Sometimes, you just gotta let things “shake out” – haha. John kept rolling his eyes while I ran back and forth from the guest room to try “one more thing” all day yesterday, but I just love playing around, tweaking things, adding this, subtracting that, and seeing where we end up. It’s probably my favorite part of the whole process, all that final-hour-switcheroo business. And we’re so glad that we shared yesterday’s in-progress pics to show how just a few tweaks in the last 24 hours can really change things up. Not über dramatically, but enough to make a difference for sure. Sometimes it’s those last minute changes that make you step back and go: There. Done. At least for now.
Who am I kidding? I’ll probably be back in there hanging art above the chairs and switching out the bookcase for a proper dresser when we hunt down the perfect one on craigslist in a week or two. And then there’s the crown molding we’d love to add down the line along with a million other changes that we’ll probably roll out over the next few years. But those are projects for another day, because my mom and stepdad will be arriving in T-minus-four-hours. So here’s what the guest room looks like now that we picked up three things from Tar-jay yesterday afternoon.
Those three things were:
- a large $24 faux leather tray
- a round $49 oil-rubbed bronze mirror
- a cute green $19 table lamp
You’ll remember that yesterday’s to do list included hanging something above the bed to balance out the big window to the left (hence the purchase of the big round mirror) and adding a nightstand and table lamp (hence the purchase of the cheap-o table lamp and the tray that we attached to the top of the green luggage rack that we got last week while thrifting on our little V-day beach trip last week).
First I repaired the straps on the luggage rack with thick brown ribbon and a staple gun.
Then John came up with the genius plan to use Command removable adhesive strips…
… to securely fasten the tray to the luggage rack in a way that’s 100% un-doable, thanks to those removable strips.
After placing our new luggage-rack-turned-side-table next to the bed with that cute green lamp…
… and hanging the oil-rubbed bronze mirror above the bed…
…we both really loved the idea of bringing in the leather storage bench that was sitting unused in the playroom for the foot of the guest bed.
That way we could remove the patterned brown blanket that we had folded at the foot of the bed (for a splash of dark color) in exchange for the more “classic” and less busy brown ottoman (which would also serve as a place to sit down, store linens, drop bags, set out magazines for mom, etc). All hail function. And ottomans. Seriously, we can’t get enough of them. So for those of you who hated the brown blanket with a passion that can only be described as intense, rest assured that it’s been beaten and burned. Just kidding, it’s sitting in playroom purgatory with all of our other “leftovers.”
And on the subject of stuff we already have, we knew that our guests would love a place to charge their cellphones, so I brought in a ceramic stool from the sunroom and placed it between the two chairs that I shifted apart so the outlet was easily visible right behind the stool. Bam: cellphone charging central. Note: I’ve since come to my senses and removed the cute blue vase to actually make room for cell phones.
And in separating those chairs I nixed the faux sheepskin and brought over the two happy yellow pinwheel pillows for some easy balance. Of course we still have to hang some art above those chairs, but we’ll get there someday.
So that’s the room as it looks today with mom and Jack on the road from NY. Just for fun, here’s another shot of our cute little $1.25 closet door pull and the empty closet with a bunch of wood hangers just waiting for our guests:
The funny thing is that I’m pretty sure my mom would sleep on the floor for a chance to hang out with Clara, so she probably won’t even notice the walls or the curtains or the bedding because she’ll be so busy staring at the bean.
Speaking of our little helper, here she is hanging out while we hung the mirror above the bed.
Gotta love that girl. She already has an appreciation for rugs and other accessories.
Oh and since you know we love a good budget breakdown, here’s what we spent for the guest bedroom & adjoining guest bathroom makeover:
- Olympic Premium No-VOC primer: $12
- Olympic Premium No-VOC paint (color matched to Martha Stewart’s Plumage): $22
- Target bedskirt: $10
- Ikea curtains: $76 (around $19 a panel)
- Target curtain rods: $18
- Hobby Lobby closet knob: $1.25 (50% off thanks to a hardware sale)
- Target oil-rubbed bronze mirror: $49
- Target tray for luggage rack: $24
- Target table lamp: $19
- Target bathroom shower curtain: $20
- Target bathmat: $20
- Target Waterpik showerhead: $14
- Home Depot toilet seat: $12
- TOTAL: $297.25
Thanks to working with a ton of things that we already had (like our DIYed headboard, existing linens, the two slipper chairs, the ceramic drum stool, our yellow Pottery Barn rug, and our old bookcase) we came in well under a 1K Trading Spaces budget, even if you add our $488 bed purchase to the total above (which takes us to a grand total of $785.25). Now we just have to do a little last minute vacuuming and dusting before my mom swoops in and steals my child. That’s right, our family voted her as Most Likely To Steal Clara for a reason.
Psst- Wanna know where we got something in our house or what paint color we used? Just click on this button:
Amber Smith says
Phew glad that brown blanket is gone, it is cute but did not sit with me in that room! lol
maribel says
The yellow pillows sat on karl did you give him a replacement. – I thought yellow went great with the gray.
YoungHouseLove says
Pillows are nomads in our house, so they’re always moving around. We loved Karl + yellow though, so we might get other yellow items (art, a bigger rug, pillows, etc) as we go!
xo,
s
Beth@Just{Heart}It says
I liked the brown blanket at the end of the bed much better than the ottoman. Oh well. :-)
Shannon says
I love it! I liked the brown blanket but I have to admit it does look better this way! Leave it to you guys to make it look great on a budget in such a short time frame! Come do my bedroom? haha.
Jen says
Looks INCREDIBLE! You used my dream scheme of colors, I am so into teals and greens right now, so this room is total eye candy! Great work as always, love that you separated the chairs and added a stool! Such a difference. And that lamp, seriously? IHeart Target, that’s for sure!
Love it all!
xoxo,
Jen
Katie @ Epistle says
I will admit – I like it better without the brown blanket, but I think that’s because of all the extra stuff you brought in. It’s great now (and impressive given the time constraints) and will be even more fabulous when you get a chance to put art up on the walls and a dresser where the bookcase is…
shannon says
Wow, it looks 150% more pulled together with the replacement of the brown blanket with the ottoman. I wasn’t sure just the blanket was my issue with the room before, but I guess it was! I’m sold now. Love the wall color with the yellow.
Sandy says
I “liked” it yesterday … but “loving” it today! I do have to say though, I so miss the look of the decor of your first home. I find myself constantly going back for a tour. Sigh! BUT, change is good for the soul … enjoy! ***Smiles***
Desiree says
I was kind of annoyed at all the criticism from yesterday – this is a design blog, don’t they know design is a process? Gah! And as usual, you two have ever so gently put the haters in their places by pulling together a fabulous room – once again! When will they learn not to doubt your mad skillz?
Love what you’ve done with the room and super impressed with the timeline – you did it again!
PS – my baby’s not even born yet and already I’m having to fight off both my baby-stealing parents! I’m going to have to lo-jack her when she’s born!
heather s. says
Well, they actually made some of the changes that people didn’t like (the brown blanket and separating the chairs) so I think constructive criticism is good since it can make you think of things that you may have initially overlooked.
Anessa says
Love the little tweaks. Yesterday I felt like something was just a little off but with the few adjustments you made I think it looks great.
Vonda says
Per usual, it looks awesome!!
Sarah says
Wow! I love how stylish yet fun this looks. How big is that room? It still looks big even with the dark walls.
And p.s. – I am adding a luggage wrack to my shopping list! Love the way that turned out :)
YoungHouseLove says
It’s a little smaller than 13 x 11. So not big at all!
xo,
s
Val says
LOVE IT!! I was really crazy about it before, but those last little tweaks really made all the difference! That luggage tray/night stand came out great! And it + the cute little lamp helps reinforce the bright green as an accent color. Splitting the chairs up and moving those pillows over was a great decision as well.
I’m amazed at how lightening-fast you guys are! Great job! Enjoy your guests!
Rhiannon says
I have to tell you that reading this site actually brightens my day, everyday. I’m a new mom of a 9 month old and have an inner creative demon brewing in me- I’m living vicariously through your adventures in DIY’ng and parenting. Thank you so much for sharing, not because you all are great at what you do and so creative, but for creating such beauty, warmth and inspiration that I may feel driven to start my own creative path. Thank you!
Jennifer says
LOVE the updates! The brown blanket is no longer competing with the curtains and it makes such a difference! And oh my goodness, could Clara BE any cuter? I submit that she could not. :)
Shannon says
Off topic question…my honey and I are getting married July 9th…we are having a hard time finding a honeymoon spot. So you know of any places in Virginia that we might enjoy? We’re thinking privacy like a cottage or cabin, but a little modern…and for fun we want to rent atv’s, jetski, etc…and I want someplace scenic for pictures lol Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
Hmm, we love Richmond (there’s whitewater kayaking, lots of history/museums, tons of amazing restaurants, etc) but it might not be private and cabin-like in the city. Does anyone have ideas for a place in VA for Shannon to honeymoon? Maybe out by the vineyards near Charlottesville? It’s gorgeous and scenic out that way (more towards the mountains). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Cas says
Lydia Mountain Lodge – stayed in two different cabins for a bach weekend and UVa Homecoming. Modern-rustic good times.
http://www.lydiamountainlodge.com/
Monica says
I’d vote for Bryce Mountain Resort in Basye, VA. Its a ski resort, but in the summer there is grass skiing, zip-lining, moutain biking and, of course, climbing and hiking. Just a few miles from the ski resort is a town called Orkney Springs and a conference center known as Shrine Mont. Shrine Mont is a Victorian resort town where folks used to come to “take the waters” in the early 1900’s…beautiful old hotel and lovely old cottages make up the center. Shrinemont is currently owned and operated by the Episcopal Diocese of VA. I’d stay at Bryce’s and visit Shrinemont…loads of gorgeous pics and I think, you can still drink from the original mineral spring. OR rent a house in Virginia Beach…SO DIFFERENT from when I grew up in Mechanicsville…VA Beach is a GREAT place to visit now and I’m SURE you can rent jet-ski’s somewhere.
And, as Sherry always says, hope it helps! :-)
Christen says
The Inn at Vacluse Springs is a beautiful B and B in Winchester. It’s close to a cute town and lovely wineries. And their breakfasts… amazing!
Katie says
Oh, this is just beautiful! I love the addition of the brown ottoman and the “nightstand”, and the pillows on the bed look much better too. I also love how well you guys work with what you have!
Alexandra says
I thought you said in your previous post that your curtains were 38$, not 78$. And 19$x2=38$ anyway, so that would make sense. Sorry for the boring comment, I’m just a sucker for nummbers :P
Oh, and by the way, your guest room is fabulous!!
YoungHouseLove says
They were $38 a pack ($19 a curtain panel) so since we needed two packs of two, it came to $78. Oops my math is still wrong, 38 + 38= 76. Off to fix that!
xo,
s
Caity says
Looks great–I love the lime green! Everything looks so fun, bright, and cohesive! Do you like this “bolder” approach to style so far?
P.S. Where did you get those awesome floral pillow covers?
YoungHouseLove says
Yup, there’s nothing like a little color to make you smile. We definitely love the direction that we’re going in the new house (I think we were ready for some bold patterns and some fun in this house after trying to “adult up” the last house. Haha. As for those pillow cases, they’re from Pottery Barn a while back- but maybe try ebay?
xo,
s
Molly says
This looks fantastic! I have to admit I kinda liked the brown blanket at the end of the bed. I read a blog post recently (where I cannot remember) that said every room needs a balance of natural brown. Sometimes its a wood floor, sometimes a wicker basket, sometimes a leather ottoman. Nice work!
ps I LOOOVE the Plumage paint. What a statement! We’re thinking of doing something similar in our living room. Stay tuned!
Shoshana says
so fun! I’m really interested in seeing what the living room looks like now (since I believe the pillows and rugs were taken from there).
Momlady says
Yay! It looks great.
bhh says
I think I spy some art in your bathroom (reflection in one of the mirror photos)? No need to reply to this comment — I know how all out busy you must be. Just know that I’m looking forward to seeing the updated guest bath again sometime and finding out whether I’ve got lying eyes.
Diana says
The room looks great! That was quick! I too like to spend a lot of time on the little details. Then I cannot stop looking at the end result! I find my many out of town guests want an empty table to place an open suitcase. The bench at the end of the bed will serve for that.
When I went shopping for a mattress for my guest room, the salesperson said, How long do you want them to stay? A two nighter or more? :)
Marlayna says
I learned a lot about the power of tweaking in your last two posts! I am amazed at how much even more in love I was after you threw the two yellow pillows on those slipper chairs (catching near that rug and that adorable yellow pull)and then how grounding and impactful the ottoman is at the end of the bed! I love the whole feeling you have going in there! So much energy and fun and happiness! You guys exude happiness, it’s refreshing! It shows in your beaming Beanette and in your lively decorations!
ok, almost done with my long raving comment, haha, but……
….when can we see after photos of the bathroom?!? Didnt you say you did/were going to do more with art and guest furnishings? :)
YoungHouseLove says
Soon! Hopefully we can toss them together this afternoon. That room will really transform once we paint it and add a colorful window treatment, but for now it’s workable and functional for sure.
xo,
s
Alison says
Such great colors were used in this room. It turned out great and I need to track down that adorable little target lamp.
Enjoy your family visit.
Nicole says
Wow – I am amazed what you could do in just over a week!! Looks great! Your mom and stepdad are going to love it, I’m sure!
Kristi @ Addicted 2 Decorating says
YES!!!! It looks fantastic!! I’m so glad you removed the brown and white blanket that was at the end of the bed. It looked way too visually “heavy” for the room, with everything else so light and airy. In fact, the blanket with the curtains really made me dislike the curtains. They just appeared “weak” on the windows. Does that make sense?
But now, with the blanket gone, everything looks just perfect. I love everything about the room…even the curtains!! Amazing how a room can look so light and airy with such a dark wall color. And I’m stunned that y’all were able to do this in such a short amount of time. Your guests are going to LOVE their stay in that room!!
Kim at Yellow Brick Home says
Ack, how we wished we had a proper guest room in our tiny city condo, but alas, we’ll live vicariously through you two. Enjoy the family visit!
Autumn says
Loved it yesterday! Love it even more today!
Larissa says
Ditto!
Malissa says
Um…for basically pulling this room together last minute I think it looks awesome! The changes from yesterday to today really made a huge impact. I really like how you’ve mixed pattern in this room too, it feels collected. It reads as cheerful and crisp and clean.
Lauren says
Looks great, love the tweaks!
Jana says
I would love to arrive to a room like this! Your quests will surely appreciate the effort. It looks great :)
mai says
i’m a long time lurker commenting for the first time. i love the dark blue walls (especially against the crisp white trim) and the bright green and yellow accents are awesome! i have to say, though, that i think the mirror above the bed is a bit too small. i definitely like that you chose a round mirror, but for me, the size is distracting. what do you think?
YoungHouseLove says
We love it! But it’s totally a personal preference thing. Maybe in person it comes across better?
xo,
s
D says
Yes, I’m loving it! It came together very nicely :)
Autumn says
I apologize if you’ve already answered this question… where are the colorful pillow cases on the bed from? LOVE them!
YoungHouseLove says
Those are from Pottery Barn a while back. Maybe try ebay?
xo,
s
Ames says
I love it!!! What a beautiful room!
Ellen says
I just wasn’t feeling it yesterday. It was the brown blanket with me too. I couldn’t wait to see the finished project this morning and you did not disappoint!! I LOVE it!!! I’m thinking the bees in the artwork you gave John would love to buzz around those blossoms on the shams. (maybe above the chairs?) But then, it’s been a while since I’ve seen the artwork so maybe the blues, etc. aren’t right for in there. Have a wonderful visit with your family!
Corie says
Wow, somehow that mirror and the ottoman make the whole room make more sense… even the curtains make sense now! I love it with a passion! Your mom is going to go home in the BEST mood due to a cheery room and a beautiful baby girl!
Danielle says
Looks amazing! And thanks for sharing the work in progress (ie, yesterday). Sometimes blogs (and magazines) give us the impression that a room just comes together magically. Thanks for the inspirational ‘this is how we get there’.
Jody says
Great room. So often guest rooms are full of junk we don’t want to look at every day or they have no personality & look like someone bought a catalog page. Great job! Can I come over and stay for a weekend?
Allison F says
Love the way it turned out. I actually liked the brown blanket, but the room works well without it too. And I LOVE that you are using the same green Tar-jay lamp that is currently sitting on the dresser in my bedroom. :)
When I’m done with our bedroom it will have transitioned to being green and aqua, although now a nice dark teal is tempting me. . .
CasaCullen says
You speedy mc speedsters…it looks SO GOOD!
Great job (insert high five) and enjoy the visit!
Hugs – Cullen Clan
Hilary says
Love the creative bedside table and the cell phone area! It looks so professional. If it were my room I would have liked a lighter/brighter colored, larger mirror, but yours ties in well with your ottoman.
With as cute as everything looks in this post, the best pics are always Clara pics! :)
Hanna says
Wow, I liked it before but now it looks terrifc! Great job! (And great budget! $300??? Wow!)
Tracy says
I love it, guys! I loved it yesterday, too, but the changes are fantastic!
Looking at it again today, I kept thinking it reminded me a little of something you’ve done before. John’s sister Carrie’s second design dilema has a lot of the same colors. I always loved that room, and it’s saved in my favorites. I’m so glad you took those colors for another spin! :)
Jamie says
This looks incredible! Where did you find the alarm clock? We’re looking for one like that but haven’t liked any we’ve found so far. I L-O-V-E the wall color!!
YoungHouseLove says
That was from Target a few years back. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
xin says
So cute! Your guest room looks better than my master bedroom! You guys are seriously good at this!
Oh yeah, I want to see you finished bath too! Interesting to see how you handle the whole yellow creamy color theme in there. Love that shower curtain! Any tricks to make a small bathroom feel bigger?
YoungHouseLove says
Mirrors and not covering the windows with heavy curtains or shades can really help! And a semi light color on the walls will help bounce light around. White towels and even a white waffle shower curtains are never a bad choice either! Hope it helps!
xo,
s
xin says
Thanks for the tips, Sherry.
We have two and half bathrooms in our townhouse, NONE of them has window!? Don’t know what was the builder thinking? Anyway, we plan to open some windows coming spring. Hopefully, that will make the rooms look a little bigger. We are also going to switch out the ugly countertop and put in granite ones. There will be tons of work dealing with all 3 of them at the same time. But definitely lots of fun too. Cannot wait. I will definitely keep your suggestions in mind.
Love,
xin
YoungHouseLove says
Good luck!
xo,
s
Kelsey D. says
I was loving the room yesterday, but I am totally IN LOVE today! I am so loving your use of bold color in the new house. And I love that you showed the process of getting design “just right” even if it came with criticism! Like others have said your ability to stay positive is such a breath of fresh air. Keep smiling and giving me great ideas! :)
erika m says
This room looks lovely! I love how there is tons of color but its not overwhelming or circus-y. But, Clara is the greatest accessory! Have a wonderful family filled weekend.