Maybe you’re like me and love seeing before and after pictures–of makeup, hair, or house renovations. If so, I have a before and after just for you!
I mentioned a few months ago that we were redoing our main bedroom and I wanted to share the process. We aren’t all the way done because we haven’t added much to the walls or dressers but it’s come a long way from where it was.
Going back to the beginning–here’s what it looked like when Ken and Vernie were living in the house. The ladies in their church sewed the wedding quilt for their marriage in 1954.
Here’s the bedroom when we arrived for our first night in the house. A family member had helped move the bed out since we didn’t need it. So that was our starting point for the room–old blue carpet and pieces of trash.
We started off with our king bed in a different location than Ken and Vernie’s queen bed had been; however, the bed just felt too big for the space.
It felt even smaller when we tried to squeeze in a second dresser.
Vernie had the bathroom doorway widened to accommodate her walker/wheelchair and also had a barn door put in. We took that door down because it kept us from centering a mirror over the dresser and also didn’t allow us to push the dresser all the way against the wall. We replaced it with a regular bathroom door.
After a few days of living with that particular furniture arrangement, we decided the king bed wasn’t going to work. However, that left us in a bit of a predicament because it was not an inexpensive bed and we knew we’d have trouble finding anything we liked as well (that we could afford) in a queen size.
I started checking Facebook Marketplace and much to my delight, I came across a very similar cherry headboard and frame in a queen size–for a fraction of what we had paid for the king size twenty years ago.
We moved the new frame to a different location and liked that arrangement better. This was our 20-year-old bedspread; it was showing wear but we were using it until we found something we liked better.
I eventually found this bedspread on Marketplace for ten bucks and bought it as a placeholder because I was so very tired of the old one. And no more old, blue carpet! Such a happy day to see that hauled out the door.
This is the only shot I have of the mirror over the dresser. I’ve always loved that mirror.
A fresh coat of paint made a big difference, despite the mess of it all. Kudos to Steve for tackling yet another big project.
This is definitely a tacky photo combining the old bedspread and new curtains.
But at long last, we have arrived at the bedroom in its current state.
After having a fairly dark and somber bedroom in Manteo we decided we wanted something brighter. And bright and cheery it is.
So there’s the Main Bedroom Journey. I hope you enjoyed the process!
What about you? Do you enjoy before and after pictures?
Do you like revamping rooms and making them into something different than what they were?
What was the happiest thing that happened to you last week–big or small?
What percentage of your Christmas shopping have you completed?
It’s called the primary suite now not master Becky.
Marie,
I did notice the realtor that Nathan and Meagan worked with calling it that. I’d never heard of the change of terms before then.
“Master” originally referred to, well, the slave master of an estate, so the term is falling out of fashion.
Ellen,
Interesting to know that; thank you!
Ohhhh I do love a good before and after! Thank you for providing one! 😍 I like all kinds as well. A nice hair makeover. A video of someone power washing a really dirty patio. So satisfying!
Ellen,
Glad to give you a Before and After. I think they are so fun to see!
Never thought about one having to do with power washing a dirty patio but I think that WOULD be very satisfying. 🙂
I do enjoy seeing the before and after pictures. I don’t have a knack for decorating myself. In fact, my spare bedroom still has the comforter I bought when I moved to Louisville in 1998. It doesn’t get used that often though so it still looks good.
The happiest thing that happened to me was probably our Sunday School party Saturday afternoon. We did a gift exchange where you can steal from other people. I ended up with a stained glass nativity that one of my classmates had made. She used an old frame that almost looks like shutters on each side. It’s not real big, maybe 13 inches tall and has Mary, Joseph and Baby Jesus.
My Christmas shopping is done, I have 3 presents to wrap and bags for my parents I need to fix. The experience sounds great to me.
Today I took 4 trays of peanut clusters to the staff at my parents’ nursing home as a thank you for the care they provide.
Phyllis,
How thoughtful of you to give a tangible “thank you” to the staff at your parents’ nursing home. They are truly unsung heroes who deserve all the thanks and praise that comes their way.
A stained glass nativity sounds absolutely gorgeous. I know you were happy to leave with it in your possession!
What a great transformation! Your new bedroom is beautiful!! I always love redoing a room and a fresh look.
Almost all of our Christmas shopping is done! Now for the wrapping. I love to wrap gifts!!
There aren’t many because we do an experience rather than gifts so what we bought are stocking stuffers but most don’t fit in the stockings so need wrapped.
LeeAnne,
So what you have is a non-stocking stuffing stocking-stuffer. 🙂 I think you need bigger stockings!
Experiences rather than gifts are so fun, aren’t they? So many great memories to be made.
I absolutely LOVE before and afters! And your “new” bedroom looks so much bigger and brighter! I’m not a big revamper. Receiving an unexpected lunch invitation was one of the nicest things that happened to me this past week; and I estimate I’m about 30% done with Christmas shopping. I did, however, set a record for having my decorations up by the 1st of December this year, so I’m taking that as a win!!
Sue Ellen,
First of December? That’s impressive, for sure. It just gives you so much longer to enjoy them and to prolong the beauty of the season.
Receiving an unexpected lunch is always a good thing, even better than an “expected” one.
You and Steve always do such a great job at making your home lovely. And you’ve certainly done it again! Such a pretty bedroom. I do love a good makeover!
Love, Deb
Deb,
Thanks for your nice compliment.
It’s so fun to watch makeovers of all kinds on TV or YouTube, to see the beginning of something and try to imagine what it might turn into. Fun to watch; fun to do!
I like the minimal look of the room–the no -pattern bedspread is very nice. (and the color of it!)
A restful room–quite fitting…
Ruth
Thanks, Ruth. I do love the color of bedspread, for sure, and achieving at least some level of minimalism is always a win!
I do enjoy seeing the before, during, and after photos. Such fun transformations you have accomplished since moving in.
I like the thought of revamping a room, but have had few opportunities to do so. When I was a teen I used to make diagrams of my room and furniture on graph paper and try out different arrangements.
The happiest thing this week was a Christmas party with my husbands stepkids. Had 22 altogether and of course while everyone was fun to see, the 2 great grands were the best. Almost 1 and 3 they were a delight. Haven’t seen the 1 year old since May and she came right to me for a snuggle. Priceless.
We don’t do much Christmas shopping as we have so many grands that we just give money. I do miss Christmas shopping though.
Merry Christmas to you and yours
Patti,
A Christmas party complete with a 1- and a 3-year-old? Life doesn’t get much better than that! So glad you got in some good snuggles.
It’s cool that you used to make diagrams and room arrangements when you were young; what a fun, creative way to spend your time!
LOVE before and after pictures. It is interesting to see what folks do to their rooms, furniture, outdoors to make it more attractive or more useable (is that a word in this sentence?) It is amazing what a coat of paint can do. Last week – our children, grandchildren (except of 3 of them) and our great grandson were with us in Florida for a week. We had some very nice weather and so they were able to enjoy warmth before returning to the coldness of the north and in between weather of the west. So excited for you that are able to find bargains on Facebook. Someone else’s junk? is your treasure. Upward and onward Steve – have a feeling the end is in sight for painting, scraping, and lugging out stuff! Thanks so much for sharing Becky. Looking forward to more home improvement pictures!
Sharyn,
What a fun family reunion. Warm weather and lots of kids! I know it must have been fabulous especially to those who are used to such cold climates.
Steve’s still got two bathrooms, a hallway and two bedrooms to paint so he’s about halfway there. Little by little!
Your new bed looks like an EXACT match, to me! What a wonderful find!
Also – I must know the paint color/brand you used. It’s gorgeous!
Before/After photos are some of my favorites. I like seeing all the details in the changes.
Our Christmas shopping is complete – now I just have to wrap up the gifts. 🙂
The happiest thing this week: Saturday afternoon we were at WalMart, walking toward a checkout lane, when I heard, “MAMA!” I turned around and there stood my daughter and son-in-law! I was so happy to see them! They live just 20 miles from us, but there are many other WalMart stores closer to their home – they just decided to shop at “my” WalMart that day. 🙂
We stood and talked outside the store for a few minutes, enjoying the weather and each other’s company. 🙂
Stefanie,
Yes, we were thrilled to find that frame just when we needed it. And the paint is the same color we used in our Manteo living room and Charlotte living room. It’s Valspar Silken Stockings. We’ve loved it.
Such a joy to unexpectedly meet up with beloved people when out and about. It’s like a little extra sprinkle of joy in an otherwise mundane day.
Gift-wrapping is not my thing; Steve is the wrapper in the house. We are doing very little shopping, mainly just for the grands and each other. The six adults are doing an experience this year, instead of gifts, which should be fun. Happy wrapping!