As we mentioned here, the bedroom is “still looking rough and we’re not sure about a lot of things – just waiting for inspiration to strike – which might involve repainting and rearranging furniture along with refinishing the floors”). We even elaborated a bit in the comments when folks started asking what we meant by that or if we hated the current color by saying: “We love the paint color but something is off about the bedroom and we’re not sure we can rule anything out – including the paint color. Everything is a suspect until proven innocent. Haha. Something is limiting us, so we’re not opposed to changing that thing once we pin it down (it might be the curtains or the art or something else!) just to get things to “click” for us. Who knows where we’ll end up!”
You can relate to that feeling, right? The whole something’s-off-but-I’m-not-sure-what-it-is thing? Moving the art together above the bed on Friday was a start, but we actually have a bunch of changes on the agenda for this week in the hopes of cracking the case and making “that room where we sleep” feel a little more like “that room that we love!” Of course we know that a big ol’ transformation doesn’t happen overnight, but we also have seen firsthand how a few updates and switcheroos can go a long way in remedying that “hmmmm, something’s just not right” feeling that has probably popped up at least three dozen times in our last five years of DIYing. So we know it well.
We’ve learned that the only real way to get any closer to something that feels right is just to play around and see what you like and what you don’t. The ol’ trial and error approach. Because if you’re sitting there frozen in fear or over-thinking things to the point that you’ve lost all momentum it can get sticky. So without further ado, let’s get into the first tweak, which has already taken place. And it’s kind of a biggie. It all started when we saw the rug on the bottom of this picture at an outlet liquidation sale…
We weren’t looking for a bedroom rug, although we weren’t ruling out the idea of changing anything in that room (because remember, everything in there was guilty until proven innocent- haha). I had actually said to John “the jute rug in the bedroom could always move out to the dining room since we’re planning on getting a natural fiber rug in there for under the table and it’s definitely big enough” – so I guess you could say we were open to anything. So when there was a big tent sale at our favorite lighting outlet (The Decorating Outlet), which also happens to sell rugs (it’s where we got the thick wool rug in Clara’s bedroom along with her blue capiz chandelier and the big glass pendants in our kitchen), we had to check it out.
And that’s when we saw the patterned blue rug in the picture above this one. And it was all over.
We love all of those colors (gray, navy, teal, white!) and the geometric pattern was totally calling our name. By now you know we’re suckers for a geometric rug, right?
They just do something to us. They make us feel alive. Oh yes, we live dangerously.
But back to reality. Since it was a thick 9 x 12 wool rug, we were nervous that even on sale it would be $700 or more, which is sadly way out of our price range. But when we checked out the tag, we almost couldn’t believe our eyes. Did that really say “was $1287.00, now: $250” ?????!!!!!
That’s not 40 or 50% off – that’s over 80% off! So we asked the guy what was wrong with it to make it so cheap, since the tag said “soiled” as the reason for the discount. We hoped if it had a stain we might be able to hide that part of the rug under the bed or try to remove it with some crazy scrubbing ritual, but he actually told us it was ripped. As in, there was a hole right through it. Eeks. But thankfully the placement of the rip was in a corner, and although it looked like this if you picked it up and put your fingers through it…
… it looked like this when it was laid out on the floor. See the big gaping hole?
We didn’t either! The thick pile of the rug was so dense that the rip wasn’t even visible, let alone obvious. So you know what we did, right? We thanked our lucky stars that it was there. It was the only reason that we were able to get over $1000 off (!!!) and take home a $1287 rug for $250. We shoved that sucker into the passenger seat of the car faster than you can say “will-that-fit-in-an-Altima?” and I rode in the back with Clara, happy-squealing my way home.
To save you some scrolling, here’s a before pic of the old rug for ya again (remember we’re still missing major furnishings, like something in that nook, art on those bare walls, etc):
Next we pulled out the old rug that we’d love to relocate into the dining room under the table. We laughed at how naked that yellowed old floor looked. Someday we’ll refinish it, but until then our new rug will be in charge of de-naked-ifying things.
First John did some cute vacuuming to remove any dust/fibers leftover from the tent sale. Look how fast he is. He’s like Edward except he doesn’t sparkle in the sun or bite me for sport.
Next we shimmied it carefully under our bed. It probably took us a good twenty minutes to get it centered – just inching it back or to the side a little bit at a time.
We love it more than words can say. Although, to quote Tim Gunn, it’s a lotta look. Haha. Still missing major furnishings/art of course, but we’ll get there. So some folks might go for something less patterned or colorful for their bedroom, but we think one of the main “what’s wrong with this room” issues for us was that it didn’t feel happy or fun or “us” at all. And now it does. Oh happy day.
See how this room could almost be anyone’s bedroom?
And see how the room above it probably couldn’t be most people’s bedroom? Haha. That’s the beauty of a room that feels like you. It almost feels like it couldn’t be anyone else’s. So I’m sure there are lots of folks out there who would pass on this baby, but we decided when we moved into this house that we were going to make a playful, happy-go-lucky little love nest for our family. So we’re cool with waking up to a room that “smiles” back at us. Sort of like how we love our chipper living room and guest room (which have those other colorful geometric rugs going on):
I know, I know – things in the bedroom look a lot less polished or finished than those two rooms above. True dat. Look at that naked nook and those bare walls. But things always look crazy in the middle. Heck, sometimes things don’t really click into place until the very last tweak has been made, and I’d say we’re at least a dozen tweaks away from the final tweak (the pillows, curtains, and lamps might be the first to get some tweak-age now that there’s a new rug in town). But we’ll get there someday…
Nothing is safe when we have our tweaking hats on. Haha. But thanks to the new rug we’re invigorated and excited to play around a little more and see where we end up. So expect a few more changes throughout the week as we try our hand at a few other switcheroos and snap pics for you as we go. Some might fail, others might work- so it’s all about playing around in the name of figuring this room out a little more.
And can we talk about how plush this guy feels underfoot? Excuse me for mentioning the original price again, but have you ever walked on a $1287 rug before? We hadn’t either. It’s what we imagine the carpets in The Donald’s house might feel like. Super super plush. Like double thick. Burger even lounges on the rug now (he used to lounge exclusively in the bed, so it’s funny to see him sprawled out on the floor these days). It’s nice to know that we have the doggie stamp of approval.
What did you guys do this weekend? Any deal hunting, rug rolling out, or super fast vacuuming? John also ran his buns off at the James River Scramble (it’s sort of a rocky trail run/10K) and we loved cheering him on. We also squeezed in a stroll around the art museum (Clara loves VMFA) and dropped in on a new doughnut shop that opened. Good times. What were you guys up to?
Amelia R. says
I love the new rug! Very bold!
Ashley says
I admit to not reading the 780 other comments…but here goes. Major awesome on that rug. I think the ‘off’ thing is that things were too squeezed in on line with the bed and there wasn’t enough contrast. I love the wall color, but I’m with on it maybe needing to change. That rug adds a lot of pizazz, can’t wait to see what happens next!
Carla says
I’m back again to show my husband the before and after photos with the new rug. Soooo gorgeous and perfect. This has surely already been asked, but what do we need to know about caring for a wool rug? Any tips? Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
Aw thanks Carla! We have had a ton of luck with wool rugs (they seem to be really durable and long-lasting). If something crazy happens (ex: John dumps a bowl of ice cream on the new den rug in our first house) we have found that water and some mild soap can lift out some pretty crazy stains. We have never used anything heavier duty than that, and try to dab them to remove the excess water and then just let then air dry. Regular vacuuming seems to be the trick otherwise. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Kristi says
I like the rug…I’m just not sure about everything else now. Like the prints over the bed. I feel like you need a more colorful graphic/print now. The green striped pillows don’t work. I’d probably want to see the wall in a light gray and maybe pull in color else where. Well you guys know what your doing so the rug is a great starting place for sure!
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yes, of course everything else is fair game for tweaking now that the new rug is in town!
xo,
s
KarenH. says
Wow, such a nice rug! And it would be difficult to beat that discount :)
My weekend was all “Let’s Get On That” palooza, with three projects completed (bushes hacked into submission, yard sprayed for weed control, and old curtain hardware removed and new hardware installed) and a fourth project almost completed (6 curtain panels pinned and sewn on the side and top seams, and all the hems marked–this project required the new hardware installed so I could properly measure and pin the hems).
KarenH. says
Oh dang it! I knew what I was going to ask! Would you be able to use carpet tape to stabilize the torn area of the rug? You know the stuff installers use to fuse carpeting seams? That would help prevent pulling fibers from the area when you vacuum (I would think, anyway).
YoungHouseLove says
Yes, that could definitely work!
xo,
s
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, I love it! Sounds like you got so much done!
xo,
s
Katherine says
Beautiful rug! And what a steal, unbelievable! Congrats on finding it! :)
YoungHouseLove says
Aw, thanks Katherine!
xo,
s
Keli Cook says
Love, LOVE, the new rug. The room looks so much more visually
interesting, not that it wasn’t great before:) If it were my room, I might play with the lamps. Looks like fun!
Sarah says
Is that the same rug seen on pg 84 of the current (June) Real Simple magazine??
YoungHouseLove says
Yes, we hear it’s the same one (haven’t seen it yet). So funny, right?
xo,
s
Maya says
Have you thought about putting the top bars back on the bed? I think they could look great now!
YoungHouseLove says
Yup, nothing’s being ruled out, so it could definitely happen in the future!
xo,
s
Jennifer King says
That rug is fantastic! I love it!!! I wanted to say that when I first began reading this post I thought yeah I see what they mean about the room not being right. My immediate thought was that the bed and nightstand tables seem too small for that giant room. I think the rug helps but you almost need to go bigger with the wood frame/headboard on the bed and the nightstands… Add more furniture like a sitting chair, lamp etc. good luck! I’m in the process of redoing my tiny 1925 “master” bedroom and I’m looking for inspiration. :-)
Marianne@Songbird says
Wow what a difference a rug makes.
To be honest I think I am actually in the crowd of ‘not for me’, there was still something very off for me. That is until I imagined that yellow wood floor to be white (washed). Then I could totally see it. I know you guys usually go for dark (wood) floors. But really a white floor with those grey walls and that big wopper of a statement piece rug. I can totally picture it and in my mind it looks wonderful.
Can’t wait to see what vision you guys come up with and how you make it happen.
YoungHouseLove says
Ooh that could be really pretty too!
xo,
s
anne says
Yeah, from experience I have to agree with the suggestions to patch the hole. It is an easy fix. To keep the hole from growing put rug tape over the hole in the back after smoothing and blending any carpet fibers into the nap of the carpet. Make sure the tape goes in at least two different directions like an X or a star. The tape will act as a stabilizer.
An even better option if you have a curved upholstery needle is sew the hole closed making sure it does not pucker. Dental floss or fish line is stronger than most threads. Cover repair with carpet tape. The goal is not so much to repair but to stabilize the hole and to keep little fingers and noses out.
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks for the tips Anne!
xo,
s
Michelle O says
LOVE the rug! Makes the walls look a little bluer. :)
carshena says
That is ca-UTE! It is perfect for you bedroom! I’m jealous!
Julie says
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!! My room is also missing ‘something’ and I think it needs another eye popping colour in the rug! I too am a fanatic for geometric print as you can see here: http://rustycookiecutter.wordpress.com/2012/05/18/40-weeks-bored-buy-stuff/ and here: http://rustycookiecutter.wordpress.com/2012/05/15/i-painted-what/ It looks like it was meant to be in your room! So jealous you got a deal like that! And for a natural rug! Well done! WELL DONE!!
YoungHouseLove says
Aw, I love your geometric print love! Good luck with everything Julie!
xo,
s
Meredith says
Hi guys! I stumbled on your blog a couple weeks ago and have oh so loved following you. My husband and I are about to close on our first house and all I have been thinking about for the past few months is furniture arrangement, decorating, and organization! Our house is pretty new (3 years old) so it doesn’t really NEED a lot of changes, but we would like to take it up a notch (or two or three) from builder basic so I’m very inspired by your projects. I too LOVE LOVE geometric anything so I’m very jealous of your new rug (I should also mention I’m obsessed with navy, teal, white, and gray – this is the color palette I’m intending to use in our main living areas). I’m on the hunt for some good pillows in that color palette for our sofas. Anyway, the rug looks awesome in your bedroom. Have you all considered painting the molding in your bedroom dark – maybe not black black, but like a charcoal-ish color? It might look cool. Good luck with the room!
YoungHouseLove says
Never thought about that, but it’s a really fun idea! We actually were just talking about painting the bed charcoal, so you never know where we’ll end up!
xo,
s
Meghan says
NAILED IT! Love love love the rug. Great choice. Amazing how it just really ties the room together, man.
Kelly says
LOVE the rug!!! What an impact! Maybe change out the bench at the end of the bed for something longer? Just an idea! Can’t wait to see what you come up with!
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yes, that’s on the list!
xo,
s
Carolyn Ellsworth says
Hi! I’m new to your blog (A friend recommended it), but my family is actually moving to Richmond in like 2 weeks. We’re buying our first house! It’s not a huge fixer upper, but we definitely have a few projects in our heads. I was wondering if you have a list of favorite places to go, like this lighting place. Thanks for what you share!
YoungHouseLove says
Yes, here’s that post for ya: https://www.younghouselove.com/2011/02/five-richmond-top-fives/
xo,
s
Abby says
I love the new addition! If I scored a rug like that, it would give me the push to finally paint our bedroom Kendall Charcoal by Benjamin Moore. I love that color, but it is so dark that it would need that cheery rug to brighten things up. Great find! Love it!
YoungHouseLove says
Ooh sounds like a pretty color!
xo,
s
Vanessa says
YOu guys find the best deals, love the rug!
mary says
That rug is a Game Changer! It’s perfect and I’d be happy for you if I weren’t so jealous.
YoungHouseLove says
Aw, I hope the perfect rug finds you asap!
xo,
s
Meredith says
Wow, that is definitely a bold rug but I love it in your house!
You’ve obviously said quite a few times that you want to add something to the nook on the left and I’m just going to throw out a couple suggestions! This guy might be a little too big but I think the black/brown tones would balance out the mirror on the right: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/40208022/#/00208024. Maybe the smaller one would work if you painted it to coordinate with the mirror? http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/70141855/.
I think there’s too much symmetry going on with your nightstands and lamps. I think you could “widen” the look of the nightstands if you replace the lamp on the left with a floor lamp that has a shade that hangs over the nightstand, similar to this: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/40160483/. Then on the right you could keep it as-is or switch it out for something else!
One more thing, I think a half-tint of that Rockport Gray you love so much in the bathroom would look lovely on 3/4 of the walls, then behind the bed you could paint an accent wall a color that would coordinate with the bright teal… I’m thinking apple green like your desk chairs and the headboard in your guest room?
Just one girl’s crazy ideas for your house. I’m excited to see what you end up doing, it’s always fabulous!
YoungHouseLove says
Love all the suggestions Meredith! They’re all definitely possible changes we could tackle as we go! Should be fun to see where we end up!
xo,
s
Amy@healthy grits says
Love! As someone who is timid about introducing such statement rugs this inspires me! Thank you!
Anna S. says
Love, love, love!!
Sarah says
That rug is great in your space (especially when you got such a great deal), and is totally something that you can use for inspiration to build a room around! I’m looking forward to seeing what you do with the rest of the room — painting the bed, perhaps? Oh, I would love to see the pink/yellow/orange/gray rug above yours…I think it wants to come live with me! :)
YoungHouseLove says
Isn’t that rug cute? It sold the same time we bought ours. It was so pretty!
xo,
s
alg at rental house rules says
Adore it!!
I bet there’s a pretty cool trick somewhere out there on the world hive brain (interweb) for patching the back of that rip, too.
SCORE!!!
YoungHouseLove says
People recommended fabric tape from the back or even an iron-on patch to hold in the fibers. Love it!
xo
s
Jennifer says
Hey – haven’t been able to check in for the last few days, and then I scroll down and wow! I’m so happy to see this change. All of a sudden the wall colour makes so much more sense. I love me a kelly green accent – but the striped pillows look like the out of place element now. How about these pillows… http://pinterest.com/pin/23995810484697451/ or something similar? I just love how it combines a floral and a geometric. Plus I think they could be DIY’ed to fit any decor. Just my two cents. Have a great day!
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yes, we’re definitely still playing around with everything – those pillows were just the ones we had on the bed before, but we’re having fun with a ton of new options. Love the ones you chose! Will share pics as we go for sure!
xo,
s
Rachel@hammeringourwayhome says
That rug is A_MAZING. Brings so much sweet life to the room! And man, what a deal ! Crossing my fingers I can find some sweet rugs (when we actually have floors…) !
Shauna says
I may have not purchased anything this weekend but I did purchase an old hideous ottoman at a yard sale this summer that I just got around to refinishing – the ottoman cost me $2, the spray paint $8. I havent decided on Fabric yet as Im not sure which room it will end up being in but I wrapped one of my favorite fabrics to get an idea. So to me…this was a steal and also my first real re-finishing project. I definitely have the itch to do more! I must say finding your blog has really inspired me to get in to decorating! I’ve always wanted to be crafty and make my home more fun but I seem to never find the time. After seeing your home and everything you’ve done I realize I dont want to wait any longer!
Before – https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/318023_3873921216774_1540994192_3174082_584897342_n.jpg
After – https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/74715_3873931377028_1540994192_3174101_807226860_n.jpg
YoungHouseLove says
So sweet! I love it!
xo,
s
Misty says
WOW! What a steal on that rug! It’s beautiful!!! I love what it does for the whole room!
I have a question I’ve been meaning to ask though….
The closing date on the first house is this Friday and I am eagerly awaiting to get in and start painting the entire first floor, its small and I wanna go with a light grey colour something true grey and airy any suggestions???? I’ve been driving myself mad looking at paint chips that are too blue or lavender and so on….HELP!
YoungHouseLove says
We love Moonshine (Ben Moore) and Gray Owl- so those are two to start with! Just grab those swatches and hold them out and see how they read in your light! Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Shauna says
Oh I was also wondering who the maker of that rug was, if it was even on there?
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yes it says Ritzy Rugs! Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Liz loves Cam says
Hey guys, look what I found! You scored a serious deal with that big beauty!
http://www.ruelala.com/event/product/50459/3041845222/1/DEFAULT
YoungHouseLove says
Isn’t that so funny?!
xo,
s
Jess Ross says
LOVE the rug! And LOVE the wall color – maybe the ceiling wants to get in on the color action – maybe that’s the missing piece? I’m sure whatever you do, it’ll be drool-worthy :)
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yes, we have chatted about painting the ceiling too! Definitely a possibility!
xo,
s
Meredith says
I forgot to leave my idea for her name! She looks like a “Lola” to me :-) Ed and Lola sittin’ in a tree… This is too much fun, I might go home and start naming my furnishings now, haha.
Una says
Totally random question but where did you get Burger’s collar? I have two chihuahuas who are very envious of Burger’s stylish neckwear…
YoungHouseLove says
That was hand-made by a friend of ours in Portland, but maybe try etsy.com for something similar?
xo,
s
Michelle says
The rug looks fantastic! I do know what the problem is in your space though- it was clear to me from the moment I looked at the picture. I apologize if it was mentioned in previous comments (there were too many for me to read)! Your bedside tables with the lamps are way too small for your space. They are drowning and completely lost in the room and the lamps are aligned directly behind the posts of the bed when looking at the space head-on; you need more substantial bedside tables to define the space. Once those pieces are properly sized and placed, the rest of the room will come together into one cohesive space.
PS- This is my first time reading your blog and will be back; keep up the great work!
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yes, see the door to the right of the bed? it’ll hit anything that’s bigger, so we have a bit of a challenge. Someday we’ll crack it though! Even getting larger lamps will help we think!
xo,
s
Shannon S. says
Hey Sherry (and John!)
I am in LOVE love with this rug! And what a great deal! You can tell, even in the pictures, that it’s high quality. Did you guys ever consider turning it the other way (long-ways)? The pattern would point towards the foot/head board and make the rug and room look longer- a sort of “drawing your eye upwards” kind of thing. I’ve had rooms where it’s only possible to turn a rug in one direction, so I wasn’t sure. Love how the room is looking!
Shannon
YoungHouseLove says
It’s a rectangle, so it’s too long and not wide enough when we spin it, so this direction worked best in the room!
xo,
s
deb says
I love the colours! What an amazing deal. You’ve inspired me to do some work on our master bedroom.
Michelle says
What an awesome deal! I’m sure someone’s suggested it already, but you could totally patch that hole with a bit of carpet tape on the back of the rug. Prevent snags while vacuuming and such.
We recently checked out a carpet sale at Bloomingdale’s (which was closing down at the Mall of America) and they were selling gorgeous rugs at 80% off. We checked the price tags ($11,000 before the discount!) and decided that $2000 was still a bit steep for a rug. I mean who has that kind of walking-around-on money!
YoungHouseLove says
Love the rug tape tip- and I can’t imagine how awesome an 11K rug must have been!
xo,
s
Michelle says
I wish I knew. I was too busy pulling my sticky toddler away to even think about testing it out myself!
Jenny says
L O V E the rug! What a crazy score, I’m super jealous haha. It’s gorgeous!
YoungHouseLove says
Aw thanks Jenny!
xo,
s
Kirsten says
I love that rug! With a big bold pattern and big bold chandelier, I see some big bold decorating going on in that room soon. Can’t wait to see what else you come up with!
Michelle says
Hey, Just wondering…where did you get your ottoman that you use as a coffee table with your sectional? We are in the market for one! Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
That’s from jossandmain.com on clearance, but maybe try wayfair.com or overstock.com if you can’t find it!
xo,
s
Laura says
there’s a rug in the latest issue of Real Simple that looks exactly like yours and it was waaay more expensive. they used it to makeover a teenager’s bedroom. thought you might have fun looking that up :)
YoungHouseLove says
Isn’t that funny? It’s the same rug!
xo,
s
Kristen says
Hey guys! Question about pictures… I love how you can see so much of your space in one shot. Is this some photography trick I don’t know about or is it a function of your room size? …or what?
I’m trying to do some “virtual painting” and all my rooms are so small it seem impossible to get a nice shot.
YoungHouseLove says
This room is much bigger than our last bedroom (16 x 16 vs. 10 x 11) so it’s easier to just stand further back and get a wide shot. The camera can also help (we have a D3000 which naturally has a wider lens than a small point and shoot). But I can totally relate to trying to shoot small rooms and not being able to see much of it!
xo,
s
molly says
That rug is fabulous! Great score. Color me jealous!
Amy @ Five Kinds of Happy says
Looks beautiful – I’m glad you have something different and more YOU – it wouldn’t be so interesting and fun otherwise!
With your room I see a dresser in the space to the left and a headboard one day… the vertical lines created by the bed poles (I have no idea what they’re called) divide the room into 3 segments and makes the gaps on the sides of the bed look bigger and more bare. Maybe one day a wider bed with a more horizontal focus will really pull the room together into one continuous space… I think that might be the un-pin-pointable-thing that this room need. In my opionion. :)
Love your style and I love seeing where the bedroom is going! Extremely happy about the rug!!!
xAmy
Amy @ Five Kinds of Happy says
P.S if you ever want a virtual room re-do/moodboard just to get another perspective or test out ideas, let me know!
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks Amy! We’re huge fans of using photoshop and whipping up mood boards, in fact tomorrow’s post has some photoshop fun with the bedroom as the subject! Haha.
xo,
s
Lee says
I missed something (and went searching but couldn’t find) – what happened to the West Elm comforter?
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yeah, here’s that post for ya: https://www.younghouselove.com/2011/07/twig-berries/
xo,
s
Krista says
I don’t know if this link will work but Joss&Main had a great duvet for your rug. One side maybe is too similar but the other would be perfect. It is called Lacework by Amy Butler. I would love it for my bedroom – I want a gray/yellow master bedroom.
https://secure.common.josscdn.com/lf/53/hash/18782/5719283/1/Lacework+Full%2FQueen+Duvet+Cover.jpg
YoungHouseLove says
So pretty!
xo
s