Y’all, I am so excited about this paint makeover, I cannot stand it!
I’ve never been a white wall person, and after painting this room “Sunlit white” five years ago, I knew I really wanted something more dramatic — at some point. I always felt like I needed lots of accessories to bring some life to the white walls and just kept adding more and more stuff.
So I had some caulking to finish that I had never done, and that just morphed into patching holes, and next thing I knew I had moved the furniture and started painting.
And am I ever glad I took this risk.
I used the same paint I used in the dining room, Kilz Color Collection in Dark Umber. I was a little scared — thinking it was seriously dark, and guess what, it *is* dark, but it’s so dramatic and beautiful in here now that I just cannot get enough.
I had mentioned on instagram that I was inspired last year when I saw a photo at the Greyfield Inn.
It had the most wonderful red floral curtains with dark walls, and knowing I had the vintage curtains my mom made, I knew I had to go for it.
I always loved this fabric, vintage Cohama Karachi, and these lined, pinch pleated draperies hung in our dining room at the house I grew up in. She had them packed away and gave them to me about two years ago.
Oh how I love them, and knowing this is something I loved from my childhood is even better.
I ended up moving the furniture around because I wanted the bed against the gray wall, which freed up this space by the windows for my great grandfather’s drop leaf table. The chairs will be getting new seat covers when I find the right fabric.
I was planning on an all-white bed, but after throwing one of the falsa blankets on there to get it out of the way, I decided I really liked the pop of red and added back the kilim pillow as well. The embroidered pillowcases are vintage from a great aunt.
In this corner, I used two dark and moody paintings inherited from a relative who painted. She also gave us the mirror, marble-topped dresser and chest on the other side of the room.
My dad’s little cowboy boots and a vintage Prince Matchabelli perfume bottle are paired with a photo of my great-grandparents.
Oh how I love the iron bed against the gray walls. This is the bed I found here on the property and restored several years ago. I still love it.
I had mentioned to my instagram followers that I was planning to paint all the trim the same color, and am seriously glad I did. I am not a fan of dark doors/dark walls and white trim. I think it breaks up the color too much, so this just makes the amazing doors from the old house that I restored look even more special.
My great aunt Nannie’s handmade gown hangs next to my grandfather’s baby gown.
Then, of course I knew the mantel needed to be dark as well, so I painted it black.
And what a dramatic difference that made.
I accented with the candelabra my mother bought in Lebanon, a Moroccan mirror, plate and lantern I bought in Turkey, and some Native pottery from Mexico, Mattaponi, and Cherokee.
The Indian brass pot was inherited from the relative who gave us the furniture, and painted the paintings on the other side of the room. She lived in China after World War II and collected many fine treasures. The chair belonged to my great grandmother.
I also put back my Cherokee corn bead necklace and love how it looks against the black.
I had several of these dark and moody paintings from my relative and hung one here as well.
In this corner, I used some more pottery from my collection as well as my great grandmother’s 1930s radio.
This painting was done by my late uncle in Montana in 1962.
This fabric though😍😍😍
I cannot express how much I love this room. I feel like the dark color gives it a bit of a modern look, but the antique and inherited accessories keep it true to my style, which is collected, antique and vintage. It feels so much larger now as well, and we are loving basically having a whole new room for the price of two gallons of paint and a few days of work.
It was worth it😀
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It all works…the moody darks and the warmth of red. I wish I still had some of the draperies from my past!
Thank you so much! I’m so glad my mother saves everything and these were always my favorite. I keep looking for the same fabric so who knows I might get lucky someday as I do see vintage Cohama on eBay and etsy🙂
The moodiness in the room is amazing. Why do we think we want a white, bright, light bedroom when what we really want is soothing, relaxing and sexy? It's perfect for you, your furniture pieces and accessories. Don't you wish you'd done it long ago?
Thank you Pat! I do love it and am so happy waking up there as it just feels so cozy and warm. Yes I wish I’d done it sooner for sure!
Lovey!, and I truly love the ruby floral draperies w/pillow ticking on the bottom!
Thank you so much! That fabric is actually a striped chenille upholstery remnant I had🙂
ANITA!!!!!
I am standing up applauding you!!!!! FINALLY, some one who has taken the bold step to break from the "norm" of today ( white walls) and go for what makes her heart sing!!! Kudos to you!!!! I LOVE your drapes!! I am such a lover of the color red and I ADORE your beautiful furniture!! To me, this bedroom is a Masterpiece!! I am a lover of color with every room being painted a different rich color in my house. MANY years ago, I watched a TV show called Interior Motives and the host was Christopher Lowell who loved color. He said to treat each room like a tiny jewel box using rich color no matter how small the room was. I remember the first time I started to paint a room in deep rich color ( my Dining Room), I thought I was going to throw up because it looked so dark. But I remembered Christopher Lowell's words about the things that you would hang on the colored walls popping against the color. So I kept going and also when you move the furniture back in the amount of wall color decreases because of the furniture. I loved my dining Room painted a Victorian Rose.So much so that when we put new floors in several years ago, I repainted it the same color and also did the ceiling as the same color. That TV host said not to be afraid of painting your ceiling the same color as your walls, treating it as a 5th wall!!!! You are exactly the type of blogger who dares to be different that I speak of in my post "Feeling a Bit Disenchanted with Blogging" debbie-dabbleblog.blogspot.com/2019/01/feeling-bit-disenchanted-with-blogging.html If you stop by and read the comments , I think you will find that more bloggers are looking for bloggers like you to follow!!! What a wonderful room and I do hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed seeing it!!
Hugs,
Deb
Oh my gosh funny because I was obsessed with Christopher Lowell and he actually showed a photo of my living room when I lived in DC on the show! I always remembered the “no white walls” mantra and loved having deeply colored walls until a few years ago, I think that phase was only a palette cleanser though 😂😂 and I’m painting everything again! Thanks so much Deb🙂
I love it! I loved your bedroom before, but I love it even more now. It was great to see all the different angles of the room too.
Thank you so much Lisa!
what a beautiful, cozy bedroom! The gray looks so good with your bed, curtains and love the contast with the wooded doors. So sweet that you hang family pieces to surround you.
Thanks so much Ann!! I love having those meaningful things:-)
Oh, my goodness! I love it! I love dark colors anyway and this tone reminds me of the rooms I'm always pinning that have a Bloomsbury feel to them. There is so much drama here and yet it's very restful too. Those curtains are amazing! Actually, every detail in the room is. Excellent job!
Thank you so much Dewena!!
Reading the comments, I agree! I've admired your love of your family and heritage. Love the rich beautiful drapes and the dark grey paint sets the tone for your haven:). Kathleen in Az
Thank you so much Kathleen!!
My decorating style (right now) is light, airy and mostly monochromatic. I think you are an absolutely decorating genius and an inspiration! The room is so Beautiful. And it shows personality, family heritage and things you love. I admire your taste, your blog and you. Thank you.
Thank you so much for that Monica!! I appreciate so many different styles but find so many cannot see past their own preferences to appreciate something different, so that means a lot. Thank you:-)
Absolutely lovely!
Thank you Sheila!!
what a beautiful, cozy bedroom! The gray looks so good with your bed, curtains and love the contast with the wooded doors. So sweet that you hang family pieces to surround you.
Thank you so much!!
Lindo.
Thanks Sandra!
This is so much fun. I think it is a gorgeous color and it fits your style and it fits with your collectables.
Thanks Katie, we love it so far!!
Thanks Katie!! We love this color so far:-)
Dark umber is grey, but in certain light, it looks like a deep olive green. Lovely.