Vintage Modern Bedroom Makeover Reveal

Years ago, an interior design mentor friend said the most interesting rooms have a collected-over-time feel to them. They reflect the interests and life experiences of the person or persons who dwell there. Even when recreating a space, making sure it doesn’t look like you just re-did it is the key to a great makeover. These concepts are behind my daughter’s Vintage Modern Bedroom Makeover Reveal I’ll finally share with you today!

Four years ago we refreshed her room with a citrus green paint color and filled it with the happy, bright colors that reflected her personality:

At that time we painted and upholstered a vintage bed, sewed curtains and added a wood top to a metal table base I’d found curbside. We hung Ikea shelves and brackets to create a sewing space for her and I cut a vintage family desk apart and painted them as side tables next to her bed. It was a happy, vibrant space for a busy, highly- involved girl throughout high school.

But after coming home from her freshman year of college, it felt juvenile to her. Our tastes are always evolving, right? Just like fashion is here today, gone tomorrow, there’s nothing wrong with switching up our interiors to reflect the colors and styles that create soothing surroundings that resonate with who we are currently.

And I’m always up for a redecorating challenge!

First Room Update was Paint

Over the summer, her and I first switched up the walls to a subtle gray color I had already used in our living and dining room (a.k.a. using the leftover paint you already have;). It’s amazing how transformational just switching up the wall color was!  She wanted a soft gray and white color scheme, to create a relaxing atmosphere she could come home to. She wanted one wall to be a black chalkboard wall and was envisioning a “Wanderlust” saying, artistically written.

Next Room Makeover was a Furniture Refresh

The furniture pieces that still worked were the bed, the desk, her dress form, the Ikea shelves, and a big, glass front cupboard I had redone years ago and brought home when my store closed. She wanted gold accents along with the gray and white and I suggested using the vintage chandelier I had from my childhood home. She wasn’t so sure, but I overruled her in the end, knowing it would completely make the room!

Here are some of the projects that went in to this Vintage Modern Bedroom Makeover Reveal:

“5 Ways to Update a Vintage Chandelier (and keep it’s classic appeal)”

“Dresser Makeover with a Checklist Printable”

“Dresser Mirror Harp Repurpose”

Use a Mix of Old and New Accessories for a Collected Look

This bedroom definitely has a collected-over-time spirit to it. Quite a few of the pieces are family heirlooms that have received a DIY makeover. The anchor pieces are from different decades which also avoids a matchy-matchy style. I purposely incorporated balanced textures of wood and painted elements, along with other textures to make the whole interesting.

Let’s take a look!

The mirrors hung vertically over the dresser are what my mom and I used to set our perfumes on in our years. Now they’re being used in a completely different way! The pretty sheer curtains were from Home Goods and not only fill the room with bright, filtered light, but cast beautiful designs all around.

To follow through with the chandelier crystal theme, along with the crystal vintage doorknob as you enter, I picked up 2 crystal lampshades from Home Goods and T.J.Maxx. As the afternoon sun shone in, the crystal lamp threw rainbow-colored prisms all over the curtained closet wall. That’s how I remember the chandelier looking after school in my childhood home’s dining room!

Happy Girl also requested a side table of suitcases; think she’s got college international travels on her brain! Luckily, this momma loves vintage suitcases, and knows just how to refresh them {“Vintage Suitcases: All Dressed Up and Nowhere to Go”}!

She switched up the headboard trim to a subtle gray. The satiny bedspread with gold stitching was found at the thrift store for a song. I actually used it on our bed last year {“Styling Tip: Using an Accent Color”}. The soft white furry pillows were from Home Goods, as well as the velvety floral pillow. They give added textural interest to the whole scene.

I think she finally agreed that hanging the chandelier was a good thing, especially when she realized Mr. Fix-it had put a dimmer switch on it; instant ambiance!

The dress form (that I’ve had since high school) got treated to decoupaged patterns and a collection of vintage and new jewelry to reflect the sparkle in the chandelier and the pretty ballerina pic. I just think the classic elegant vibe this corner has fits the theme we were going for.

Update Old Pieces with Simple Changes

The big aqua painted, glass-front hutch anchors the room and happily contains a lot of her sentimental and colorful accessories. They’re still a part of her, but not cluttering up the now-tranquil ethos of the room. I popped some new white handles on the piece to update it, and topped it off with some of my milkglass collection. The white against the gray walls is consistent throughout the room.

The black chalkboard wall turned out great. What a different experience to roller black paint on a wall! I ended up doing 3 coats to really cover it well. It needed to dry for several days before it could be “seasoned”. Chalkboards need to be completely covered with the side of a piece of chalk before writing anything. She invited an artist friend to come over, and they went to town filling the wall with beauty and a quote from Anne of Green Gables.

 

The sewing corner is still a happy, bright inspirational place to create. I gave the Ikea brackets a couple coats of metallic gold paint to coordinate with the new makeover and picked up some fabric bins from Walmart to corral some of the clutter.

Of course, as all my projects go, I still have one last task to accomplish;( A chair for the corner of the room needs an outfit change: a pretty aqua and green floral on a crisp, white background will add to the feminine feel of the room. The question is which roadside chair to use…and then to get it done! I picked up the afghan recently at the thrift store, too!

This makeover definitely epitomizes that collected-over-time feel. Even though the colors are softer and more soothing, along with a touch of elegance, the room reflects her “grown up” style and life experiences.

The contents of the room were found here, there, and everywhere! The furniture pieces were either family pieces or roadside finds, all given makeovers themselves! The accessories are a combination of new and old also; some thrift store finds and some newly purchased.

The styles reflected here are also a mixture. There’s a happy balance of curvy and straight pieces, along with a variety of textures. The result is a character-rich tapestry of beauty.

It took several months to bring this vision to life, but enjoying the creative process is half the fun! Hope you enjoyed this Vintage Modern Bedroom Makeover Reveal and are inspired to switch up your own interiors!

 

 

 

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