Before and After: A Washed-Out Bedroom Gets a Dramatic and Sophisticated Upgrade

Blue paint can make a room feel ethereal, like it’s floating among the clouds. But some blues feel more “baby announcement” than “grown-up retreat.”

When Lindsey Mahoney of Building Bluebird moved into her home a year and a half ago, her bedroom had her feeling the blues. The baby blue walls were washed-out and meh, and they certainly weren’t helped by the original blue 1969-era carpets — one of the first things in the home to go.

“Before moving in our furniture, we decided to replace the carpeting with a neutral gray,” Lindsey says. “Then we moved in all of the furniture that we have owned for over 10 years and didn’t touch it until this makeover.”

While the rest of their 1960s home was getting an update, Lindsey says, her bedroom sat untouched. “We still had nails in the walls from the previous owners! We had focused so much on other areas of the house that we completely neglected our bedroom. It felt boring, uninspiring, and very disorganized.”

She wanted a place to truly relax and recharge at the end of the day, especially after spending so much time at home this year due to the pandemic. So, she and her husband decided to make a change for the One Room Challenge.

Lindsey started by painting the walls a dusty gray-blue (Sherwin-Williams’ Outerspace), a color she says is the “perfect deep blue for our bedroom.” It instantly made the bedroom feel more mature (and luxurious). Lindsey even included her closet doors in the paint job, which helps the room feel more cohesive.

Lindsey also used a smart IKEA hack to freshen up her existing HEMNES dresser. For the new look, she framed all the drawer fronts with molding and painted the entire assembly light gray.

A new wooden bed frame with a sleek mid-century vibe, matching dark wood nightstands, and a set of poufs at the end of the bed round out the rest of the furniture. Lindsey also swapped in new table lamps, art, and a new mirror.

The new space has a sophisticated vibe, but it’s still somewhere that’s inviting and relaxing. “Our bedroom feels like a hip boutique hotel room and it is my favorite place to hang out,” Lindsey says.

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