Before and After: A Dated Master Bedroom Becomes a Modern Farmhouse Retreat

Kathy and Brian always kept their master bedroom door closed when they had guests over in order to hide it from view. They wanted their bedroom to be a retreat from their very busy lives, but over the years it just became an overflow room where they would store miscellaneous items. It eventually turned into a utilitarian space where they would sleep, but not really spend that much time in.

When I first came to look at the room, one of the things I immediately noticed was how cramped and tight it felt. They arranged oversized furniture pieces in such a way that felt like navigating through a maze. Because Kathy wanted enough storage for the room, they had both a dresser and armoire in addition to their closet and storage bins under the bed. This created an awkward corner that they filled with some wall hooks.

The room also had this strange partition wall with a small vanity by the closet. It not only took up unnecessary space in the room it also created a cluttered corner that made access to closet even more difficult. Not to mention the fact that the multiple mirrors felt redundant.

Kathy really liked the modern farmhouse style, but the dated window treatments and the artificially orange colored wood made it feel more country cabin than modern farmhouse. I had a couple of challenges to contend with on this project:

• Include enough storage without overwhelming the room with storage furniture
• Rework the floor plan to make better use of the space
• Find a cohesive color palette and style that feels updated but not overly modern

After

One of the major changes we made to the layout of the master bedroom was the moving of the bathroom door and the removal of the partition wall. This helped open up the room and made it feel more spacious as well as easier to navigate.

Our largest purchase for this bedroom was this bed from Living Spaces. It took a lot of searching to find the perfect bed that had enough storage underneath but didn’t look clunky. This particular bed also had the added bonus of built-in USB ports for charging devices. With fresh white bedding and neutral staging pillows, we created a more serene and calming look for the bed.

To give the master bedroom a more farmhouse vibe, Brian did a DIY shiplap made from 1/4″ plywood cut into 8″ strips. We painted the shiplap white, and the other walls with Behr Canyon Wind.

We needed a very large dresser to compensate for the loss of the old dresser and armoire. But any substantially large dresser was exorbitantly expensive. So I came up with this IKEA hack using two TARVA dressers, some paint and knobs from CB2. You can see this project more in detail in one of my previous posts.

Accents

When I told Kathy and Brian that I wanted to put a rocking chair in their room, they didn’t believe that it would fit. But I pushed them to trust me and it worked out perfectly. What originally started out as an awkward corner with the partition wall is now a cozy reading nook.

I originally wanted to get these floating nightstands from Burke Decor, but they cost $279 each. With a limited budget, Brian and Kathy could not justify the purchase. So instead, Brian built his own version of the nightstands using some wood and vent grates. We even purchased some gold hardware from ETSY. I think his nightstands came out even nicer than the original, but of course, I’m biased.

The window treatments in the master bedroom needed to serve multiple functions. We needed a privacy layer that could filter light but also a blackout option if needed. To accomplish this, I layered a light filtering shade under a blackout woven wood shade. To help frame the window better and add some height, I added a black curtain rod and white curtains. The curtains don’t really serve any function but they help to complete the look.

For the final touch, Kathy had a wreath that her family purchased for her as a birthday present. Originally it sat unused in storage, but it worked perfectly over the bed to complete her farmhouse dream.

Since we moved the location of the door to the bathroom, it allowed us to put in a sliding barn door. The entrance into the bathroom is a lot more accessible now and allowed us to reconfigure the bathroom to accommodate a double sink. For more on the bathroom project, check it out here.

Final Thoughts

I really loved working on this project for Kathy and Brian. Even though their budget wasn’t huge, we were able to create a really beautiful space that they will enjoy for years to come. They finished the bedroom right around the time the pandemic lockdown started. It became the perfect refuge and retreat especially during such a chaotic time. I was especially proud of how they took on a lot of DIY projects including the shiplap wall, the dressers, and the nightstands. They told me that now it’s so easy to keep the room organized and they leave the master bedroom door open all the time.

Products Used: Bed / Rug / IKEA Tarva Dressers / CB2 knob pulls / Sliding Barn door / Barn door hardware / Floor Lamp / Rocking Chair / Table Lamp / Mirror / Large Lumbar Pillow / Adjustable Sconces / Curtains / Shades – Finesse / Ceiling Light / Wreath