Emily’s Best Friend Gets The Cozy Yet Sophisticated Bedroom Makeover She Really Deserves

Today’s reveal is for one of my best friends (Suzanne) who you have seen around here putting edgy clothes on my body and helping me try on 18 pairs of clogs for our journalistic pre-pandemic clog review. She is a single mom and like so many people I know right now, deserves a warm hug of a room. Life is stressful for anyone in our current *climate* (cough cough), and all you single parents out there, sharing custody during this pandemic, well you deserve more than a big hug. So Julie and I set out to make her room feel like a peaceful, sophisticated, uncomplicated, retreat that she can be really proud of in and spend nights snuggled up with her cute son. It was a room with so much potential, and Julie really made it sing  – or more like hum. She (the room and Suzanne) is quiet and sweet and so so pretty. Head on in and see for yourself.

Hi there, Julie here again and I am so ready to share another room reveal with you all that has been in the works for a minute… or more like 9 months and no that is not the typical timeline for a room design. But then again this hasn’t been a ‘typical’ year for any of us. This room is one of my favorites simply for the fact that when you are in the space or even look at the photos there is a sense of calm that washes over you or dare I say, like you are being hugged. As Emily mentioned above that was the end goal and I think we eventually got there.

But first, here is how the room looked way back when…

If you were to jump into this photo (*Mary Poppins style*) then the door to the hallway would be behind you to your right and the door next to that would lead to the walk-in closet. Having the bed be the first thing in the space you see felt like a better flow, especially when you have a pretty bed like the one we got for her. To solve this design agony we decided to flip flop the room so the bed sits between those beautiful inset windows.

Ahhhh, there that’s better. Now the bed has its own “moment” in the room and plays up the architectural details of the space with its curved ceilings. There were a lot of pieces she had from a previous home where the scale worked but now in a larger room, they felt a bit small. When you have a king-size bed, a general rule is to have your nightstand width between 20-24″ so they feel substantial enough next to the 76″ wide bed. Luckily, she had a guest room that needed some sprucing up so they just got moved into there.

Now for the reveal and everyone, get ready to be hugged. ?

THIS BED. It’s amazing and even better in person with that blue velvet fabric catching the light throughout the day! It’s from Ginny’s furniture line with Lulu & Georgia and if you still haven’t seen her full collection then check out this post here and then head over to their site. All of the pieces are timeless with a touch of modern. If I could I would buy them all, especially her sofa bed which looks amazing even when pulled out which is a rarity. It’s all in the details when it comes to a classic furniture design. Speaking of details, the black leather bench at the foot of that gorgeous bed is from Article. I love the U-shaped leg design on the backside and it has just the right amount of tufting. Also, it’s Boris’ favorite spot for a mid-day snooze – that’s Suzanne’s french bulldog who is the cutest snorer in town.

And because I know it might’ve already caught your eye in the first photo let’s get to it and talk about those table lamps. Yes, they are a skosh ’80s/’90s with the tapered shade but that lewk is back. And no, those weren’t the original shade that came with the blue lamp base. Listen, we are all about shaking things up around here – haven’t you read the mix & match lampshade post by now?

The original plan for the room was to transform it head to toe in this amazing lime wash paint from Portola. It was a moody yet happy shade of blue because again when we asked Suzanne what she wanted the room to feel like she simply said, “like a warm hug”. Going darker in the space would’ve been a tonal dream but then the world happened in March and life shifted and well…Suzanne might be moving soon and this house is a rental. It just didn’t make sense to spend the time and money to paint the space just to get it painted back to this color a few months later. In a way, I am happy that we collectively decided to keep it in the warm white where some furniture pieces are now the star of the show. BUT, there will always be a part of my design heart that would’ve loved to see it in the Reservoir color from Portola cause it’s one of those perfect denim blue colors that Emily is always searching for to use.

To keep the bed frame as the star of the show I decided to keep the bedding as neutral as possible. The key to this is to use deliciously soft bedding and in this case, it is pretty affordable as well since it’s all from Target’s new bedding line, Casaluna – with the exception of the lumbar pillow which is a classic Rebecca Atwood design.

If you are on the hunt for a good and SUPER SOFT knit throw blanket then get this one cause it’s all of the above. Plus, it also has a good weight to it for those chilly months when you need a little something extra to keep you cozy throughout the night. Also, that duvet set was designed so smartly – is that a word? It is now! Let me tell you why. First off, it’s again super soft & cute with the subtle fringe detail on the edges, but it also has amazing hidden zippers – it took me a minute to find them haha. But the best part is the duvet. The act of putting on a duvet can be a real struggle, one that can take 20 mins and all of your sanity. But when they are designed right, it’s only about 5 mins and minimal frustration cause let’s be real they are never not frustrating. I bought the linen duvet set and mid weight down comforter for Suzanne and was pleasantly surprised when I found out that the insert has loops to tie to the duvet not only in all four corners but also at the middle at the top and bottom! This means that after night 3 of tossing and turning with your duvet you won’t have to shake it back into place after sagging down. Praise the designer who added this simple little feature, they are a true blessing.

These nightstands were a size upgrade from the previous plus look how well they match with the wood detail on the bed. Meant. To. Be. I love the simple curved design and large single drawer for all your nighttime necessities. You could even use them as end tables in a living room, so versatile! They are from one of my favorite furniture lines by Leanne Ford for Crate & Barrel. If you love a good curve & clean lines then Leanne has got all your furniture needs covered. It’s a minimalist dream and I am here for it.

A little tip, keep the styling (life decor) to a minimum when you have furniture pieces that can stand on their own. A simple bud vase and brass tray is all you need to corral your watch or water glass at night. Plus, since Suzanne has a little boy about Charlie’s age, this is her space to keep the clutter (ahem, toys) out and focus on relaxing at the end of the day because like all you parents out there, she deserves it.

When Sara set up this shot we just both looked at each other with joy. It’s just so good with the reflection of that blue beauty of a bed. We like to pat ourselves on the back from time to time which is a good socially distanced activity you can do with friends and I highly suggest you all try it out now. Feels good right? We all need a little encouragement these days and who better to give it to you, than you!

Now about that mirror, she is large and in charge of bouncing around all that natural light. The thing about living in a house that is over 100 years old is that the hardwired lighting is typically minimal if it hasn’t been renovated in a minute (and this one hasn’t). There are no ceiling or wall lights in this room. So it all comes down to lamps at night and reflecting the natural light as much as possible during the day which this amazing arched floor mirror does that job very well. Oh yeah, it also doubles as an actual mirror too so Suzanne can check out those cute looks she puts together on the daily, like these here. Have you seen her style? Cause it’s real good, I’d let her dress me in her clothes any day of the week. *wink, wink*

Recognize that black side table? Well, you should cause I stole it for the day from Emily’s living room. My plant needed a friend and I knew they’d get along so well. It’s designed by Josephine Forson and her husband Kweku, the tables are made from reforested wood that has fallen from the woodlands in Ghana. It’s not only beautiful but also supports a small business so check them out here on 54Kibo’s site.

There was only one piece of furniture that Suzanne wasn’t partial to parting ways with and it was the dresser which I understand why. It’s from Restoration Hardware, it’s timeless, will hold up for years to come, and was a pretty penny when purchased so there was no point in even thinking about finding a replacement. It works so well in the space with all the new additions and helps to anchor her big TV.

Speaking of that TV, yes I do realize that this is an unrealistic place for a vintage portrait but my stylist brain took over and said goodbye to practicality for this shot. I apologize and realize now that a low tray would’ve been better but it is what it is and let’s just focus on that pretty vase. Or let’s not since it’s now out of stock… here’s the link just in case it magically becomes available again.

MOVING ON!

We love a good ladder look and this one from Industry West is simple with its curves and is just a good piece. But unfortunately, it too is out of stock…keep in mind that a lot of these pieces were ordered pre-pandemic, so at the beginning of the new year when we were ready to install and shoot but again life happened, fast forward 6 months and this is where we are at. You may recognize that Homer table lamp from Emily’s playroom/family room reveal, I can assure you all that I did not steal this one from her – it was vice versa ;). It’s from HumanHome which is one of our favorite lighting companies and we have used them time and time again in my bedroom reveal, the Mountain House living room & upstairs guest bedroom. The light source is at the base of this lamp so when turned on the whole piece is illuminated, it’s so peaceful.

That rug from Loloi Rugs, that you have been seeing little snippets of this whole time, is the foundation of this room and ties in all the pieces. It’s warm yet cool in color and the texture is ideal for those with pets and human pets (children) because it hides dirt and stains so well. Plus it’s so pretty, you can have it all! As Sara was eating her lunch downstairs, I took over as photographer and set up this shot with her permission of course. Well, let me clarify. I set up a shot that was slightly angled and then the actual professional, Sara, made it way better. To me, this shot captures the “warm hug” feeling that Suzanne desired for the space and she agreed. The best part about this job is to make someone feel more comfortable in their home especially now when we are spending more time than ever indoors. Makes me happy to know that they are a little happier in their space at the end of the day.

And what makes my design heart really happy is THAT CHAIR from Industry West. Playing with different scales of furniture was something I wanted to highlight since that is exactly what Suzanne does with her clothing so this bedroom becomes an extension of her fashion style. The chair is like a large puffy sleeve and that black side table is the skinny jean, they play off each other to balance out one another.

No lounge chair area is complete without an ottoman to kick your feet up on and Sika’s Albini Ottoman from One Kings Lane was the ideal piece. Since the chair is visually heavy, it needed to be paired with a light, airy piece and the wood tone helps to “warm hug” up the area which matches the wood detail legs of the chair.

Now that you can get a better look at it, let us admire that one drink table by Katy Skelton. It’s no secret that we are big fans of her designs and this one is no exception. It’s the perfect size for your morning cup of “wake me up juice” or a glass of “destress me please drink” at night (aka 1 pm – That’s the acceptable time now right?). And look at those legs! I had actually wanted it for my bedroom but it was too high next to my vintage siesta chair so I made sure to keep it in mind for a future project like this one. That floor lamp is an EHD favorite from Rejuvenation with its wood base and elongated cylindrical shade it provides great light in the corner day and night. Add in a vintage botanical print from our prop garage to top it off with a pop of color.

Those vines right outside (and a little inside) the windows are just too pretty to clutter up the area so to keep the focus on the vine view we went with some simple white curtains – that of course I procrastinated on and hemmed the night before the shoot – and a wooden bench. It’s really all you need. Plus it is conveniently next to the other closets in the space making for a great spot to put on your shoes or these days, slippers.

Sara and I got a little carried away with shooting this area but c’mon that dappled light is just too good not to photograph it from every possible angle.

Finally, here is the “see it all at once (almost) shot” of Suzanne’s little bedroom oasis. It feels a bit brighter, lighter, and hopefully helps her relax a bit easier at the end of the day.

And as always here are a few “before and afters” for you to enjoy!

Also, if you saw something that you liked then we’ve got you covered. Here are all the room sources below…

1. Arched Mirror | 2. Black Side Table | 3. Lockwood Bed in Harbor | 4. Lampshade (similar) | 5. Blue Table Lamp | 6. Nightstand | 7. Black Leather Bench | 8. Linen Duvet Set | 9. Lumbar Pillow | 10. Natural Rug | 11. Chunky Knit Blanket | 12. Sheet Set | 13. Candle | 14. Brass Tray | 15. Bud Vase (similar) | 16. White Table Lamp | 17. Wood Ladder | 18. Dresser | 19. Vintage Painting (similar) | 20. Large Ceramic Vase | 21. Grey Knit Blanket | 22. Grey Blanket | 23. Woven Basket (similar) | 24. Small Lumbar Pillow | 25. Small Ceramic Vase | 26. Floor Lamp | 27. Wood Frame | 28. Botanical Print (similar) | 29. Ottoman | 30. Lounge Chair | 31. Wood Bench (similar) | 32. White Lumbar Pillow (similar) | 33. One Drink Table | 34. Cream Blanket | 35. Open Weave Basket | 36. White Curtains

Thanks for stopping by my…I mean Suzanne’s new bedroom. Also, here’s some human for scale. ? Talk to you all soon in the comments below! xx

**Design by Julie Rose | Photos by Sara Ligorria-Tramp