Today is all about keeping it real around here. I’m stuck in a project paralysis. Project paralysis might look like no follow through…but it’s not. Let me define it for you.
Project paralysis- When you either start or want to start a project but you can’t follow through with it because you can’t figure out what to do with the project.
I’m currently in project paralysis in my master bedroom. It sort of feels like when you have someone’s name on the tip of your tongue but you just.can’t.remember. Yep, it feels like that.
Most people wake up on Saturday and Sunday mornings and roll over and try to sleep for just a few minutes longer. Me? I have sunlight on my bedroom and I lay in bed and study the room and think…and think…and think…until I can’t think anymore and go make coffee.
Here’s where I am at.
Obviously I didn’t spend a lot of time staging these photos. This is the real deal around here. I ordered new bedding which I’m so excited to show you when it arrives. The bedding is white and I think it will add a crisp coastal feel to the room I am craving. That was the easy part. Here’s my dilemma.
I’m debating painting the mirrors…again. There’s a mirror on each side of the bed. I kinda think they should be white. Then there’s the headboard. It’s a beauty as is, but would I like it that much more painted? Would it look good painted with the white bedding? Obviously, not white. Do I want to introduce another paint color in the room?
Then there is the whole matchy matchy thing. The bed, nightstands, dressers are all the same. I’m kinda over that. I have looked high and low for 2 dressers I could use as nightstands and haven’t found anything (I liked). I’m thinking about painting (big surprise) some or all of it just to break it up a bit. I just haven’t been able to pull the trigger on the project. Here’s the dresser.
It is very pretty as is, but all of the detail would really pop with a little paint. We finally mounted the television after it had lived on the top of my dresser for more than a few months. I have a plan for covering it but the picture in my head is sometimes hard to accomplish.
Then there is this half done project.
I painted the frame…and love it. The problem is the fabric. I love the shell fabric and the sides already have a navy linen on them I did myself. The seat cushion will be the shell fabric also. My dilemma…do I use navy piping or a navy ruffle? I realize to the majority of people in the world this is not a big decision. Clean water, education, and immunizations all rank much higher. But in my mind, ruffles or piping can be all consuming.
Then I picked up this sweet little stand for $20 at a warehouse sale. I’m pretty sure it will go some shade of white, but then blue would also be so lovely.
I like the window valance treatment I did a while back. No changes there…yay! …I think
Then there is this bench. I bought it quite a while ago because of all the sweet detail on the leg and the shape of it. It is the perfect size for the end of the bed. I’ve gone back and forth between slipcovering it or doing a full out reupholster. See the clear part of some toy underneath? Haha…didn’t see that when I photographed.
Oh and the rug. It’s not staying. I’m just trying it out, borrowing it from the living room because there’s a new one in there. It doesn’t pass. It is an outdoor rug that will have to live its days outside.
Like I said…project paralysis. You’re not the only one. It even happens to those of us who profess to know what we are doing. The stakes are high. No one wants to live with a mistake or something they don’t like, especially when they’ve spent their hard earned money on it.
I guess I just need to dive in and start doing. Make decisions. I just thought I would share this with you because sometimes it is really easy to think the design comes easy and everything just works out perfectly. That is so not the case. Sometimes it is really hard to make decisions because we are all on some sort of budget or another and the last thing anyone wants to do is make a mistake. I get it. I’m in the middle of it right now.
Here’s your chance to weigh in on the design of this room. What would you do? Paint the furniture white? Grey? Blue?
Ruffles or piping? Slipcover or reupholster? Paint the headboard or leave it dark?
Share your opinion with me and rest assured Saturday morning I’ll be thinking…and thinking…and thinking…and then after a few cups of coffee I’ll dive in.
Have a fantastic day!
Decisions. Decisions. But these are fun ones. Right? I would definitely paint the two chests on the bed sides. I love the chair fabric. Good luck. Enjoy the process.
Ron,
It is fun in a sort of self-torturous kind of way. I usually don’t have this type of indecisiveness. I’ll be jumping in with both feet this weekend. Thanks for following along.
Nancy
You know… only you can choose the colors because you have to go what you love. I always look in my closet and choose colors based on the close I love to wear. What are some of your favorite outfits? I think off white muslin color walls with a blue wash on the furniture (similar to the green wash you have on the mirror) would be beautiful. The blue and white pottery and chair would be able to stay, but the other linens would need to be swapped out.
Thanks Vicki. I love the idea of looking in your closet at clothes for color cues. I already painted the walls Benjamin Moore’s Pale Oak and the ceiling Benjamin Moore’s Quiet Moments based off my love of Amanda at Dixie Delights home office. It’s my favorite room on the internet. I ordered some gorgeous white bedding from Soft Surroundings that I think will be stunning. I’m liking the idea of a blue wash on some of the furniture.
Thanks so much!
Nancy
Love that Pale Oak wall color. Very close to the muslin
Oops.. typo… clothes (not close)
Sooo many decisions!! I’d hate to think I had to do it!! I have project paralysis all the time! I think when you get your white bedding you’ll be able to see a different perspective. You have the color on your window valances to possibly pull in and I like the idea of some blue. I do think piping on the chair. Too much going on for a ruffle. And I’m partial to reupholstering the bench and painting the furniture. Good luck and I can’t wait to see the finished room!!
Wow…that was a lot to take in…The bed…I love the dark wood…I would never be brave enough to paint that. But the mirrors – I vote for white. The shell fabric is stunning…I’d keep the shells with blue piping for contrast. And the bench? I don’t know…paralysis must be contagious…you’ll figure it out though and it will be great.. 🙂
Thanks Jeanne. I’m thinking the mirrors have a date with a white paint brush real soon. Thanks for commenting.
Nancy
Personally, I would get rid of the nightstands beside the bed and find 2 small tables for that space….something not so heavy to compete with the bed and dresser. I love what Amanda at Dixie Delights did with her dresser in her master bedroom….that would be perfect and in keeping with the white/light look you are going for….and do the same with your bed which would make your bedroom look larger, light and airy. We live on the SC coast and I love the neutral look with just pops of color……very relaxing! Love your blog!
Carol,
The natural look is my love too Carol. I wish I could go with tables beside the bed, that would be so easy. Unfortunately, we need the storage. We have pretty small closets and I used every drawer to the max. Seeing Amanda paint her dresser is what inspired me to think of painting my furniture. Funny thing is, if I would have bought this furniture at an estate sale or thrift store, I wouldn’t even think twice about painting it.
Nancy
I’m for piping on the chair and upholstery for the bench. I would paint any or all of the set to break
it up. Maybe keep the wood tops and I’m partial to blue and white : )
do a gathered gusset on the chair cushion, think it would be lovely.
Nancy, You paint tht gorgeous dresser, please don’t tell me about it, as you’ll break my heart. Why not sell it to someone who will love it and buy a secondhand piece to paint?
Sorry it’s making you feel badly to be paralyzed, but I’m happy to not be the only one who has that issue!!!!
The blue and white on the chair seems out of character for the rest of the room, too modern a style print for the chair style and its ornamentation maybe…???? Bu I’ve been surprised and liked unusual combinations before and expect to be surprised and like again. But the mixing up of various prints can be a touchy thing ………..speaks the voice of experience.
The seat at the foot of the bed will be fine, whether you re-up. or slipcover. ……just take some time about deciding on the fabric.
I just think you should wait till you get the white on the bed, then see how your vision changes.
Re: mirrors…i have a problem with green of any sort, so white would suit me. Why not try sketching out the room, putting it on computer somehow (I’m computer illiterate) and try different colors with a watercolor program? Or a paint company’s color program for room designs? Perhaps either could help you sort it out.
It;s my experience that when i don’t; have firm vision starting off , rooms linger in the outer halls of hell until I start over or move…….
So I wish you luck in finishing off this one. btw, didn’t i see it some time ago and it looked pretty good?
Cheers, MJ
PS Dark blue piping on the chair.
MJ,
You have such great suggestions! I’m determined to finish this room and as I have already started taking a baby step I can see with everyone’s suggestions I ‘m going to be able to move forward with this one and finally mark it off the list. The jury is still out on the dresser. I have the men’s version one also I didn’t photograph (mainly because hubby doesn’t keep the top very tidy). Those will be the last items in the room as I see how it all comes together.
I’ve actually had a little bit of a love/hate relationship with them. They are pretty to the eye to be sure, but they are not the most user friendly. The drawers are actually very short (shorter than the piece of furniture) so they don’t hold as much as you would expect. They also have a board that runs under the drawers which means if something falls behind the drawer, it doesn’t fall to the floor and I have to sometimes take the drawers completely out and fish items out. It’s a reproduction bought from a wholesaler while we lived in Texas so if I end up painting I won’t feel too bad because they aren’t antiques.
I so appreciate your thoughtfulness and opinions. Thanks for sharing. If I paint it, I’ll give you fair warning so you can avert your eyes. 🙂
Have a great weekend.
Nancy
What funny timing, I just spent a day with a friend who has some decorating paralysis with her whole house! I think you are heading in the right direction with the color scheme for the room. My first suggestion would be for you to swap out the wood bed if possible for an upholstered headboard in a light tan/oatmeal. You are very talented and I bet you could make your own for just a few hundred dollars. Or I have seen the Nora King headboard from Kirkland’s (of all places!) is gorgeous AND tall for only $299. There is just a lot of wood in your room currently and that might be weighing it down visually. I would say white for the mirrors for sure and a light blue or green-blue for your nightstands. If you have to keep the wood bed (which IS lovely) then I would paint the dresser light and keep the top dark wood. I would definitely take your amazing $20 score table out of the room as it seems crowded and replace that with a metal, open one from somewhere like HomeGoods. The chair with the shell fabric is stunning and is going to turn out amazing! I think piping with the chair shell fabric or a light neutral would be the most pleasing and least distracting to the eye. And most importantly, take ALL OF THIS as a suggestion and nothing more. Your blog is AWESOME and your talents are ENDLESS. Whatever you decide will be wonderful!
Thanks so much Lexi for your kind words. You made my day. 🙂 I’m leaning toward pulling in some of the blue onto the furniture also. In fact, I brought my shell fabric with me today so I can stop by my local Annie Sloan stockist and see what catches my eye. Hello weekend project! Great suggestions for all of it. I would love to replace the little nightstand I picked up with something French and round. I think I’m going to have to go hunting next week at some local antique shops.
Thanks so much for sharing! I really means a lot to me.
Nancy
What a perfect term for my projects on halt too! I have a needlepoint project I’ve been working on for 6 years… I’ll finish it… Someday… But first, I started a new one this week. As for your bed, I don’t think I would paint that, but perhaps instead paint the mirrors a new color. Happy Friday!
Thanks Angelina. My friend Susie from The Chelsea Project had a great idea. She suggested putting a white sheet over the headboard and standing back and looking to see what I thought. Genius.
I’ve already painted the mirrors white (last night) and I love them. Thanks for the suggestions.
Nancy
Oh good! So happy you painted the mirrors white! I love that idea. I would slipcover that cute bench and I can’t wait to see your new bedding.
Love the fabric on that chair!
Happy weekend friend!
karianen
My opinion (and it’s just that – mine). I can see the headboard as the only piece of furniture in the room that is NOT painted. I would even remove some of the items on the wall behind – it’s gorgeous. Let it pop, let it shine.
Dresser, maybe a linen wash?? Nightstands even black? Or at least a charcoal?
Just a thought…
Hello! I have project paralysis a lot, glad I’m not alone….. It is usually easier to advise someone else, rather than decide for yourself….. So, here goes…my professional two-cents! I would actually pull a blue color from one of your plates around your headboard to paint the mirrors. I think it would be stunning with your new white bedding! If you are not ready to paint all your bedroom furniture, which is a huge job, try adding white runners to the tops and edit the accessories and streamline it to maybe a mostly three-color palette. Perhaps white, darker & lighter blues. If you do paint it, and don’t want to paint every piece white, Paris grey or French linen usually blend well. I love what you have done on the chair, it’s gorgeous! I would get tired of a ruffle, personally, but you may not, and it would certainly look nice on the chair. Love the bench, it does have nice lines, perhaps a lighter blue fabric on it. I’m a new follower of your blog, but I really like your style and keepin’ it real….. Can’t wait to see it all come together!
wow. it seems you’ve many stuff to do with this. My idea is to remove plates on the walls or to change them into something like family pictures. After that, I’ll repaint the closet as well as the bed with white or navy. But it just my favor. Everyone has their own favorite design. Just enjoy your process 🙂
I would definitely paint the two chests on the bed sides. I love the chair fabric. The chair with the shell fabric is stunning and is going to turn out amazing! Thanks for sharing.