Hello friends! I’m sitting in our guest bedroom reminiscing on how this space used to look! I decided to do a bit of updating in here over these winter months. I know you’ve heard me say this before - but I love doing projects in the winter! It’s when I seem to have the most time and it’s also when I am cooped up inside that the juices begin to flow. Does this happen to you, too?

Today I’m going to share with you how I updated our guest bedroom (at our house) - and walk you through the process of how you can refresh a space in your house with just a little paint and a little creativity.

Here is a BEFORE picture of the space:

This space didn’t look bad. In fact, it’s clean and organized which - to me - always makes a space feel pretty. However, I wanted to freshen it up and add a little character to it. So….this is the process that I used.

1. Sell Furniture

Let’s be honest…sometimes in order to update a space, you need to update your furniture. :-)

I felt a little sad about getting rid of this furniture - mainly because we purchased it when we first got married 30 years ago - but in order to update this space, I needed money so I decided to let it go (furniture and mattress). With the proceeds of the sale, I was able to purchase new furniture to update this space.

Can you believe that I didn’t even paint this furniture before selling it? My mom (who passed away 12 years ago) worked so hard on refinishing it and for that reason…I didn’t want to paint over her work. I know it sounds silly, but that’s my reasoning and there are many people (including the people who purchased this set) who love the look of antique pieces. So…I said good bye to this beautiful set!

2. Paint Walls and/or Ceilings

My motto is: paint covers a multitude of sins. Ha! I’m all about using paint to refresh a space since it’s one of the easiest and least expensive way to change things up.

To add a little contrast in here - I chose to paint the inlet in the ceilings (Peppercorn by Sherwin Williams) and leave the walls white.

(Note: I should have primed the ceilings first as it needed 3 coats. Lesson learned!)

3. Create a Sitting Area

I knew that I not only wanted our guests to have an area where they could relax and read, but I wanted to create something where I could sit and read or work as well when guests are not in town. These chairs were in our Rowhouse Airbnb (the one that we sold last June) and I’ve been storing them in our basement. I love the mid-modern look of them and knew they would fit perfectly in here!

4. Add a Bed and Mattress

I worked with Casper on a collaboration for this bedroom. I received a queen mattress from them and we put it on a new spindle bed frame. First of all, the mattress is amazing! It not only gives you great support while sleeping - but it is also very plush and conforms to your body. I’ve tried many foam mattresses with our Airbnb business and so far, I’m really impressed with this Casper!

I also love the way it looks on this spindle bedframe. The fact that you don’t need a box spring gives this bed a clean and sophisticated look.

5. Add in vintage and new furniture

If you follow me on IG, you know that I love mixing old pieces of furniture with new. I picked up this old vintage desk at ReStore and painted it a blush pink color that I had on hand. Check out the process that I use to paint furniture and cabinets here. If you’re interested in making and using your own chalk paint - I have a quick and easy blog post here!

I also added end tables on each side of the bed. I found these at TJ Maxx and love them because they have an electrical outlet built in. So convenient so that guests don’t have to find one under the bed!

6. Add Textiles -Rug, Pillows, Curtains, etc.

I love decorating with rugs because they help to soften the space. The boho, vintage vibe of this rug is exactly the look I was going for. I love the subtle blush tones which helps to tie in my newly painted desk. I added pillows (some that I already had on hand) and a duvet (also that I already had on hand). To save money, I kept the same curtains up that I had in here before but I may change them out eventually!

I found this rug at Marshall’s but here are a few similar ones:

Boho Rug, Vintage Rug, Faded Medalian Rug

Bamboo Mirror, Blush colored duvet, Similar Pink Pillow

7. Add Pictures and Accessories

I found this large picture at Goodwill for $10 so I grabbed it and used it as the backdrop for this room. Sometimes it’s hit or miss when you go to a thrift store, but I feel like I scored with this pic!

Navy Pillows, Peach/Pink Pillow

8. Add Greenery (of course!)

Ahhh…greenery! Yes, this is the last thing I always add because it also softens a space and adds a pop of color. I love these beautiful plant baskets that I received from Organihaus. (Use Code: Cottage15 for a discount) They are made from cotton rope and they have two sizes. My plants look so happy styled in them. Can you tell which of my plants are real and which ones are faux?