Design and DIY

Before and After – Cozy Guest Bedroom

August 26, 2017

Get the Look:

For two people in their late twenties, Brian and I have a lot of STUFF, especially clothing. I’m pretty sure we have more apparel than Kim, Kanye, and North West combined. Brian has a love affair with slim-cut, German-made suits and I on the other hand, can’t seem to deny an expensive pair of jeans from Anthropologie. Together we have filled five closets to their absolute breaking point. I bet if you tried to put one more shirt in them, they would throw up their hands, exclaim “I quit,” and abandon us for a household that wears a normal amount of clothes. Which is why the guest bedroom quickly became our sixth and final resting place for all things junk. Christmas decorations, suitcases, Opal’s dog bed (that she refuses to use), old furniture, a twin-sized bed… you name it, it was in this room. Until Brian had the brilliant idea that we needed a king-size mattress (Seriously, it WAS a brilliant idea) and our home was sent into a complete and utter tail spin.

One Thing ALWAYS Leads to Another…

The Guest Bedroom when we first moved in. Before it became a junk yard!

If you’ve ever owned a home, done a project, or even made your bed – then you know that one thing quickly leads to another. In the land of home ownership, the simple act of getting a new mattress creates a domino effect that trickles throughout the rest of the house. Where would we put our old queen-sized mattress? What were we going to do with our broken bed frame? (Ya know, the one I broke when I balanced it on an empty paint can!) Did we even have room for a king-size bed? Who was going to make all of these decisions? That’s right… I WAS. And so the idea to clean out “The Guest Bedroom of Doom” was brought to the table. One Craigslist listing for a free twin bed and several trips to the donation center later, and the room was empty and ready for a fresh coat of paint.

The Joys of Painting

Choosing a paint color isn’t for the meek or mild-mannered. It takes guts, chutzpah, balls of steel! It also requires research. My pro tip: Don’t just take home some swatches and tape them to the wall. (I learned this the hard way!) Buy samples. Test them in an area that sees all different types of light. Or at the very least search Pinterest for the color so that you can get an idea of what you’re working with! Luckily, based on the rest of the colors in my house I already had three choices in mind:

  • Farrow and Ball - Pink Ground
After much debate (and Brian threatening to leave me if I painted the room pink) I settled on Snowbound by Sherwin Williams. When I say it’s my favorite white in the entire world, I’m not exaggerating. If I could paint my nails, hair, and skin this color.. I would. It’s THAT GOOD. Once the painting was out of the way, our guest bedroom was a blank canvas – ready to be decorated!

Support Small Businesses

If I’ve said this once, I’ve said it a million times. SHOP SMALL! Some of my favorite, most coveted pieces were found on Etsy and Instagram. Supporting small businesses has been and will always be my number one priority. Now you finally get to see my guest bedroom reveal and learn about some of the brands that helped make it possible!

Since we were talking about clothes earlier, let’s make this relatable: dressing a bed is like dressing a body. The sheets are your undergarments. Check out mine from Linens and Hutch. The comforter is your first layer. I chose the Weekender Duvet in Quartz (a soft, stonewashed purple) from my friends at CStudio Home. And the throw blankets and pillows are your accessories. The Moroccan Pom Pom Blanket from Socco Designs is seriously my favorite part of the room. Not to mention it’s HUGE and SO SOFT!

The  Guest Bedroom Reveal


Plant Hanger c/o The Knotty Goat Check Cheryllynne out on


Pink Wall Hanging c/o Olive and Arrow. Check Meg out on


Boujaad Pouf c/o of Loom and Lantern. Check Kelley and Mustapha out on

Shop the Look

Sources:
Bamboo Shades in Yunnan Natural: Blindster.com | Upholstered Platform Bed: Wayfair | Round Accent Table: Wayfair | Task Floor Lamp: Wayfair | Shag Rug: | Geometric Prints and Seagrass Basket: TJ Maxx

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31 Comments

  • Reply Michelle September 1, 2017 at 9:09 am

    Love it Emily! The styling, the photos, your writing style… I never knew how much I needed your blog to exist 😉 Need to go find that subscribe button now!

    • Reply emilyeveryday September 1, 2017 at 9:10 am

      Michelle! My heart is so very happy. And you are my first comment on my brand new blog! AMAZING! Thank you. 🙂

      • Reply Michelle Kalt September 3, 2017 at 3:13 pm

        Yay!!! I guess I christened your comments section 😀 To many more awesome blog posts and comments!

  • Reply Terri Hage September 1, 2017 at 9:20 am

    I can’t wait too see all the exciting things you have to show us! Love your home, your writing style and, of course, Opal. So happy for you!

    • Reply emilyeveryday September 5, 2017 at 7:06 pm

      Thank you so very much for your words of support Terri! <3

  • Reply Mylene Raspado September 1, 2017 at 9:41 am

    So very happy for you Em!!! Continue to be YOU and shine!!! ?

    • Reply emilyeveryday September 5, 2017 at 7:06 pm

      Mylene, my friend! Thank you so very much! 🙂

  • Reply Alycia September 1, 2017 at 10:43 am

    The guest bedroom is so gorgeous!! I love every detail you put into it Emily!!???

    • Reply emilyeveryday September 5, 2017 at 7:07 pm

      I’m glad you like it Alycia!! I’m very happy with it 🙂

  • Reply Maddie September 1, 2017 at 10:53 am

    Emily!! This is perfect. Your writing is so accessible, fun, and clear. You were born to edit your own corner of this world, and now you have it. It’s so you, so perfectly done without being fussy. And thank the old gods and the new, that you no longer have a word limit. Love this space, the curation of small shop goodness, and that you worked with the limitations *ahem* er…I mean preferences of your guy. Love this post, this space, and you. Well done gal. I’m subscribed and along for the ride. Stoked to be in the tribe.

    • Reply emilyeveryday September 5, 2017 at 7:08 pm

      Ugh, literally in tears. My heart strings are tugging. Thank you for your kind words, for reading every ridiculous sentence that I have written, and for really understanding what this means to me. You are the best – so glad to have you in my tribe Maddie! <3

  • Reply Yadiza September 1, 2017 at 10:54 am

    Well done beautiful emily!!!!

    • Reply emilyeveryday September 5, 2017 at 7:08 pm

      Thank you so very much Yadiza!

  • Reply Chelsey Mertz September 1, 2017 at 10:57 am

    Congratulations, Em!!! I’ve been following you on IG for a while now and have loved watching your style evolve and your house change. You take beautiful pictures and you have such an eye for design! You actually inspired me to locate my nearest Home Goods and Savers (we live in the middle of nowhere and they were 45 minutes away from us!) I’d never set foot inside of those stores; I know, I really can’t believe it either.

    I’ve been debating blogging for awhile and it’s such a good feeling to see someone I admire jump in and rock it with her first few posts. You have such an influence on how I style my own decor and I can’t wait to follow along with you (and Opal, of course!)

    Love, Chelsey
    aka @nova_woods

    • Reply emilyeveryday September 5, 2017 at 7:09 pm

      Chelsey!! Thank you for taking the time to comment and for all the kind words that you have expressed. I’m so glad you have found Home Goods and Savers… may they be good to you! 😉 I encourage you to follow your dreams, start a blog and have no fear! Love to love ya girl. <3

  • Reply Linda Flores September 1, 2017 at 11:10 am

    Congratulations Emily! Your blog is awesome!!??

    • Reply emilyeveryday September 5, 2017 at 7:10 pm

      Thank you so very much Linda!

  • Reply Andreina September 1, 2017 at 12:50 pm

    Just waiting for my invitation to this beauteous oasis! ? It’s perfect!

    • Reply emilyeveryday September 5, 2017 at 7:10 pm

      lol you’ll be the first once invited to stay!

  • Reply Jill Catrinel September 1, 2017 at 1:32 pm

    This guest room turned out beautifully. The tasseled throw is jaw dropping! (And great site design. The product sliders are a really nice touch!)

    • Reply emilyeveryday September 5, 2017 at 7:10 pm

      Glad you like the product sliders Jill! They’re super fun. 🙂 And isn’t the throw AMAZING?!

  • Reply Emma September 1, 2017 at 2:11 pm

    Congrats Emily… I love your style! Your blog is so great ?

    • Reply emilyeveryday September 5, 2017 at 7:11 pm

      Thank you sweet Emma for taking the time to comment. I’m glad you enjoy it so far! <3

  • Reply Addy September 1, 2017 at 2:52 pm

    Soooo freakin cute! Seriously nicer than most people’s master bedrooms! I love it! I wanna come stay with you! ?

    • Reply emilyeveryday September 5, 2017 at 7:11 pm

      Hahaha come on over Addy! To be honest, I like it better than my master bedroom!

  • Reply Darra September 1, 2017 at 10:16 pm

    You have done an amazing job, dear Emily. Your writing makes me smile and laugh out loud at times, your descriptions of choosing paint is so very realistic and your decorating superb. Can I visit your mom and get to use your guest room, too? It is so inviting! You should be very proud of yourself. Definitely keep this blog of yours going and never stop the creative juices flowing.

    Now I can say, I remember you when….

    • Reply emilyeveryday September 5, 2017 at 7:11 pm

      Thank you so much for all the love Darra! You and Abby are always welcome. <3

  • Reply Christine & Shawn Higgs September 2, 2017 at 9:28 am

    So unbelievably happy for you Emily! You’re truly so talented and deserve the best. This room is amazing and I know this blog is going to go so far!!

    Xx,

    • Reply emilyeveryday September 5, 2017 at 7:12 pm

      Thank you for your support friends. I love you both and am so glad to have you in my tribe! <3

  • Reply Kristin September 6, 2017 at 11:42 pm

    So beyond proud of you!
    Ps. I love my new bedroom!!! 😉

  • Reply Richard H March 24, 2020 at 2:31 pm

    Lovely bedroom, and cozy indeed. I’d be welcomed there as a guest for sure. Love the use of white, how it’s not too overwhelming but adds a splash of brightness to the room. I work in the appliance repair industry so I get to see the inside of a lot of homes but very few have nice guest rooms like this. Great work.

    Richard Hambley
    https://www.appliancerepairshamilton.com/

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