our home: master bedroom

The master bedroom is an owner's retreat. A place to decompress and forget about the worries of the day. But for many homeowners, including myself, the master bedroom is the very last room to get an update. It's so easy to focus on the public places of the home and forget about the importance of creating a relaxing space for yourself. 

Some part of my pregnant brain must have known we'd be getting a colicky baby, because I started making updates before our little one arrived. Of course the updating stopped shortly after, but once he grew out of his colic I made a point to finish our master bedroom. Here's a look at the before and after and some of the easy updates we made.

It took some time, but I created a space where we can't wait to retreat at the end of the day.

We painted the walls, accessorized, made a headboard, refinished the dressers, updated the linens and pillows, and finally bought a new, king-size mattress. The mattress came a few days after I started 'morning (all-day) sickness' and became my haven for the next 16 weeks. 

The old space wasn't bad, just heavy. The last thing you want at the end of a long day is for your bedroom to inhibit relaxation.

Be strategic while accessorizing. It's all about editing and clearing clutter. Most likely you can make use of items you already own.

Take a close look at the 'before' picture and you can see this dresser was a dark, cherry-brown stain. This and its taller 'brother' on the other side of the room, were passed down from my great grandmother. Sometimes the items you have fit the quality but not the aesthetic you want. A coat of paint and new hardware can often do the trick and allow you to hold on to a sentimental piece!

Fluffy pillows always make a bed more welcoming.

We're fortunate to have 'his' and 'hers' closets, along with a beautiful window with space for our newly reupholstered storage trunk.