Our Bedroom Refresh, 2.5 Years Later

A private residence in Villanova, PA . For use by Michelle Gage Interior Design Only Photo – copyright Rebecca McAlpin
A private residence in Villanova, PA . For use by Michelle Gage Interior Design Only Photo – copyright Rebecca McAlpin

Today, I am tickled to share an updated reveal with you. You may remember our bedroom from spring 2018, that we completed as a part of an intense 6 week challenge. While we were happy with the results at the time, we couldn’t help ignore the simple fact that the process was incredibly rushed. The truth is, in order to photograph the space by the deadline, we actually wrapped everything up in just 3 weeks…and it showed…yikes!

A private residence in Villanova, PA . For use by Michelle Gage Interior Design Only Photo – copyright Rebecca McAlpin

As the years passed, there were elements in the room that nagged at us – and served as big reminders that this challenge didn’t allow for enough time in the design process. We originally selected a wallpaper (that wasn’t really “us”) to just be an accent behind the bed. We had the other walls painted a color that we loved – but wasn’t really right for a bedroom of this size. Our fix in this round was to wallpaper every single wall and embrace this ethereal avian pattern that I had been coveting for years, after using a different colorway in a client’s home.

A private residence in Villanova, PA . For use by Michelle Gage Interior Design Only Photo – copyright Rebecca McAlpin
A private residence in Villanova, PA . For use by Michelle Gage Interior Design Only Photo – copyright Rebecca McAlpin

In our first round, the sitting area was a struggle to design. It just didn’t come together in the way that I wanted, even when I selected a pair of stunning printed statement chairs. While lovely, those green chairs didn’t connect to the sleep area in a cohesive manner. As an update, we had these tufted vintage chairs reupholstered in this lovely lilac velvet – outfitted with fringe – which ties well to the rug layered under the bed.

A private residence in Villanova, PA . For use by Michelle Gage Interior Design Only Photo – copyright Rebecca McAlpin
A private residence in Villanova, PA . For use by Michelle Gage Interior Design Only Photo – copyright Rebecca McAlpin

One of the other things that irked me in the first design was the vanity set up. The desk was too tiny for the scale of the room – and only originally chosen because of how quickly it could arrive. We were on a crazy deadline, people – and it “worked.” This new desk is a major upgrade and fits the room much better, also providing more usable storage.

A private residence in Villanova, PA . For use by Michelle Gage Interior Design Only Photo – copyright Rebecca McAlpin

Luckily, we made some good calls in the first round that stuck – the upholstered bed, white nightstands, shagreen dresser and brass sconces. We freshened up the other items in the room – changing out the vanity, chairs, artwork and rugs.

We’re absolutely thrilled with the results. This process just reinforces what I already knew – that design isn’t a fast process. Three weeks was never enough time to execute a space of this size (or any space really) and racing towards an unrealistic finish line will always result in you returning to the drawing board to rework the entire thing!

So, what do you think of our refresh? Is there anything from the first design that you miss? What’s your favorite part of this newly updated space? Sound off in the comments below! xx

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