The Inside Man: James' Treehouse Bedroom Phase 3 - Progress Report

One of the major projects James is working on involves decluttering and letting
go of old things to make room for new ones.

Name: James Omedo
Location: Atlanta, Georgia
Style: Cool, calm bedroom

James' bedroom is the last of five room re-dos I've been working on all summer with Valspar Paint. On Thursday, I'll be revealing the final pictures, but in the meantime, here's a preview.

This project was really about simplifying a small space by cutting down the clutter, adding color to the walls, and creating a sense of calm. James and his wife have a one year old, and I want their bedroom to be a place where they can relax.

All of these colors come from Valspar Paint's Ultra Premium Collection.

CHOOSING COLORS
I was impressed with the ease and decisiveness that James showed when choosing colors for the bedroom. (He's a graphic designer, so it makes sense.) We started with a lavender shirt from his closet as our inspiration; then he and I chose a few different purples — some cool and some warm — and I sent him samples to try on his walls. When you're testing colors, the actual paint can appear very different once it's off the chip and on the wall, so it's always a good idea to test a few sample pots before choosing the best color.

Out of three lavender options, James chose the darkest — the Evening Lilac 1002-5B.

PROJECT #1: PAINTING THE WALLS
James bedroom is small, and I wanted a color that would envelope the space and create one main field of color. We kept the palette simple: lilac walls and white trim. Special thanks to our painter, Tony Smith of T&S Painting, who did a great job. (Thanks, Tony!)

JAMES' COOL, CALM PALETTE
• Evening Lilac 1002-5B (main accent wall)
• Dove White 7002-7 (neutral walls)

James has been working on letting things go to create more 'breathing space' in the bedroom

PROJECT #2: DECLUTTERING
On my last visit with James, we spent several hours clearing out the bedroom. When you're a new parent, it's not uncommon to be overtaken by a wave of new stuff, but you can start to sink under the weight of it. Clearing out and letting go of things is an important step on the path to reclaiming your personal space.

James' floor plan, with the bed centered on the wall

PROJECT #3: NEW BEDDING AND FURNITURE
James' bedroom furniture isn't bad, but it's a little bulky for such a small space, so we decided to buy a new bed. Originally, we were just going to get a headboard, but we discovered that a simple platform would bring the clean lines we were looking for. Our stylist, Joe Maer, has been shopping for pieces that will streamline the room and make it look more modern.

THE BASIC SHOPPING LIST
Look for a full resource list on Thursday.

Bed — The main piece for the room is a new bed, a low platform that will better define the space.
Headboard — We're also going to use a headboard and artwork to anchor the bed and create a focal point.
Rug — We found a nice, large neutral rug that spreads out under the bed.
Curtains — We're using curtain panels to cover both the windows and the closet.
Television — James' existing television is bulky, so we're replacing it with something slimmer.
Storage pieces — James and his wife need better storage, so we're shopping for a couple of new bedside tables and a long, low credenza to go across from the bed.

I love the way this room is coming together — can't wait to show you the final photos on Thursday!

ABOUT THE INSIDE MAN
We've teamed up with Valspar Paint to create The Inside Man, a special feature dedicated to daily (Monday — Friday) posts from Apartment Therapy and GQ about men's color conundrums and style questions. From sofas with cup holders to brilliant bachelor pads, we’re focusing on the décor dilemmas men often bring to us.

MORE FROM THE INSIDE MAN
• James' Treehouse Bedroom: Phase 2 - The Prescription
• James' Treehouse Bedroom: Phase 1 - Local Inspiration
• Read more about guy style at theinsideman.apartmenttherapy.com.
• Check out GQ's guide to guy style at gq.com/theinsideman.

Photos: Maxwell Gillingham-Ryan, James Omedo

Comments (9)

Not sure how much the purple is really helping...looks like a color I would have used in my teens, not now.

Curious to see what this will turn out like but whats with all the awful colors in these Inside Man features???

Curtains to cover the closet?
Really?

What's wrong with replacement doors?

I agree bepsf, I would rather a nice set of doors than curtains. But we'll see how it turns out.

salmon and lilac for the "inside man" series???

MAYBE salmon and lilac would suit better the "aging woman" series.

I would have gone more for a muted aubergine, instead of the lilac. Lilac is not a sexy boudoir color.

Definitely should have gone with a much, much less saturated color, edging towards grey. But the color is perfect for a granny or 'tween.

I don't like the salmony pink or the lilac walls in these recent "inside man" posts much at all. But if they make their owners happy, who am I to judge? While I wouldn't call them "granny," I would say these colors recall "1980's West Palm Beach, Florida." Case in point:
http://www.onemarketrealty.com/homes/S4652544_101_22.jpg

It seems like Maxwell is pushing color boundaries, which is great.... but to the point made in the book: "...use strong color sparingly to punctuate the room, not define it. I recommend 80% neutral colors and 20% strong colors. Just like a woman's face is made up with bright lipstick in a small portion of her face and neutral colors in the rest, so should a room be balanced."

I've made so very many wall color mistakes, but when I started following this advice, my home-dec world was completely changed. Chinese red became the accent color, not the wall color. Verdegris came off the walls and onto the textiles. It takes a very special space to pull off magenta, coral, kelly green on the walls -- and when it works it's oh so amazing. But it's rare that it works.

These "accent walls" have got to go!