Although I did this project over 6 months ago, I've finally gotten around to updating my blog. Last summer brought a lot of changes in my life: I was newly single, recently laid off, and moving into a new house.
Interior design was very healing. My first inspiration was a deep blue green, like the color of Tourmaline and Fluorite. I finally settled on the color Valspar Stained Glass.
Another source of inspiration was the Hollywood Regency style, a favorite of mine. I love the bold patterns and opulence, and finally had the time and resources to make this style my own. The room accidentally has a second theme: mythical beasts. I noticed that many of the pieces I collected referenced fantastical animals: winged whales, griffins, snakes, dragons, and feathers.
I modeled up the space in Sketchup, using an existing IKEA chest of drawers and adding a few nightstands. It's a great tool for understanding the layout.
I spruced up my IKEA furniture using O'verlays. I used a small sample size of Valspar as a bole coat, and then applied imitation gold leaf. Here's my inspiration.
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| Greek Key Overlays on an IKEA shelf |
I found a wonderful canopy bed by Benicia Ironworks on Craigslist for $400. I added a Japanese Floral Doona Cover by Florence Broadhurst (my favorite pattern designer), 8 yards of decorative fabric from Jo-Ann's, and a dragon pillow from Dwell Studio. The Griffin lamps are from Horchow, and the curtains are from West Elm. (Shoutout to the helpful people at West Elm who provided complimentary design services).
I really wanted to hide the pedestal sink and separate the bedroom from the bathroom, so I bought a tension rod and put up these sheer curtains.
These woodblock prints are from Katrina Perano from Akaroa, New Zealand.
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| I'm not a minimalist :) |
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| The feather hooks are from Etsy seller PerFecteauDecor |
The painting of Durga is from India and was purchased for $10 at the Santa Fe Folk Art Festival.
The whole project was very healing for me. It was a challenging time in my life, but I just sank into my work to keep me going. There's nothing like working with my hands to bring satisfaction. I love the end result and feel totally at home in this space.
