We all know I have a pillow problem. And true to form, I couldn’t resist grabbing two of these boldly striped 26″ x 26″ euro pillows for just nine bucks a pop when we came across them at HomeGoods. In my defense, John walked off and came back holding them, so he might have a pillow problem too. But come on, $9? For giant 100% cotton euro pillows? Sold. In our house, pillows are definitely nomads, so these guys could end up doing a little tour (hitting up the guest room, the playroom, and even the sunroom or living room). But right now we’re loving them in our bedroom with the similarly toned flower & berry prints from Alaska that we hung a few weeks back:
It’s sort of like adding a completely temporary boldly striped headboard without doing anything more than spending $18 and tossing them on the bed. No muss, no fuss. And no commitment. We really like how they work with everything from our garage sale botanical art and the lighter toned greeny-gold curtains to the green potted plant on the other side of the room and even Sir Ram. Because when you stop to think about it, what really works with a giant ram head over your bed? Am I right? Oh and as for the smaller greeny-gold pillow, it’s sure to pop up in other places too, so it’s not always destined to be layered with the new striped pillows for those who object (although in person it’s really nice pairing that further ties in the curtains). Here’s a wide shot of the very unfinished side of our bedroom:
I know, I know. That picture looks crazy. So check out all the doodled changes that we’re planning to make as we go:
To further expound upon my doodles:
- We hung the twig & berries art on the same center-line as the ram (just so they wouldn’t look like they were riding high and because the lamp shades only overlapped the written flower/berries names and not the illustration) but once we get new night stands that are hopefully taller (since those old living room side tables are way too low and don’t have any concealed storage) we’ll probably scooch everything up a bit.
- The ottoman is necessary for Burger to get in and out of bed (yes, we pander to him, although we refuse to buy doggy steps) but it’s a little short and chunky and dark (although it does tie into our leaning mirror and dark chair) so we might get/make something lighter and longer (perhaps with dark legs but a lighter fabric top).
- The wheat colored lamp shades sometimes read as a little dirty since the bedding, trim, light fixture, and door are so white. Mehaps a little makeover or upgrade is in order.
- We’d love some sort of big chunky cabinet to the left of the bed for function, balance, and to make sense of the odd little nook there.
So that’s the long-term plan in there. And just as new additions to a room often inspire some tweaking (ex: in a surprise turn of events our twig & berry art spurred us to lose the ol’ printed duvet cover), the addition of the new striped pillows sparked a little art tweak on the other side of the room. Ever since we added the matching framed botanicals by the bed (along with the matching wall plaques on either side of Sir Ram and the matching new striped pillows at the head of the bed) the horse art somehow slipped from feeling nice and balanced (since it had two different items under it – a chair and a dresser) to feeling a little too balanced and mirror-image since it was one of many things that were now in pairs…
So because we were itching for a little less symmetry (while still wanting to maintain some semblance of balance to help the new-ish chair and the very old dresser relate), we decided to play around with stuff that we already had to see if we could come up with a free alternative:
- Down came the horses above the dresser (which now reside in the playroom but will hopefully find a permanent place somewhere else down the line).
- Up went two differently sized old Ikea frames that we had sitting in the playroom, waiting to be hung for almost 8 months.
We immediately liked the less symmetrical arrangement but the oddly mismatched frame colors weren’t doing it for us (one was a clashy reddish brown and one was white). And since the botanicals looked so good with a little oil-rubbed bronze spray paint I decided to quickly pop the glass/art out of them and give them a few thin and even coats of leftover ORB. You know, so they’d tuck into the room a bit more and look more integrated with the stuff going on across the wall. So outside I went with my sexy spray painting socks (see those here)….
… and soon enough the frames were bronzed and beautiful…
Then I needed something to put in them. So I dug through the old art stuff we already had and found a simple little green dandelion print from Ikea (it used to hang next to our front door in our first house). I also decided to make some always-appropriate-for-a-DIY-couple’s-bedroom “paint chip art” with old Ralph Lauren swatches that I had in my basket (yes, I have a paint swatch basket since I hate throwing them away, which is also where I house all of my paint decks except for my favorite one that hangs in the hallway). Home Depot doesn’t even sell Ralph Lauren paint anymore, so I figured “recycling” the old swatches was better than hoarding them or just trashing them, so I pulled out all of the little colored squares…
… and just used tones that reoccur in the room so it would tie in (I didn’t need something that screamed since that would compete with the botanicals and the remaining horse photograph over the leather chair). I was left with a little pile of browns, grays, blue-grays, greeny-yellows, soft sand colors, creams, and whites. So I just arranged them in a gradient from darkest to lightest (this photo was still a work in progress since I switched out a few of the chips that stuck out too much or looked out of order).
Little loops of scotch tape on the back of each one held them in place on four pieces of card stock that I taped together to create a big 16 x 20″ background to fit the frame. Ta-daaa.
We love that the paint chip art looks like a pixelated photo and the dandelion pic is a nice little “neutral” touch in the room as well (so it all layers in nicely without conflicting too much with anything else on the walls). Yay. We’re fans. Although we’ve learned that art posts are definitely the most not-everyone’s-boat-is-floated-by-the-same-stuff kind of thing. But we sleep in that room and we like it mucho. Hurrah! Clara’s favorite part? The pig of course (she runs into the room squealing “piggy!” and pointing while oinking). Very cute.
For another version of paint swatch art, check out what we did with leftover swatches in our old office (on our postcard ledge) and drop in on Jessica Jones’ awesome paint chip art project here on How About Orange.
Oh and since I’m in a doodling mood, here’s a bit more about why we did what we did:
See, it’s not as perfectly balanced and mirror-image-ish. But it still kind of goes. And it’ll work a lot better after some tweaks over time (get ready for more doodling)…
… like this…
We really like that the white mirror in the nook relates to the glossy white window trim, and the art hanging on either side of it is dark enough to feel balanced but not exactly the same size/shape anymore. So that’s where we are.
Who knows what else we’ll change as we go though. We’re definitely fans of the trial and error method (since we never seem with it enough to get things right on the first try, haha). Although this corner view is still my favorite for some reason. Probably because the mirror reflects a ton of window-light and the big chandelier is floating overhead with the neutral-ish-but-not-white curtains, the dark moody leather chair, and the horse art in the background.
So anyway, it’s nice that something as simple as two cheap-o pillows and some fast & free art swappage (I must be in a free art mood this week) could add a bit more interest while taming the super-symmetry that seemed to build and eventually boil over as we added art and accessories.
Have you guys bought cheap-o pillows lately? Or decided to switch out art and accessories as you toss in other additions and slowly build a room? Any favorite pillow sources in general? Oh and has anyone out there gotten it totally right with everything from the furnishings to the accessories in one shot? That must be amazingly serendipitous. We’re more of the learning as you go slash bumbling along type. Haha. But at least we didn’t break anything this time…
Karrie says
My daughter has this obsession with paint chips as well! She’s forever coming home from the hardware store with them. She was gluing a few of them together today to make an art display for her wall. I decided I better re-direct her energy before I ended up with glue all over my walls, so I showed her your post and told her she could use one of my frames to make her own ‘art’. She’s excited and now needs to make a trip to the hardware store to collect a few more. Thanks for the timely post! I’ll post you a pic of what she comes up with!
YoungHouseLove says
Aw, we’d love to see pics!
xo,
s
Karrie says
Hey Sherry, here’s a pic of what Storm came up with. She loves it. It didn’t hurt she got to take one of mom’s frames and use it for her own either! Ha!
http://sweethappens.blogspot.com/2011/08/storms-love.html
YoungHouseLove says
It’s so happy and fun! I love it!
xo,
s
Amanda says
Looking good! I really like the pillows. They are a great color for the room.
I’m not trying to be the snarky commenter, but the flower in the picture isn’t a dandelion. It is a white agapanthus (Lily of the Nile). You are excused though as they are generally not very common in your area. I thought it was funny that no one else pointed it out. Maybe you don’t have a lot of readers that are gardeners? Maybe I’m just picky? Sorry, but I thought you might want to know…
I also really like the swatch idea. It looks great. I’m amazed at how many ideas you always have! I wonder if you could use swatches to make portraits of 8 bit video characters. My daughter LOVES Mario.
YoungHouseLove says
Haha I love it! I’m the world’s worst flower/shrub identifier! Thanks for the tip.
xo,
s
Kristen says
Love the new artwork! I really need to try out some artwork with paint chips…another item for the to-do list! And that was a serious score on the pillows! I’m so jealous that you have a HomeGoods nearby!
Megan says
Great minds think alike with the paint chip art…I just did the exact same thing with shades of blue and green in a white frame for something to keep our half bath feeling cool and light!!! And I left the names on the chips I cut out, people seem to like reading them??? (I know that last comment seems strange since it’s in a bathroom…)
YoungHouseLove says
Haha- we left the names on ours too. They were so subtle you can’t really see them unless you get super close.
xo,
s
hi-d says
Awesome pillows! I love that you guys find bargains and when everything is put together, it looks like a million bucks!
That paint chip art is a clever idea as well. Oh, why did I throw the paint chips away that I was saving? haha…
Katie says
LOVE the paint swatch art! I might have to try that. Thanks for posting it!
el says
Your bedroom is gorgeous! However, it reminded me of the number 1 no-no in bedroom feng shui, which is not having the foot of your bed pointing directly towards a doorway. I hope you’re not offended!
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, no worries! The bed points towards the window and the sink nook but not the doorway into the room (we hear it shouldn’t point towards the doorway of the room because they carry the dead out feet-first… eeks). So we hope we’re not cursed! Haha.
xo,
s
Sam says
Hi,
thanks for this great website and all of the tips and resources you provide. long time reader but first time commenter here (if that is even a word).. must say the horse art was not “floating my boat” but it is *your* room, so as just a casual observer, didn’t want/mean to be too judgy. anyway, the new art rocks. the twig and berry art is very cool as well. awesome find. cheers.
Zoe Feast says
Love your bargain pillows! What do you think of these pillows I recently DIYed for my “oh my goodness” ugly sofa?
Almost free pillows
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, hilarious and sweet!
xo,
s
MelissaG says
Did you have to overlap the paint swatches to cover up the color names or did you cut the names off? I’m having a hard time seeing that detail in the framed piece…which I LOVE by the way! Also, love the butterfly art. Trying to figure out how I could copy that. Thanks for such great inspiration all the time!
YoungHouseLove says
I just left the names on! They were so subtle you can barely see them unless you’re super close (even in that close picture you can hardly see them). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
alg says
I finished my big ole porch stencil — drop by to check it out if you’ve got a free minute :)
YoungHouseLove says
Love it! And love all your tips at the end too!
xo,
s
amymargaretc says
LOVE the new FREE art!! Very similar to a recent project by How About Orange!
http://howaboutorange.blogspot.com/2011/07/how-to-make-easy-paint-chip-wall-art.html
Great minds think alike. :)
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yeah I love her triangles so much!
xo,
s
jmhva says
Little tip! To hide electrical cords like under your dresser–attach a command strip to the back of the dresser and lay the cords up into the command hook. Presto no visual cords!
YoungHouseLove says
So smart. Love it more than I should.
xo,
s
Mona says
ok. but I still think the 2 horse pics look better.
MJB says
I do love that instead of Before/After photos, you label them Before and “PROGRESS.” It’s a lesson for me. I obsess too much about spending $ on stuff and not having it work. I have to remember that they’re $9 pillows, for gosh sakes! I can sell them, donate them, move them to a different room. I don’t have to live with them forever.
So keep mixing it up and show us where you changed your minds. It helps my perfectionist soul. :)
jenny says
I love pillows! I think i’m starting to form an addiction to them as well :) But actually, I like to sew my own…you should try it Sherry, it’s super easy! and you’re a sewing whiz now and stuff!! :) But anyway, I found a whole ton of plain white pillow forms on super clearance at target a few months ago…I think they were about $1 apiece (!!) so I’ve been slowly but surely covering them all :) Ive been making simple quilt squares for the front (adding some pretty hand embroidery to further liven things up). They’re actually pretty quick to make and look amazing when done. They also make great gifts for people!!!
Also, I love the paint chip art! I saw something similar somewhere else on the net recently, and almost emailed it to you haha. Glad you made it work!
YoungHouseLove says
That sounds fun! I did sew two pillows from Sue The Napkin a while back and it wasn’t nearly as terrifying as I imagined! Haha.
xo,
s
Ashley DeYoung says
What a cool idea with the paint swatches. Love it!
Sara says
just picked up the same two pillows (in navy and white) from TJ Maxx!!!! too funny. I think I may have paid $10, so you beat me!!!
Heather @ REOlisticRenovation says
I am kinda obsessed with paint swatch art. It’s so annoying to throw them away so love that you put them to such fab use!
Kelly says
When I was looking at your first (beautiful) photos of this post, I was totally thinking how great your low-ish nightstands look. I have always had a high bed and it’s almost impossible to find nightstands that come close to the same height, so I liked how you used tall lamps on the lower tables and made it look proportional. I love it. Then, I read that you want taller ones. DOH! I’m still going to consider using some old nightstnads I have that are shorter but full of drawers and necessary bedside storage, and see how I feel about it.
YoungHouseLove says
Haha- it definitely works to help it look more proportional, so I say go for it! We’re just dying for some concealed storage in ours (a small drawer would be nice) and our bed is so high that it’s awkward to try to reach down for things sometimes! But if yours are functional than adding big lamps can totally work!
xo,
s
Kristin (Aust) says
Love the pillows – score!! The new free art and the interest it creates there is great too – don’t you love paint chips? So colourful, so free! We recently made over our Ikea cupboards with paint chips too http://krispynoodles.blogspot.com/2011/06/running-gauntlet.html
Can’t wait to see the room evolve and dying to see what duvet cover you pick… I’m in need of inspiration myself in that department!
Nice work :)
Cheryl D. says
Those frames are way too thin and unimpressive to feature in an intimate space like your master bedroom, and I think you’re really overdoing this whole oil-rubbed bronze thing. Also, while I’m on a roll, the straight line across the top of the frames is awkward. But the bold new pillows add some nice pizzaz to that unattractive and unsubstantial bed. Time to start listening a bit to your readers, eh!
maria says
love the pillows…. but not in that room. it completely throws off your wall color. nice try but not working for me.
Sherri says
Those pillows are awesome! My criterion when making a new purchase is, “Is it going to make a statement?” Those pillows definitely make a statement. I also like the paint swatch art. The room is looking good!
Nora says
I don’t know…it’s starting to look like an incoherent mishmash…
Amanda says
I love the new art! I think it looks great in there. And we totally pander to our dogs with a bench at the foot of our bed, as well. We found a super gorgeous antique-y leggy bench on Craigslist and refinished it to match our tastes a little better. :)
YoungHouseLove says
I definitely need to start checking there more regularly!
xo,
s
jessica says
wow! this room is starting to really pull together! I looove the striped pillows with the flower/berries art – very modern combination. I’m still not crazy about those wood sconces (if thats what they are)…I don’t know…something about them. (I know yall don’t care too much about opinions…just throwin’ it out there.) And I love the new art above the dresser – which I hope you never paint (the dresser that is)! The blue walls with the warm wood is so cozy feeling/looking. keep on keepin’ on!
Becky says
I said it before but I just love the white duvet. It just fits in that room!
jane says
LOVE what the addition of the new art does to the space. I think that I have a thing for symmetrical asymmetry (if that is such a thing)!
Joe Adelaide says
The pillows are really perfect! and the little yellowish one make the whole colour combo just right. RE the ottoman, why not think of a simple white slip cover that you just slide over the top, maybe a few straps to velcro underneath to keep it in place for the doggo. white covers are great because you can wash and bleach them easily, and they are easy to replace with out much cash!
great work. I think the black works in keeping the room grounded. Although pale colours are great sometimes with too much it can get a bit foofy…Know what I mean?
YoungHouseLove says
We definitely aren’t eliminating the possibility of a slipcover! I just wonder if it will still look a little too short (width wise) for the bed since the bed is so much wider on either side! Maybe I should drape some light fabric (or a towel- haha) over it just to see!
xo,
s
Lindsey N says
Have these exact same pillows!! I love them
Amy says
I love the colour of the walls, and the pillows are super fun, but I don’t feel like they match very well.
Love the art swap though! And I’m excited to see what you do with that nook.
liz says
omgosh sherry, i have been looking for striped pillows just like these for about 6 months now. i have just been waiting to go on back to ikea (a 1.5-hour drive) to pick up their fabric that i didn’t get last time (ugh!) and make some, but $9!? holy crap! let’s just say i went out to homegoods this afternoon and got a pair of my own. thanks for the tip!
YoungHouseLove says
So glad you were able to find them at your HomeGoods too!
xo,
s
K (Barking Babymama) says
I LOVE the tricycle on your bathroom vanity! I am getting ready to decorate my 2-year-old son’s bathroom which has a long vanity – any recommendations for what kind of kid-friendly “decor” to put on it? I am kind of at a loss…owls and yellows, blues, greens…
YoungHouseLove says
Ooh, owls are fun. As are yellow, blues, and greens. I would just go to a bunch of thrift stores and garage sales and places like HomeGoods to try to hunt down things that aren’t breakable (I once saw the cutest little wooden hedgehog at HomeGoods and I’m still kicking myself that I didn’t get it- seriously it’s a huge decorating regret of mine). Maybe you’ll find a fun blue pillow with a chocolate tree branch on it (kind of owly, right?) or a few wooden toys that look as good as they function (read: they’re actually useful since your son can play with them). Oh and books are so much fun- maybe try hanging a book ledge or shelf or bookcase so you can display some of your son’s favorites (that happen to look pretty cute front and center).
xo,
s
Sherry from BC says
Love the pillows. Have a bit of a problem myself. Loved the idea of painting old matt boards for pictures. It really freshens them up. Just wondering though, since you love spray painting, why you don’t try freshening up the lampshades with white spray paint? You might have to air them out for a while but wouldn’t a light spray work?
YoungHouseLove says
We’ve heard it actually can get all mucked up – but upholstery paint or a dye bath can work better, so we might try that.
xo,
s
Jenny says
I love your bedroom as is. However, your intended upgrades sound fabulous too!
Can you tell me where that brown leather chair in the corner is from? You guys always find great deals and my husband and I are looking for something similar and I’m hoping to not pay and arm and a leg.
Thank you and love the blog!
YoungHouseLove says
That’s from Target a while back. It was super cheap but I don’t remember the exact price. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Future Mama says
Lovin’ all the pillows in your house, and this post is no exception!
And here is that post about our trip last week, inspiration for your future day trips around VA ;-)
http://expectingablessing.blogspot.com/2011/08/babymoon-part-two.html
Much love,
Future Mama
YoungHouseLove says
That looked like so much fun! Mmmm, those pizzas.
xo,
s
Kristin says
I love the paint sample art! How cute! I just made coasters out of them, and I thought they came out pretty well. :)
http://www.chichistudio.com/blog/2011/8/10/modge-podge-coaster-tutorial.html
YoungHouseLove says
So cute! Love that project.
xo,
s
Braelin says
Random question. You have a fan in your bedroom. Do you have A/C? (This is coming from Colorado where it is hot- but not HOT like you have in the southeast…). If you do have A/C is the fan more for decor, or do you use it?
YoungHouseLove says
Yup, we have central air, but we still like a table fan to provide a nice littlle breeze in the hot summer months (and to save on keeping the central air cranked up at night).
xo,
s
Par says
Are you planning to paint (white / dark) the dresser?? Just asking – since i have a couple of wood shades in my bedroom too and was wondering ….
But really, the room is coming together very nicely!
YoungHouseLove says
We’d love to leave it as-is as long as it doesn’t look too clashy and red once we refinish the hardwoods. But if we were to have to stain it, we’d probably go with a medium aged looking brown stain like the one we applied to our homemade console table: https://www.younghouselove.com/2011/04/making-new-wood-look-old/
xo,
s
Holly says
Love your blog! You have inspired me to do bamboo roman shades and curtains combo to my bedroom and I LOVE it! I just finished revamping from pieces of wall art I’ve had for ages. I covered it in my recent post if you’d like to check it out!
YoungHouseLove says
Those look awesome! I love them both!
xo,
s
Mallory says
I love your paint chip art! I did something similar, (even posted it for the Pinterest Challenge: http://our1stnest.blogspot.com/2011/08/pinterest-challenge.html), because I needed to bring in some color to an otherwise gray living room. Gotta love free art!
Design Star says
What a waste of money and materials. You guys are really lost with this house, aren’t you. Potato stamping your daughter’s closet with a dull, small repetitive pattern in a drab gold craft paint? That moody, gloomy shade of rose on her walls? Awful horse prints on both sides of the doorway in your bedroom??!!!
What a mess.
YoungHouseLove says
We definitely don’t expect every person to love every decision (or even any decision) that we make in our house- but that’s kind of how design goes right? To each their own in their own casa! We also moved one of our ponies (which we mentioned in this post actually) and the replacement art was 100% free (and the pillows were $9). Maybe that’ll cheer you up?
xo,
s
Mollie says
What I really dig is the fan. I’ve had this wicked sweet spot for retro looking desk fans lately…
Julia says
Hi Sherry,
I’m pretty sure that the ‘dandelion’ is actually an allium (ornamental onion).
Just in case you ever want them in your garden!
xo!
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks for the tip! I’m beyond bad at plant/shrub identification! Haha.
xo,
s
Tamsyn says
I love, love, love that paint chip art. It’s definitely been added to my DIY list :)
Danette from Oz says
OMG, love it!! Love it! Love it! Did I already mention I love it? I loved it as soon as you switched doona covers, but now, whilst I thought the art work looked great, I definitely love that it is mixed up a bit now! You guys are awesome….guess that is why I am unashamedly addicted to your site! High five through the computer to you both!
Nancy Shirley says
One word of advice, when winter comes you might like the busier look of the duvet cover you already have in lieu of the white. I find that I like my rooms to look cozier in the winter and prints do that. I love how it is all coming together!
cindy says
What a great find on the pillows!!! I just found a homegoods and I have to try and not get pulled in to buy stuff!!! I tried the non-symmetry and it drives me CRAZY!!! I dont know what it is but I cant do it and I wish I could…I guess I have OCD or something :)
Leah says
Where did you get your leaning mirror? Those things are expensive and hard to find!
Leah
YoungHouseLove says
That was a wedding gift from John from West Elm (so I could see myself in my dress before heading out the back door to get hitched) but we’ve seen them for cheap at Ikea!
xo,
s