HOUSE: Newburgh + Inspiring Interiors

Master bedroom.

Isn’t the term “master bedroom” kind of funny? It’s not a name I ever heard growing up (along with “patio”, “family room”, and “window treatment”—we had a porch, a living room, and curtains), but I’ve adopted it recently to distinguish between the guest bedroom and the bedroom that Evan and I sleep in. What else can it be called? The big bedroom? I guess I’ll just stick with master bedroom, even if that does conjure images of elaborate, four-poster canopy beds, gilded chaises, and off-room bidets.

What was I talking about? Oh yes, the master bedroom. Where Evan and I (okay, and Bruno and Fritz—and yes, they’re allowed under the covers) sleep. It’s a mess. It’s not quite as bad as it was last year, but beyond the above photo, there’s not really anything in there worth showing right now. We keep putting off really doing something with it, probably because it’s part of the house that visitors don’t usually see or spend time in. Isn’t that sad?

I need inspiration…

Yes, I’m aware that this is not a bedroom. It’s Victoria’s new dining room, and I love it. We actually considered painting our bedroom very dark gray or black when we first bought the house, but since we weren’t sure exactly what we were doing with all of the various rooms in the house, we opted to paint everything white until we knew what was what.

Photo by Frédéric Vasseur. I love this bedding and the low-hanging pendant lamps. Also, yellow!

Photo by Per Magnus Persson. I know I’ve posted this photo before, but I don’t care. It’s perfect.

Photo from LivingEtc. Yeah, yeah, I know, it’s Jenna Lyons AGAIN. But come on, it’s SO fabulous. This also makes me wonder if maybe I should paint the moldings the same color as the walls. Hmmm.

Photos from The Brick House. I really need to find a great blanket like that. Also, this reminds me that I STILL haven’t painted that old dresser I bought at a flea market three (gulp!) years ago.

Time to get cracking.

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37 Comments

  • Reply Brigitte June 18, 2010 at 3:28 pm

    My bedroom suffers, too. A year or so ago, I finally made a headboard, which was a tremendous improvement. But I can never seem to keep it clean…

  • Reply Jenny N. June 18, 2010 at 3:29 pm

    LOL, Love your tangent at the beginning. Your “Master Bedroom” is lovely (from what I can see) and those photos of inspiration are gorgeous. Now I need to work on my big bedroom…

  • Reply miss corner cape June 18, 2010 at 3:36 pm

    ha, i love that. i was just thinking that our bedroom isn’t so much as a master, but a slightly bigger room that we slumber in. when i think of a master, i think big walk in closets and it’s own bathroom. definitely not what i have!

  • Reply Elizabeth June 18, 2010 at 3:38 pm

    ha, I so relate to this because I’ve been working on my bedroom for four years. I may finally be getting close though…
    maybe.

  • Reply heather June 18, 2010 at 3:41 pm

    I have a floor lamp very similar to the one in photo 4 but it’s the same yellow as photo 3!
    My bedroom is hopeless. I need a new bed or headboard or something? Oh and I probably need to keep up with the laundry…

  • Reply Cat's Meow June 18, 2010 at 4:15 pm

    Main bedroom?
    I love the light bedroom with natural colors and textures.

  • Reply Ingrid Jansen June 18, 2010 at 4:15 pm

    Per Magnus Persson’s master bedroom is perfect like you say. Thanks for posting it again, for i missed it earlier 🙂

  • Reply Brismod June 18, 2010 at 5:53 pm

    With inspiration like that I don’t think you can go wrong. They’re all fabulous in their own way.

  • Reply Megan June 18, 2010 at 6:00 pm

    That’s so funny – I have the same problem. I have a lovely guest room which I finished before my bedroom, and now that I’ve got some beautiful artwork that brings out the colors in my bedding, I can’t bring myself to commit to hanging it! Total indecision galore.

  • Reply jenny June 18, 2010 at 7:33 pm

    gorgeous fireplace! i love the piece hanging above it..

  • Reply kay* June 18, 2010 at 9:24 pm

    i really think using victoria’s dining room or jenna lyons’ bedroom as an inspiration would be a really nice contrast to what you’ve done in the rest of your space. i know you have some black in the bathroom you renovated and that black wallpaper (i think it’s black) in your office, so i think a black mater bedroom, with your stunning white fireplace and other awesome elements i’m sure you’d incorporate, would be fabulous!

    and i totally get you about the terms ‘master bedroom’ ‘family room’ etc…those aren’t terms i grew up with either!

    what ever you decide i’m sure it’ll be great.

  • Reply The brick house June 19, 2010 at 1:07 am

    We just sold almost all of our bedroom furniture (including that blanket!) and are looking for some inspiration. I’ve been toying with the idea of a dark charcoal as well, I think it is such a killer look. It would be amazing with your fireplace!

  • Reply dew i June 19, 2010 at 8:22 am

    You put Too much pressure on yourself.
    Buy the blanket and bed linen of your dreams and call it decorated.
    😉

  • Reply Fat Cat June 19, 2010 at 9:49 am

    The Brick House is always a brillant source of inspiration ! I stole her black “accent wall” (another name we never heard growing up…) from her guest bedroom for my bedroom… and I ADORE it !

  • Reply Sue June 19, 2010 at 12:08 pm

    Morgan at The Brick House-that bedroom was perfection in my eyes, I can’t believe you’re changing it :(……did you sell the light fixture? One of my friends sister has that one and I really want her to redecorate so I can buy it off of her.

    Anna – I have always loved that mixed media picture your dad created….I’ve been thinking of trying to make one myself 🙂
    Can’t wait to see how it all turns out!

  • Reply Elisabet June 19, 2010 at 1:17 pm

    Yeah, unrenovated furniture, I have a few to. Waiting in the basement. But now I’m looking for a dresser, I would renovate it immediately if I found the perfect one, for our newly renovated hallway. Well, in the process of searching I have so far found two chairs, possibly Nico Kralj, and a credenza (’cause I only had three before…) They don’t need to be renovated, that’s good. Still need a dresser though.

  • Reply Laura June 19, 2010 at 2:03 pm

    In Canadian design magazines they call it the principal bedroom.

  • Reply Michelle June 19, 2010 at 2:47 pm

    I have the same problem! I find it much easier to decorate every other room in the house. Even with inspiration, i can’t seem to find what feels right in the “master”.

  • Reply juli June 19, 2010 at 3:24 pm

    Ugh, this has got to be the worst room to decorate in the whole home. I don’t know why it is, but every effort I make, the clothes end up all over and it ends up being a dumping ground. We are about to do another push to complete the bedroom but I am desperate for new bed linens, the worst thing to buy ever since no one sells any decent ones (yet I always SEE nice ones on blogs). Sorry, your use of the word “master” has left me venting in your comments!

  • Reply chrispito June 19, 2010 at 9:07 pm

    I never heard ‘master bedroom’ growing up either. Funny word!
    (It was just the parents’ bedroom or ‘those guys’ room-meaning my other sibs).

  • Reply Barbara June 19, 2010 at 10:08 pm

    Those images are so great

  • Reply denise June 19, 2010 at 10:10 pm

    The Per Magnus Persson room is simply perfect. Restrained with an intriguing suggestion of decadence. A fine bedroom indeed!

  • Reply jja June 20, 2010 at 7:24 am

    Every time I move I finish (with decoration, curtians, really everything etc.) my bedroom frist. I am very influenced by where I wake ap and what I see as first or last thing that morning/that night.
    With starting the day in really slick room I am more productive during the day.
    But you done huge amount of things last year and even two places to decorate this one and a city one….

  • Reply Stacey June 20, 2010 at 7:59 am

    Very relatable post-my bedroom is the last space that gets some tlc from me. However, i recently vowed to change that. I’m not sure why one tends to leave the bedroom for last-for me, maybe if i spent more time in there, then i would be more prone to adding the “wow factor.” However, i only retire there for slumber. Anyway, lovely inspiration re the photographs. I can’t wait to see what you do with it!

  • Reply Barb F (Australia) June 20, 2010 at 6:30 pm

    Our bedroom needs a lot of work too. We don’t really spend any time in there apart from sleeping, so it never seems top of the list – and as visitors never hang out there either, other things seem to take priority. I am also ALWAYS on the quest for the perfect bed linen and am never 100% happy with anything I buy. It’s a never ending search…..

    In Australia, we call it the Main Bedroom. Or Master Bedroom. But you’re right, that just brings up all sorts of weird visuals for me.

    The Per Magnus Persson bedroom looks like it could have been lifted from your house, it suits you perfectly. However I would love, love, love to see you do a super sexy dark grey or black room. Divine!

  • Reply Myles Henry June 21, 2010 at 12:19 am

    is “master bedroom” racist?
    probably not, but now you’ve got me thinking crazy.

    love the inspirational photos
    i’m sure whatever you do will look great but i def feel if you go dark, moldings need to be same color, something weird about bright ass moldings with a dark color makes me think of cartoons or something. i dont know.

  • Reply Dan June 21, 2010 at 1:40 am

    Is that the IKEA Hovet Mirror at the Brick House? I’ve been drooling over it since the shot of your studio, it’s back down to $99! They bumped up the price for a short time and it lost a little of the allure… and yes, that’s a killer blanket.

  • Reply momo June 21, 2010 at 6:54 am

    Oh Anna, I ADORE those low-hanging pendant lights in the bedroom – awesome because it’s such a strong look that can change simply by switching the shades. I am glad Tim agrees, because we MUST those in our new home.

  • Reply Anna at D16 June 21, 2010 at 9:53 am

    @The brick house: YOU SOLD THE BLANKET?? (And not to me?) I have to go lie down now. On an inferior blanket.

    @Myles Henry: I never though of that, but not you have me wondering. Ick. I need to investigate. :

    @Dan: I’m pretty sure that is the Hovet mirror. We have one in our apartment, and it’s great.

  • Reply Jaimie June 21, 2010 at 10:02 am

    Someone already beat me to it, but I work at a Canadian interior design mag and we refer to it as the ‘principal bedroom.’ Works well and is appropriate for when the homeowner is a single woman, for example.

  • Reply read me... June 21, 2010 at 4:08 pm

    I’ve always painted the walls, ceiling, mouldings and woodwork the same colour in all the houses which I’ve lived in… I love it!

  • Reply greg June 21, 2010 at 6:03 pm

    I love having a dark bedroom, its so dark at night that it makes falling asleep that much easier – i’ve done white and light and i have dark to be the best for sleeping

  • Reply jules @ The Diversio June 21, 2010 at 7:46 pm

    i recently painted a wall in my bedroom black and i love it!

    http://thediversionproject.blogspot.com/2010/05/black-wall.html

    it really is like a big cocoon in there now.

    master bedroom does sound a bit naff. i saw a vintage sign in a bedroom image recently that said ‘drama dept.’ – kinda like it!

  • Reply brandeye June 22, 2010 at 9:02 pm

    that bedroom with pops of yellow is perfection. i never ‘finished’ our bedroom, i should get cracking too!

  • Reply lauren alane June 24, 2010 at 7:45 am

    we painted our bathroom black, and our nursery dark navy-ish black because of you and jenna lyons. the nursery is now my favorite room. you should totally paint your room black! (our house was in a sneak peek on design sponge on monday, and everyone loved the dark paint–so thank you for the inspiration!)

  • Reply Heidi September 21, 2010 at 2:35 pm

    Hi-I know this is a late comment but I’m having a dilemma. My bedroom is painted dark charcoal, I’m about to paint the trim the same color…do I paint the closet door as well??? It is currently bright white, same as the ceiling (I live in an old Victorian style apartment in SF). Any advice?

  • Reply Anna at D16 September 21, 2010 at 2:44 pm

    @Heidi: If you’re painting the trim the same color as the walls, then yes, I would paint the door as well.

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