Real Room Update: Adding Layers

If you guys remember, back in November I shared some pics of my parent's master bedroom in their Cape Cod home. Since this room was just added on a couple of years ago when they renovated the whole place, they're still furnishing and designing this space. Mom's made some recent updates and I thought it would be nice to share...plus we're going to ask for your help soon on one design dilemma that's puzzling them:)

This is the perfect example of how layers are built up in a room as you go. More often than not, beautiful and personal rooms don't come together in a day. You acquire bits over time, tweak things, keep refining and fine tuning.

The real focal point in this room (besides the bed) is this huge wall of windows and built-in bench and storage. To kick off the room, Mom had custom seat cushions (in an oatmeal and blue window pane) and two throw pillows (in blue and green plaid) made by a local seamstress. This is where we left off last time.

{before pillow update}

I suggested that Mom get some more pillows to keep these guys company. We all agreed that some more pattern would be helpful. And in the comments, Holly said ""If they are up for it (your dad really I should say) I think some throw pillows in a large floral would be nice...".

Mom was reading and paying attention! Last time we went down the Cape to visit, she couldn't wait to show me the new pillows she found at a local consignment shop. For like $14 each! And she said they looked brand new:)

{after pillow update}

I love the floral with the plaid and I really like how this one small accessory adds a lot more colors (than just blue and beige) to the room. (I'm finding that I like rooms with more than just one or two colors in their palettes.)

The next layer that Mom recently added was "better" drapes. When they first got settled in this room, they needed something quick to block off the slider here to the deck, mostly just for privacy. So Mom hung these white curtains from Ikea on an oil-rubbed bronze rod (also from Ikea). It did the trick, but she always had real plans for this slider.

{before drapery update}

She had Pottery Barn linen panels in pretty much that same beige/taupe/oatmeal color as the seat cushions stored away from their previous house in PA (as well as a thicker, chunkier ORB rod and rings) and thought they would work well in this room. Once up, they are definitely more suited. They just feel more substantial and dramatic, add organic texture, tie in better with the other fabrics in the room and even closely mimic the color of the painted dressers. This time Mom hung the rod right up to the ceiling which makes a big difference.

{after drapery update}

Lastly, for now, Mom and Dad had these two framed landscape prints that they wanted to put somewhere in the room. I suggested stacking them vertically to the right of the slider in an effort to start creating some other little moments in the room, as well as begin to bring your eye around from the adjacent huge and dramatic window wall.

Its just these continuing little additions of layers that add depth and personality to a space. Aren't we always looking around and thinking about what small tweak or change or extra thing will make our homes that much better?

Next up...Mom and Dad and I need your help with a potential issue in this room. I'll be back to talk about it and present some photoshop mock ups in my next post. (Not sure when that will go down, hopefully by the end of the week.) Thanks, guys!