So, the pantry was definitely a huge check mark on the apartment renovation list. I love it so much and have been spending an embarrassing amount of time staring into it and marveling at all the extra space I have. However. When it comes to home improvement, I’m like a bad girlfriend. I have a seriously wandering eye. The greatness of my pantry immediately pushed me to confront the un-fabulousness of my bedroom. My bedroom, which I share with my fiancé, has been a bit of a battle ground. Let me explain.

So, luckily, my taste is very Scandinavian, mid-century, Palm Springs in its vibe. This actually works out really well for a coed living space because much of what I love and own is very gender neutral. A lot of white. A lot of gray. A lot of wood, and touches of black and metallic. The fiancé is totally on board with it. Butttt, when it comes to the bedroom, I do see a slightly softer, airier (I’m trying desperately to avoid the word “feminine”) space. I’m tied to this imaginary space-the bond has been made and I’m not letting go. So I have to pick my battles strategically.

First and foremost: I need pink walls. This was definitely an issue of contention between us. In the end though, I’ve gotten him on board! My strategy (and also what I truly believe) was to argue that a soft, dusty, blush pink is really a neutral, especially when combined with brass, white and wood. I came very prepared with lots of online inspiration photos and actual paint samples and swatches (I know, I know), and in the end he saw the light. Not only that, but I think he’s really excited about it!

Once the pink walls were officially a go, I started pulling together images to give him an idea of my total vision for the space. Every time I redecorate, I always put together an inspiration board to visually illustrate how all the components will be pulled together. Now, I am not a professional interior designer, nor am I an expert on anything design-wise, but I do know what I like and what inspires me. I use a super low-tech method and just copy photos of all the pieces I like and paste them into a Pages document. It’s not fancy, but I can’t tell you how much it helps me organize my thoughts.

Here’s what I have put together for the bedroom:

The bedroom is very small, but this board really only accounts for one view of it, from the perspective of the back wall facing the front wall, with a few other components from around the room thrown in just to see how they vibe with the rest. I guess that’s one of the downsides of using this method, that there’s really no way to show dimension or perspective. But, no big deal, because I can always make a board for the other views as well. This is a good starting point though and I’m super excited! It’s a mix of items I already have, items I want to swap out, and new additions. We’ll be incorporating a wallpapered accent wall (yay!) and some much needed plant life.

Here are the sources:

(1)Brass Chandelier (available through my Etsy shop), (2)Farrow & Ball “Calamine” (or similar), (3)Art Prints from Coco & Ollie, (4)Australian Bird Print by Pete Cromer, (5)Schoolhouse Electric Eduard Plug-In Sconce, (6)West Elm Mid-Century Nightstands in White, (7)Anthropologie Sheepskin Pillow, (8)Mid-Century Slat Bench (similar), (9)IKEA Vitten Rug, (10)West Elm Upholstered Sleigh Bed, (11)Cacti in Large Pots (photo credit), (12)The Citizenry Baya Lumber Pillow, (13)The Woodsfolk Mirror Eye, (14)Kate Zaremba Bright Eyes Wallpaper, (15)Fine Life Co. Desert Poster

Most of the art prints I have already, although some still need to be framed (DIY post coming soon). The nightstands, rug, sheepskin pillow and chandelier (obviously) are mine as well, but they just don’t pop like they should in my current bedroom setup. I could have made a board with each item being my dream buy, but I find that it inspires me more to put together something that is actually achievable. There is only one big ticket item here, the bed, and even that is not totally out of reach. West Elm has lots of flash sales, and with some savings and a 20% discount, that bed could totally be mine! And how good is that lumbar pillow from The Citizenry?! You’re welcome. Anyways, there’s a lot of stuff missing from this setup, including the IKEA dresser I DIYed and absolutely love, but this gives me a good idea of what I could accomplish, and I’m just tickled pink! 😉

Have you guys ever done an inspiration board? I’d love to hear how you guys prepare for a remodel!

Dreaming in pink – Cassie