restoring the roost

North Carolina Country Living and Farmhouse Style

North Carolina Country Living and Farmhouse Style
since 2010

The Guest Room

· decorating the roost

I’m excited to show you our guest room today. It has been a challenge to decorate this room. We’ve been in this house for over  three years now and I’m just now getting this room put together.

Before it was a hodgepodge of stuff, with no color palette or feel defining the room. This room to me is difficult due to the projection in the middle of one wall where a fireplace used to be, and a recess along that same wall. It’s one lonely window also makes it odd in my mind. One of the first changes that I made was to paint the room from a pastel yellow to more of a neutral cream color. In hindsight I wish now I had painted it stark white for a crisper look.

Next I decided I wanted to spray paint our white iron bed red for a bold look against the white bedding. I draped my husband BJ’s great-grandmother’s quilt overtop. The room morphed into sort of a farmhouse-y look.

I seem to act very impulsively when it comes to decorating…..does anyone else have this problem?
Over time this room seemed to morph into the “chicken” room. I had chicken paintings, prints, signs, and other memorabilia, chicken figurines……oh dear. This was NOT the look I was going for to give guests a relaxing, inviting room in which to stay. I decided I needed to get rid of our large, solid wood drafting table (a nice piece, but not functional for us anymore) and most of the chicken clutter. I moved a bookshelf with all of my antique books into this room instead.

 I painted the yard-sale dresser from its crusty (not pretty) white to a color with more pop. This subtle gray-blue worked well and is not unlike the color on the wooden filing cabinet used on the far side of the bed. I topped the dresser this with an antique ammunition box that has a wonderful patina; a vintage sewing kit completes the trio.

The next new piece introduced to the room was my cherry side table detailed in this post. It makes a wonderful bedside table and gives some rich color against the light walls. It may not stay in this room, but for now it works. I placed a jug for water and a glass on a tray along with some fresh lavender sprigs for guests staying the night.

This is the guest room shortly after we moved in:

Here is the room now:

A bamboo roman shade dresses up the lone window a bit. Then it was time to embellish the walls: an antique tobacco basket defines the bed, along with some prints, a breadboard made from an old bourbon barrel, and a mirror.

We also have a luggage rack tucked away for when guests come that we can pull out for their use. I like this one with its metal frame and thick burlap panels (a recent Christmas gift).

Now for the part of the room that doesn’t quite fit and for me is too cluttered. I didn’t want to show you this part, but that wouldn’t really be fair now, would it?

Currently this room has to do double-duty and also function as a space for BJ’s music-related items including his keyboard, guitars, music books, and other items. I wish it could function as solely a room for guests and their relaxation, but that is just not possible at this time. So, one wall and cubby is devoted to musical pursuits. BJ has been patiently waiting for his “man room” all to himself……maybe someday soon, honey 🙂 

The cool thing is that he was able to easily build shelving in this nook to accommodate his books, musical supplies, art, and other random items that were taking up precious closet space elsewhere. It may not match the rest of the room, but at least the space is being used. This shelving cost us about $12 to build, having the paint and tools on hand already. I hope to post a tutorial soon on building this shelving–as it was so easy to do!

So there you are! Our guest room.

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Comments

  1. What a wonderful transformation! The pretty bed is really the highlight of the room and everything does have that farmhouse feel. I love the mix of furniture and the colors you painted them with. It doesn't look impulsive at all! Well done! 🙂

    XO,
    Jane

  2. What a wonderful transformation! The pretty bed is really the highlight of the room and everything does have that farmhouse feel. I love the mix of furniture and the colors you painted them with. It doesn't look impulsive at all! Well done! 🙂

    XO,
    Jane

  3. What a wonderful transformation! The pretty bed is really the highlight of the room and everything does have that farmhouse feel. I love the mix of furniture and the colors you painted them with. It doesn't look impulsive at all! Well done! 🙂

    XO,
    Jane

  4. Wow! I love it all, but the red frame is what did me in!

  5. Wow! I love it all, but the red frame is what did me in!

  6. Wow! I love it all, but the red frame is what did me in!

  7. It looks great! Years ago, I also painted a bed very similar to yours in bright red. I love the cozy feel of this room.

  8. It looks great! Years ago, I also painted a bed very similar to yours in bright red. I love the cozy feel of this room.

  9. It looks very warm and cozy! I'd be thrilled to stay in a guest room like this. I really love that vintage ammo box – so cool! I love the eclectic farmhouse look. That's the style I love 🙂

  10. It looks very warm and cozy! I'd be thrilled to stay in a guest room like this. I really love that vintage ammo box – so cool! I love the eclectic farmhouse look. That's the style I love 🙂

  11. Well that red bed just makes the room, in my opinion! I love it! I like that luggage rack too. We need one or two of those. I've noticed people struggling with their suitcases and that would really help.

  12. Well that red bed just makes the room, in my opinion! I love it! I like that luggage rack too. We need one or two of those. I've noticed people struggling with their suitcases and that would really help.

  13. I am in LOVE with the red! Megan, you need to be styling shoots for Country Living. Beautiful!

  14. I am in LOVE with the red! Megan, you need to be styling shoots for Country Living. Beautiful!

  15. It looks gorgeous, Megan! I love the farmhouse look – the red bed is amazing and the bookshelf full of antique books is great! It all came together so well.

  16. It looks gorgeous, Megan! I love the farmhouse look – the red bed is amazing and the bookshelf full of antique books is great! It all came together so well.

  17. It looks gorgeous, Megan! I love the farmhouse look – the red bed is amazing and the bookshelf full of antique books is great! It all came together so well.

  18. Love your furniture, the pop of red from the bed and all those vintage books! Found you at Savvy Southern Style.

    Have a great day!
    Angela

  19. Love your furniture, the pop of red from the bed and all those vintage books! Found you at Savvy Southern Style.

    Have a great day!
    Angela

  20. Love your furniture, the pop of red from the bed and all those vintage books! Found you at Savvy Southern Style.

    Have a great day!
    Angela

  21. I am in love with this room! You did such a wonderful job!

  22. I am in love with this room! You did such a wonderful job!

  23. I am in love with this room! You did such a wonderful job!

  24. What a fabulous post love your furniture. Gorgeous red bed and your room looks cozy feel. I really love that vintage box so cool.

    Regards
    Nathan
    See more here

  25. What a fabulous post love your furniture. Gorgeous red bed and your room looks cozy feel. I really love that vintage box so cool.

    Regards
    Nathan
    See more here

  26. What a fabulous post love your furniture. Gorgeous red bed and your room looks cozy feel. I really love that vintage box so cool.

    Regards
    Nathan
    See more here

  27. It is serene, relaxing, and I love the bed and linens. I pinned it. Hope you don't mind.

  28. It is serene, relaxing, and I love the bed and linens. I pinned it. Hope you don't mind.

  29. It is serene, relaxing, and I love the bed and linens. I pinned it. Hope you don't mind.

  31. gorgeous, megan! i love the bed and love the colors!

  33. LOVE those old iron beds, even more so when they are painted red. Great choice the room looks amazing!

  34. LOVE those old iron beds, even more so when they are painted red. Great choice the room looks amazing!

  35. Great look Megan and the mix of the soft look of the bed linens and the rustic feel with the tobacco basket and the old box. I am struggling with re-doing our guest room now and so hard to get away from the feminine look.
    Blessings,
    Audrey Z.
    Timeless Treasures

  36. Great look Megan and the mix of the soft look of the bed linens and the rustic feel with the tobacco basket and the old box. I am struggling with re-doing our guest room now and so hard to get away from the feminine look.
    Blessings,
    Audrey Z.
    Timeless Treasures

  37. This looks great. I absolutely love the red bed frame! Found your blog at mms!

  38. That's a great guest room! And as long as you can see those charming book shelves and rooster from the doorway, it should appeal to any guests (especially me). 🙂 It is lovely! I pinned the rooster on my board 'Chickens I Want.' lol

  39. That's a great guest room! And as long as you can see those charming book shelves and rooster from the doorway, it should appeal to any guests (especially me). 🙂 It is lovely! I pinned the rooster on my board 'Chickens I Want.' lol

  40. That's a great guest room! And as long as you can see those charming book shelves and rooster from the doorway, it should appeal to any guests (especially me). 🙂 It is lovely! I pinned the rooster on my board 'Chickens I Want.' lol

  44. Beautifully done, Megan! It looks so warm, cozy, and welcoming now! The addition of a little pops of color truly added a ton of charm! Great job!

    xoxo laurie

  45. Beautifully done, Megan! It looks so warm, cozy, and welcoming now! The addition of a little pops of color truly added a ton of charm! Great job!

    xoxo laurie

  46. Beautifully done, Megan! It looks so warm, cozy, and welcoming now! The addition of a little pops of color truly added a ton of charm! Great job!

    xoxo laurie

  47. Your guest room is lovely and the red bed is such a great statement. Love the vintage quilt and bedding too. Having the room dual purpose is not always a first choice, but it is a great use of space.

  48. Your guest room is lovely and the red bed is such a great statement. Love the vintage quilt and bedding too. Having the room dual purpose is not always a first choice, but it is a great use of space.

  49. Your guest room is lovely and the red bed is such a great statement. Love the vintage quilt and bedding too. Having the room dual purpose is not always a first choice, but it is a great use of space.

  50. The room looks amazing. I am in love with the bed frame…and very envious of your antique book collection. I bet guests will be excited to stay there!

  51. The room looks amazing. I am in love with the bed frame…and very envious of your antique book collection. I bet guests will be excited to stay there!

  52. The room looks amazing. I am in love with the bed frame…and very envious of your antique book collection. I bet guests will be excited to stay there!

  53. Megan,
    I adore the transformation in your guest room, dear one!
    Painting the walls, the bed and the dresser truly made a more cohesive look!
    I love, love, love the quilt atop the bed!!!
    Fondly,
    Pat
    P.S. Visiting from Debra's!!!

  54. Megan,
    I adore the transformation in your guest room, dear one!
    Painting the walls, the bed and the dresser truly made a more cohesive look!
    I love, love, love the quilt atop the bed!!!
    Fondly,
    Pat
    P.S. Visiting from Debra's!!!

  55. Megan,
    I adore the transformation in your guest room, dear one!
    Painting the walls, the bed and the dresser truly made a more cohesive look!
    I love, love, love the quilt atop the bed!!!
    Fondly,
    Pat
    P.S. Visiting from Debra's!!!

  56. This is such a wonderful room, LOVE that great pop of red with the antique iron bed. I have one just like it in white. Thanks for joining in last week, you were the top visited link!

  57. This is such a wonderful room, LOVE that great pop of red with the antique iron bed. I have one just like it in white. Thanks for joining in last week, you were the top visited link!

  58. Love that Bed frame RED!!! What a fabulous color!!!Found your blog over at Common Ground! I love your style Megan…following you now and wishing you a wonderful week!
    XO Barbara

  59. Love that Bed frame RED!!! What a fabulous color!!!Found your blog over at Common Ground! I love your style Megan…following you now and wishing you a wonderful week!
    XO Barbara

  60. The room looks amazing, and that red bed takes the cake!!

  61. The room looks amazing, and that red bed takes the cake!!

  62. Painting the old furniture is really a great idea to give a new look to the old furniture and all the furniture that you have posted above is really looking very beautiful after painting.Its good to make best use of old furniture rather than keep it in store room.

    Jerome’s Furniture

  63. Painting the old furniture is really a great idea to give a new look to the old furniture and all the furniture that you have posted above is really looking very beautiful after painting.Its good to make best use of old furniture rather than keep it in store room.

    Jerome’s Furniture

  64. Painting the old furniture is really a great idea to give a new look to the old furniture and all the furniture that you have posted above is really looking very beautiful after painting.Its good to make best use of old furniture rather than keep it in store room.

    Jerome’s Furniture