Welcome to our master bedroom. You asked....I finally am posting! This is a rather long, slow trip around the room, so go get a cup of coffee and settle in for the tour. We have lived in 12 different places and our bedroom has always been blue. Here it is painted a calm, grey-blue by Divine Paint called almond. I know, that color name makes no sense, but that is really a wonderful kind of high-end paint.
This is the way the former owners had the room. I can't believe that this is the only "before" photo I have. The art work is clearly the stand out in this pale room.
Here's the star now. This king bed is the first thing you see now.
This fabric was the jumping off point for the room. I most often work like this. You KNOW how I love toile and this one was just what I was looking for. The dark color in this can be read as black or brown, depending on how you want to use it. I layered this duvet over a cream matlasse .
The Euro shams are the perfect size to use this repeat of the fabric. I found a beautiful crewel for the brown pillow and the small linen pillow in the front is covered in the same fabric as I put on the loveseat.
I have to give Mr. Pressed Pants credit for finding this leather bed with nailheads. It is a Charles Rodgers bed that he saw in an ad in House Beautiful and suggested that we get it. I was very reluctant to order sight unseen, but I was so touched that he found it, so I gave it a go. Well, let me tell you that this is the most wonderful, quality piece of furniture. I've used this source since, I am so happy with this. He was adamant that the bed not have a footboard and so he's happy, too.
I have collected black and white engravings for this room. It seems that they look great with this toile. This one is called "Vue de Naples".
This end table is my side of the bed.
I have a few very special photos and.......
some reading material. This decorated toe shoe is an award I received from The Atlanta Ballet.
On the wall, over this table hangs the announcement and envelope from my father's birth. His name was Fredrick Owen, and just below it in one of the photos is our youngest grandson, Owen Fredrick. Oh, the circle of life!
And this is Mr. Pressed Pant's side of the bed. I promise you that I took these photos just "as is", and you can probably believe it when you see this one!
The toile tableskirt is trimmed out with just a subtle bit it cording. You can see the carpeting well here. It is the most expensive carpeting we put in the entire place. I love sisal, but in order to add comfort underfoot, I chose this with sisal on the bottom of the weave and wool on the top. This would never be a good choice for a family with kids or dogs, because it is almost impossible to clean because of the combination of materials. But, we are very careful with it and we love it!
These very heavy silk linen draperies were here from the previous owner. They are lined and interlined with a very heavy fabric called "bump cloth". I've never seen it used other than under tablecloths for a luxurious feel. These would keep the light out if we ever closed them, but we don't need the privacy and they are always open. The trim on the edge was a black fabric when we bought the house. I didn't care for it, but the draperies are awesome, so I added a leading edge of linen and topped it with this stripped ribbon trim. You can see a glimpse of the back yard, so you can understand how we love this big window and spend lots of time looking at the deer playing and the lake.
The love seat is one of a pair that we have had forever. It is a Williamsburg blue twill that I didn't care for, but I wanted to keep the pair matching, so I just slipcovered it. This needlepoint pillow is special, because Mr. Pressed Pants bought it for me just as our darling Springer Spaniel, Nittany, was dying. The Anichini throw is a most luxurious gift from my friend, Jan, who is a remarkable gift giver. She visited us from California once and saw this room. Somehow she managed to remember these rather unusual colors just perfectly.
I chose this playful little pleated skirt.
This zinc pot with dried blue hydrangeas is from the tablescape I did
here. The wall across from the bed holds a large dresser and a couple of cherry bamboo chairs. That clock like thing is the timer for the security lights. Don't you love the look? I told you I just shot things without editing!
Here's a portrait of our younger daughter, Susie, taken a year or two ago. (Ahem) That baby doll went everywhere with her. I considered it our third child.
And here is big sister, Amy. Does the Dorthy Hammill hairdo and the Little House On the Prairie dress tell you anything?
These old black and gold metal trays have the feel of old tole trays, but don't add unwanted pattern to the space.
I'm still charmed by this peasant girl feeding the birds. It is called "Le Poulailler", or Poultry Yard.
And this one on the other side is "Les Petite Bergeres", or The Little Shepherdesses.
This chest on chest holds Mr. Pressed Pants clothes. Every time I "improve" the vignette on the top, I find it removed and these small Lladro figurines returned here. I guess that's the way it will stay! Weird! He sure picks his battles!
This last engraving that hangs over the chest is called "Golden Hours". I just love that big Bernese Mountain Dog and the little puppy.
These watercolors are very sentimental gifts from our daughters. They are of Chagrin Falls, Ohio, where we once lived and they have both chosen to return to. The top one is the gazebo in the center of the village, and the bottom one is the hill that goes into the village where every Halloween, the senior class rolls hundreds of pumpkins down to smash at the bottom. Great memories!
