My Guest Room
I envisioned a new look for my guest bedroom. It was the first room I tackled when I moved in on December 31, 1992. It was long past time to remove the Waverly pink and white striped wallpaper and the dated Schumacher floral lined drapes. I placed the drapes in storage drawers knowing that someday I would use them to grace another window. The room was always a bit dark with two original 1896 double-hung windows, so I was keenly aware that getting the lighting right would be challenging. I knew from the start that I would use fresh paint along with old and new furnishings as I set out to reimagine the warm and inviting space.
The Walls
I stripped the wallpaper using three different methods. First, I used traditional liquid spray remover with accompanying scratch tools purchased from the local True Value hardware store. The process was cumbersome and gauged the walls, so I looked online to see the professionals. I found an old-timer and his son who convinced me to use plain hot water to soak the paper so that it would peel off in big swaths if I did it right. This method turned out to be the best because it did not ding the walls. I was amazed at how the paper came away clean and intact. Lastly, I wiped down the walls with a general cleaner to remove any bits of paper and sticky paste. All three processes were incredibly time-consuming, required patience, and needed plenty of drop sheets and toweling.
To protect the previously refinished soft pine subfloor, I meticulously covered it in heavy, paint-resistant paper and securely tapped the edges to the baseboard trim. With a lightweight spackle, I repaired and smoothed the plaster walls and ceiling. They were in rough shape, over 80% cracked. At first, I should re-face the walls with new materials but then decided to do it all by hand with enough willpower and elbow grease. Years ago, I watched handyman Sal patch and paint the dining room, living room, and front entryway walls. I remembered his artisan technique and copied it. I was persistent and persnickety, ensuring that all cracks were tapped, spackled, and filled. Smoothing the walls took days of hand sandpaper and a wet commercial grade 3M sponge, but it was worth the effort as the walls were smooth and ready for the primer coat. The closet door was closed most of the time. So instead of hand taping the walls, I decided that my husband would re-face the crumbling plaster and add decorative vertical wall molding. My husband mastered this new skill alone and was so pleased with the results; it was time for him to start the new crown molding.
The Paint
I was open-minded about the wall color. My husband suggested gray. I purchased 12 soft-palate samples, which looked dreamy on the brochure but fell flat on the walls. I, too, finally decided on gray, spending hours trying to get the color right. So I extensively researched numerous shades and tones using Benjamin Moore's online interactive design tools. I purchased more samples and then selected Metropolitan for the wall, Distant Gray for the trim, Gray Owl for the ceiling, and Kendall Charcoal for the doors. I already used Distant Gray as the trim color throughout the first floor of my home, so it fits right in. At first, to play it safe, I chose the lighter Gray Owl shade on the walls. But my instinct was telling me to go bolder. I decided on the deeper-toned Metropolitan that was just right for the northwest-facing bedroom. Last-minute, I tested Gray Owl on the ceiling. I found out that Benjamin Moore makes extra flat paint for old houses to hide any imperfections specifically. It worked beautifully. Gray Owl was visually soothing. The soft contrast was subtle enough to make the crown molding stand out. Kendall Charcoal was a fabulous cover for the old wooden doors. Dipped and stripped 20 years ago, the oak doors were lackluster. There was nothing to write home about, so I decided to throw caution to the wind and paint over them. I liked the stately color so much that I decided to use Kendall Charcoal on the oak bed headboard, footboard, and pine side tables. I took the time to get the paint right, knowing that it would be up for at least the next decade or two. I also enjoyed working with Autumn, the gal at the paint store, who my sister admirably calls the paint witch. She told me that she was born with an extra lens in her cornea that gave her an advantage in art school for picking out a color. Not me. I always needed samples. To date, I am proud to boast a 66 can collection. The money spent on paint samples was worth it when I noticed the look of pride on my husband's face when he saw that the colors brought out his beautifully installed crown molding. He meticulously measured and cut 22.5 and 13.25-degree bullnose joints fit snugly into the ceiling corners with craftsman precision.
With the floor still protected, my husband staged a couple of saw horses so that I could do the tasks waist-high. Each wooden piece needed hand sanding, vacuuming, one coat of primer, and two coats of finish. At first, I used a paintbrush, then added a small roller for speed. I carefully touched up the black door hinges and polished the brass keyhole and doorknob rings. Six by two-inch ornate brass plates studded the corners of the head and footboards, a critical feature that polished up nicely. Initially, I thought silver-toned accents would go well with gray. After seeing the plates, I decided to do the room with brass appointments from around the house, including a pineapple cup, occasional bowls, and a pair of candlestick lamps.
The Floor
With the painting finally finished, it was now time for me to stage and decorate the room. First, I pulled up the paper on the floor to assess any paint and spackle specs near the baseboard trim. With my comfortably chunky STEP2 garden kneeler seat, I scraped paint bits with a manicure tool. I touched up errant spots to ensure a professional look. I washed the pine floors with Murphy's Oil Soap and rubbed on a whole bottle of Old English light wood scratch cover, making the floor glisten. As lovely as the floor looked, it was still a subfloor with filler spaces and loose caulk between the boards. I vacuumed up the excess filler and decided to leave a natural-looking gap. Unsure whether or not the pine subfloor should stay exposed, I took some time to research what it would cost to put in a wall-to-wall carpet, something soft on the feet, nice and cozy for guests. I always liked the feel of a rug under my feet in a bedroom. I brought home wool samples from the local carpet company and got a quote for $2500.00. Not entirely satisfied with this choice, I further researched installing a new hardwood-like floor to match the adjacent hallway. These laminate samples didn't seem quite right alongside the existing honey quarter oak. The adjoining guest bathroom had a ¾ inch white hexagon tile floor, so I mused over the idea of whitewash. I live in a rural farming community in upstate NY, not far from Grandma Moses' homestead, who attended my parents' wedding.
Why not introduce rustic country elegance, a popular look just like JoAnna Gaines' shiplap. The crux was that the pine floor was inherently pretty, and it matched the adjoining bedroom. If I painted one, I would have to paint the other, which was not my plan. In the end, I chose a high-quality, luxurious creamy white Crate and Barrel sheepskin rug, relocated from my primary bedroom. I added two smaller matching ones for the bedsides for that soft foot-landing feel that I like for a sense of abundance. The subfloor showed beautifully around the perimeter. The exposure kept the authentic look of my Victorian home. The decision to utilize area rugs fit my need for portability because I love to move objects around the house as needed to decorate. In the end, it was a win, and I saved $1200.00 on the carpet, which pleased both my husband and me.
The Art
I pondered about what to place on the walls, so I perused online shops for inspiration. I found textured tapestries, baskets, mirror clusters, picture walls, etc., but nothing spoke to me. So I took another look around the house and went up to the attic. I discovered many artworks drawn by my daughter, including a lone birch tree and a full-moon forest scene, both done in charcoal. With her help, I selected gray and white matting, gold and white frames. We hung the birch tree above the bed, and the forest moon on the wall delighted to see art that highlighted the real birch trees right outside the window. I still needed to appoint the enormous wall of the room, which had an off-putting wall socket 10 inches from the door jamb and 5 feet from the floor. It stuck out like a sore thumb. Most likely installed for a plug-in wall lamp.
Instead of pulling it out and making a mess, I decided to cover it up with a massive deep gray 30-inch wall clock with beautiful antique brass hands and Roman numerals. Oversized clocks I noticed were trending, youthful, and on sale. The idea of doing something big excited me. What the heck! I completely justified my impulsive Pottery Barn purchase. Heavier than expected, my husband hammered heavy-duty hardware into the old plaster, which made a rather large hole. It looked like it would not hold, but we hoisted the clock to its off-centered place over the socket after some more anchors and maneuvers. I then angled a tall ladder back chair just a smidge from its corner to offset the clock. There was room for more wall art, but it seemed like another decorative piece would look too cutesy. I briefly looked around to see if something would fit the bill but came up empty-handed. Within that time frame, I determined the open expanse was right and would stay as is.
The Lighting
Throughout this time, my husband designed and built an ornate, insulated radiator cover. Located near the corner nook entry, it made for an ideal dressing table. It was large enough to house two brass candlestick lamps on each side of a white oval wall mirror. I replaced the dated, golden-yellow bell shades with modern gray silks, centered the pineapple cup as a welcome sign, and topped it off with a soft peachy-pink skin cream box from a Bahama spa. The box picked up the color of the lamp bases that I chose for the two bedside tables. The brass bottom lamps held the softly frosted pink glass with delicate hand-painted white and golden flowers, tall and slender with a shapely bulge just below the switch. Made in Germany, they were given to me by my grandmother years ago, stored haphazardly on a side table in the spare bedroom. I updated the funny old, unoriginal pleated shades to complement the bases. I loved that the new shades came with the appropriate-sized harps; their roundness completed the modern picture centered on each window. My daughter told me that it would be helpful to add a full-length mirror. I noticed that my dad had an older beveled one in his carriage barn next door. The frame was rickety, so my husband replaced it with new lightweight backing. I painted it Metropolitan so it would blend into the adjacent wall to the right of the radiator. The mirror reflected the opposite window's natural light, making the room brighter, relieving my earlier fears.
The Furniture
I continued to search for items to stage the room. I found a long-forgotten white wicker table turned gray in my basement that just needed a good dusting. It was rectangular with a bottom shelf, perfect for 3 Bon Appetit magazines from my 30-year collection and individual bottled water. I needed a chair and remembered that I had some ladder-back pines here and there among the mudroom, attic, and garage. Given to me by my mom, the grass-canned seats were a bit worn, but I didn't care. There was something special about these 65-year-old family dining room chairs that stopped me from donating them at the curb. I remember when my older sister snapped the topmost rung in two as she reached up to place my great-grandmother's angel on the Christmas tree. This piece is now held securely by glue. I softened the seat with a fluffy white everyday pillow that complemented the rugs. I provided lower back support using one of two Greek-style gray pillows from the bed as a match. The pillows were a gift from the same sister, along with a pretty star-pleated white duvet cover, matching shams, and dust ruffle.
The Closet
To make the most of the closet space, I decided to display towels and guest necessities. I always loved the look of cleverly placed towel ladders in magazines but never purchased one. I hesitated to spend money on a wooden craft that I thought my husband could make. He was delighted to make the showcase catalog ladder. I painted it white and graced it with charming CARO HOME gray and white parsnip patterned guest towels perfectly folded and hung on each smooth rung. I never heard of this designer, but I read her story and liked her mission. My husband also reconfigured the closet from a horizontal-only shelf space to one that included a clothing bar, luggage bench, and hooks that held a decorative laundry bag. I displayed two round 1960s vintage hat boxes on the higher top shelves with delicate rope handles and horizontal gold, silver, and black designer stripes. I imagined a curious guest would delight to find hats inside these fancy department store through-backs. Lastly, we replaced the ubiquitous, lone incandescent ceiling light bulb with the frayed pull string. I chose a single-leaded glass fixture culled from our now-closed retail store built in the 1930s. My husband completed the updated scene with a flip switch conveniently located on the right-side wall.
The Windows
I needed a fresh look from the heavy drapes. I chose white honeycomb shades, custom cut by a friendly, ready-to-help team member at The Home Depot. They were easy to install, clean, and simple to use. Moreover, this choice exposed the original corner rosettes and fancy molding previously covered by the drapes. The windows still open and close with ease but should be replaced. I did my best to cover up any old imperfections with shiny paint, and they looked just fine.
The Finishing Touch
Of course, no guest room is complete unless there is a box of tissues, a bedside photo, fresh flowers, cell phone charging outlets, and the internet password. I made sure it was all there. Upon guest arrival, I added a box of Russell Stover chocolates as an homage to my mom, who always loved this brand.
The Tour
To my delight, my family and friends rave "oh wow" when they enter the room. As I give the house tour, I describe the process of what I did and how I used my items from around the house. A mentor recently told me that when I talk about decorating my home, my voice goes up 16 octaves and I have the biggest smile on my face. It means that I am very proud of my efforts and that I enjoy them immensely. The day quickly slips away while I'm deep in thought about decorating my home. I realize that my guest-centered room represents me. I am a cost-minded, resourceful, risk-taken, decisive, deep-toned, bold-colored house full of sentimental family art and large online trending goods that create a "wow" factor. It's who I am. It's what I love to do.
