Feminine nightstand with lamp, carafe, small art, storage boxes, candle, and basket.

Home as a Haven: How to Create a Cozy Bedroom Retreat

Welcome back to the sixth installment of our weekly Friday series called Falling for Home: A Weekly Autumn Journal. Each week we explore ways to embrace the softness of the autumn season, create a welcoming environment to restore your spirit, and fall in love with our own homes again. If you’re just joining me here from Google, Pinterest, or Instagram, I invite you to read the other segments in this series, which can be found linked at the bottom of this article.

As the season progresses, we begin to lose daylight hours and the temperatures cool. The sun is setting earlier each day, and we begin to retreat indoors.

Today we’ll start a conversation on the importance of intentionally curating a personal haven in your home and creating a place to restore yourself… not just a place to crash at the end of the day to get some sleep.

The bedroom as a whole reflects the balance of function and comfort: closed storage to keep clutter tucked away, restful art, and layered bedding that invites you to linger.

Step One: Clear the Space for Peaceful Rest

Many of my readers are the family’s nurturers, often putting everyone else’s needs before their own. In the home, this translates into prioritizing the shared family spaces and even the children’s bedrooms. Our bedrooms become the catch all and dumping grounds for all the miscellaneous items that don’t have a designated spot. The clean laundry is often brought into our bedrooms until it can be folded and put away later.

Not only does this create physical clutter; it creates mental clutter and unrest in the very space that we retreat to get rest.

Create Processes

We need processes for dealing with items that make their way into our bedrooms. I like to use a method called “Touch it once.” For example, if I’m taking laundry out of the dryer, then dumping it on my bed, then moving it to a chair to fold it later, I’ve touched it 3 or 4 times before it gets put away. By folding each item as I take it out of the dryer, I will touch it only once before it gets put away. Doing it this way might not feel like it in the beginning, but it becomes a lot less work.

Look around your bedroom to assess miscellaneous piles of clutter. Those are the items that you’ll need to create a new process for. When we move piles of clutter from one spot to another to clean, we’re just moving the mess around and not actually taking care of the mess.

Essential Items

Next, I recommend that you only keep the essential items within sight. These would be things that support the rest, comfort, or function of your bedroom. For example, you’ll need a bedside table of some sort, a lamp within reach of your bed, and a hamper to hold your dirty laundry. Other examples are a throw blanket that gets used on chilly nights or a fan that cools you in warm weather. Essential items are ones that directly help you rest, prepare for the day, or feel comforted. If it distracts you, nags at you, or simply takes up space without providing function, it doesn’t belong in your bedroom.

Daily Items

In addition to essential items, we all have daily items, which I recommend organizing into closed storage containers. These items are practical, not decorative, and by placing them into closed storage containers we are able to keep surfaces peaceful without disrupting our routine. Examples of daily items would be chargers, medications, skincare, books, and pajamas. When each item has a designated space in a closed storage system, we easily prevent clutter from snowballing into piles. Items are still convenient and within reach; they’re just not visually tiresome or nagging.

Implementing these habits can take a little practice. However, you’ll find that if you consistently maintain these methods, it will be well worth the effort when you have a peaceful, relaxing space at the end of the day.

On his side of the bed: a leather catchall, favorite books, and a wood box for everyday necessities, proof that practicality can be handsome when it’s well-contained.

Step Two: Add Meaningful & Personal Touches

Your bedroom is probably a place that most guests won’t see. And if you’re a parent, it may be the one space in your home that’s truly yours. Your bedroom is an opportunity to create a room with décor that reflects your personality and sentimentality. By carefully selecting your furnishings and accessories, you can build an area for yourself that makes you feel at home.

Adding personal touches to your bedroom should be done with simplicity, restraint, and sentimentality. For example, a gallery wall of art or family photos creates too much stimulation and interest in a space that is intended for relaxation. Instead, try adding a small family photo in a frame on your nightstand or dresser.

You can easily personalize your bedroom by adding one small vase for flowers, a small antique dish as a catchall, or an heirloom quilt at the end of your bed. Instead of surrounding your room with your entire collections, pick one favorite that you can use in a functional way. By doing so, you’ll keep your space peaceful and uncluttered.

On her side: a small carafe for evening water, original art for a touch of beauty, and storage boxes to keep daily items close but unseen. Serenity comes from thoughtful restraint.

Step Three: Layer Comfort & Care

Repeating tones, from the bamboo shade to the throw blanket and picture frames, bring warmth and cohesion. A reminder that subtle echoes of color and texture create harmony in a room.

Gen Z is known for not using “the big light.” They’re referring to the overhead light, which we call “ambient lighting” in the interior design world. In an area like a bedroom, I tend to agree with them.

Strategically adding lamps to a bedroom for accent and task lighting creates a much more relaxing environment than using “the big light.” I recommend lamps for your nightstands that are easy to reach and turn on/off without getting out of bed. You should be able to easily fit your hand under the shade to operate the switch or use a lamp that has a switch on the cord. If you have a reading chair in your bedroom, a floor lamp can be a well-thought-out addition.

Another way to create a relaxing environment for yourself is to consider your comfort and senses. Stay away from scratchy or uncomfortable fabrics that will be next to your skin. Consider whether candles, fragrance plug-ins, and even laundry detergents are overpowering your senses. No smell is better than a strong smell.

Lastly, consider your needs while you are in your room. If you frequently find yourself getting up for water, a carafe of water and drinking glass will be helpful to you.

Soft lamplight turns the bedroom into a sanctuary at dusk, offering a place to exhale as the day comes to a close.

Step Four: Invest in Quality Where It Counts

If you follow me on Instagram, you know that I love a good bargain and buying things second-hand. However, there are some things in the bedroom that I won’t compromise on. A good rule of thumb is, the closer it is to your skin, the higher quality you need to invest in. A good example of this is choosing bargain window coverings, but higher quality bedding. You won’t be laying down at night on your curtains, but you will be on the sheets.

When purchasing bedding, I recommend looking at thread count and fabric materials. If there isn’t a thread count listed, it’s most likely very low. High thread count sheets will last decades, so while the upfront cost may be marginally more, they will last incredibly longer than cheaper options… saving you money in the long run.

It’s also important to consider fabric materials. Fabric materials with descriptions like “knit, jersey, cooling” are less breathable than materials with long-staple natural fibers like Egyptian cotton. They are inferior materials that usually weave some sort of synthetic material made of plastic into the fibers. Synthetic materials don’t last very long and will need to be replaced in a short amount of time.

Most of us are on a budget, and it’s simply not realistic to invest in the highest quality of furnishings and accessories all at once for our spaces. I encourage you to make a point of switching things over one at a time until you have created a well-curated space that you deserve. Swap furniture made of composite materials for solid wood pieces, synthetic bedding for high-quality bedding made from renewable materials, mass-produced art for original art that reflects your unique personality. In this way, we create a collected space that truly becomes a haven in our home.

Layering textures – the quilt, duvet, and throw – adds depth and comfort. Each piece contributes to the feeling of being enveloped in warmth.

Step Five: Introduce Seasonal Color & Mood

I would be remiss if I didn’t point out the impact that color has on your bedroom haven. The psychology of color tells us that our emotions are subconsciously affected by the colors in our spaces. Restaurant owners, marketing professionals, and health care facilities understand that color goes beyond preference.

When choosing wall color, linens, and accessories in a bedroom, it’s important to understand the effects of your choices. I recommend tones with less saturation if you are trying to create a palette to anchor your room’s mood. Too much visual interest will hinder relaxation in a bedroom.

Today I am recommending a set of three colors, which can also be seen on the image below. Pale Oak, Cloud White, and Hale Navy are choices that you can bring into your space in a variety of ways such as furniture, bedding, lampshades, throw blankets, and artwork. They also provide a relatively neutral backdrop for you to add your personal touches that were mentioned above. If you can’t repaint your bedroom at this time, these three colors also tend to work well with a myriad of other colors.

Throughout this article I have mentioned things that I find to be useful in a bedroom space. You will find examples of these items in this curated list, which can be found by clicking HERE or clicking on the image below. You’ll find many more choices in this list than the ones pictured.

Click to shop from a list of suggestions for each of these areas.

Explore More from Falling for Home: A Weekly Autumn Journal

This article is part of my series called Falling for Home: A Weekly Autumn Journal. Be sure to check out these reader favorites:

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How to Update a 1930s Bathroom Without Losing Its Charm

Updating a historic bathroom doesn’t have to mean losing its original charm. Our 1939 bathroom still features the vintage wall tile and fixtures that first caught my heart, but a few thoughtful additions gave the space new life. By keeping the original tile and layering in a teak table, relaxed roman shade, coordinating artwork, and a touch of live greenery, I created a bathroom that feels both timeless and livable. If you’ve ever wondered how to refresh a 1930s bathroom without replacing its historic character, you’ll love this approach. I’ve also included a Benjamin Moore color palette inspired by the original tile, perfect for anyone looking for bathroom design inspiration rooted in history.

Historic Bathroom at First Glance

The first time I saw the main bathroom in our 1939 Colonial Revival Home, I knew it wasn’t living up to its full potential. It’s a rather large bathroom for its era, full of the original soft peach tile on the walls and in the shower. The original bathtub is cast iron with a porcelain enamel finish. It’s very large compared to modern bathtubs. These were elements that I found to be valuable and desirable while looking for a historic home to purchase, and I wanted to honor them in my design.

The bathroom as it looked when toured prior to purchasing the house.

When we viewed our home prior to purchasing it, the large space under the window had a tiny vanity and some wall shelves. After purchasing it, I wanted to update it in a way that made it more functional, while keeping the vintage charm typical in a 1930s and 1940s home. Since nothing was broken, I was able to update without replacing anything major.

The walls in the whole bathroom have peach-colored tile. In this photo you can see a built-in storage cabinet that is set into the wall.

Refreshing a 1930s or 1940s Bathroom

As you might guess, the peach tile was the springboard for the whole design. This color might have been a reason other homeowners would have ripped it out. However, I knew that finding the right paint color to complement the peach would create a better feeling in the space. For the walls above the tile, I went with Benjamin Moore China White OC-141.

Again playing with peach tile, I leaned in a bit to the orange tones, and selected a teak table to place under the window. I also added a relaxed roman shade over the window blinds to soften the edges of the window. A lucky find, the seagrass basket was a clearance rack find, and it fits perfectly on the bottom shelf of the table.

Adding greenery brought in my accent color and helped to create a spa-like environment in our vintage bathroom.
This seagrass basket was a lucky find – it fits perfectly on the shelf.

Next, I added a few plants to the space. The live greenery adds a spa-like touch, and brings in green as an accent color. The last selection that I made for this design was the artwork. It’s the only artwork in our whole house that isn’t an original piece, but it brings together all of the colors in this bathroom perfectly.

Best Paint Colors for Bathrooms with Vintage Tile

The color palette for this bathroom is built around the original 1939 bathroom tile. For a similar color in wall paint, use Benjamin Moore Clementine Rose 1219. A complementary neutral trim color is Benjamin Moore China White OC-141. If you’re looking for an accent color that pairs well with the other two colors, try Benjamin Moore Paris Rain 1501.

Adding Modern Comfort to a Historic Bathroom

I hope this inspires you to rethink a total remodel. There are many ways to add modern comfort to a historic bathroom without gutting it. For us, the space functions well and the original tile and fixtures are in fantastic condition. (What you might not be able to tell is that the built-in cabinet is set deep into the wall, so we didn’t have a need to create additional bathroom storage.)

I know there’s a temptation from social media, TV, and Pinterest to “update” every space that isn’t decorated in a modern way. But the best way to truly honor a historic home is to allow it to be what it was built to be. Most historic homeowners will embrace the imperfections and charm of designs from by-gone eras.

The finished design. A 1930s vintage bathroom with modern comfort and classic accessories.

Shop This Look

If you see something you like in this design that you’d like to incorporate into your own space, you can find many of the items linked HERE for shopping.

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While You’re Here…

While you’re here, I hope you’ll take a few minutes to “look around” and read a few of our other articles. We’re currently in a series called Falling for Home: A Weekly Autumn Journal, which is all about falling in love with our own homes again as we meander through the autumn season together.

Let me know what you think of these bathroom colors in the comments below. Would you ever live with peach colored tile?

Abby SmolarskyLeave a comment

Essential Elements for a Beautiful Entryway

It’s the beginning of a new month, which means it’s time to release another designed space. This month’s design plan features an entryway 3 ways: casual, formal, and transitional.

This article contains affiliate links and ads. You can find the products I recommend by clicking on the links throughout and at the bottom of this page. These are designs that you can pick and choose which elements to bring into your own spaces. They’ll be saved here on my website, or you can save them on Pinterest. You can come back and add pieces to your spaces as time and budgets allow.

This month I am sharing what I consider to be the perfect recipe for a successful entryway design. The best entryways have the following essential elements in common:

  • a functional piece of furniture
  • a lamp
  • artwork
  • a mirror
  • storage/catchall
  • something alive/fresh
  • a rug
  • a clock
  • and a place to set a wet umbrella.

Not only do these items create a beautiful space, but they are functional as well. For example, the mirror allows residents and guests to check their appearance before coming and going, as well as reflecting light into the space. A lamp allows residents to find their way inside on a dark night, as well as helping guests find the door on their way out.

Below you can see a colorful and vibrant entryway design. Since the entryway is the first impression of your home, it’s an opportunity to create a space that reflects your personal style. This design leans more towards casual and bohemian. It is full of visual interest and layers of texture. Combining two separate pieces, like the green and white plate and the pink framed artwork, you can create a one-of-kind, original piece of art in your home that no one else will have. Try using Command brand hooks to mount the plate on top of the pink art before hanging it on the wall.

Click the photo to shop for these exact items.

Traditional decor thrives on symmetry. The design below uses symmetry to create balance by flanking the mirror with matching lamps and plates from the same series. While the first design is considered modern and casual, I would consider the design below to be formal.

Click the photo to shop for these exact items.

Entry Table

Below you will find the final entryway design for this month. Notice how similar metal tones and a soft ivory color are carried throughout. Natural materials like wicker, marble, and wood counterbalance the glamorous gold and brass to create a sophisticated but approachable space. This design is a midway point between casual and formal.

Click the photo to shop for these exact items.

In many cases, the front door to the home opens directly into the living space without a designated foyer or entryway. In these situations it’s possible to create an entryway by grouping specific items on a wall next to the front door. Are you missing any of these essential items in your entryway? Do you have any items in your entryway that you would add to this list? Let me know in the comments below.

Never miss a design release in the future by subscribing using the box at the bottom of this article.

You can find many of these items in my LTK Storefront HERE.

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Transforming Our Breakfast Room: A Makeover Journey

Today I am sharing some before and after pictures of the breakfast room in our 1939 home. This is the casual dining space in our home that we use for our everyday meals, playing board games, and doing puzzles.

Our breakfast room is off of the kitchen, and has also has a door to the center hallway on the main floor. One of the things we love about living in a house that is not open concept, is that we can dedicate rooms to the functions we need and completely close the room by shutting the doors to it.

Before, the previous homeowners used this space as a family room.
After, we restored the space to its original purpose, a breakfast room.

The previous owners were using this room as a family room. They were using a sectional sofa that took up the entire room. The walls were painted a sherbet orange color with a lighter orange color on the ceiling. The only light in the room was a pendant fixture that was so dark we couldn’t tell if it was on unless we opened the yellow glass shade.

Before, a large sectional filled the entire room.
After, the space is restored to its original purpose, a breakfast room.

We transformed this space by painting the walls Benjamin Moore “Pale Oak” and the ceiling “White Dove.” Our general contractor gave us a handmade stained glass shade that his father had made. The shade is far from perfect and a little uneven on the edges, but we loved it for this space. I found a pendant online that could accommodate the shade.

The orange paint colors on the walls and ceiling were not appropriate for the room. The windows have south and west sun exposure, which means direct light comes into the room for most of the day. As a result everything in the room took on an orange glow. Combined with a light fixture that wasn’t functional, this was a space that no one in our family wanted to be in.

After I corrected the color on the walls and installed a functioning light fixture, the breakfast room was completely transformed. The total cost was around $250 for the paint and a pendant fixture. The breakfast room isn’t completely done. We’re on the hunt for a very specific table and chairs. I’m also deciding what to put on one of the walls. But I wanted to share how simply changing the paint and lighting can completely change a room.

I’d love to see how you transform your own spaces with paint. Be sure to tag me on Instagram or comment below to share your photos!

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American Living Room Design Plan: Warmth and Style

It’s the beginning of a new month, which means it’s time to release another designed space. A few weeks ago I took a poll on Instagram, and the majority of followers voted for this month’s design to feature a living room.

This article contains affiliate links and ads. You can find the products I recommend by clicking on the links throughout and at the bottom of this page. These are designs that you can pick and choose which elements to bring into your own spaces. They’ll be saved here on my website, or you can save them on Pinterest. You can come back and add pieces to your spaces as time and budgets allow.

In most American homes, the living room is the space in the house where a family will gather to sit and relax together. Living rooms provide the perfect opportunity to show your style and to incorporate pieces that reflect your personal flair. In this living room design plan, I’ve purposely used multiple sources for the items featured. I want to discourage you from walking into a furniture showroom and buying a completely matching living room set. In order to create a collected aesthetic that is a unique reflection of your style, you’ll need to pull together pieces from different sources.

Click the photo to shop this design.

Design preferences are FINALLY moving away from sterile, all-white or gray interiors. The design I’m featuring today is warm and evokes a feeling of “home” with saturated and inviting colors. The wall color for this living room design is Shaker Beige, HC-45, from the Benjamin Moore historic color collection. On the floor you will find a timeless selection of traditional hickory hardwoods. Using Shaker Beige and hickory hardwoods as the base for our design, we begin to layer in warmth and richness, starting with a woven Persian rug.

The sofa in this month’s design is fully customizable. After choosing the basic shape of the sofa, I selected the number of cushions, fabric, cushion filling, and feet. The feet selected are walnut stained feet with brass castors. The fabric shown is “Atlantic Performance Blakely.”

At this point in the design, we have the base in which to start adding complementary furniture, art, and accessories. I added some leather armchairs and walnut end tables that echo back to the lines of the traditional sofa. The elegant coffee table pairs well with the metal accents on the sofa feet.

The table lamps in this living room design are ones where a visitor might wonder if they’re new or if they were found on an antiquing adventure.

I selected window treatments and an art piece for this space that pull from the colors found in the rug, sofa, and wall color. If you’re only able to change one thing in your living room, try finding a new art piece that will unify the other colors used in your space.

The final layer in this living room design plan is for accessories. Accessories are such a fun way to inject personality into your space. Here I have used conversation pieces that add texture and interest.

You can find the sources for each of the items that I recommend below. Never miss a design release in the future by subscribing using the box at the bottom of this article.

You can find many of these items in my LTK Storefront HERE.

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Discover Benjamin Moore’s Color of the Year 2025

It’s the beginning of a new month, which means it’s time to release another designed space. This month features a new bedroom design, which has been inspired by the Benjamin Moore color of the year and color trends palette for 2025.

This article contains affiliate links and ads. You can find the products I recommend by clicking on the links throughout and at the bottom of this page. These are designs that you can pick and choose which elements to bring into your own spaces. They’ll be saved here on my website, or you can save them on Pinterest. You can come back and add pieces to your spaces as time and budgets allow.

Benjamin Moore recently released their color of the year and a color trends palette for 2025. (Read more on the Benjamin Moore site HERE.) I designed a space using 4 of these colors, and I want to show you how simply changing the wall color can drastically change the whole room. The Benjamin Moore color of the year for 2025 is Cinnamon Slate 2113-40. In addition to Cinnamon Slate, I incorporated some of Benjamin Moore’s color trends for 2025: Sea Salt CSP-95, Paris Rain 1501, and Tissue Pink 1163.

In the first design plan I’m featuring Cinnamon Slate as the wall color. Cinnamon Slate is a deeply saturated and sophisticated hue that can be treated as a neutral when taken care not to overwhelm the space with competing colors. Because Cinnamon Slate is the star of this design, we can carefully add selections that keep the space calm and serene. I found a piece of wall art that unites all four of the paint colors that I’m featuring today. This artwork is integral to creating a cohesive design. The furniture and other decor pieces are either very neutral and without pattern, or they only have a pattern that includes colors from the color palette that I’m featuring. With Cinnamon Slate as a backdrop, the other design selections are noticeable individually as they pop away from the darker color.

Wall color Cinnamon Slate. Click the photo to shop this design.

In the next design I have kept all of the exact selections from the design above, but I have simply switched out the wall color from Cinnamon Slate to Paris Rain. I absolutely love Paris Rain. It has been one of my go-to color selections for years. I urge you to get a color swatch in person, because you will love it, too. The silk draperies, which are barely a whisper of pink, like Tissue Pink in our color scheme, become a direct complementary color to Paris Rain, as they are opposites on a color wheel. In this design, Cinnamon Slate transitions to an accessory color in the bowl, lamp, and artwork.

Wall color Paris Rain. Click the photo to shop this design.

Again we are going to keep the exact same design, but this time we can see how it would look if the walls are painted Tissue Pink. I think Tissue Pink is a very palatable pink. It’s an excellent option if you want to warm a space up, while still keeping it neutral. Notice how the selections change with Tissue Pink as the background. The lamp, draperies, and rug are all unique accessories, but with a similarly toned wall color like Tissue Pink, we can start to feel more on the monochromatic end of the spectrum.

Wall color Tissue Pink. Click the photo to shop this design.

Lastly, let’s look to see how the design changes when we change the wall color to Sea Salt. Sea Salt is the lightest hue in the palette that I’m featuring today. In this design, the artwork, accessories, and rug become the stars of the show. This is a good example of showing that often choosing a lighter paint color changes the focus of the room onto the things that are in it. If you have artwork and collections that you want to spotlight, a lighter paint color may be the best option for you.

Wall color Sea Salt. Click the photo to shop this design.

Each of the design selections for this room can be found linked below. Now that you have seen the same room in four different colors, I want you to slowly scroll back up. In each room, focus only on the artwork above the bed. Notice how the artwork works perfectly in each room, and yet as the paint color changes the artwork looks somehow different in each one. Ah, the power of paint! As I said at the beginning, the artwork is integral to this design.

Paint is one of the easiest ways to change a room, and it’s important to select the right color for your space. As you can see, it can completely change the entire design.

You can find the sources for each of the items that I recommend below. Never miss a design release in the future by subscribing using the box at the bottom of this article.

You can find many of these items in my LTK Storefront HERE.

Abby SmolarskyLeave a comment

Bedroom Interior Design Plan: Collected Woodland Retreat

I’ve decided to start releasing some designed spaces once a month. Each month I will share at least one room design with sources that everyone has access to. This month I am going to share a bedroom and a bathroom design.

This article contains affiliate links and ads. You can find the products I recommend by clicking on the links throughout and at the bottom of this page.

I’ll be sharing paint colors, products, and tips that will be helpful if you want to implement this bedroom design in your own home. These are designs that you can pick and choose which elements to bring into your own spaces. They’ll be saved here on my website, or you can save them on Pinterest. You can come back and add pieces to your spaces as time and budgets allow.

I created this bedroom to be an enchanting woodland retreat with a mixture of textures, soft colors, and natural elements. The combination of natural wood tones and painted pieces gives the impression of a space that has been collected over time.

This solid wood spindle bed is a classic design that will truly become a family heirloom. As mentioned above, mixing natural wood tones and painted pieces creates a collected feeling. These end tables make excellent nightstands. They have a slightly aged patina. Be sure to note the design on the top before adding to your cart.

The art in this bedroom space is in keeping with the collected and found mood we are creating. The rabbit print, faux antlers, and book collection are 3 different ways to bring art into the design in a demure, unassuming way.

It’s easy to create a luxurious bedding ensemble and avoid the “bed in a bag” look by layering complementary linens. I recommend using the quilt as a base. Fold the gorgeous blue duvet and leave it at the end of the bed during the day. These throw pillows bring in another layer of soft texture.

The lighting I selected for the room is an example of how the juxtaposition of metal and natural fibers can work together to create a pleasing aesthetic. The chandelier and lamp work like a dream in this bedroom design. I encourage you to layer the lighting in each of your spaces using ambient, task, and accent fixtures.

Finally, we come to the walls and the floor. In this space I have featured a two-tone wallpaper with a nature inspired design. Wallpaper is not for everyone, so you can certainly use paint instead. I like Benjamin Moore “White Sand” 964 with these pieces, but you should select a color that’s right for your spaces using the light in your particular room. On the floor in this design I have chosen a floral rug. This particular rug is essential to the design because it pulls all of the colors from the room together.

You can find the sources for each of the items that I recommend below. Never miss a design release in the future by subscribing using the box at the bottom of this article.

You can find many of these items in my LTK Storefront HERE.

Abby SmolarskyLeave a comment

Transform Your Dining Room on a Budget

This article contains affiliate links and ads. You can find many of the pieces I feature by clicking on the links at the bottom of this article.

I’m happy to finally share the details on our dining room refresh. Months before our kitchen renovation began, we started on our dining room. This was a low cost project that we completed over a long weekend. With some paint, new draperies, an estate sale find, and collected antiques from the storage bins, I created a dining room that we look forward to hosting holiday dinners in.

The homeowner that did all of the major renovations on our home in the early 2000s painted it a sherbet green with a lighter shade of green on the ceiling. The seller we purchased it from didn’t make any changes to the dining room at all. Every room was kept exactly the way it was when they bought the house, right down to where the nails in the wall were. It was important to me to make this OUR home, and painting is an easy way to do that without changing the style and architecture of a historic home.

Before we purchased our home.
Before we purchased our home.

One of the changes we made with the biggest impact was to paint the ceiling. If you’re considering painting your ceilings a lighter shade of the wall colors, pause and think twice. Not necessarily because of resale value, but think of how you want people to feel while they’re in your home. If you’re wanting a dramatic effect and an artistic environment, then go for it! But if you want people to feel relaxed and settled, it’s not for you. It’s distracting and chaotic if it’s not done properly.

We painted our walls with Benjamin Moore “Revere Pewter,” and the ceiling is “White Dove.” The trim is Behr “China White.” The trim was already painted for us, and I like how it works with the Revere Pewter. China White reminds me of the color of antique ironstone dishes.

When we sold our last house three years ago, we sold most of our furniture, including the dining room table, chairs, and china cabinet. The rental house we were moving to didn’t have a dining room, and the dining set was looking a little dated, so we sold it on Facebook Marketplace. After we bought this house, I found an estate sale that was selling an Ethan Allen dining set for less than 1/10th of the retail cost. It’s currently on the Ethan Allen website, and the total cost for the table, 8 chairs, and buffet would’ve been over $11,000. We paid around $1,000. It’s worth it to check out estate sales!

I featured the drapery and hardware on an Instagram post several months ago. The drapery and hardware ended up being a source of frustration. The bay windows in our house do not match the measurements of modern bay windows. Modern bay windows have a larger center window with a smaller functional window on each side. Our original historic bay windows have a smaller center (functional) window, with a larger stationary window on each side. The drapery and hardware for our bay windows were custom made to fit them. And unfortunately, they were removed by the seller. I ended up finding hardware and drapery that I preferred, but it was time and money that we weren’t expecting to spend.

The other items in the room, like plates, pitchers, and artwork, are things that I’ve collected over the years. It was a little like Christmas opening all of my boxes that had been in storage for three years, and we’ve only had one broken crystal glass so far!

I’m lucky to have two pieces of artwork by my twin brother, Tyrus Lytton, displayed in our dining room. He painted a portrait of our daughter when she was two or three, and I found a frame online that complemented the antique mirror on the other side of the doorway. He also painted a small watercolor of our house. (Side note: my brother normally does large scale art installations all over the world. I’m very proud of him and thankful to have some of his artwork on a smaller scale.)

Below you can find a list of sources for the items that I used in our dining room. Some of the pieces are antiques, but I have linked similar ones that I found online. Click on the word to be taken to the source where you can find them.

P.S. There are also a few side-by-side- before and after photos below.

Before
Before
Before

As you can see, a little paint and some new draperies can make a big impact. I’m curious if you’ve ever purchased a house and had items removed that were supposed to stay. Let me know in the comments if you’ve experienced that, too!

Until next time,

Abby

Abby SmolarskyLeave a comment

How to Combine Traditional with Contemporary Decor

Today I am sharing how I combine the styles of traditional and contemporary/modern in a design plan.

It’s fairly simple. When trying to combine traditional and contemporary designs, I like to keep all of the furniture lines clean and sleek. Then, I will keep all of the textiles and patterns traditional. I find that when I do these two things in a design, it turns out just right!

As you look at this dining room design board that I created below, notice that: 1) The furniture lines are sleek, clean, modern, and contemporary. 2) The fabrics, textiles, and wallpaper are traditional. You can create a happy mix of the two with your accessories and accent pieces.

Click this photo to find the sources for everything pictured on my commissionable links.

This dining table is a high-gloss white lacquer. Notice that the edges are very modern and angular. The chairs have a traditional rattan caning material, but the lines of the arms are very contemporary.

Above is the color palette used for this space. As always, everything pictured in this design has been linked on my LiketoKnow.it. You can find all of the commissionable links there.

Click the photo above to see sources and commissionable links for everything pictured.

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What Are Your Thoughts on Wallpaper?

Wallpaper has come back in a big way! Some of us are thinking, “Wait, didn’t I spend hours of my life removing wallpaper?” You did, but what goes around comes around. And it’s baaaaack! Other than someone who might be considering moving soon, I say bring it on!

Wallpaper can add character, interest, and personality to any space – even your laundry room. In the design plan below, I am showing a wallpaper pattern that I picked out for a bedroom. It has a lighter background and uses several colors in the design. I feel that gives it more flexibility in furnishings for the space, but also if you want to change bedding, etc, in the future, you will have more options with a wallpaper pattern like this.

I’ve linked all of the sources for what you see in this picture on my LiketoKnow.it. You can find the commissionable links there by clicking HERE or on the photos.

The colors used for inspiration for this space are below. Even if you are not painting the walls of a room, I recommend that you have a color palette that you use. This will help you when you are picking out furniture, bedding, and artwork.

The color palette, wallpaper, and furnishings of this space were inspired by a pastoral, French country feel. These are heirloom, classic designs that don’t go out of style and can stand the test of time.

So what are your thoughts? Are you ready to wallpaper a room (or two) in your home? Or are the memories of 1980s wallpaper removal still too fresh to consider it?

You can click the photos to be find sources for everything pictured here.

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