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canadiankathy

Help with painting ugly master bedroom

canadiankathy
9 years ago

Looking at my room today, I suddenly thought "ugly". We painted and furnished it 10 years ago, so its time. I need something that goes with the oak trim as its everywhere in the house. I'm open to all color suggestions and whether to keep the moulding around the room and surrounding the bed.
The room is very large 12x20 plus a 10x10 dressing/tub area.

Comments (22)

  • canadiankathy
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Can't figure put how to post more than one pic at a time.

  • crl_
    9 years ago

    Well, I don't think ugly when I see your room. But if you are tired of it, yay for redecorating!

    Do you have a favorite art piece you'd like to use? I think there is a painting over the bed? Or I'd suggest looking for some bedding you love. I think one of those things would be a good starting point for color choices.

  • Annie Deighnaugh
    9 years ago

    How far are you willing to go? When I look at your room, I see a lack of overhead lighting. Would you be willing to call in an electrician and get some lights added/changed? I'd love to see at least some pot lights over the dresser at the far end and the sliders on the other, and swap out the center light for a pretty chandy.

    Where is the door to get into the room? I'm thinking some rearrangement of the furniture might be nice as, where the bed is, it feels like a choke point with all this space on either end.

    Also, do you use the mirrors on the closet door? Or might that be swapped out or changed?

    Or are you thinking just paint and linens and drapes?

  • joaniepoanie
    9 years ago

    It seems dark to me--dark curtains, spread, paint below chair rail, dark furniture. As Crl suggested start with a new spread or favorite artwork as a jumping off point. I think a ligther/brighter spread, curtains and lighter paint below chair rail and behind bed will make a big difference for the least amount of $...start there and see how you like it. I think blues, greens and goldy tans would look nice with your oak trim.

  • nosoccermom
    9 years ago

    Can you post pictures of bedrooms that you like?

  • tibbrix
    9 years ago

    first thing I notice is the lack of crown moulding, which I think finishes a room and allows paint colors to "work". If it were my room I'd put up a simple moulding that fits the contemporary style of the trim around your windows.

    Is the carpeting staying? What is underneath it?

  • canadiankathy
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Wow! Thanks for all the ideas! The lighting IS a pet peeve of mine and I think I will call an electrician to get some lights put in!
    As far as flooring, we will replace it but not quite yet.
    I would like to change the furniture around but there are 2 windows on either side or the bed and not sure how else to set it up.
    Here is another picture taken from the door.

  • canadiankathy
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Another angle

  • graywings123
    9 years ago

    I agree that good lighting is important, but you don't need overhead lights for good lighting. A torchiere that throws light to the ceiling and some nightstand lamps and one other table lamp should serve you.

    My choice would be a light grayish blue on the walls, breezy, white cotton curtains on the windows and a vibrant print comforter on the bed that has some blue in it.

    . . . and then a king size white sheet on the bed over the beautiful blue comforter so the dogs can stay on the bed.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Pinterest blue walls bedrooms

  • canadiankathy
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Here's a bedding set I bought yesterday, but not 100% sold on it yet. I am drawn to aqua and on Saturday I'm going to see if I can hunt down a picture with shades of aqua/turquoise that I saw several months ago. I should have picked up then.

  • graywings123
    9 years ago

    And while you are on Pinterest, look at upholstered box springs.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Upholstered box springs

  • graywings123
    9 years ago

    I see a pale blue in there, gray, a sand color, and ivory. Four good choices for wall color.

  • canadiankathy
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    I do love blue walls with the white trim but I am stuck with oak as my DH would never paint (gasp) real wood. Plus it is everywhere in the house.
    I love the idea of the white curtains!

  • canadiankathy
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Upholstered box springs!!! That is such a great idea!!

  • Annie Deighnaugh
    9 years ago

    Are you happy with the knee wall separating the room from the tub? I would think about enclosing that wall some...maybe get some interesting art glass to mount above the knee wall, or even sheet rock it in to the ceiling.

    For lay out, now that I see more of the room, the only alternative I see would be to put the bed where the 2 pictures are, facing the sliders and then use the area by the sliders to be more of a sitting/dressing area.

    I know many are not fans of pot lights, but I like them, especially in a bedroom, so you can see inside the dresser drawers. (That was a real pet peeve of my Dad.) But they can highlight the edges.

  • canadiankathy
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    The room is quite narrow so the bed wouldn't really fit there without it being really crowded by the door.
    As for the pony wall. we are hoping to get rid of the tub some day as we just don't use it. Such wasted space, but that would be a whole other thread.

  • birdgardner
    9 years ago

    To my eye, the proportions of the room are difficult - very broad in one direction, and compressed in the other, especially where the closet seems to jut towards the bed - the big mirrored doors actually seem to emphasize this, rather than expanding the space as mirrors sometimes do.

    And it doesn't look like there is any other good space for the bed. Would you consider replacing the closet doors with the same white curtains you might put in the windows, hung just inside the closet?

    Painting the wall below the chair rail a dark color as you have it emphasizes the long low horizontal proportions of the room - one color, or close colors, vertical lines would balance the room better. If you paint the ceiling the same color as the walls, a shade or two lighter, it will blur the line between them and make the ceiling look higher.

    the wall by the door, with the two pictures over the bureau - a framed mirror would brighten that wall.

    Finally, I would curtain off the bath alcove to make the space cozier but if you like it open, leave it open.

  • canadiankathy
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    I would consider curtains for the closet door but worry that it would look cheap.
    It is such a poor layout for a
    Master bedroom. So much space and no walkin closet. Some day we would like to redesign the whole room and get rid of the tub and put in a WiC

  • nosoccermom
    9 years ago

    Is that chair rail just a molding? I'd remove it or at least paint everything the same color.
    I'd also hang the curtain rod higher, get lighter curtain panels and move them further to the outside of the windows.

  • annkh_nd
    9 years ago

    Our bedroom is sage green (don't have the exact color), and we love it. It is very soothing, and works well with our oak bedroom furniture and trim (about the same color as your trim).

    I have jumped on the "colored ceiling" bandwagon, and I'm a huge fan! It looks like you have a popcorn ceiling - the trick to painting them is to use a split foam roller cover. I found them at Lowes.

    Here is a link that might be useful: popcorn ceiling roller cover

  • lazydaisynot
    9 years ago

    I love the placement of the bed between the windows and envy your large bedroom! A soft blue would be lovely with the wood, but so would a grey. The bedding you found offers lots of good options. Agree with others about gauzy white curtains. Lamps of different heights can provide fine lighting. I'd leave the can light(s) but that's just personal preference. If you feel there's too much dark wood you could always store the mirror for another time/place and find another large mirror with a lighter feel, maybe a dull silvered or gold finish frame, for above the dresser. Good luck!

  • crl_
    9 years ago

    If you go with that bedding, I would paint the walls the pale blue and find ivory rather than white curtains. I would eliminate the chair rail if possible. And I agree that I would get rid of the mirrored closet doors if possible. I don't know how hard or expensive it would be to replace them with just solid color doors? Either matching the trim or painted the same color as the walls.

    The art over the bed looks very pretty, but maybe too small? Do you have any wider piece of art that could hang there? Or would you consider purchasing something?