Finding joy: Feathering the nest

When I first purchased my home, I didn't really understand that what I was really signing up for was years of projects and tweaking. Now, to be clear, the changes have been cosmetic -- but with a blank canvas in a new house, I feel like I am finally figuring out my own style. Yes, you could have gotten a sense of what I loved from apartments, but, for me, it's when I get to paint and really pick furniture for my own space.

Now, five years in, my house certainly has been adapted to my wants and needs -- the baby grand is at home in the library and I finally have the purple and gold guest bedroom (yes, really). 

But with all of the stress and bad health mojo I've had, the one room -- the last room, I tell myself -- that needed a bit more love was my bedroom.

It started out as a beautiful blank canvas. 

Brand, spankin' new! 

I fell in love with the house partially because of the bedroom -- it was on the back side of the house, it faced north (my previous bedroom faced southwest, which was horrible), it had a vaulted ceiling, and it was spacious. It was, unfortunately, also a little cold feeling as a blank canvas, which led me to choose a pinkish tan as the paint color (along with a different tan for the master bathroom).

Not the best lighting... but it was much warmer! And -- blinds!

Warm master bath -- my sanctuary.

Then one morning this spring, I woke up and said, "I need to paint this a different color." Later that day I told Sergio about my unexplainable decorating urge. 

"Painting? Really? I thought you weren't going to make any more big house changes."

And that was true -- I did say that.  I've gotten pretty fed up with the commute as of late and we've been toying with the idea of both selling our houses and moving closer to Kirkland. We go back and forth on how soon this will happen -- so that means saving the money I'd spend on crazy house projects for the next set of house projects.

But then I decided I wasn't quite done, so I called up my favorite painter and let him have at the bedroom and bathroom again...

The new bedroom! 

Hard to capture the color perfectly. 

New blackout curtains! 

Yes -- I went purple! I'm not sure what it was about purple that drew me in -- not surprising because I love the color almost as much as pink. The bedspread has blue, purple, grey, and cream, and I wanted something more relaxing and soothing. 

Of course, I had to do the bathroom too.

From tan to blue! Probably closest to the real color.

Looks a little more purple in the photo than real life...

So -- from warm to cool, I'm in love with it. I always loved the warm colors, but now when I walk in the bedroom? AHHHH. Relaxation. 

I'm just finishing up the rest of the decorating -- mainly a bit more artwork (still in the works). I finally caved and bought the giant zinc letters from Anthropologie that I have been coveting for some time. They aren't up on the wall yet -- they're pretty heavy so I* need to do it properly. 

*Sergio

Astrix smelling the new S's.

I found this great paper goods shop on Etsy (how many of them are there that I love? pretty much all of them -- I'm not to be trusted!) that makes customized hearts with your names, so of course I ordered one and framed it for my dresser. Just a few knick-knacks away from a perfect sanctuary...

Love it! 

... until I get another decorating inspiration, of course...

In case you missed my last home post, check it out here. Perhaps I'll do a bit more fiddling, but this might be my last home post until the new house :)

xo,

Sarah