Software
Houzz Logo Print
abilener

Looking for a happy restful but elegant bedroom.

We live in Florida and have lots of windows except in this room.. The sliding doors lead into a covered lanai. I feel that this room is dreary, although the photos look brighter than it is in person. The artwork is dull and there is no decorating theme here at all. This is the room where stuff goes that has no other home. Popcorn will be removed from the ceiling with updated high hats. I am looking at replacing the ceiling fan with a pretty fandelier. I plan to paint the walls white or a very light color and get new bedding and artwork



The furniture is solid wood and about 30 years old with some scratches and scuffs, but I am not replacing it. The bed is only 8 years old. I thought of painting the furniture a sand color but not sure if I should just paint the large pieces? Paint the bed and the nightstands? Paint them all? I don't want a farmhouse look. The trunk can be replaced, although it is providing some much-needed storage. The rest of my house is blue and white with a hint of chinoiserie and some antique wood pieces. (The dog stays too!!!!)

Comments (32)

  • last month

    I would not paint your furniture. It's hard to do well and it devalues nice pieces. You could work with the yellow and add some pops of red or orange. You should start with a color scheme. Pick out art and bedding you like as a start. I think blue looks good with that rich brown furniture. I'd consider painting the walls blue.


    I like the view with the bed and nightstands. The row of furniture, not so much. Do you need the TV? It looks pretty far from the bed. I tend to use my computer or tablet to watch stuff in bed. If you don't need the TV, put the mirror over the dresser. If you could put the armoire where the chair is and the chair where the armoire is, you'd break up the row of random furniture.


    Lucie Regensdorf thanked Sigrid
  • PRO
    last month

    Np painted wood pllease . This is one of my faves for a bedroom if elegance is the plan



  • PRO
    last month
    last modified: last month

    I'd like to suggest you slightly shift the position of your furnishings. I have a similar bedroom arrangement and have placed my nightstand purposely centered on the window for starters. Then the bed next to that, and finally the other nightstand. Not sure the chair is required if you have a hinged ottoman at the bast of your bed for sitting and storage. Then select framed art for the wall that mimics the size of the window with the shutters.


    Your other option is to placed a framed tall, rectangular mirror above the other nightstand to mimic the rooms' window.


    On the other side I'd take the armoire out of the corner because it extends over the edge of the door. I'd replace it with some greenery and move the armoire closer to the closet, provided it's really needed for storing clothes. Otherwise, if it's not essential for clothes storage I'd find a new home for it.


  • last month
    last modified: last month

    Can you repurpose some of the furniture to other parts of the house or sell it? It's all arranged nicely but there is so much of it that it feels oppressive.

  • last month

    So, I had the armoire where the chair is, but then both nightstands wouldn't fit on that wall. And the way the nightstand on that side of the room had to be placed, you couldn't open the drawers beneath the bed. In that setup, one of the nightstands was where the armoire is now and the tv was on top of it. I know the two large pieces lined up aren't ideal but, they are needed for clothes storage and there really doesn't seem to be a place to put that armoire. This furniture was bought for a different house with a larger bedroom.

  • last month

    There is a lot in the room. Is there room on the wall we can't see for any of the furniture? Do you need both a chair and the bench? The trunk and mirror really don't work lined up with the other furniture. What can go elsewhere? I would not paint your furniture.

  • last month

    I think the bed is quite lovely and looks nicely made up. The art does need some improving but you are aware of that. For me the issue is the other side of the room where it looks like a wall of heavy furniture. That needs to change somehow.

  • last month

    I too would not paint any of the furniture, and would find other 'homes' for most of the pieces.

    A severe edit of the things you need in the bedroom, especially clothing.

    I call my primary bedroom closet, my "working closet" Everything else is in a guest closet.

    I prefer a calm space at the end of the day, and no TV.

  • last month

    Here are other views. The two closets are in the hall and inadequate to hold all of the clothes that are in the armoire. At the end of the hall is the bathroom.




  • PRO
    last month

    The room looks like a furniture warehouse. Get rid of the chair, the trunk and the heavy mirror. Leave the armoire where it is.

  • last month
    last modified: last month

    Have you considered doing a closet and dresser purge? It seems like that will allow you to get rid of some of the furniture.

  • last month
    last modified: last month

    With the mirror wall, you don't need another mirror on the wall. For starters, I'd remove the mirror, trunk and shelf behind the chair. Do you need both chair and bench?

    How many cute pups do you have?

  • last month

    We gave 5 rescued Dalmatians! Kcooz07, I think you’re right about the trunk, mirror and shelf. I do like the chair though to read and talk on the phone

  • last month

    So, I will see how it all looks when I move out the rest.
    I appreciate

  • last month

    I appreciate the placement ideas but what about colors? Bedding ideas. I love the coastal suggestion above

  • last month

    You could add a blue throw at the end of the bed. The bedding currently is very light and crisp.

  • last month
    last modified: last month

    White bedding with pale greens and blues could give you a fresh and elegant look. You already have the right bedding, you just need quieter accent pillows and a throw. Definitely change your wall color, it appears to be a beigey- yellow which isn't coming across as fresh or elegant.

    Laurie S Woods


  • last month


    If you want coastal, add it in your search. Here is one that I found and you can’t go wrong with blue.


  • last month

    If you love Celery's visual, use that for inspiration. Find something with a blue color for the end of the bed, pillows, and art. Your base bedding is fine. Continue with your idea to paint the room a lighter color and remove the extra pieces.

  • last month

    JMO, but I wouldn't put the mirror next to the mirrored wall.

  • last month
    last modified: last month

    Celery's rendering is a great direction to go in. Keep in mind that you've just told us that all of the heavy, dark furniture, rectangular, has to stay, but you want the room lighter. Quite the challenge but here goes:

    --Get a dreamy horizontal seascape/skyscape for over the bed with a very slim gold frame to echo your bedside lamps--this palette that suggests cloud, sky, sea

    "Quiet Expression", Original by Hilary Winfield, Art · More Info


    --Move the dark trunk out of the room and put the armoire there.

    --Move the mirror to where the armoire is so it will reflect the light from the window. You have my permission to paint the mirror white. (Or take the armoire doors to a glass store and have them replace front panels with high quality mirrors and leave armoire where it is even though it's overpowering the room. Then rehome the other mirror.)

    --If you decide to keep the chair, get a large pillow in blues and whites.

    Iovenali Ikat Pillow Blue 18"x18" · More Info


    Lucie Regensdorf thanked housegal200
  • last month

    Have you ever tried to flip the room? Place the bed where the tv is now?

  • PRO
    last month

    Since you live in Florida and the rest of your house is blue and white would recommend that you go with a Florida coastal style and continue the blue and white into your bedroom.

  • last month

    Expobaby, that doesn't really work either because of the window. I think BeverlyFlaDeziner might have a good idea with moving the bed over and centering the nightstand on the window with a mirror or painting on the other side. Then, I can remove the trunk and mirror and move the dresser away from the armoire. Some space in between might help. The armoire is my husband's and if anyone wants to try to get him to purge clothes from it, you are more than welcome to try. I have been unsuccessful for 30 years. Pick your battles, I guess. The room is a weird configuration. Unfortunately, I will have to remove the chair, which I enjoy using for reading or talking on the phone.

  • last month
    last modified: last month

    Can the chair not work somehere? It’s a shame to give up. Regarding purging, ask your husband to try on some of the older clothes…and he may be shocked how they fit 😗 and their style, hard to access by being squeezed in. Donating can be fulfilling and that might trigger him to make a little dent. My husband started editing randomly and once he could see his favorite things, it’s a whole new walk in closet, even placing sweaters by color lol.

  • last month

    Try Beverly's way first, but I think flipping it would still work. You'd be able to look out the larger window from the bed more easily. The armoire could go where the chair is so it's separate from the dresser and the chair can go in the other corner.

    Lucie Regensdorf thanked Expobaby
  • last month
    last modified: last month

    “You’re more than welcome to try.” LOL! Story of my life.

    I agree with others - there is too much stuff. At the very least get rid of the trunk and don’t put anything back in its place; then spread the other two pieces out. Keep the tv over the dresser and move the mirror to that bare wall where I see the chair.

    It’s really a nice room with lots of potential. I’d lean into light greens and blues, too.

  • last month

    Expobaby!!! I never thought of that. I had the armoire where the chair is but that was too tight. You're right that putting it back there and flipping the room might work! I always thought the bed should be the first thing you see when you walk in? Feng Shui or something!! But you may have solved the problem. The mirror and trunk were always being taken away anyway. I hate that mirror.

    Maureen, I like your thoughts and sometimes the wildest dreams come true. I will show you my husband's office and our garage, and then you can tell me if you think I might be able to motivate him to organize anything!! LOL!!!!

  • last month

    Take a rainy weekend and try out a few different layouts. Sometimes it's the oddest sounding layout that works. The nice thing is that it costs no money and can be switched back if you don't like it. It can be a lot of work though so you have to be in the mood. Just set the tv on the dresser until you have your final layout.

  • last month

    Do you need the floor to ceiling mirror? It doesn't make the room appear larger. Instead it increases the amount of furniture we see in this already too crowded room. Can you instead get a full length mirror to place behind your door?

  • last month

    You've received a lot of good advice already.

    Agree that the floor to ceiling mirror makes the room look very busy. You can paint over glass/mirror with acrylic paint, after priming with gesso. Or apply wallpaper. Both are reversible.

    Depending on how attached your husband is to his clothing collection, he may be more amenable to trimming it down if you do it together. If you want to try, I suggest a modified Marie Kondo method which is what my mother and I did before she moved in with me. We did it over time. For example, one day we'd do pullover sweaters. Lay them all out on the bed and pick the best 10 (or whatever number is reasonable). The less desirable ones go out of the house immediately. Maybe do your own clothing first and offer him the space that this creates.

    But assuming the armoire stays, I really like the idea of it going where you now have the chair. Visually, it would be the least obtrusive. Does it match the other furniture or is it just similar? To me it looks a bit different. Consider painting only the armoire. Adding mirror to the front is another great idea that has been suggested.

    With the armoire there, consider replacing the (very wide) night tables with wall mounted floating shelves. You can find some with a drawer, or if a double shelf the lower one can hold a basket. It would lighten the look of the room, and leave you space to pull out the drawer under the bed. Looking at the inspiration picture posted by deegw, you see non-matching night stands. Maybe shelf drawers painted the same as the armoire? Then you might want wall-mounted sconces. Plug in ones are easier than the ones that need re-wiring.

    A "real" colour for your wall, rather than beige or white, will give your room more life. Some of the examples shown with blue/green would look great with your furniture and white bedding.