A room of our own
The transformation is finally complete. I have been anticipating it for so long- at last our new bedroom!
I love it so much, it's amazing what having a space that's yours does for your mood. It makes me happy every time I walk into the room.
It is an astonishing difference, especially if you could have seen the true "before". Dull default beige walls with some smatterings of unmatched dorm-like furniture, an uninspiring room for sure. Of course as usual I was too distracted by starting a new project to get a good before shot, but thought of it in time to snap this just before the first brush stroke went on.
Booooring
The wall color has been finished for a little while now, but the hold-up? My own artwork!
I think it's terribly funny that with all the art classes and design school I have never painted canvas before. In fact, I've barely painted at all as I'm more a drawer. But when I was hit with this idea I figured I could keep it simple enough to take a stab at it. I'm so surprisingly pleased they came out!
I had to do a bit of hunting to find some ready-made canvas that were square and large enough but these fit the bill perfectly (literally too- as they were on sale and really inexpensive). A few tubes of acrylic, a white paint pen (see what I said about keeping it simple) and I was ready to go. I didn't want a flat color and so I happily mixed my paints without too much precision so as to have visible paint strokes. I simply went for a general color in-between the accent shades I already had to tie them together for I dislike everything too matchy-matchy.
The room can be dark and cozy or if we open up the plantation shutters on the wall of windows it becomes bright and airy.
Right, onto the gratuitous photos...
Can I go back to bed now?
Comments
Wow! That looks absolutely amazing! What a beautiful room.
Posted by: Kirstie | August 20, 2007 12:46 PM
Wow - what a beautiful room! I'm not usually a purple fan but it's lovely with the blues and browns. And I love the canvases - simple and classic but still a bit funky. We're moving in another month or so and I've long been dreaming of the homemade art I want to sprinkle about!
Posted by: Erica | August 20, 2007 12:47 PM
Hi Jen!
FANTASTIC. That room only inspires me more - I have been drooling over decorating magazines (and the Ikea catalog) for a couple of weeks now, gearing up for my own room. I love the paintings, and the color scheme - just far enough from matchy-matchy, I agree. Really well done.
Hey, I'm getting ready to knit your lace collar for this Fall. I can't wait to wear it!
Posted by: Kristin | August 20, 2007 12:50 PM
Gorgeous! I think you may have inspired me to do something about my blahplainblah bedroom!
Posted by: chris | August 20, 2007 01:46 PM
Your bedroom is GORGEOUS!!! What an amazing palette! And your artwork is funky and fresh and lightens the wall just right. Excellent job!
Posted by: Sus | August 20, 2007 02:06 PM
I love the colour on the walls, and your art pieces... awesome! Beauty in the simplicity of their form. *^v^*
Posted by: Joanna Kostrzewa | August 20, 2007 02:21 PM
OMG the room looks stupendous!!!!
Congratulations on another FR (finished room)!
Posted by: DK | August 20, 2007 02:24 PM
Your room is absolutely gorgeous! Want to fly up to Ohio and re-do mine?
Posted by: Rosie | August 20, 2007 02:32 PM
Beautiful! I love the colour choices.. especially the purple walls!
Posted by: m | August 20, 2007 02:33 PM
Everyone already said it, but WOW!! Fantastic. I'll try to channel your keen simplicity as we shop for our new house next week. Thanks for sharing some inspiration!
Posted by: Amanda | August 20, 2007 02:45 PM
Oh, love the artwork!! beautiful!
Posted by: Emily | August 20, 2007 03:17 PM
I'm a fairly new to your blog - so I'm saying hi. I love your room! It's beautiful. I've been wanting to paint my condo but the actual painting, er, no. But this gives me new inspiration.
Posted by: libraryliz | August 20, 2007 03:38 PM
It looks great! I love color!!! As do you!! My MIL hates it- so she hates every room in my house! Mission accomplised.
Posted by: Stacey | August 20, 2007 04:03 PM
Wow - your room looks like it sprung out of the pages of a magazine. It is beautiful - great work!
Posted by: Jo | August 20, 2007 04:13 PM
Beautiful! I saw a purple color similar to that one in a catalog a month or so ago, and I haven't been able to stop thinking about it.
Posted by: Jessie | August 20, 2007 04:16 PM
Gorgeous! It's so inspiring, particularly your use of color. I love your little paintings, too.
Posted by: Elizabeth | August 20, 2007 04:19 PM
Ooh - that is wonderful! I love you own artwork - you may have struck just the right cord for me.
Again - great minds think (and to the work) a-like! You see, Matt and I are currently repainting our bedroom and working on getting all the details together. And our paint color? A very bright and not-at-all-boring YELLOW! (Ack!) Let's hope I can transform it to an inviting and relaxing looking bedroom such as yours.
Posted by: Nanc | August 20, 2007 04:43 PM
this is a beautiful bedroom. So lovely and peaceful. How did you convince Mr. Pieknits to allow PURPLE for the walls? Man...you are a lucky girl! hahahaa.
great job!
Posted by: Jen da Purse Ho | August 20, 2007 05:15 PM
Oooo, thanks for sharing. I do love DIY home decor! And it's in one of my favorite color palettes (blue with brown). What I like most is the unexpected backdrop of the purple walls. Very nice!
Posted by: Holly | August 20, 2007 05:39 PM
Honestly that is exquisite! You did such a wonderful job. I mean, wow! Can you come to NY and do my bedroom when I move somewhere I can paint? -=giggle=-
Posted by: Valerie | August 20, 2007 08:47 PM
Wow that looks incredible! I love your paintings, all the colours in the room look great together.
Posted by: jen | August 21, 2007 01:16 AM
Wow, that is so luscious. So beautiful. Love the wall color, and your paintings, and the combination of the two together.
Posted by: earthchick | August 21, 2007 07:08 AM
amazing transformation! the colors are wonderful together - the wall color is great - soothing yet energizing at the same time!!!!
our entire house was contractor white - I changed that fast enough!
Posted by: stacey | August 21, 2007 07:25 AM
These are SO beautiful! I'm really impressed. What a difference it makes!
Posted by: Meredith | August 21, 2007 08:35 AM
Wow! That looks amazing. I love the colors, especially the purple.
Posted by: Steph | August 21, 2007 09:40 AM
Love the room. The purple is so luscious and the blue paintings glow against that darker background. Wonderful job.
Posted by: susan | August 21, 2007 12:58 PM
Gorgeous room, I saw it under the Hot New Project category on Craftster!
Posted by: Lauren | August 21, 2007 05:30 PM
I love the blue and brown color scheme. And you paint too? You're such a renaissance woman! The paintings are beautiful - very modern and graphic.
Posted by: connie | August 21, 2007 06:35 PM
wow amazing artwork. I love the color combo. Great job
Posted by: Nubiancraftster | August 21, 2007 09:16 PM
Gorgeous room! Enjoy!
Posted by: tiennie | August 21, 2007 10:19 PM
I love it! It belongs in a decorating magazine.
Posted by: lobstah | August 22, 2007 07:37 AM
Love the room! Love your artwork! Congrats on a new space!
Posted by: sarah | August 22, 2007 02:48 PM
Wow! I'm totally blown away by the sheer awesomeness of your room. Go you!
Posted by: Frarochvia | August 23, 2007 03:42 AM
okay, that is BEAUTIFUL. And what a trip, because I just moved and I did the same colors in my room only reverse. The walls are blue, and the accents are aubergine. The furniture is brown, and I have a bit more white in the bedding. It's so interesting to me to compare our room, because yours feels so earthy and warm, and mine feels a bit like floating in a cloud. I like both, I'm just so intrigued by how color works to create these feelings.
Have many a good night's sleep!!
Posted by: TheAmpuT | August 25, 2007 07:28 PM
I covet the linens!! My bedroom walls are already almost the same color, and that bed set looks faboo! Where did you score that?
Posted by: Jes D | September 4, 2007 04:37 PM
The room looks fantastic. And your artwork is terrific. The one with the branch coming from the left looks like you have just a hint of the ball of the sun there. The color scheme is perfect and the whole room looks like a resort.
Posted by: Barbp | September 8, 2007 11:39 AM