The master bedroom is often the last, but certainly not the least of rooms that need a bit of help to feel like the retreat it needs to be.
We did a mini master bedroom renovation several years ago when we first moved in so that we could have one clean bedroom that was away from all the dust of renovations in other rooms. This was very important at the time because it was also when we were expecting our first kiddo! We had a due-date deadline, and thankfully we got it all done 1 week before she entered the world. :)
It was a long list of to-do’s when we first decided to tackle this room. It needed the carpet torn out (and the original wood floors were a MESS – read about what we discovered underneath the carpet), the makeshift unoriginal closet removed, walls painted (orange is not my color), floors refinished, electrical, etc. But I’m so glad we got the major stuff done.
[see all of the previous work we did on the master bedroom starting here]
In the years since, most of the rooms in our home have had some work done to them. Tho our master bedroom remained a “blank canvas” for years as it waited, I didn’t quite know what I wanted in the design of our room, so I kept pushing it back.
What really got the ball rolling for me being inspired to finally start to pin down a style and color for our master bedroom was finding THE dream Eastlake bed for our room. It was a FBMP find for only $75!
With such a beautiful grown-up bed now in our room, it stood in stark contrast to how bland the rest of it was. I felt compelled to give that bed the room it deserved. ;)
I hemmed and hawed – over greens, green-grays, all sorts of blues, wallpaper, stencils…all the things. To tell the truth, even when I did finally pick a wall color and started painting with it, I was still second-guessing if it was a good choice.
I chose to just go with it and live with it awhile. After all, you can always paint it another color.
I’m glad I lived with it awhile, because it grew on me. I quite like it (keep scrolling down for all paint colors info).
Crown molding is no stranger to us, but goodness, the worst room to-date for doing crown was hands-down this master bedroom! Our ceiling was drywalled by the previous owner and then (for unknown reasons) mudded over the ENTIRE surface, so the ceiling is very wonky and uneven. I’m very glad this wasn’t our first bedroom we ever tried doing crown in, as no doubt it would have deterred us from ever trying another room!
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Then, for the first time ever in our house – wall paneling! I’ve gotta admit, it was a bit of a learning curve for me, as my brain does not think in 3D. Not to mention that the wonky ceiling and floor meant that I had to also make every.single.vertical.cut.a.different.size. in order for it to all cheat the eye and look level. That was really “fun”, lol. The silver lining tho is that it gave me a chance to really hone my new skills.
Thankfully, as I started to find my flow, I did get faster at measuring and cutting each vertical piece. A quarter of the way thru I was feeling like a pro and knocking them out with such precise corners that I was soon starting to smile again and feeling very impressed with myself. ;)
If you’d like to see and/or learn my process for measuring and cutting the wall panels, I have a few Reels (videos) for how to measure and cut for wall panels on my Instagram.
To do the crown and wall moldings, you’ll need the following tools:
- A miter saw (Dewalt is the best, but if you think it’ll be just occasionally used or you need a better budget option, this Ryobi saw is good. Or even more budget-friendly is this miter saw clamp box)
- measuring tape
- speed square (very important!)
Y’all who have perfectly square walls…be grateful. ;)
The panels for the headboard wall that were to go around the wall sconces were tricky. The sconces, unfortunately, were not the same distance from the corners. Therefore, I had to figure out how to cheat the panels in such a way to get them to measure the same on each side but still look as tho they were both centered with the sconces. I’m so glad to have that part figured out!
Ready for the dressed-up master bedroom?!
I have yet to do any major decorating – things like wall art, a rug, curtains, etc… However, I decorate with intention, so every piece I allow into my home is something that I love and fits my small budget. A small budget means auctions, FBMP, Craigslist, etc, so it’s also a waiting game, and playing it consistently so that I can find the things I’m wanting for the great prices I need.
When I say I’m intentional and hold-out until I find “the item” that I love, I have learned and benefitted on this including passing on things that are pretty and an amazing price. If I don’t love it, then I keep looking and waiting. If it’s not something that you’d have to prrrrryyy my fingers off of to get me to leave it, then it’s not worth my hard-earned money or owning a piece that I don’t love enough to keep for the long-term.
Since starting the walls and moldings in the master bedroom in February, I’ve been looking for THE perfect sized, style and cohesive wood-tone marble dresser to grace the opposite wall of the room.
Just a few days before I landed it, I was sorely tempted to go after a marble washstand I’d been keeping tabs on for weeks. It was a pretty piece, but the style wasn’t quite what I gravitate towards, and the marble was a pinkish/gray instead of the white I wanted. But it was located nearby (gas prices are keeping me in a smaller radius) and they were asking $30! Talk about a deal! I was also letting doubts creep in about if I’d ever be able to find the one I really wanted, and how I longed to just get our room “completed”. Can you relate?
I stuck to my original ideal tho, and lo and behold a few days later I was able to clinch a deal on a marble dresser that was absolutely everything I had been hoping and dreaming of and also local! Staying the course has its rewards.
Master Bedroom Sources:
Wall color: BM Blue Dusk
Top border: BM Atmospheric AF500
Wall panels and crown molding: Metrie
Furniture: Facebook Marketplace
Ceiling Medallion: Leftover from previous owner – here’s a similar style
Ceiling Light: Facebook Marketplace – similar shape crystal ceiling chandelier
Wall Sconces: Home Depot (discontinued) – here’s a very similar one with a swivel arm!
Cost breakdown for moldings (the biggest expense):
Crown & picture rail: $185.90
Wall moldings: $249.60___
Moldings Total: $435.50
(too bad we didn’t do this in 2020 or else it would have cost half this – gotta love the crazy-high prices of lumber…)
Lighting:
Ceiling Light: $20
Sconces: $60 for the pair
Furniture Cost Breakdown:
Bed: $75
Nightstands: $60 for the pair
Marble Dresser: $75
Pink Armchair: $50____
Furniture Total: $260
Total For Master Bedroom Renovation:
Paint, Stain, Caulk, Wood Filler: $55 (used a lot of what I already had on-hand)
Moldings: $435.50
Lighting: $80
Furniture: $260
RENO TOTAL: $830.50
