Before and After: This Big Blank Bedroom Canvas Became Something Beautiful
While this photo may look like an “after” shot, it’s actually just the blank white canvas on which a colorful, glamorous wonderland has been created. While a room outfitted in gray, white, and wood has an understated charm, sometimes it needs the type of beauty that only mint and pink velvet and plenty of gold can provide.
The new predominately pink, mint, and white color scheme is delicious, while the wallpaper and bookshelves add a multitude of other hues. The furniture is all glam and luxe—velvet, tufting, gold details—without being over the top or matchy-matchy. All of the white balances out the pastels, with the shiplap ceiling and painted brick fireplace adding texture. The new flooring is a natural neutral that grounds the rainbow, but it has a hint of peachy-pink so it coordinates with the room’s palette. One clever design move was having the rainbow shelves lead to pink at the top, so the rose gold light fixtures are a natural extension.
Ashley Wilson of At Home With Ashley created this dreamy haven in just six weeks and truly did a fabulous job, adding beauty, storage, and practicality in even measures.
The cubby bench under the window is by The Gray Barn from Overstock.com, the bench at the foot of the bed is from Article, and the ceiling fan is by Kichler from Houzz (with white blades added). The shiplap on the ceiling, the crown molding, and the baseboards are all from Metrie.
Here’s a bit more information about what this bedroom was like before its makeover:
We moved into this 1905 Victorian home in July of 2018. The master bedroom was a blank slate with a tiny closet and a back wall that was hard to work with (drywalled chimney, window, closet). The floors were badly dented bamboo. Luckily, this room was mostly a blank slate with lots of character!
When we first moved in, we were sleeping on an air mattress with minimal furniture. After the rest of the house was set-up and functioning nicely, I was excited to tackle the master bedroom. I think everyone deserves an oasis to retire to nightly. I figured that I could create that in our home.
Again, that first “before” shot is aspirational for a lot of folks, but it’s still thrilling to see Ashley create a dream bedroom in the space.
The wallpaper is totally sensational, with enough colors that the accessories could easily be swapped out for pillows and throws in other hues. The addition of plants is always welcome, especially in such chic plant stands that tie together with all the other metallic elements in the room. The dog bed on the left is totally enviable and glamorous, which is not often said about pet furniture.
The Greek key nightstand on the right is by Safavieh and the campaign nightstand on the left is by Inspire Q, both from Overstock.com. The white paint is BEHR’s Ultra Pure White from Home Depot, and the wallpaper is by Teresa Chan for Milton & King. The tufted velvet bed is by Skyline Furniture from Overstock.com, and the amazing dog bed is by HomePop from Overstock.com.
If you’re feeling inspired by Ashley’s renovation, heed her very wise advice:
My advice is that it is worth it to make your home—especially your master bedroom—a sanctuary. I sleep so peacefully here at night and love to relax and read in this space. I know that this room might have a lot going on for the average person, but all of the color makes me so happy. As with all design, I say you do you! Especially in a bedroom! No one else needs to see it so you can make it a spot that is suited for what inspires you.
Previously, the vanity was on this side of the room, but as seen below, it’s been moved, which really opened up the entry of the room. If a room is large enough to handle it, giving some breathing room around the doorway can really create a feeling of calm.
Here’s what it took for Ashley to take this room from a white and gray retreat to a rainbow wonderland:
I started this room in October as part of the One Room Challenge. It took six weeks to complete. My husband and I worked hard on it and the only outside help we had was an electrician to center the light and add a light in the newly built closet. The bookshelves we built into the back wall were the trickiest part to do. They cost $250 in supplies, but with the now exposed chimney that is super crooked, the angled walls, and working in the electric fireplace and window seat, it was complicated to figure out how to build them. Finding a way to make them all work resulted in a gorgeous feature wall that is super practical and makes the most of an odd wall.
Considering the fact that super-basic, store-bought bookcases can easily cost $250, creating an entire wall of bookshelves to accommodate that many factors for that amount is truly impressive.
And as Ashley just mentioned, this bedroom now has a fireplace. It’s minimal and modern, the exposed chimney revealed some of the home’s 100-year-old charms. Moving the vanity here was a smart move, as this spot feels so much more intimate, rather than feeling more exposed by the door. And this spot means that if someone happened to be sitting at the vanity in their robe applying lotions and potions, they’d be warmed by the fireplace.
All of the furniture in this room is pretty, but the pink ottoman is particularly lovely. While it obviously has a practical use—an additional seating option—it has a fun, frivolous quality that suits the bedroom perfectly.
The pink velvet ottoman is by Sonata from Overstock.com, the desk/vanity and the blush chair are both from Grandin Road, the floor is by Envi from Overstock.com, and the fireplace is by Altra Furniture from Hayneedle.
Ashley is thrilled with the results of all those weeks of work:
I love how happy and bright the after turned out to be! The wallpaper influenced the design for the whole room and I love the colors in it. The bookcase is probably my favorite part! I filled it with thrift store books that I collected for months. Rainbow bookcases (books arranged by the color of the rainbow) have been done lots of times, so I decided to put my spin on it with incorporating art and accessories that coordinate with the books. The ceiling is finished with shiplap. It is a subtle change, but now it want it in all of my house! I LOVE having a fireplace in this room! We use it daily now that it is winter and it was an affordable way to add amazing ambiance to the space. The only thing I would do different is I’d add a bump out for the front of the fireplace. My husband and I had an misunderstanding on that part, but I still think it works fine.
Thank you, Ashley Wilson of At Home With Ashley!