*Lyrics from Temporary Love by Missy Higgins off her newest album The Ol’ Razzle Dazzle. I just heard her for the first time this week – her album art totally drew me in – but I like her. Reminds me of Sia, whom I adore. Hey, it can’t all be waxed handlebar mustaches, right? … So, I thought I’d introduce some of the rooms that have had lesser status on the blog, and show you around some more of the spaces of the house that make us love it so much, and will hopefully make you love it, too.

House Tour: Guest Bedroom

Faux bois, meaning fake wood, adds a soft texture to an otherwise neutral palette.

Remember when I sewed curtains for the foyer and landing, even though I’d never even done it before? And remember how I alluded to the fact that I also made a lined pair for the guest room, and teased that I’d share with you the result someday? Well, today is someday. Not only did I have the fabric for those curtains for over two years (I honestly can’t remember if I got the fabric before or after the Great Renovation), but I also had a vision for that space since finding the fabric.

It was a woven faux bois, on sale, in what seemed to be a medium-weight, cottony material in cream and beige (I may have sewn the panels, but a fabric maven I am not). I thought it was perfect for the guest space that I’d been dreaming of: soft lilac walls (flattering to any skin tone), complimented with chocolate browns and beiges, lavenders, peaches and pinks as accents, and plenty of soft white to offset the natural wood tones and textures. I had a vision of a bed-and-breakfast style set-up – what with the sleeping porch just off the room – where weekend visitors could have fresh squeezed orange juice, tea or an individual french press of coffee on a bistro table just outside their bedroom door. The room faces north-east, so morning time activities were the inspiration, and I wanted a space that felt refreshing, peaceful, and welcoming for long slumbers, or early morning starts.

Of course, since we’re trying to sell our glorious home, I’ll never fully realize the vision I had for the space. I’ll just have to leave that to the next family who gets to live here. But, for now, I can share with you how far I did get, and what I think is working, and what isn’t.

Looking toward the main hallway/landing area, and adjacent the family bath, this room has exclusive access to the screened-in, upstairs sleeping porch. You know, for extra luxury.

The wall color is Benjamin Moore Violet Pearl in flat (or matte, I can never remember how the Aura paints are delineated), with white trim, and natural fir flooring from the 1920s. The rug was a find from Overstock (or RugsUSA – I can’t recall), that looked more like an ink splatter online, and looks more like cow hide in person. It’s not my favorite thing in the space, but I like the abstract nature of the floor covering, and the depth that a rich chocolate brings to the room. (I might choose something like this were I choosing again.) We never did get a proper bed for the guest room – mainly because we never found a bed to replace ours, and we’d planned to move our bed into the guest room at some point. C’est la vie.

With room enough for a computer, the little table does double duty as a functioning desk for visitors, and a spot to place a lamp for extra soft lighting at night. Overheads are for finding things, table lamps are for ambiance.

Anyway, essentially, since it’s a space for guests, there doesn’t need to be much in it. A little desk and a chair, a mirror, a side table, a couple of lamps, a closet with extra pillow and blankets and a place to set down your bags – really, it didn’t need much to be special. But, the curtains, they really made the space feel so much more elegant than ever before. (A few photos on the wall didn’t hurt either.) The weight of the fabric, lined with cream drapery liner, and the height of the curtains – just over 7′ tall – bring pleasing sound dampening and a grandness to a relatively small space. Since I was new to curtain making I didn’t fuss over whether or not the patterns matched when the curtains were pulled shut (the pattern is pretty fluid and tone-on-tone, so it reads more as a texture anyhow), nor did I make the curtains panels any wider than the width of the fabric bolt (about 56″), but it works. And, for my 5th and 6th attempts at curtains, they do the trick, just as they are. And I love them.

Sweet little area with photos from vacations past help set the mood for the room.

Oh, and I mentioned briefly that we hung a few photos? Well, a while back I reclaimed some picture frames that I had from many years prior – ones that, well, weren’t my taste anymore (if they ever were) – with a simple can of spray paint and bit of drying-time patience over the course of a few hours. From ‘weathered black’ to glossy white, I simply chose a couple of photos from family trips to Cape Cod, tucked them into the frame, and voila! Fresh, pretty, and serene. Just like the guest room.

A few light sprays of this paint on those frames turned trash into treasure.

A mix of textures on the bedding keeps the room from being boring, while the tone-on-tone nature of all the patterns keeps things peaceful and calming to the eye.

Now, all we need are a few guests to enjoy this room in its current glory for as long as it’s still ours. Who will be the next guest to book a spot in this little slice of heaven before it’s too late? xoxo