This 1910 Brownstone Bedroom Got a Makeover That Enhances Its Historic Charm
Renter Sarah Bryant (@sarahlou_who) is a lover of brownstone apartments, and hers has amazing architectural details, like two fireplaces and warm woodwork throughout. She says because it had amazing architecture, her bedroom didn’t need a lot of work when she moved in; it was “beautiful but bare.”
She also says her style is “tropical colonial meets conservatory Victorian,” however, and the bare white walls of the bedroom didn’t exactly live up to that description. What does live up to the description is the stunning wallpaper she added. See how Sarah personalized the walls without sacrificing the statement-making moments the architectural details offer.
The wallpaper is renter-friendly.
She used peel-and-stick wallpaper in many rooms throughout her apartment; in her bedroom she picked a vintage-inspired leafy pattern from Spoonflower. “I smile every time I wake up and see the wallpaper reflected in the fireplace mirror,” Sarah says, adding that it “really makes the woodwork pop.”
The rug is hand-painted.
In addition to installing the peel-and-stick wallpaper herself, Sarah did another DIY project you can see if you look underfoot. The rug was originally a plain off-white piece, and Sarah handpainted the black details on it when she couldn’t find exactly what she was looking for in the store.
“This worked out great since rugs can get expensive,” she says. “I was able to create what I wanted in mine for under $200.” (And her entire bedroom revamp totaled about $900.)
The furniture was tricky to arrange.
Sarah says the biggest design challenge in the space was that there weren’t many uninterrupted walls to work with, which made the bed placement a little tricky. “I don’t have room for two nightstands but was still able to anchor the bed by installing plug-in mounted wall sconces,” she says.
Her bed is from Wayfair, her curtains are from Amazon, and she found “the perfect pair of MCM vintage dressers” for maximizing storage in the bedroom.
The “after?” It elegantly lives up to the sophisticated-meets-tropical description. “It feels like I’m somehow in a spa but also somewhere in nature simultaneously,” Sarah says.
Inspired? Submit your own project here.