Before and After: A Musty Attic Is Transformed into an Ultra Dreamy Bedroom

Attics have a reputation for being musty, dusty, and a little creepy (hello, every horror movie ever). The attic in Kerry Villers’s (@kerryvillers) home was no exception. “When we first moved into our house, the attic bedroom looked like it hadn’t been slept in for years, maybe even decades,” Kerry says. “The old tattered carpets gave the room a unique and unpleasant odor, while the walls were stained and crumbling. It was the kind of room you would want to leave quickly as possible, and it was not at all comfortable or welcoming.”

As a result, the attic became more of a “dumping ground” than anything else, with occasional stints as a last-resort guest room if everywhere else was full. But once Kerry and her husband found out they were expecting their third child, they knew this attic space would have to finally pull its weight so they could have an extra bedroom. “We wanted to make the room a relaxing space and knew we needed to add cupboards under the eaves for wardrobes and extra storage,” Kerry says.

Fortunately, there were some good things the room already had, like the arched recessed window, brick walls, and skylight. With good bones to use as their base, Kerry and her husband got to work transforming the rest of the room.

They started by removing the old plaster on the walls, which gave them a bit of a surprise: a structural beam had been cut before. They brought in builders and a structural engineer to add in a new supporting beam, which presented a pretty large cost they hadn’t budgeted for. “If I had any words of advice for someone considering an attic renovation project, it would be to include a contingency budget!” Kerry says. “You never know what extra costs might pop up along the way!”

Next, they brought in a carpenter to build some cupboards under the eaves on one side of the room. While it was pricey, Kerry says it was worth it: “In a house with little storage, it was a necessity,” she says.

The couple also added fresh drywall, insulation, and new windows, and knocked down a wall to open the attic room up to the staircase. From there, it was all about dreamy and calming decor. For the walls, Kerry chose off-white paint (Farrow & Ball’s Wevet); for the floors, a warm gray (Farrow & Ball’s Ammonite). “I love how fresh and clean the colors are together,” Kerry says.

The rest of the decor strikes a warm minimalist tone, with vintage touches throughout, like the tea chests-turned-nightstands. “I’m a vintage and antique furniture fanatic, so most of the furniture is from eBay and Facebook Marketplace,” Kerry says.

Now, the dreamy attic bedroom is a far cry from the spooky space the couple started with — and with all its hidden storage, it’s made more practical, too.

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