Master Bedroom Refresh

Yesterday I shared our plans for a little Master Bedroom refresh we have been working on.  The updated bedroom is filled a few smaller, yet very simple DIY projects, and I will share more specifics regarding those in an upcoming post.  For today, I am just excited to share the room I have been oohing and ahhing over since late last week. 

The bedroom isn't the easiest to photograph because our giant bed takes up so much of the room, making it nearly impossible to get a full shot.  But hopefully I maneuvered myself into enough odd positions and angles that you will get an idea of some of the changes we have made.  Fresh from the camera today, say howdy to our new space!

It is always fun seeing the idea and plan come to life!

I shared all of the sources and details within yesterday's post here, and in an upcoming post I will share specific ways we found savings throughout the space.

Today, sit back with your beverage of choice and enjoy the tour.

After I spotted this art print from Minted, I knew it would be perfect for the room.  I also noticed that it contained many of the same colors we have been slowly integrating room by room within our home.  It was a winner!  It was also the driving force behind this room update.

We didn't have to change much as the room previously had pretty good bones and was on the right track.  The goal was to bring in a few new layers of color and to streamline existing pieces.  We are not getting younger, and it was time that our room felt more our age.

So I folded up the previous duvet and popped it into our linen drawer (for the next time I am itching for a change), and pulled out our white comforter.  I actually much prefer the comforter as it is promoting daily bed making.  Duvets tend to shift (even when clipped or tied on the inside corners), while the comforter just pulls right up nice and easy each morning without the fuss of wrinkles and straightening.

Up until last week, we only had a set of white faux wood blinds covering our window.  I found an inexpensive roman shade on Amazon's marketplace, and made a few modifications to it so that it would be more custom to our space.

I love how the greek key embellishment mimics the angles and patterns used throughout the rest of the room.

{this photo was taken in the mirror - which is why everything is opposite}

We still have our navy blue lamps, and although I am typically a girl who defaults to symmetry, a task lamp makes much more sense at my bedside.  I like to work and read and write while laying in bed in the evenings, so I made sure to accommodate that part of my daily routine.

I also added a basket that can now hold all of my bedside clutter.

Bryan uses one of the lamps on his side of the bed, while the other was moved to the dresser across the way.

Speaking of dresser... I can't even begin to say enough about the difference that was made to the room by swapping out the old blue dresser for this new-old white dresser!

The dresser is an old hand-me-down and has lived in our family for years.  It was previously in our son's bedroom, however, he no longer needed it (more on that in a later post).  I left the dings and dents to preserve a little character and history, but coated the entire thing with a glossy white paint.  It completely modernized the piece and brightened the entire room.  I also gave the previous hardware a coat of gold spray paint.

The mirror has an absolutely gorgeous detailing, and the warmth of the wood is a sweet balance to the sleek dresser.  It also mimics the wood tone within the frames above the bed.

The art within the frames was another DIY.  I love how the gold foil glistens in the sun and the black ties together the chandelier and the ribbon on the shade.

I also made a few changes within the adjoining dressing room.  Nothing drastic in there, just took out the yellows and replaced the busy fabric on the jewelry board with a natural linen.

I also whipped up some pretty storage boxes to conceal a bit of my shelving clutter.  They just may be my most favorite part of the whole makeover! #storagenerd

As I always say, no room is ever deemed complete.  Someday I will invest in better overhead lighting and install crown molding, but one day, one project at a time.  For now, this sums up all of the changes and tweaking (not to be confused with twerking) we have been making over the past couple of weeks.

I am loving the bold new colors and how they flow with the rest of our playful home.  A combination of a few new items paired with a lot of DIY and crafting and we have ourselves a more grown up and finished place to rest our heads.  It was just what the Dr. ordered!

Sleeping Positions of Married Couples and What They Mean

Loosely Tethered Sleeping Style

This is a variation of the Spoon - the most common position adopted by couples in the first few years of marriage. Comforting and cocoon-like, it's a semi-fetal position with hips against buttocks to provide maximum physical closeness, though it's not necessarily an erotic position. The man is usually the embracer. Few years later, couples feel secure enough to allow space - and comfort - into their bed. Often, they sleep tethered, like Spoons but with distance between them. The emotional current is sustained by a touching hand, knee or foot.

The Honeymoon Hug

This face-to-face, body-ensconced-by-body position is often termed the "Rolls Royce of intimacy". Less common than the Spoon (and uncomfortable to maintain throughout the night), the Honeymoon Hug is a natural position that many couples slip into just after lovemaking. It's quite common at "love's blazing beginning", when you're so deeply enamored that you wish you could "fuse". Some couples return to it over the years, during periods of special joy. Among those who stick to it, psychologists say the partner who tends to initiate it could be overly dependent on the other. If both do, they could be "overly enmeshed".

The Royal Position

When one partner (typically the man) lies face up in what's known as The Royal Position, it indicates a strong ego and a sense of entitlement. The woman's head on his shoulder suggests that she is the more dependent and compliant one - almost as though she is "looking at the world from his perspective". This position reflects a high level of trust and strong commitment. Women who are uncomfortable but want the coziness of proximity can try the reverse: Lie face down, with your body overlapping your partner's. Psychologically, this represents an attempt to focus total attention on your partner, even in sleep.

The Leg Hug

Some couples aren't comfortable establishing physical contact at the onset. They would rather go about it as if it were almost by chance - their toes or feet "accidentally" touch, or one partner's leg is casually thrown over the others. Although such casual contact could imply that you or your partner are in two minds about expressing affection, or are intentionally withholding it - maybe after a fight - it may also indicate healthy camaraderie. Hooked legs could also suggest familiarity and comfort - almost like a "secret code". After all, you need to have a pretty strong foundation to assume such "physical proprietorship" even after a quarrel or argument.

Zen Style

With the passage of time in a marriage, as the couple's closeness becomes fully established and less exploratory, a renewed sense of each partner's individuality is likely to arise. For some couples, it would translate into a need for space and therefore, a larger bed. Other couples find a compromise in the above position: Touching buttocks allows for large-surface contact and private connection, but without clinging. Like two circles, separate but overlapping, this position is a perfect definition of interdependence. It's a good position to adopt when your kids have got the better of the couple with their constant clinging, and they need a sense of their own space.

The Cliffhanger

When one partner suddenly retreats to the far side of the bed, the other should ascertain what's behind the sudden withdrawal rather than worry or fume about the "rejection". If he/she is going through a trying time, give him/her space - you'd want the same. In time, your partner will roll back. The person who veers toward The Cliffhanger could also indicate that he/she is comfortable enough to admit that a good night's sleep is better than cuddling up together (and having to put with snoring or teeth-grinding!) If distance leaves you lonely, suggest that you at least start the night in close proximity. If you still sense distance, it may be time to have a heart-to-heart talk.