Hey friends, it’s been a while because momming during a pandemic is hard, and then losing power and internet made it harder. However, power is back (!!!) and I’m trying to take a bit more time for myself and the home projects I’ve put off for the last 6 months. I’ll be providing updates in the coming weeks.
I figured I’d start with the guest room. We started working on this room with our designer, the incomparable Amy Hirsch (@amyhirsch_design), a few years back, but we never got around to finishing it. I’ve always wanted to add wallpaper, but I recently decided that updating the bedding would be a way to add interest and textural depth to the room at a fraction of the the cost. As my husband has reminded me repeatedly, it is JUST a guest room.
Beginnings
Before we get to the pillow update, let’s talk about the room generally. (If you’re here for just for the room’s source info, scroll to the bottom. I won’t be offended). We expanded the guest room during our 2017 renovation, adding a walk-in closet and a cute sitting area that joins the room to a jack-and-jill bath shared with my son’s room. The early design was driven by Amy, but was also pretty collaborative because this wasn’t a place where we could spent a ton of money. The one splurge in the room were the custom Roman shades, made with gorgeous Schumacher fabric chosen by Amy. Amy also sources the bedside tables and the Mongolian fur chair in the sitting area.
Since we didn’t have the budget to go full-design in this room, I did some sourcing myself. I found that great midcentury-inspired CB2 bed with cognac leather headboard. Next, the lighting: I love the interior design firm Chango & Co. (@changeandco), and have been obsessed with those Palecek woven pendants since I saw them used in one of their bedroom designs, so snatched them up once Amy told me she approved. The rug is slightly too small for the room, but was repurposed from our sunroom/reading room. Also repurposed was that Chinese chest that was serendipitously perfect on a short wall, and the leaning mirror was purchased years ago from an antique store in Chelsea. The off-white bedding was a 30-second quick purchase Amy and I made on the RH website while she was doing a sight visit one day.
All of the other accessories were budget buys added by me later. The artwork over the bed was a $35 framed print from Homegoods that felt very Studio McGee (@studiomcgee) to me. The artwork over the side tables is from Target, purchased for like $29; I’m not a huge fan of them, but there they shall stay for now (again, it is JUST a guest room).
Those Arteriors lamps. Swoon. They were a fantastic Homegoods buy for like $45 each. Seriously guys, you should have seen me run to the register when I found them, it was so totally uncool. Same goes with that fun beaded mirror above the chest; I think I paid $99 at Homegoods for it. I eventually want to add something else between the lamps, but the dried branches, purchased for $15 at HomeSense, are a cheap and organic addition.
Pillow Update
The pillows in this room were meant to be those cohesive pieces that pull everything together, and I think they were successful in doing so. First, I looked for design inspiration. I’m a HUGE fan of Amber Lewis of Amber Interiors (@amberinteriors). If you love decor and design and you’re not following her on Instagram, you should punch yourself in the face, then immediately stop reading this post and go follow her. She’s just so good at organic and natural design that doesn’t feel chaotic or messy. And, her bedscapes (I don’t think that’s a word, but I’m making it one) are always impeccable. So, I went through some of her old photos and realized that the bedscapes I loved the most were those with rich, layered textiles and gorgeous texture. The art above the bed drove where I was going with the pillow situation color-wise. I then pulled pillows from around the house to figure out the general sizes for the layered pillow look that I wanted.
From there, I hit up all of my usual pillow sources (link here to an old post on my favorite pillow sources). I thought about having custom pillows made. Then, I found some inexpensive pillows covers from Pottery Barn that felt like the room. I got them and they worked. I ordered some pillows from some of my regular sources that didn’t work and was bummed. My design guardian angel, Amy, suggested I get a lumbar from Mae Woven and I never look a gift horse (or free design advice) in the mouth, so promptly went to the website and ordered my favorite.
Finally, I was randomly on the Anthropologie website and saw some pillows that were the right size, right texture, and right color. I figured I’d get them and hate them, but they came and they were perfect. Even better, the design on the front of the pillow is slightly different from the back, so I flipped one so the pillows don’t look too match-y. The result is exactly what I wanted but wasn’t sure I could achieve.
Source Info
Now, for that source info you’re almost certainly here for.
Pillows
The exact pillows from Pottery Barn and Anthropologie are available. However, Mae Woven’s pillow inventory is constantly changing, so here’s one that’s is currently available. If you really want a Kilim pillow like the one I purchased, I’d wait because Mae Woven is constantly restocking, or I’d do an Etsy search for Kilim lumbar pillows. The size of the lumbar pillow on my bed is 16″x26″.
The Rest of the Room
Finding sources for the rest of the room items was a bit of a challenge because some are no longer available, and I bought many items on at a discount store. However, I wanted to share what I could, and found great alternatives for some of the items that aren’t available anymore.
I hope my design journey helps you with yours. Remember, you’re not a professional, so trial and error is going to be a part of the process. My one suggestion regarding purchases: start with the websites and stores that have the cheapest shipping costs and most liberal return policies and branch out from there.
