Get the before and after story of one master bedroom and bath that get a complete overhaul through the efforts of one industrious couple.
With three kids ages four and under, you wouldn't think happy parents Brandon and Shannon were lacking a "spark" in the bedroom. But their decor was a holdover from their house's former residents and did nothing to ease their stress at the end of a long day. Mauve carpet, flowered wallpaper, and quirky barn-style closet doors made them want to escape from their master suite, not to it.
Deciding Where to Start
Tackling a big project like this can leave a lot of people unsure of where to even begin. Shannon started by choosing a bedding set that had clean lines and soothing colors. From here, she was able to base other choices in the room around her new bedding. The cool blue and chocolate brown colors are a hot color combination at the moment, and their end result shows why: The room has the feeling of a serene spa.
Although they did most of the work themselves, they did enlist the help of their fathers to put in the new windows, doors, and trim work.
Transforming the Master Suite's Walls
After selecting the bedding, the hard work began. Shannon stripped the wallpaper and border in both their bedroom and bathroom. After prepping the walls, they applied a peaceful blue hue that matched the color of the bed linens. The bathroom walls were both lightened up and warmed up by a soft taupe color. Shannon found an appropriate saying from StickyWallArt.com to stencil above the bed in chocolate-colored paint. A fresh white crown and base molding complete the transformation of the walls.
New Carpeting, Doors, and Light Fixtures
Next, they turned their attention to the old carpet. They ripped out the 80s mauve rug and replaced it with a tan frise. Fresh vinyl flooring went in the bathroom. The barn-style doors and mirrored closet door were all replaced with white six-panel doors. Windows were stripped of clunky old blinds and received new chocolate brown window treatments. An old white ceiling fan and other light fixture in the master bedroom were replaced with new, updated choices in a dark bronze-toned metal.
A Better Master Bathroom
The bathroom also got a new block window, counter, and bath tiles. "Tile work is harder than it looks," Shannon says, "but once you get started it goes fairly quickly." Brandon, a novice handyman, says that "trying to find the right consistency of grout was probably the biggest challenge, and then figuring out where to begin." They both highly recommend renting a wet saw to aid the process. Through trial and error, they ended up with a professional-looking finished product.
The Total Transformation
This master suite underwent an amazing metamorphosis over the course of a month. With hard work, determination, persistence, and a little help from dear old dad, the new master bedroom and bath are a soothing place to unwind for some kid-free downtime.
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