There comes a time in every girl’s life where the pink room with the ruffles and pretty chandelier just doesn’t work any more and her dreams of the perfect bedroom change. For some this happens at a young age, and for others it’s as she approaches her teen years that SOMETHING needs to happen as the princess theme just doesn’t cut it anymore!
Well for this pre-teen, it was that time…and she couldn’t be more ready! Out went the twin bed and girly chandelier, and a new…more colorful… more relaxed atmosphere was what she was after. This room is still a work in progress, but I thought I’d let you in on the behind-the-scenes of how we put this Boho Bedroom Makeover together and the step-by-step process we took to transform this space!
THE BED:
When I was called in, the bedding had already been purchased and was the jumping off point of the room. The wall to wall carpeting was a soft beige, and we decided right away to paint the room a lovely blue color to contrast with the coral. This is a perfect color combo as blue and orange are opposites on the color wheel creating a complementary color scheme. There was a fair amount of aqua in the bedding so to add a bit of softness, I suggested to paint the ceiling an aqua color; this color would be picked up in the accessories throughout the room as well, so it was the perfect choice.
After chatting about design direction, we decided to go for a boho theme…lots of vintage, color, and coziness were all what we wanted to incorporate into this space. We were also upsizing the bed to a double so that is where I began my search.
Tip: It is always a good thing to start with the larger pieces first as they really dictate the direction of the room, and then from there work to the other items.
At first we thought we’d go new, but when we started to search out vintage beds, the pricing and style was better suited to the look we were after. Off to Ottawa Street I went and found some BEAUTIFUL options in wood as that is what she wanted. Well….once we were there we saw this amazing brass bed…
…and her mom and I thought it was exactly what we were looking for…
…and so we went for it…without her daughter’s input!
…but she loved it too! (She has good taste!)
THE DESK:
With high school just around the corner, a spot to work was a necessity! I really wanted something with a bit of character rather than a run of the mill big box option, so I chose to look on Kijiji and see what I could find.
There is where I spotted this amazing antique desk and chair that was just the right size and look I was after.
The color of the desk was too dark for the room, so we decided to have it painted by The Painted Bench in a custom color…it’s being painted as we speak so I can’t wait to see the final results!!
Tip: Kijiji (or any online classified option) is a great way to find pieces for a great price. This piece in a shop would have sold for much higher, but going this route we were able to snag it at a great price!
THE SEATING AREA:
One of the big requests was seating…it HAD to be cozy! At first I tried to find something in the coral color but let’s face it…finding something ready made in this color was pretty much impossible to find! When I saw this chair at Urban Barn, it was the perfect shade of blue, on sale, AND amazingly comfortable! Score!! It would pair perfectly with a wicker table we found on Ottawa Street.
Tip: Do you recognize a theme here? One thing to keep in mind in designing a space is repetition. The circle motif in the bedding is repeated in the circular chair, as well as the round side table (and other elements you will see in the final product). Repetition makes a room feel cohesive and pleasing to the eye…it can be done with color, shapes, pattern, etc. and it’s always a good idea!
THE RUG & CHANDELIER:
The last of the larger items we had to purchase were a rug and a light fixture.
Layering is a big feature of Boho design so naturally layering a colorful, vintage-inspired rug on top of the wall to wall was the way to go. Here are a couple of options that we considered….
As for the lighting, I REALLY wanted to go with something that was made of beads to really add to the Boho vibe. I found this beauty which will provide a great contrast with all the color already going on in the room and a lot more wattage than than she had before!
Tip: Sometimes it can be really hard to visualize what a completed room can look like as you are working to purchase items. Doubt can set in and paralyze you in your decision making process because you just can’t “see” it!
An Inspiration Board, one of the services that Bella Casa Interiors offers, can help to get you past that block and see what your options can look like and get you past that hurdle. Seeing all these items grouped together gave this client the confidence she needed to make the right choices for her room.
I don’t want to give away too much…but this room will be quite the transformation when all is said and done! Keep watching for the final reveal.
Next week I’ll share this year’s upcoming projects for our house…and the new drapery in our dining room! Sign up for our newsletter and don’t miss a post!
