The nightstands can definitely wait Ingrid! And yes, I like the idea of them painted white also. I have a lot of stained furniture also, but mixing ina few painted pieces adds a bit of interest. As for the *hot* temps, one of my DD lives in Rancho Santa Margarita, and the heat index there is the hightest they have ever experienced! When I first moved to San Diego 25+ years ago, it was still cool thru July and a jacket was always needed in the evenings, with temps rarely getting over 80 in the summer. Here in Tx, heat is *expected*! lol Try and stay cool! ;)

I'm more inland than San Diego so it's always warmer here, but even five years ago it was much better than it is now. It always cooled off in the evenings until August but now, in June, it's uncomfortably warm already. It's really distressing.

I would be careful about painting your nightstands. From what I can see they look like nice stained pieces. What if you paint it and then like the lamp shades you dont like it, it would be tough to get them back to their original state. I wouldnt do it. Maybe you drape a white cloth over them for your summer look.

What about if you drape a white cloth over them just to see how a white square looks in the room and post a photo. I am trying to imagine them painted white and I'm thinking "no" on that.

Don't paint the night stands. If you want to bring lightness to the bedside, get new, lighter colored lamps.

I'm a no on the painted nightstands, too, I think. Wait until you get the shutters and white lampshades - I think that will be enough white. Draping them with sheets to try the look is a great idea.

I'm working now but will try to drape them in something white later. I could try painting the lamp bases a lighter color, and I'm also getting white lamp shades again, hopefully nicer ones this time, although still inexpensive. Right now I'm on a budget and have to be a little careful about spending.

I think white nightstands belong in a little girl's room so I wouldn't paint them.

One thing you could try is to lighten up the art work around the bed. I like vertical art on narrow walls or two pieces stacked to form a vertical.

I would eliminate the two art pieces around the bed completely. There is enough visual interest in that part of the room already with the bed, lamps and window.

I think white nightstands will look out of place with all of the other stained furniture you have in the room. i agree with lighter artwork or painting the existing frames white. Make small changes first.

Not sure what color metals you have in your room, but these lamps from target are $19.99. They would add lightness and substance to the nightstands. I don't know what color you would paint your current lamps as white lamps might not look good with white shades and any color might conflict with the different quilts.

I completely agree about the artwork. I have been wanting to say that for a long time. Either have none in that area or light vertical prints and frames.

I've changed the prints and you were right, it looks better now. Can't show pictures until later since I'm on the work computer. I'm very confused about the nightstands since several people think white is great but now they're not. The easiest thing of course is just to leave them as they are. I really like the lamp base above; it's quite elegant and looks more modern than what I have. Then just give away the perfectly good ones I have? Hard for me to do but I'll think about it.

Don't give away the lamps you have now. Before you do anything drastic, wait for the shutters and shades! That might be all you need.

I think your lamps are fine and work with the scale of your headboard. I'd be careful replacing them because many inexpensive lamps are attractive but tiny and would be too small in your space (many on Target have only 12" or 13" tall bases). Of course, there are inexpensive larger lamps but just be careful of size if you decide to order online.

I inadvertently wasn't looking at height.....just style and budget friendly.

Good points from all of you about the lamps. Shutters first!

Also check max wattage on lamps if you decide to replace, many will only use a 60 watt bulb, maybe fine if you have both lamps on but for me that's not enough light in a room your size.

I needed to go back and take a closer look at the nightstands, and think i'm inclined to agree with not painting them. Looking at the room it has more of a sophisticated look and white painted furniture is more of a cottage look~other things in the room wouldn't 'mesh' either. I love black lamp.shades, and could definitely see them with the Target lamp base, however black isn't exactly a summer look, imo. Maybe you should consider useing the black/white for the winter look........running to hide!! ;)

Patty, I'm about to send you to your room - no more ideas, please! Anyway, here are the latest pictures. I like the fact that these lamp shades are smaller. The shutters also came in today and I'm told they will be installed tomorrow. They look a little daunting but I'm sure DH will figure it all out.

These are the pictures I chose. The one of the puppy was done by my husband.

Hanging the pictures on the side wall doesn't seem to read well. Why not over the nightstands? Maybe stacking two as mentioned above?

I like the last photo the best.. gold drapes, and no extra pillows. Although the slightly-dold tone lampshades in a few photos a bit further up work quite well, too. (But the kitty needs to come back!! LoL...)

I do think the artwork might work best over the nightstands?

snookums, been there, done that, nobody liked it. I think I'll just see how it looks without pictures.

But these are more delicate looking. I think the darker and heavy is not going over well.

Love the picture of the dog but I have to agree that they don't work well on those side walls. They may work over the night tables after the shutters are up but that remains to be seen.

Pictures have always been fine over nightstands. This is the day of minimalist clean lines. It all depends upon what you like personally.

I just took down two pictures from the side wall also. I'm not a minimalist but I think this bedroom already has plenty going on, and the master bedroom is one room where less ( or at least my definition of less) is a good thing.

This is my final, and I do mean final, set of pictures because I have become sick and tired of my new bedroom after taking umpteen pictures and studying it from every possible angle. I'm probably going to blow it up and start all over, without ever letting anyone here know about it. Before I do that, please notice that the shutters have been put in. Unfortunately, I didn't think to order a wider surround so that you could see the more finished-looking window. We tried it without the curtains but it looks naked. I'm sure there are many ways to improve this to me now boring room, but frankly it's too hot for me to contemplate any of them. I decided to wash the sheers since they were coming down anyway, and draped them on two chairs on the (blazingly hot) deck. They were dry in 15 minutes and when I took them in it was almost impossible to get them back on the rods because the sun had apparently shrunk the fabric. I've never heard of such a thing and wouldn't believe it if anyone had told me this. I had to leave the room, it was that painful to watch DH try to get them back on. Totally weird.

The trim around the window looks fine. That's about as wide as mine is to match the rest of my traditional trim. Put the pictures back up over the lamps if it looks naked, but take the curtains down.... please!

Yes, take the curtains down. I would put art above the nightstands. 2 pictures stacked over one another on each side. Just try it with pictures you already have just to get a feel for the look. I think that's what it needs. If you like it, have DH paint some for you.

Ingrid, remember a few threads ago (a rug one, I think) where we talked about giving things a chance for you to get used to them? The shutters are a very different look and probably look fine, but you aren't used to how they look. I can't see any reason to blow up your pretty room, but I do understand the frustration that makes you feel like you want to!

Give things a chance to grow on you before you do anything drastic!! I'd love to visit you and stay in that room, so hope you'll see the things that are good about it.

I think you need the kitty on the bed and something unexpected.

I love it as is with or without the pillows.

I am very sorry to hear about your kitty, it is devastating to lose them to the evil cancer. We lost our 13 year old beloved kitty to mammary cancer 2 years ago and know this pain all too well :(

We have Pet Plan insurance which helped a lot with the costs, I do recommend them, it has definitely paid off in our case.

The new kitty looks very much at home already, and he brings his own comfort to the bedroom and even color co-ordinates well :)

We did end up putting pictures over the lamps, two stacked on each side, and the ones on DH's side are photographs of dogs that he painted on commission, so the originals are not available. I still treasure these copies.

I'm sorry ladies, but the curtains are staying. I very much appreciate your guidance and advice, but in the final analysis it has to be right for me and my husband, and the bare shutters over the upholstered headboard just look wrong. They are, however, very functional and the room is noticeably more comfortable, which is the reason I bought them.

snookums, I'm trying to think of something unexpected. Maybe a paper mache life-sized pig? No, I'm not kidding, I'm going hunting.

tmnca, I'm so sorry about your poor kitty, and thank you for your kind words. Time helps a little, but the loss is always felt. My vet recommended the same plan you mention.

Ingrid, you won't believe it but I have a papier mache pig! Well, not life sized. It's very cute...it's bright red with blue polka dots)) I found it in a gallery in Ojai, and just couldn't part with it. It's one of these silly things that just make me illogically happy..))

I loved the prints on the sides. (Even if they are not there right now..doesn't matter). I just love this room. It's like with people I guess-you can't know exactly what you emanate..you're inside the crystal. You know the crystal very well from inside, like nobody does-but others get to see the crystal shining.

It's a pity the curtains shrunk. Sun is harsh. We made a stupid decision of purchasing that great wicker set for the patio-totally refurbished and all. We didn't realize it will take us so long with that remodel. I did cover it. And then it started raining-last summer. In the middle of the drought and all. I got scared of mold developing..when the rain stopped and the set was dry again,I took the covers off, just for a couple days..

All faded, half-ruined..don't ask.

We asked the seller to come and get it, just take it back no money of course..just to save it again, sell it to people who have a covered patio or something. He didn't get to it yet..

I don't even want to tell how much we payed for it, even it's being a Craigslist bargain and all.

The curtains might get back to their shape though. They still look charming. Unlike my poor patio set..I feel like I'm a furniture slayer..))

april, I haven't found a pig and nothing is really quite what I want, but I'll keep looking. Saw the cutest little dog but he's only 6 inches long. I'll just have to keep hunting. I think I'm on the right track though.

You've said such sweet things, thank you so much. I'm so sorry about what happened to you, though, much worse than one little curtain. I really think making mistakes is part of being alive; it seems we all do it constantly, some bigger, some smaller, but it's always something. Thank goodness for the good times in between and the loving people and animals we have. Everything else is just stuff. I'm pretty fond of stuff, too - I guess we all are here. Trying to make your environment more comfortable and beautiful is a worthwhile goal, at least for those of us who care about such things.

Ingrid, I didn't read the part about your kitty. I'm sorry for your
loss :( Our pets are such an important part of our families and for
those of us that have chronic health issues that keep us more homebound
than others, I think they play even a larger roll. I know my Carly did
(choc Lab we lost in Feb).

I've said this on a few occassions
but I think it bears repeating. It's easy to sit and stare at a static
photo and critic it, seeing every little nuance (lighting makes a
difference too). Then add the fact that you have the potential of
having hundreds of people with hundreds of differing tastes giving their
opinion. It can be helpful and it can make you want to blow up your
room and start from scratch :o ouch! I know you're grateful for all
the help you've gotten from this forum :)

I have 2" blinds on my
bedroom windows without any curtains. Looks great and I didn't want to
hide the trim DH made. It took a bit of getting used to tho. I used
to think if I "had" to get used to something then it wasn't right. I
feel differently about that now. Windows in other rooms DO have
drapes/curtains. But, I agree with you that the upholstered headboard
needs a softer look than bare blinds would give it. If those white
sheers do it for you, then white sheers it is! The only thing I have
to add is the direction you have the blinds closed. If you'll angle
them UP instead of down, it will block more light. You won't have those
peeps of light filtering thru.

Yes to tilting the slats in the other direction on the shutters. I don't suppose you sleep on the shams, so if you have white pillow cases, I'd stick a bed pillow behind each sham with the white cases. You could also use a valance over the shuttered window instead of the curtain if you wanted to. In any event, I think your room looks lovely as is.

Ingrid, what do you think about a valance over the shutters (instead of the sheers)? That would be enough to soften the look without hiding them. I would hang it fairly high so that the bottom of the valance comes just over the top of the shutters, it would help to heighten the look of the window too. Just a thought.

I was also thinking that a swag over the window might be an even better alternative than a valance.

monica, you are so kind. Being home a lot of the time one does get
very close to one's pets. When they leave us it's all the harder.
Thanks for the tip about pointing the slats upward. Every little bit
helps. These are vinyl shutters, by the way, and probably don't look as
good as the wooden ones.

I don't really do valances or swags,
except for the valance I have in the kitchen window, which looks very
appropriate. I was doing straight panels long before they became
fashionable because I like drapes to be a pretty but unobtrusive
background. it's almost necessary for me with all the visual "clutter" I
have in every room.

So glad to see you added the pictures. That wall really needed something imo. Last night I started to suggest some type of metal vine/scroll work but by the sounds of your last post (as of last night) I didn't think you needed anymore suggestions <g>

Looks great. Done and done!

Thank you! It was the suggestion of adding pictures over the lamps that sent me all over the house "shopping" last night, and without the framing effect of the pictures the wall did look dull and uninspiring. I think that's what was bothering everyone, a void-like feeling there. I'm really happy with this solution.

Did you replace with another set of the same lampshades?

No, these are somewhat smaller, have a slightly different shape and have a linen look rather than the more plastic appearance of the previous ones. To me they look a little more in proportion when you compare them to the shades in the first picture of the post (which were white until I went crazy with paint).

Sometimes small things matter (well, in this case probably only to me). I made some changes to the pictures over the lamps and I feel they now have more impact, assuming you can tear your eyes away from Jason, who for once is perfectly centered on the bed. I told him to do that.

It looks great!!!

For symmetry, the cat must remain at all times.

Maybe you should get a seat sitter for when nature calls.

Ingrid, I love your room! It's perfect. Please tell your DH that I love his drawing of the puppy, it reminds me of my DD's Tuna girl (yes, a dog named Tuna). The breeder named her and she knew her name so they kept it, though she is affectionately known as Tuna Noodles.

I also have to say that your new kitty Jason is purrfection !