as they took it out of the truck. 

It was moving day....and despite feeling like something that was scraped off the bottom of my shoe, I was as happy as a clam!

Keeping Christmas Simple in the Bedroom

I definitely went a little crazy putting out bits & bobs all over my new house to decorate for the holidays! 

There are a multitude of snowmen in the kitchen and dining room, the living room has quite the collection of ornaments and such, and the outdoor decor nearly killed me with that whole getting-on-the-ladder thing!

But in the bedroom I kept it simple. 

Sweet and simple. 

I like to have light colored bed linens in the bedroom in the summer months - it has a cooling effect for sure! But once fall hit I had to bring in some color. I was craving color. 

I knew this duvet cover would transition nicely through the holidays with all the pops of red and green. 

And the "home" pillow just makes me smile. 

A couple of days ago I brought in a little Christmas cheer with a red knit throw on my chair, and a Christmas pillow from PB. 

Of course, if you wait until after Christmas like I did last year you will get it for a LOT less money!!

I'm just saying. 

I brought in a large Poinsettia for the dresser - these are the nicest Poinsettias I've had in years! I got them through the local school's fundraiser - and they are gorgeous!

This little corner just makes me so happy - I truly love having a chair in my bedroom! It only happened once before, for a small while....I had a chair in my bedroom in Queens until we had to move it out to put in a treadmill for my then-husband's therapy after an accident. 

I cherish my little corner chair. It makes my small room feel like such a retreat. When I need a quiet moment in a hectic house I can come into my peaceful room and lock the door behind me and just have a moment to myself. 

I ordered a little pouf-ottoman for it months ago and it's been back-ordered three times already! Sigh....maybe Santa will bring it on his sleigh when he comes this year. 

The pouf (and some artwork on the walls) will finish this room off nicely!

Even the view out my bedroom window got a little Christmas cheer - the addition of a couple of simple wreaths on the garden cottage doors bring a smile to my face!

It's all about the little things, isn't it? 

A throw, a pillow, a plant....a smile. 

I hope you find something that makes you smile today. 

The Princess Room

Friends of ours came over for a visit the other evening and when they saw my master bath they immediately christened it The Princess Room. 

So The Princess Room it shall remain!!

Hey - why not? Every girl dreams of being a princess at some point in her life!

I first brought you in here when I showed you my Master Suite about a million years ago. 

Ok, only 3 months ago. I might have exaggerated a tad. 

Well, today I'm going to give you a peek even further into the inner sanctum...the stuff you always want to peek at when you use someone's restroom....come on, don't lie - you know you always want to open the medicine cabinet!

Maybe that's just me. Sorry. I can be nosy. 

Continuing with the Clutter Busters....here are my tips on keeping my Princess Room organized. 

I wanted a vanity all my life. It was high on my must-have list when designing this space. It's such a luxury to be able to sit down and take my time with all my little beauty routines. And let's face it, after 40 the routines take longer and longer each year. Wahh!

I like to have everything right at my fingertips when sitting at my vanity, but without being "cluttered." This marble tray that I picked up at Sierra Trading Post for about $3 does an incredible job. The coordinating marble cup holds my makeup brushes. 

I have two of these rotating cosmetic organizers, one on either side of the marble tray - they hold my cosmetics and they spin around so I can see what I have. And let's face it - I have a LOT of products. A ton. I have always been that kind of girly-girl. These organizers came from Joss & Main.  Love that place!

In the vanity cabinets I have these mesh roll out organizers - there are two in each vanity which keeps everything so nicely organized. 

Yes, I'm a bit of a neatnik. I admit it. These kind of things make me very happy. 

There's actually no medicine cabinet in this bathroom - I couldn't put a recessed one in over the sinks as it's an exterior wall and all the products inside would freeze in my climate. And I didn't like the medicine cabinets that aren't recessed - I felt like they would stick out way too much and I would bang my face on them when washing up! So, medicines are kept in the medicine cabinet in the guest bath....and I don't mind one bit if you peek when you come to visit! 

I loved the fact that these vanities had such a large drawer underneath - however, it led to challenges in keeping things organized. This deep drawer organizer is awesome, I love it. And these Ikea storage boxes are perfect to organize the drawers as well. I ordered 2 sets of these and used them elsewhere in the master suite as well. 

This rolling organizer holds some items I use regularly such as contacts, vitamins, face wash, etc as well as taller items that don't fit under the sink. I told you how much I love these organizers and gave you a link to buy one for yourself when I told you all about my Kitchen Clutter Busters.  I actually ordered this one for next to my washer to hold laundry detergent but it was too narrow for the bottles I buy - but it worked out perfectly right here. 

I absolutely adore the tub I had put in however I limit the amount of times I use it due to the fact that I have a well and septic. That just makes the times I indulge all the more special! I go all out - I light all the candles, put on some relaxing spa music, and have a glass of wine - there's nothing like it!!

When we were putting in the tub my contractor asked me if I wanted a little recessed area for products and the answer was a resounding YES. More space for products? That's a no-brainer for me. 

I chose the same stone as the fireplace to back the recessed area. It's the perfect spot for the products I use in the tub. And everything has a lavender scent to make the experience even more relaxing!

My bath salts are kept neat and tidy and ready for action right next to the bath in an old ceramic container that came from a floral arrangement. It's just the right size to fit between the tub edge and the wall - who knew that holding on to these odd items would work out so well in my new house?

In the shower I put a tension organizer in one corner to keep all my shower supplies handy. 

The model I chose is from Simple Human and it's terrific! It got wonderful reviews and I completely understand why.  It's so sturdy and has 3 adjustable shelves plus hooks, razor holder, toothbrush holder, and soap dish. I bought mine at Bed, Bath & Beyond with a 20% off coupon. It was the best deal I found on this item anywhere - and it's worth every penny! All the reviews say it doesn't rust - that was a huge selling point for me right there. 

Across from the vanity my contractor built in shelving to store additional supplies. The width and height of the shelves was decided based on the amount of space that was left after everything else was installed and it couldn't have worked out better if we planned it this way!

I already had 6 of these fabric boxes that I was using elsewhere. I was originally going to get baskets for the bathroom shelves but when I tried out one of these on the shelves it was just too perfect! I bought mine at Home Decorators with a coupon code. 

Did you notice that there is usually a coupon code happening with me? Yup, I admit it. I hate to pay full price for anything!

These over-door hooks are wonderful - I have them EVERYWHERE. Seriously. Addicted. 

All these organizers not only keep the bathroom looking fairly tidy at all times but make my morning routine so much easier. Even on Mondays!

I don't have to go looking for anything. I know exactly where every item is. Things I use morning and night are right at my fingertips. 

And at the end of the day, that's what makes this space even more beautiful. It's amazingly functional. 

What's better than that?

Before and After

Today is my anniversary!!  Well, half-anniversary, to be exact. I moved into my new home exactly 6 months ago today! 

I dug out some photos from when I toured the house back in November of last year - excuse the quality, most of them were taken on my iPad. I thought it would be fun to see what has changed since I moved in. Keep in mind the photos from the tour had all the previous homeowners' furnishings so that is, of course, a big part of the change. 

Ok, I'm excited, here we go!!

The Kitchen before had a very dark green paint which made it feel dark, despite the skylight. 

Now the kitchen is light and bright and sunny. My sweetie changed out the previous light fixture to a custom made cottage style fixture, created by me. And all the knobs got changed to these bubbly green glass knobs  from Pottery Barn's clearance page that I fell in love with. I bought them the day my offer was accepted!

Dining Room then.....

And now. Fresh paint, new rug, and new windows make it warm and welcoming. I actually loved the homeowner's dining room table and chairs so I bought them with the house. We had an additional leaf made for the table to accommodate larger dinner parties. It seats 8 comfortably now. 

Living Room then....

And now. Biggest change here was replacing the wood burning insert - the previous one was an antique and not energy efficient at all.  Of course fresh paint and new windows make a big difference as well. And the addition of a soft rug underfoot not only brightens the space but also makes it feel more welcoming. Someday I'll get around to adding some more artwork to this room and changing out those sconces. And of course I'm still debating how to hide the TV.

What once was two bedrooms.....

Is now my master suite. Open the one remaining door and get the full tour in this post

What was once this....

Is now this, part of the master suite. Huge difference! That's your sneak peek at the master suite.....

One of my favorite transformations that didn't involve major construction is in the lower level. 

What was once a man cave....

Is now a cozy and comfortable family room. 

I wanted to create a comfortable place for my daughters to watch TV, entertain friends, and just relax. I love this space! The sofa also pulls out for additional guests.  The door by the staircase leads to my younger daughter's room, which is an en-suite with a full bath and private entrance.  Very important when living with a 24 year old daughter for us each to have our own space for a little quiet time when the need arises!

The previous owners' little corner bar.....

Now houses an extra fridge and wine storage. 

The laundry and workout area....

Is still a laundry and workout area! In addition to a coffee bar and mini kitchen. Sort of, if a table and chairs, coffee maker, microwave, and fridge serves as a mini kitchen. It's plumbed for a sink as well if I ever want to turn this space into a fully functioning kitchen. Who knows in the future if that might be something our family may require....it was a great selling point for me. 

Behind the curtains is my older daughter's space when she comes home. The sofa pulls out to a queen size bed. This is also my workout space when she's not home. It didn't get much use this week....busy, busy. 

The laundry area is the largest and nicest I've ever had! It's mostly used by my daughter now since I have laundry facilities in my master suite. 

Looking back through the curtains you can see how the spaces relate to each other. If you make a right by the wine rack you're back in the family room. The curtains offer a hint of separation without blocking the amazing light that comes through the sliding doors in the mornings. They could always be changed out for more privacy if the need ever arises. The lower level is a great place for the girls to share - they each have their own space and can bring friends home at any time, knowing there's plenty of room. 

The original listing photo, taken obviously before the previous homeowners painted the house and deck. 

This space is now my heaven on earth. I'm so sad to say goodbye to this space for the cold months...

I hope you enjoyed my half-anniversary edition of the home tour as much as I enjoyed showing you around! The only space you haven't seen yet is the guest room and guest bath....soon!

Have a fabulous fall weekend, everyone!

A Room With a View

There's nothing like coming home after a long, busy day....unless it's coming home to a project FINISHED!!

My amazing contractor finished up the trim and painting around the new windows yesterday and I couldn't be more pleased! 

Despite my long day and the late hour when I got home I set to work getting things back in order again. 

I poured myself a cocktail and started cleaning windows and hanging curtains. 

Yes, I know - they are wrinkled. I don't iron. Don't judge. 

If the wrinkles don't fall out on their own (please do!) I have a steamer I can use on them if absolutely necessary. 

The house looks so cozy now looking in from the deck. I had to snap a couple of photos when I went out with the pups. 

The table will look better surrounded by loved ones but that will happen soon. I'm ready to host another dinner party now that the house is back in order. 

And of course I have to christen my new best friend. You can read all about her here. 

I was glad I got all the work done before I went to bed so I could just relax with my coffee and enjoy the beautiful view when I woke up. The sun wasn't shining yet, it was barely over the mountain, but the view is still gorgeous. 

From the living room I see out onto the conversation area and firepit on the deck, and beyond to the woods and the mountain range. And the flat feeder which the blue jays have taken over completely!

Can you see the two greedy blue jays fighting over the feeder?

From the dining room I see the outdoor dining set and also the woods and mountains beyond. And the goldfinches.....they are pretty much at that feeder all. day. long. 

I don't know if I've even seen any other bird on this feeder yet other than the finches. 

From the guest room window I have a great view of the neighbor's horses and their little red barn.  I think that might have been the point during my initial tour when I fell in love with the house. 

I mean, come on. How could I not? 

I can see the horses out of one of my master bedroom windows also. And I hear them clomping around during the night....it's become a very comforting sound for me in the past few months, once I got used to the noise and stopped thinking it was a bear on my deck!

From my other master bedroom window and also one of the master bathroom windows I can see my little garden cottage and the woodlands beyond. It's so private and quiet. 

I'm so very fortunate to be able to look out my new windows onto views that make me smile and feel at peace. 

What's your favorite view from your home?