Before and After 7: The Master Bedroom

The overall layout of the master bedroom didn't change at all - but some folks who have seen it before and after thought an addition had been constructed.  Before - some of the windows were obstructed, the closets were not very functional, and dingy carpet was on the floors.  There were paper window shades, cheap hollow doors of varying sizes, and walls painted the ubiquitous sage green found in most rooms.  It smelled of cat.

Today, the space is light and bright, given the newly installed semi-gloss white painted bead board ceiling, window and door casings, and the lovely, new hardwood floors that match the rest of the home.  Terrific closet organizers (Tony!) and great closet access doors created better use of existing closet space.  (I love my tiny dedicated walk in for shoes and handbags!)  The new window treatments by The Shade Store are functional and pretty in pale grey/white paisley and herringbone, and include nine-foot draperies hung from a sparkly Restoration Hardware polished nickel rod with crystal finials.  The polished nickel/crystal accents are picked up in the Waterford accents, Emtek door hardware, $5 thrift store silver platters, leaded crystal candlesticks from Prague and table and floor lighting by Ralph Lauren, Juliska and RH that were owned pre-move.   (The Juliska table lamps are of the same design as the kitchen pendants.)  Brightly colored glass mini-vases in the window sill came by way of Western PA via my great-grandmother Jo Jo.

One "semi-structural" change - my builder (MK Development) suggested that we move the entry door from the foot of the stairs (preceding the shoe/handbag walk-in closet) to just after.  This was a terrific idea - and makes the landing feel much larger.

The stunning artwork in this room is by Kim Schuessler and Candra Boggs.  There is a another great tiny oil painting of white flowers, and another hand-made paper piece - both picked up inexpensively at art fairs, but regretfully I can't recall the names of these artists.

All of the scrumptious French linens (pictured - embroidered Yves DeLorme with a Sfferra coverlet and shams) are purchased through Pioneer Linens (West Palm Beach, Fla.)  I will have a separate post on the linens throughout the home, and Pioneer (which should be a go-to destination for anyone in S. Fla, and online destination for anyone not) but in the interim, give Miss Martha (online) or Miss Ronnie (in store) a jingle.  (This store has been in business for 100 years for a reason.)  The velvet/silk throw pillows are from ABC Carpet & Home NYC, the cashmere throw is from Ralph Lauren (London), the cheap and cheerful eggplant ruffle pillows are Z-gallerie, and the two bolster pillows are upholstered in more silk sari fabric carried home from India.   The rug is an old one from Williams Sonoma Home, Columbus Circle NYC.

The adorable little side chair was perfectly upholstered in white duck and gray and white seersucker by the artisans at Comfort Upholstery (A "New to Me" Chair).  (Hard to believe it was a $20 Craig's List find.)  All of the new furniture for this room was purchased on a tight budget - the Jayson Home Warehouse Sale was the ticket.  Definitely a hi-lo room!

I love the deck off of this room - it is 2 1/2 stories above ground, and on a clear day, I can see the Sears (Willis) Tower.  It feels like an adjacent room given the top notch paint job of the ceiling and trim by McMaster Painting, and lovely new lighting by Lightology (thanks again, Jeff Wonsletter) that matches all on the exterior of the home.  It is a great space to curl up with a book or write a blog…now, if only the deck would get refinished (darn that McMaster wait list!)

For background:
A "New to Me" Chair
The Master Bedroom
Window Treatments
Art for the Bungalow

Before:

After:

end tables by Jayson Home

Front artwork by Candra Boggs; Foreground by Kim Schuessler

Dresser by Jayson Home

End table by Jayson home; pearls from China, tray from thrift shop, lamp from Juliska

30% leaded crystal candle-sticks from Prague - "Material" shop

Jo-Jo's vases/creamers & The Shade Store window treatments

That McMaster Paint!

Without David@Comfort Upholstery, this would be a hideous harvest gold velvet chair

Before and After 6: The Living Room

Guests who have seen this room before and after say it represents the most striking transformation.  As noted in earlier posts - it is the living room and foyer, and also serves as a very open gateway to the kitchen and dining room.  Before, this space was dark, with a "large burgundy box" in the center - containing a very rickety closet and hidden chimney emanating from the basement, where the boiler was located 130 years ago.  There was a large inconvenient structural pole, and strange archways and niches in every nook and cranny - my builder called it "the Picasso room" given all the odd angles.   The staircase was hidden by a tall wall, and there was no banister.  The room was void of crown molding, baseboards and window casings that one would expect in such an old home

Today - it is light and airy, functional, comfortable and a bit sophisticated.   I'm most pleased that the foundational aspects of the room are period appropriate, but updated (e.g. painted woodwork, darker floors).  The great lighting adds terrific sparkle and highlights the large art pieces.  The shutters and newly installed millwork:  a proper staircase, window casings, crown moldings, cased archways and solid baseboards are timeless.  And the new closet adjacent to the front door holds my/my guests coats easily.

The artwork really gets noticed in the deliberatly allocated space.  The new piece by Linda Emery (left of armoire) holds equal pride of place with the ceramic on wood piece by Petr Weigl (right of armoire).

The room has been largely furnished with what I already had - the upholstered pieces deliberately covered in mens-wear inspired fabrics in a multitude of grays, but offset by more feminine throws and pillows in lavender and pink, complementing the soft lavender hue of the walls and plum-colored ceiling.  A new sofa and rug were added to the room.  There is ample texture - a soft wool rug, velvet covered ottomans, tweedy hounds tooth on caned side chairs, soft wool arm chairs in plaid, velvet embroidered William Yeoward throw pillows, silk lampshades, Ralph Lauren cashmere throws, and pillows made from sari silk I hand carried back from India.  The lighting is a mix of crystal and polished nickel, and the coffee table a white resin.  The crystal/polished nickel is also picked up in the floor and table lighting and the door hardware, and the little end tables have a bit of sparkle.

For background, please reference these earlier posts:
Planning - The Very TBD Living Room/Foyer - and "t…
Planning: Living Room Furniture
Update: The Perfect Rug - FOUND!
Hardwood Floors
Planning: Lighting!
Cased Archways In

Before:

After:

The photos show the walls as pretty lavender - they are really pale in real life.  Foyer is gray.

Nanny and Papa's 50's cane back chairs - given new life with 16 coats of lacquer and hounds tooth fabric 

Sari silk paisley next to comfy cashmere on a velvet sofa 

Family photos in crystal plum-colored William Yeoward frames

my hidden file cabinets under the foyer console...