Guest Bedroom: A Cozy Space for Guests
THE DEXTER HOUSE
Last week we finished our quick guest bedroom "redo", and I'm pretty smitten with the results.
We spent two weeks transforming this 77sf room from an awkward white left-over space into a comfortable bedroom for guests. It's still small (obviously we couldn't change that...), but it feels a whole lot cozier. Here's what the room looked like before the wainscot and paint and brass hanging light and framed photos and retrofitted antique bed.
Dexter House - Guest Bedroom
And after...
Before...
IMG_1838
After...
Sooooo much better, right?!
I went with a simple black and white color scheme for this room and added hints of natural wood and brass. The simple color palette keeps this small room from feeling cluttered and really works with the vibe of the rest of the house. The end result is a cozy and simple space that feels nostalgic and sophisticated and maybe just a bit sultry. For the walls, I selected historic photos from Costco's image gallery and mounted them in Ikea frames. Simple white drapes cover the window and closet and a blackout roman blind helps guests sleep in (or it would if our toddler wasn't running down the hallway by 6am every morning!). The hanging brass light was a DIY project by yours truly.
We bought the 1800s rope bed from a very sweet lady name Mary via Craigslist. She actually sold us two antique frames for $120 (more on that here), but I selected this one for the guest bedroom. Because the frame is narrower and shorter than a modern full (it turns out there weren't standard mattress sizes in the 1800s...), we did a little reworking to extend the side rails, push them out a few inches, and then slipped a new 2x4 and plywood frame in between the rails.
I've said it before and I'll say it again... I love this bed frame. It's my kind of antique: pretty and sturdy and interesting. I keep joking that our guests will always have to sleep on a full-sized bed, because I envision carting this frame from house to house with us until it finally lands in our forever house's giant and bright guest bedroom. Hey, a girl can dream, can't she?!
I did a little research on rope beds, and found out that people used to string rope around those small wood nobs in a cross-hatch pattern. They topped the rope base with a homemade mattress, usually filled with feathers or hay. The ropes needed tightening often, which makes me think the phrase "sleep tight" used to be mean something a whole lot different than it does now.
We've had this antique mirror sitting in the basement since we moved into the Dexter House. I bought it off of Craigslist for $20 or so. But I never liked the color much so was happy to spray-paint it glossy black. I hung it from the ceiling using brass plumber's safety chain, which I found (and fell in love with!) at the hardware store.
Well that's it for our guest space! At just 77sf, it gives a whole new meaning to cozy. But I'm really happy with how it turned out and super glad we took the plunge and painted the walls black. Speaking of the paint, I've gotten some mixed comments from readers about the black walls. So I'm curious...what do you think? Would you ever go dark in such a small room?
Read more about the guest bedroom redo: inspiration/getting started, bedframes, and progress.
Resources: bed frame, vintage | suitcase, Filson | bedspread, gift | white curtains, Ikea | roman blind, West Elm (on sale!) | mirror, vintage | black and white blanket, Anthropologie | side chair, Industry West | frames, Ikea | photographs, Costco image gallery | brass double picture frame, vintage | brass hanging light, DIY (post to follow) | lace throw, vintage | paint colors, listed here
xoxo
-Cathy
p.s. let's talk dark and sultry interiors for a minute. This whole house tour on design*sponge is so so so lovely and such a breath of fresh (dark) air. This entry is kinda spot on too.
p.p.s. Well this mansion is lovely, isn't it? And can't we talk about that fireplace?!
p.p.p.s. Check out this cozy and eclectic family home tour on One Kings Lane...it's a stunner.
p.p.p.p.s. I just couldn't resist...If toddlers had Facebook. Yes, I laughed out loud.