It’s Time to Decorate My House {take two}
I’m back with an update on how my decorating projects have been going at Bentley Grove. In my last post, I shared three rooms I wanted to get finished (or close to it) in six weeks. That was three months ago. I’m happy to say that I’ve made a ton of progress, including areas that weren’t on my list. My favorite purchase is this oil painting for the family room. I have a large wall, off our back entry, that I always planned for art. When a local artist I had been following on Instagram mentioned she would be at a Sunday market, I got there early and snagged this painting. It was meant to be mine - the colors, the size and subject matter are just perfect. I even had our electrician put in electrical for a future art light, so I’m adding that to my list.
In our upstairs guest bedroom, the goals were to get the windows covered, the bed set up, styled and the shower curtain done in the bathroom. I was able to accomplish all that and a little more.
For the bed, I did a mix of high and low . The teal quilt and shams are from Target and are still very wrinkled. Instead of doing custom pillows, I found these on Etsy to save time and a little on the budget. The bed skirt is from one of my trade vendors and it was a little long, so I did a little “alteration” with my staple gun. No one will ever know. I’ll eventually add more layers as it feels a little flat. Maybe I need to pull the quilt back from the shams to show a pretty blanket. Beds have always been hard for me!
After a long search, I did find a pair of vintage cabinets for each side of the bed. They are currently being painted a custom color (paint sample on the wall) and will be here in a few weeks. If you don’t follow The Suber Company on Instagram, you should. They’re local and have the best vintage finds each week. Now, I need to find lamps.
I only was able to get a liner up in the shower as I’m waiting on my workroom to finish the curtain. I have to wait in line like anyone else, but she promises it will be ready by the end of April. In the meantime, I got a piece of art hung and the counters styled.
The fabric for my dining room windows has also been delivered to the workroom and the shades will be ready in April. I can’t wait! I did find this gold mirror on Facebook marketplace that I couldn’t pass up. It was the perfect size and the price couldn’t be beat. Now to find a console table to put under it. I may do something skirted or paint a console table in an unexpected color.
Finally, I’m happy to report that my downstairs guest bathroom is totally finished! I love the rug that I found on Etsy. There’s something about a vintage rug that gives a space true character. I also have to share my sister’s Christmas gift that are proudly displayed in thrifted bowl on the counter.
For the next and final phase before the graduation party, I’m tackling my bedroom and the back porch. I found some great outdoor chairs on Facebook marketplace last year and they’ve been “naked” ever since. The outdoor foam and fabrics are at another workroom with an end of April deadline. I’ll share more on those in my next update, along with some budget numbers.
Our bedroom has been my biggest challenge since we moved in. I can’t seem to find a bed. I want one with wood side rails and footboard and I want it to have a more traditional style. Not upholstered, canopy, four poster and not sleigh. I thought I found a winner (on the left), but when I received the finish samples I didn’t love the stains. They looked more like a painted finish and the wood species wasn’t great. The other one is also the look I’m after, but it only comes in white. And did I mention I don’t want to spend $5,000?
So, I’m going to work on getting my bedside chests styled. I took some lamps that belonged to my mom and got new shades and the best finials. She loved them so much and they are a daily reminder of her. I also had the mats and glass changed out on my latest antique finds. I’m still deciding where to hang them to balance everything else. This is a great example of using what you have in a new way!
This was a long one so thanks for sticking with me. Decorating your own house is hard! If you’re feeling the same way, reach out and let me help. I promise I work much faster for my clients!