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:
leah says
Looks awesome. I am loving the “moody blue”. It is very pretty.
Thanks for sharing all of your transformations… however small, I find them entertaining!
Gracie says
I loved the room yesterday and thought I wouldn’t change a thing, but it looks even better today. My favorite change was separating the two chairs. It gave the room a more casual feel and I love how you included a place for your guests to charge their cell phones, so nice! I also love the luggage rack turned into a side table and that cute little coaster on it, so cute!! I just wish you hadn’t got rid of the brown bedding. I thought it looked great in the room and balanced out all of the bold colors. Would love to see a pic of it now in the room with all of the brown stuff you added in. It’s hard for me to picture exactly what it would look like with all of the changes. The room’s looking good though! Hope you have fun with your family!
Amy Wolff says
Love it…
Sherry you are awesome. You can take anything and make it look great. You have such a knack for this. Wish I had half of your talent.
Megan S. says
***LOVE***
Andrea says
I have been reading this blog every day for a couple months now and have never commented before. But I felt compelled to today, I LOVE this room! I want to go to Target right now so I can re-do my own guest room (which is in serious need of updating!). The removal of the brown blanket was key! It made this room go from IKEA looking to more of a grown-up feel, if that makes sense!! Love the dark color of the walls and brightness of everything else, keep up the good work!
Cara says
Wow, it’s amazing how a little editing and shaking out can make such a huge difference!! I love the crisp white comforter with bold walls and other pops of color throughout. The apple green accents are perfect! How about a close-up photo of some granny smith apples for wall art above the chairs?? :)
Ana Silva says
The apple art is kinda a cool idea. Maybe not the theme of the room?
YoungHouseLove says
We love it! It would totally work! We’re toying with framing those vintage maps (from the calendar that we got at the beach last week) in a cluster above those chairs, but green apples sound lovely too!
xo,
s
Audrey says
Ah, this is SOOOOO much better than yesterday – how do you guys do it?!
I love that nightstand you guys did. You are so inventive and imaginative and I absolutely adore how thrifty you guys are.
Jennifer says
You guys keep making it look even cuter, really a beautiful room/colors.
Guest rooms seem like fun. You can make it w/e you want compared to the rest of the house (it’s like having 2 Christmas tress!) :D
I really like crisp white, but I also like colors, and I like the dark European look too, add fabric, design form, fabric types, etc. then there’s a complicated field to choose the right daisy…(that is b/c they are all beautiful in their own ways)!
Kelly C. says
Totally reminds me of a Kimpton Hotel I stayed at in DC last year… Looks great!
LIZ says
Oh – so much better! Love the changes since yesterday!!! Especially the lack of brown blanket… and the pushed apart chairs!
Lindsay says
I love it!! I was scared when you said you were going to paint it dark the other day – but it’s amazing! I think one of my favorite things is the cheapo lamp – it is PERFECT in the room – fun and bright.
I don’t know if you posted this somewhere and I missed it, but was the green headboard DIY or did you buy it like that?
YoungHouseLove says
That was a DIY from a while back. Here’s that link for ya: https://www.younghouselove.com/2008/07/how-to-upholster-a-headboard/
xo,
s
Ashley @ sunnysideshlee.com says
Love the pop of the bright green and other colors around the room which look great in contrast to the darker walls! Love it!
Tracy says
Nice! I wasn’t really feeling the brown blanket either – it was pulling the whole room out of kilter.
justine @ you're so martha says
i said it yesterday, and i’ll say it again…LOVE the room and the color and pattern combinations. today it looks even better than yesterday. and, i love the luggage rack and how perfect the green color matches. great job!
Holly says
I am new to your blog but I am gobbling it up as quick as I can! You are inspiring!! I love the tray/luggage rack combination!
Heather says
So great! Love it! Especially love this part of your blog: “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.”” So funny how polarizing that poor blanket was. :) He must feel awful and rejected. :)
Katie says
I think this room is FAB! Well done in such a short timeframe. You make me want to finish our guest room which has been half finished for months now. I’m totally jealous of the nightstand you rigged up…it’s pretty awesome.
Reenie says
I still love it…..I loved it yesterday too ~ but the few extra finishing touches ~ great job :)
Holiday says
Gosh, you have inspired me to add another accent color to my own (drab) guest room. I would have never thought to put the yellow and the bright green in there, but you did and it looks great. Right now I have gray and red and brown. I need one more splash!
Kristen says
I really enjoy the tweaks you made since yesterday. Looks good!
sylvia says
i adore this room! so bright and cheerful, and i’ve been in puppy love with plumage by MS.
as a guest, i’d suggest blackout blinds. it’s more useful for ‘we had one too many’ overnight visitors like i tend to have than for parents…
… as a host, i’d suggest one of those hanging sweater shelf thingies (http://www.containerstore.com/shop/closet/hangingBags/shoeSweater?productId=10005136&N=152) in place of/in addition to a dresser.
Megan says
Seriously so great! I love the saturated color on the walls and the brightness of everything else. Your cute little Clara-bean is in for some serious Grandma spoiling time! Enjoy your time together!
Ericka says
Looks amazing, guys! I am also glad you nixed the brown blanket and also I think the chairs look better separated. Not that you need my opinion.:) Anywho, I love what you’ve done with the room! I normally shy away from bold color but this room’s paint color had me at hello!
Jess says
Call me crazy, but EARLY this morning my baby boy woke me to nurse and while I was feeding him, groggily awake, I had this thought… I think one of those leather trays would go perfect on that luggage rack!
I must be a total YHL junkie. Who else would even think of someone else’s home like that in the middle of the night. My husband thinks I’m crazy mad. ;)
YoungHouseLove says
Hahaha, love it!
xo,
s
Sarah@grownupnow says
I’m completely in love with that luggage rack night stand. It’s so creative!
Julie says
Totally diggin your new color scheme! The room is so playful and whimsical, yet polished. Love it!
Taylor says
Love! Could you two BE more inspiring?!
Staci says
I’m SO HAPPY you left the luggage rack green.
georgia says
I LOVE the room now!!! Its so inviting, I love that green lamp its really cute, the luggage rack table looks so sweet,
Oh I just love it all!! Haha
For a second I thought the little green plant was a cactus… I was like uh ohhh cactas attack if u goto turn the alarm off.. Haha is it a little succulent plant?
Xx
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, yup and it’s fake. Can’t kill that baby if I try. Haha.
xo,
s
Susan says
Your guests are going to LOVE it…it’s perfect! Love the headboard with that wall color!
Melissa says
I bought that lamp from Target a while back for my kids playroom! Love it.
Sara says
I love it! I can’t believe how fast it came together.
Oh, and I didn’t want to say anything about that brown blanket, but I have to say that I’m glad to see it gone! I love the rest though. That luggage rack/tray table is perfect!
Noel says
I can’t believe what an awesome job you two always do! It’s just the perfect guest room- so cheery, inviting, and “homey.” I want to hop through my computer screen and chill out in there all day! The brown blanket was nice too, but the white bedding gives the bed a nice crisp hotel vibe, while the pillowcases add fun playfulness to it. Just a perfect mix of fun, relaxed and comfortable. And Clara is adorable, as always! I’m living vicariously through you until we’re able to buy our first home and start a family. And thanks to your awesome blog, I have so many ideas when we do…
Hope you have a great visit with your family!
Jessica says
Thanks for sharing. I really love these new diary-like entries you’ve both been blogging. The room looks great (the whole house does!) and I’m learning a lot from your journey. :)
Kim says
I love it! It’s bright and sophisticated. Those final tweaks took it from circus tent to chic.
Jenny @ Bakography says
I am so impressed! Especially because it is so different from anything y’all have done before. We are moving to a more beachy town in a few months and this is great inspiration for our guest bedroom! Thanks!
Leah @ L4L says
LOVE the changes! Loving the room now! (And I wasn’t digging it yesterday!) The side table is such a cute idea. You guys rock. Let me know if you ever need a guest. ;)
Maryanne says
I love it! And I think it’s great how you posted your progress so we can follow how changing little things around can make a big difference.
Rebekah says
Gosh, I love this! This room looks like the same size, layout, and odd window placement as my bedroom. Good call on the round mirror above the bed to even it out… I’m definately trying that when I get home!
Bethany says
Um, can I tell you how much I love this room without sounding obsessed? Probably not, anyway, I LOOOVE this room. Really can’t believe how fast you put that together. Genius at work. And I think the functionality you put into the room – charging station, ottoman, etc — is very thoughtful and just as important as the aesthetics.
This room makes me so sad that I can’t paint in my otherwise cute and cozy apartment. I NEED dark teal walls!! ;-) Oh well, I try to think of these “apartment days” as Creativity Boot Camp. They force me to think of other ways to bring color & personality into my home. And hopefully that will pay off if we ever buy a house! :) Anyway great job guys. Enjoy your time with your in-laws.
Keri Beth says
I just bought two of those green Target lamps for our bedside tables last week! (After reading on your blog about how matching bedside tables and lamps make a bedroom look pulled together. Thanks!) Glad to know they’re YHL-approved. :)
Rebekah says
About how much room is there from the right side of the bed to the wall?
YoungHouseLove says
There’s about 18″ or so. Enough room for someone to squeak by (since that’s one of John’s pet peeves if you can’t)!
xo,
s
Jennifer says
Love it! Love the color the most!
My only suggestion (I bet you love unsolicited advice!) is to consider hanging the mirror over the chairs or shelf instead of the bed. That way guests can use the mirror in a more functional way and it’ll bounce extra light around the room. I know there is a mirror in the bath and plenty of light already, but it might just add some extra extra function.
I’d consider adding some art to above the bed. Pottery Barn has a great multi-circle candle wall art thingy. It’s beautiful, large enough and would bring in the circle theme you’re wanting to use to balance out the squares in the room. I think you’d love it.
Anyway, love the room! Sorry for the free-advice!
Christina says
I know that it was a lot of work in a short amount of time, but I hope that you two had fun, because this room looks like it was so much fun to put together! Your parents and other guests are going to love it!
YoungHouseLove says
Yes- we had a blast! It’s hard not to smile with such fun colors and patterns around! Corny, but true.
xo,
s
Lindsey G says
wow! i LOVE it! so colorful, and cheery!! i am completely enthralled with the luggage night stand!! so unique!
Michele says
Love! Have to say not only cheaper, but MUCH better, than anything I see on Trading Spaces. Although my favorite accessory has to be the adorable baby…Decor, paint and accessories: $297.25, Sweet baby: priceless
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, so true.
xo,
s
Denise says
I had to come back for a second look – beautiful eye candy! You guys had swing arm wall lamps in your old bedroom. Any chance you might be adding them “someday” in your guest bedroom? They seem like a perfect lighting solution in tight spaces. Staying tuned for more amazing tweaks going forward!
YoungHouseLove says
We’d love to add those someday! The old ones we had conveyed with our first house, but we’d love to bring them back in soon!
xo,
s
Pamela says
I think it looks great! Anyone would be honored to stay in such a CHEERFUL and INVITING space! LOL! I have the same Target tray that sits on my coffee table in tv room…great use of it! I’m not crazy about the acessories on the bookcase…think it needs some sort of tie in to the other sides of the room that im not catching…but it’s not as bad as say, a brown geometric blanket or something! Enjoy the sure-to-be-lovely visit!
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, that whole thing is just a placeholder (with some books and mags for guests to read) until we get a nice big dresser that we can pack with storage (hopefully for cheap from craigslist).
xo,
s
mya says
Woohoo…The room looks like so much fun..n you are so right in saying that mom might be happy on floor with Clara :) I would too..if I get to play with ur munchkin :) ..Awesome work going bold with teal..You guys should definitely experiment more!!
Mya
http://inlieuif.blogspot.com/
Cara says
The room looks great! I think it looks a lot better without the brown blanket. My favorite part is the luggage holder night stand. What a creative idea!