Vivez Bien * Live Well

Monday, July 18, 2011

Guestroom Blues (and Reds)

I am back from my little break, my boys back in school and the pup very settled in his new home. Thank-you so much for all your lovely comments. I can see that you have all been busy with some wonderful posts so I have a lot of catching up to look forward to!

Onto today's post...

 

We did extensive renovations to our home less than 2 years ago and the only rooms that didn't get any updating were the guest bedroom and bathroom, previously the main bedroom and en suite. We had no furniture for the room and no budget left to furnish it. For a while we used it as a dumping room for bits and bobs. Then when a friend was coming to stay, we were forced to buy a bed and make it somewhat livable. I have slowly tried to improve it,  still with almost no budget. Besides the bed, the only new purchases I made for the room were the bedside lamps and a few accessories and bed linen.

My starting points were a collection of blue and white china that had been in the kitchen of my previous house, and a lovely piece of red toile that I got on a fabric sale. I had a picture in my mind of the look I wanted. These are some of my inspiration pics.



I repurposed my changing table from when my twins were babies.  I would love to replace this with a lovely French chest one day. The wicker chair was previously on my patio. A French Bergere chair is on  my wishlist.




I would really like a French bed like one of these flanked by a lovely chest on one side and a round table on the other.



But I settled for a headbaord made by covering a piece of wood with batting and calico and making a slip cover out of the red toile I had.


 

The prints above the headboard used to belong to my late grandmother. They are of brides from the 19th century.

 

This side table was a butlers tray with the tray part turned upside down and topped with a bigger piece of wood to house my newly purchased,  fairly large lamp. One day I will replace it with a lovely round wooden or iron table.


 

This side table is also an "el cheapo" pine butlers tray that I had from previous years that was given some paint and embellishment. Hopefully one day to be replaced by a pretty painted French chest.

 
 


Also on my wishlist is a dressing table and chair along these lines...

 

...but for now have settled on using the cane dressing table from my student days, painted and adorned with new handles.  The little table at the end of the bed was my boys homework table when they were younger. I would really like an ottoman here. Perhaps I could turn this table into an ottoman. I'm sure one of you fabulously creative people out there have done something like this. Any ideas?








This old pine corner shelf from my cottage style phase was painted and used to house some more blue and white china.




The dressing table chair is one of my old dining chairs which I recovered in the same red toile.


Now onto the bathroom....


These are some of my inspiration pics.

 

I decided to just stick to blue and white for a fresh look. The bathroom is very plain with white tiles. I repainted the area above the tiles for a warmer look and just added some blue accessories.

 

Another old dining chair was painted and recovered.


 







So, would you be happy to stay in my budget beating guest room or perhaps you would rather wait for my ship to come in!

 
Till next time

Sharon x

18 comments:

  1. Just divine! and so cleve rly done.i wish you'd come over to my place to help me with my guest room! i am expectin guests t oarrive next month, and my first and only stop was going to be IKEA! lots of inspiration here... thanks for sharing.

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  2. Are you kidding Sharon? This room is gorgeous and oh I would love to be a guest here!! I love the side tables , lamps the toile covered bed and the prints. I love the french doors...I find it very romantic!!!
    Fantastic ideas and it is totally what i would pick too!
    Great taste you have!!

    Pamela xo

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  3. Sharon...Brilliant! What a beautiful room! Such a wonderful retreat for your visitors. Glad you are back and blogging!
    ~Lynne
    [w/l]

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  4. Sharon, you are pure genius...ship can sail as long as it want to but i would love to stay here!! You have impeccable taste and I adore the toile headboard and am a sucker for old tea stained rose pillows that I spied somewhere. Your ideas are grand and love your collection of china as well. Glad to have you back with such gorgeous inspiration.

    Veronica
    www.tasselsandtwigs.blogspot.com

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  5. Sharon I am making my reservations today!! This room is beautiful! Love the bed and bedding and your side tables and lamps are perfect!! Love all the blue accents too. Have a great week and welcome back, Martina

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  6. What a lovely makeover, I love what you did with a small budget, don't you savor it more that way? looking at your room and think I came up with this lovely room and spent almost nothing. I rather have a makeover like this than buying expensive matchy furniture from a store, I absolutely love your room, great job!
    XXX Ido

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  7. I love this room...you are brilliantly talented to put together such a fabulous room!
    I especially love the large grey butlers tray with the basket & pillows underneath! Also your gorgeous corner shelf unit....tres chic!
    XO Kerry

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  8. Sharon, we all have a guest room with bits and pieces of left over furniture. You were able to pull yours together so well and make it look so lovely. Job well done. It would be easy to upholster the table at the end of the bed. Just a cushion, some fabric and stable gun is all you need. You're so talented...it would not be any problem.

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  9. What a beautiful guestroom...love the colors and the great headboard!!

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  10. Oh it looks good already...

    Love the wicker chair and lamp,
    they give the room a cozy ambiance.
    And the bed looks really comfy and inviting,
    nice headboard ♥

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  11. Divine bedroom!
    I love toile de jouy in all colours, preferred blue and dark red. You are really a talented Lady.
    I hope you hade a great break!
    Bisou, Babi

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  12. Love your bedroom and bath! Such a pulled together, romantic look :) I really need to tackle mine soon!

    ♥ Cat brideblu

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  13. I would be more than happy to stay in your beautiful guest room. To say you've done the majority on the cheap, you have made it look incredible. Thanks, Sharon, for popping by and by the way, you were right about my table, it is 1950s French, painted with Farrow and Ball!

    kate

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  14. That bedhead is devine! So clever you are. Id be happy staying in your guest room for sure. Fiona

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  15. Absolutely beautiful...I can completely understand about getting to the end of the budget...hence, no drapes in my bedroom--or rugs, but with the new wood floors, I am not minding it so much. You did such a lovely job. Can you get your guests to leave? :)

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  16. Sharon, I love all the reds and blues. So beautiful. These are vibrant colors but you have blended them with soft neutrals to perfection. Just love it all. Mona

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  17. Sharon, The room is beautiful and I would love to be a guest there. The blue and white pieces with the red toile are fabulous.
    xo,
    Sherry

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  18. Your guest room is stunning! I love and adore it!!

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