See How a Plain Bedroom Transforms with Bold Color in a Surprising Spot

published Mar 3, 2024
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There is so much pressure to design a bedroom tailored to everything you need from it. You want it to be calming, but you also want it to be an inviting hangout. However, with a guest bedroom, you can push your design a little further than usual — because most of the time, it’ll sit empty for your viewing pleasure. 

Homeowners Paula Truscott and Martin Loorits (@mismatchedhome) did exactly that with their guest bedroom, which Paula describes as previously being “nothing special” with an old, stained carpet. She and Martin wanted to transform the space into “a guest room that made people feel happy!”

With a freed-up bed from their primary bedroom (the couple bought themselves a new one), Paula and Martin embarked on this mission, intending to keep it as affordable as possible — they spent about AU$1,000 total.

Start from scratch (and go bold).

“We took everything out and started with a blank canvas,” Paula says. They gave the room a fresh coat of paint, opting for Taubmans Crisp White on the walls and something bolder on the ceiling. Calling it “key” to their design, the couple added a bold pop of color with Taubmans Yarrow paint on the ceiling. Paula refers to it as a “mustard yellow,” which might sound a little risky, but in the final product, it looks like it was meant to be in this room.

Next, they tore up the old carpet and replaced it with oak laminate flooring, which cost AU$200.

Upcycling is key. 

Keeping their budget in mind, Paula and Martin painted an AU$50 king-size bed frame they bought off Facebook Marketplace white to go with their freshly painted walls. Another upcycle was the AU$20 side tables, also painted white and outfitted with new timber drawers and knobs.

Paula is a proponent of buying secondhand as a way to save money. “It was actually so easy to source all the furniture,” she says. “There really is so much available out there for upcycling projects.” All the furniture in this room was upcycled — a feat that makes the couple “pretty proud.” And for anyone unfamiliar with turning an older piece of furniture into something new, Paula says to search places like Facebook Marketplace often and “act fast” if you really want something.

Pops of color keep it fresh.

After stripping and varnishing a three-drawer dresser they bought for AU$30, Paula and Martin added a new timber top and brought in a green color on the drawers with Taubmans Leafy Lawn. They finished the tallboy with matching knobs to the nightstands.

Even the AU$40 lamps they found on Facebook Marketplace came with yellow cords to perfectly complement the ceiling hue. The couple reused bedding they already owned and brought in the last splash of color with unique penguin prints from Noco Living. They anchored the room with a more neutral black-and-white KLASSRUM Rug from IKEA.

“We’re obsessed with the color scheme in here,” Paula says. “Every time we walk past the room, it just makes us feel happy, which is how we hope our guests feel.”