My mom consistently has one guest at her house. That guest is me. She moved into her home almost three years ago, and the guest room is the only room that isn’t mostly completed. She asks my opinion on a lot of decor decisions, but I know for this room in particular she especially wants my input. I also know that it bothers her that this room is an afterthought right now (her laundry closet is in the guest room, so she is often in it, it’s not really “out of sight, out of mind” as a lot of guest rooms are).
My mom’s style is light and bright and in general runs more “coastal” than mine. In this room I’m trying to meld our styles so that it’s cohesive with the rest of her house, but also has a little bit more of my aesthetic (a little bit moodier, and maybe a touch less beachy, but, you know, ultimately my style is……undefined).
The bed, nightstands and rug are already in the room, so it’s really a matter of the back up players, which of course are what transform a space. Here’s what I’m thinking….
//10// (similar) The bed is from IKEA. It’s unfortunately discontinued. (Why are all the best IKEA pieces always cancelled?!) I was drawn to the slipcovered style which fits in nicely with the style of the rest of the house, and allows for some hidden underbed storage. This was the first piece that I sourced for the room and ideally I wanted a different fabric (it would be beautiful in a flax linen). While I could find other fabric options from some higher-end stores, it seemed silly to put an expensive bed into a room that doesn’t get full-time use. Despite that, I knew I would be able to work with the grey and it’s a great neutral starting point.
//9// Normally Homegoods is my go-to source for rugs. It can be hit or miss, but for high-quality rugs at a very reasonable price (normally you can get an 8×10 wool rug for around $250) it’s worth it to check every week or two until you find one that works. But, with COVID running rampant, I turned to the internet. I actually got this rug from eBay. I’m fairly certain it’s the same as the Ellington rug sold by McGee & Co. I like that it’s a more playful version of a traditional rug and the neutral color allows for a lot of flexibility.
//8// Emily Henderson wrote a post singing the praises of the long lumbar pillow back in 2015, and it has been the number one design tip I’ve ever taken from her (and I LOVE her blog). This one is simple, but I love the classic stripe and fringed edges.
//7// I don’t think that with a long lumbar pillow any additional pillows are needed. I do think that in this instance a pop of a secondary color is necessary to keep the room from being too beige. This one is a little less formal, and will add just a touch of interest to the bed.
//6// In my old apartment I had a wall of MQuan bells. I don’t really have space for them all in my current NYC apartment, so, I think I’ll bring a couple over to my mom’s to add wall decor with some dimension.
//5// (similar) The nightstands were the second items I found for this room. I purchased them in late 2019 and they don’t seem to be sold any longer. I wanted something wide and with a decent amount of storage. Since this is a guest room there’s no need for a full dresser, but I didn’t want to nix storage completely. (You know, I need a place to stash my sweats from high school that I never took with me as I moved from apartment to apartment over the past 13 years, and that I pull out to wear whenever I’m there….did I mention that I am an adult in my 30s?)
//4// I have wanted these concrete lamps from CB2 for about 2 years now. They come in a more natural color, but I think the white will pop better off of the nightstands. I may end up with this very popular Target lamp instead, but something white with a little bit of texture I think will work nicely. I also think that two of these black lamps would be gorgeous, but I don’t think I can sell my mom on them.
//3// I am now officially a plant convert after getting three for my apartment. They give a room life (I like to pepper posts with blatantly obvious statements…you’re welcome). Not sold on what kind/where it will go (I’m leaning towards something hanging), but a plant is in the plan.
//1// & //2// I’m not set on the artwork. It’s probably the thing I’m struggling with most for this space. My mom mainly only ever wants sea/beachscapes, which could be great. Super calming for a bedroom, but I’m not convinced. These two could be lovely. All I know is that I want to add some color through art.
The room is painted Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace. In fact, her entire house is painted that color, so it’s staying. In general she’s not a fan of wallpaper (WHY?!?!?????) and I think it would be jarring to paint this room a dark color when everything else is white. I’m not convinced that painting it a different light color would really be worth it, and it is a great shade of white. My entire apartment has white walls, and I’ve been craving color lately, but, in this project I think that white walls are here to stay.
I have to say, I’m very excited to see my plan actualized. Can’t wait to share when it’s done!