Soft White Paint Turned a “Beige” 1920s Bedroom Into a Cozy, Minimal Retreat
Restoring older homes tends to require “a little TLC and elbow grease” during renovations, especially if the primary bedroom feels more like an attic than a relaxing retreat. Maudie Francek and her husband, Ronnie’s 1928 Milwaukee home was no different.
When Maudie, Ronnie, and Helga, their English Bulldog, first moved into their bungalow, they began renovating everything room by room. So when they got to what would be their bedroom, “[it] had a lot of potential, but needed a lot of love,” Maudie explains.
Felt More Like a Dated Attic
The late 1920s home’s bedroom had worn beige carpet, wood trim, a blue accent wall, and a clunky ceiling fan that distracted from its original character. To Maudie and Ronnie, “the bedroom felt more like an attic than a bedroom” — which just wouldn’t work in a home they wanted to easily enjoy every day with a comfortable and functional style.
Restoring the Original Wood Instantly Warmed Up and Brightened the Bedroom
The first thing Maudie and Ronnie tackled was the room’s only window frame. “The lone window in the room had been painted over numerous times, and the paint was peeling,” Maudie says.
The couple stripped the paint, cleaned up the surrounding drywall with fresh mud and an L-bead, and once they reached the bare wood, they added a new coat of stain. “Restoring the window to its original state ended up being one of our favorite parts of the project,” Maudie describes. “It completely changed the feel of the room and helped it blend more naturally with the rest of the house.”
Maudie and Ronnie also gave the room a fresh coat of Sherwin-Williams’ Snowbound paint to brighten the space since the slanted ceilings made it feel smaller than it was. They also removed the non-original baseboards and replaced them with trim that fit the home’s character better.
“[The restoration] was truly a labor of love for both of us,” Maudie shares.
Backgrounds in Landscape Architecture Mean Natural and Organic Elements
“Both my husband and I went to school for Landscape Architecture,” Maudie explains. Which influenced their design style when they renovated and created their Milwaukee home. She and Ronnie wanted to let the architecture lead the story and “keep the interiors fresh and livable.”
And because of their background, the couple has a strong appreciation for nature and timeless design. They connected their love for the outdoors with their home through organic materials and natural textures. “Plants play a central role, softening the architecture and bringing life into every room,” Maudie says.
These ideas continued in their bedroom design process. They included soft textiles, a neutral-patterned carpet from Flor, the IKEA DEJSA lamp, and a dresser from IKEA with a timeless style.
“[Now] the bedroom feels calm and comfortable to be in,” Maudie shares.
A “Minimal Cozy” Style Creates an Easy Way to Unwind
Maudie and Ronnie kept their bedroom pretty simple, she explains. Soft, neutral tones balanced the warmer wood elements — like the mid-century modern bedframe and the original window trim.
And while there isn’t “a lot going on” in their bedroom, the calm space makes it “easy to unwind at the end of the day.”
“Someone once called it ‘minimal cozy,’ and we love that description,” Maudie says. “It feels accurate — there’s not a lot going on, but the space still has a warm, welcoming feel.”
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