A little inspiration so the top of this post doesn’t look like the train wreck that it is.  Takeaway from this photo?  Black accent wall. Via @Made by Girl

Last week our guest room looked like this. And the week before that, and the week before that. The worst part was I didn’t have a vision, a goal of what I wanted the finished room to look like.  Normally, I’m more after a feeling than a certain look anyway, but with four blank walls ready for anything, there were just TOO many possibilities.  It was overwhelming so I just kept the door closed.  What I needed was a limitation to get the ball rolling.

So I created one.

I remembered that I really did want a black accent wall. So that was my jumping off point.  And then, I still had way too many options, I got the new bed and the color was really different from what I expected and I knew I could easily slipcover it or hey, I was even willing to paint it.  But, that actually made it worse, too many options. I had no direction.

So I told myself I needed to keep the bed as it was and create a room around that.  I needed something to start from.  Then everything started coming together, especially once I knew I had a friend coming next week who might actually need to sleep in the bed.  I painted that wall black and just to make sure I was gonna like it, I grabbed the headboard and leaned it against the wall.  Then I shopped the house for anything of a complementary color that could possibly help me catch a vision for what I want in this room.

And then? I liked it!  It was all blush and nude neutral-y and subtle yet striking with the black wall.  Yippie! We have a vision!

I then went to Pinterest.  I needed to see photos of black walls and also rooms with a pinkish blush color in the room (my bed) to make sure I would like it. So I added to my Guest Room Pin Board.

So here is where we are now.  The room is painted.  Karrie and I will put the bed together tomorrow and for now, the plan is to keep it that weird color that it is. I actually kind of like it. I grabbed some too short black drapes to see if I would like them in the room–I do, but I need  them to be lined and longer, and ideally velvet.  The light fixture is begging for mercy, his time will come.

Here’s the other side of the room.  I was hoping that chair would work but I think it’s a little too big.

Also, as I was snapping photos of the guest bedroom and its color palette, I couldn’t help but notice what I was wearing. Hello neutrals and blush necklace.  Cue Twilight Zone music.

I’m so grateful I had two things to help me get this room started:: limitations and motivation.  Usually creating a beautiful space is less about money and smart designers and more about inspiration, confidence and having no choice but to work around a few things.

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