my bedroom makeover






It's not all beans and rice around here.




Thank you Pinterest and Instagram for leading me to this Raphael wallpaper by Sandberg.  It's made in Sweden and for me a bit too pricey, so I kept scouring the internet for deals.  I found it on eBay for a fraction of its normal cost.  The seller, Bea, who is a sweetheart has a shop that is loaded with beautiful papers and fabrics at amazing prices.  Go see for yourself HERE.





We've hung wallpaper before but it has been awhile and I was unsure of how much to get.  She had 6 double rolls for sale and I bought 3.  I should have gotten all 6 because I could only do 2 walls.  Which in the end is okay but I'd rather have done them all.







I love that when you walk in the front door of the house you can now see a glimpse of the pretty paper at the end of the house.  I absolutely love it and it feels as if it has always belonged here. And how darling is the vintage bamboo shelf?  M gave it to me because she had no room for it.  It looks perfect against the paper don't you think?





In addition to the wallpaper I also got rid of my dresser completely.  I was ruthless and was able to condense a 4 drawer dresser into 1 drawer in the armoire.  The room feels so lovely and feminine right now.  I still haven't gotten the nerve to drive a nail into it to hang any pictures.  That's going to take some time. xo




64 comments

  1. This wallpaper is beautiful! Your rooms looks beautiful!

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  2. Just perfect. Love it!!

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  3. I'm in LOVE with that paper, too! It looks so great!

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  4. Ohhhhhhhh I love! -Suzanne in Illinois

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  5. Oh, I noticed it immediately in the wide shot; it's perfect and vintage-y and fresh.

    We bought a house 25 years ago (in a state outside of 'home' in California) that was a brand-new model in the still-under-construction housing development; it was fully-furnished (we didn't get to keep the furnishings, of course!) and accessorized by a reputable interior decorator (I felt I'd died and gone to Heaven; never'd had anything so nice in my life!) and had a lot of upgrades (high-quality carpets, some marble, gorgeous landscaping, high-end appliances we DID get to keep like range/oven/microwave and dishwasher; very-cool light fixtures) as a house ten zillion people would be walking through (so they were really dangling a carrot and hoping prospective homebuyers would bite); and the home also had sumptuous window coverings and something new for the first time in my life, WALLPAPER...in every single room on every single wall but the living room. I knew nothing about wallpaper; never'd lived anywhere with it. First of all, it was super-pretty but it wasn't anything I-myself picked out so I never felt like I 'owned' it but it even got to my husband because it was, well, overwhelming and we got tired of it really fast.

    I run hot & cold on wallpaper and have never dared to hang it myself but I put so much art on the wall (I tend to go for saturated-color art) that I'd risk conflict between the two. In your case, if you put back the photos with those mostly-dark frames you've had, you won't have any competition. As usual, you picked well, you've got the artistic eye; you know what works for you and your cottage. If you'd done all four walls, maybe you'd feel too swallowed up in it.

    I enjoyed seeing; thanks for sharing, Janet; congrats, it's really lovely and it has much more statement than if you'd used a teeny print.

    PS, your ceiling moldings in that wee hallway are elegant. Did you put those in when you renovated?

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    1. yes, thank you vicki! when we renovated we tried to copy the original moldings that were in the Living room. and you are right, i think 4 walls of the paper would have been too much in the small room!

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  6. Thatis gorgeous! I love everything you do. Also, on that note I can't find your link to the roman shades anymore. Could you repost please?

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    1. thank you jmcd. the link is in the summer house tour i did last month. it looks like they are still on sale!

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    2. Janet thank you so much! I'm ordering today! I re-read the entire post while I was there. So many pretty things! And ps.........You have way better yards sales in your area :)

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  7. That is gorgeous paper; blue and white never fail to charm. A trick I learned years ago for hanging smaller pictures without making big holes: lightly and carefully tap a straight sewing pin into the wall at a slight downward angle. (Make sure you don't use the flimsy lingerie pins, but the standard sewing pins.) Best is to only have a quarter of the pin sticking out of the wall. At the very least, you can do this temporarily until you are happy with where you have place the item, then pound a nail where the pin was.

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  8. I was so excited to see a new post!
    I always loved your beautiful bedroom furnishings but I really Love the fresh new room. That paper is gorgeous! Love how it makes the room look and the shelf is perfect.
    Always an inspiration! Thank you.

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  9. I'm always happy when I see a post from you. The paper is beautiful, as is your entire home. Just lovely.

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  10. Beautiful, and I would venture that the cool color is perfect for the hot summer months.

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  11. It's beautiful Janet - I would expect nothing less from you, you have exquisite taste xx

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  12. Oh Janet, what great work you do in the cottage, so inspirational. I've been in my cottage for 14 years and still need to do much work, especially with the bedrooms, they never feel finished. I've been toying with putting a bit of wallpaper in them, maybe you're the kick I need! I paid attention to your unwillingness to hang pictures - a drawback with a cottage is wall space for pictures, I always have many shoved away. Each wall space is a treasure and it must be hard to hold back but I'm guessing you've kept your picture gallery on the unpapered wall on the other side of the bed so perhaps you can enjoy your beautiful blues in pristine condition for a while to come. Thanks so much for sharing pics of your serene bedroom, great job!

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  13. Absolutely beautiful. I love that you were able to ditch the dresser. That corner looks lovely and airy. I'm inspired as always and am off to purge!
    Deb

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  14. Have always loved wallpaper and yours is gorgeous! Love the darling little white wicker piece too. In my opinion maybe the pictures could go somewhere else because I think it would take away from the restful look of the room.

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  15. Exquisite! I like wallpaper and it is nice to see it used in such a charming and flattering way. It really makes the room. Such a beautiful choice.

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  16. love the wallpaper!
    could you please give more information
    on the ebay link? could not find bea!
    thnx!

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    1. deb i checked the link and it goes straight to all her papers and fabrics. her name is bea but her ebay name is rilkewasright.

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  17. I love the wallpaper, and the bedroom is perfect!

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  18. Ditto what everyone else said. Your bedroom is gorgeous. Love it!

    Sin-Debra from SENC

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  19. Just when I thought your home couldn't get any more beautiful! The blue and white are lovely.

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  20. Gorgeous! Its a lovely soft shade of blue...so refreshing.
    No wonder you are thrilled...a little change makes such a big difference.

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  21. Love love love! And more love. It fits your house to the t. Looks like it has always been there!

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  22. Truly gorgeous. So fresh and calming.

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  23. Well, I thought your house couldn't be made more beautiful. I was obviously wrong. Such a beautiful choice of wallpaper!
    Tanja
    xx

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  24. I use command strips to hang things now. Much easier and no holes. I've not done it on wallpaper but I think it would still be fine. I've hung some heavier pieces too, just with more of them strips. They are specific for hanging pictures.

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    1. i thought the same thing but you cannot use them on wallpaper. i think as someone below suggested i can use the molding to put a nail in if i ever decide to hang anything!

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  25. Check out ROUGHLINEN on instagram...........she is British by way of AUSTRALIA and lives in Northern California.She has a line of Linen sheets and there is a dark BLUE That I think YOU WILL LOVE..........I have two sets of her sheets and even I am thinking its time to SPLURGE for the BLUE for FALL..............she is LOVELY!I had a booth next to hers at The REMANANTS OF THE PAST ANTIQUE SHOW!!!
    LOVE THE WALLPAPER...............BRAVO!

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  26. I'm in LUV!
    And yes, consider command strips as someone else mentioned. I use them for almost everything. I haven't tried them on wallpaper, but read up or contact M3 directly to make sure they are safe.

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  27. Is that Jo Malone's 'Orange Blossom' on your bedstand ?

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  28. It's beautiful, so perfect for your cottage! You could hang your pictures from the crown if you didn't want to put a nail in that amazing wallpaper. Even use a pretty ribbon like we did in the 80's.

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  29. Oh Janet, if I were a friend visiting your home, or neighboring stranger invited in getting to know you I would break down and cry, with seeing this pure goodness!
    It truly is beautiful, and fitting everything into one armorie must feel liberating to once again scale back with simplifying your space.
    DON'T hang a THING on the WALLS, the paper is your art work, and that petite space needs nothing else to play it up. You still have your gallery wall of art right? and with that wal it's enough. perhaps you can purchase the other Three room the ebayer had, and give it throught to completing your walls, or the inside of the armoire and drawer liners. I see nothing but white scripness on your bed, timeless and soft elegance.
    Perhaps having the purchase of the ebayer said last 3 rolls will allow you time to recover from all the beautiful hard work you put into the space and then continue onto the other walls?

    With or without doing the other walls do not break the flow of beauty in this masterful room.
    It's PERFECT!!

    Xx
    Dore

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  30. Ok I am not sure why is auto corrected words at send, * perhaps you can purchase the last 3 rolls for your other walls. You'll figure out the crazy mis-use and spell checked words.

    Xx
    Dore

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    1. oh dore, the 3 rolls sold quickly. i'm good with just these 2 walls papered. and feel so blessed to have them done! i'm not ready to hang anything yet, like you said, the paper is art! xoxo

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  31. That's just so pretty it bout takes your breath away! Everything everywhere looks so pleasing and totally decluttered. Did you get rid of the chest out of your house and most of the stuff in it too? Just wondering b/c I marvel at your ability to so ruthlessly declutter. I do ok, but don't come near your gift to do this! I want to though! How do you do it - Please Share! Kay

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  32. It looks absolutely beautiful. I love your style and you always provide inspiration. Thank you for your post!
    xo,
    Karen

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  33. Freaking perfection! Love your style as always Janet. I have a fantasy of flying out to Cape Cod to supervise the decoration of my house! A girl can dream ;)

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  34. Late to the party but....Wow... first time commenting, but had too. So good! Love it, such an inspiration that simple with out spending a ton can be GREAT!
    Thanks for sharing!

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  35. Pretty much all of the above!

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  36. Hi Janet,

    Isn't it wonderful how a change of wall colour can make all your things look fresh and new? The bamboo blinds look fantastic against the blue now! Me, I always like colour on the walls in the form of grey and green paint but have restricted my wallpaper adventures to cupboard door fronts. I also like the long look through the corridor bringing in your glimpse of Chinoiserie in the side entrance. The wallpapers complement each other so well. I can see why you are so happy with taking the plunge.

    Greetings from Sydney,
    Vanessa

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  37. Janet, Is that a little bird perched over your door going into the bedroom? Kay

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    1. yes! and you may be the first person to ever notice it! x

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  38. This is beautiful! Thanks for the link to the shop where you found the wallpaper, there are some beautiful fabrics listed there and great deals. xx

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  39. Wow, it looks great! I would be nervous to put a nail in it too. Thanks for the link. ~Miranda

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  40. Your bedroom is gorgeous. Love the wallpaper. Instead of driving nails into the paper and walls, how about using Command strips (the velcro strips) to hang any artwork?

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    1. thank you melanie. you can't use command strips on wallpaper:(

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  41. So gorgeous Janet, i love that paper. Its classic and fun, perfect for your beautiful cottage.

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  42. WOW, it is stunning/beautiful/gorgeous.

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  43. I may be too late to the party but 1) This is stunning! I'm new to your blog and am in love with your beautiful cottage. 2) It occurred to me, when you said putting nails to hang pictures will take time b/c...ouch...it will put a hole in the paper. Maybe the command strips would be a good alternative to the nails? I've recently been using them and like the no-real-commitment feel. Less scary. :0)

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  44. Oh... I JUST noticed that someone else suggested command strips. Sorry that it won't work on wallpaper. Good to know! Thank you.

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  45. Your wallpaper is absolutely gorgeous! Blue is also my favorite color so that makes me love it even more. I would not want to hang pictures for a while either, it would take some time for me to do that. :) I just stumbled across your blog and would love it if you have the time to check mine out! It is a working progress. :) I saw where you said you updated yours for the first time in several years, I am not sure what it looked like before.. but it looks lovely now!

    -- Chasity @ Blue Cottage Farmhouse

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    1. thank you so much chasity! i went and had a look around your lovely blog. you are so talented. i love your hand towels! and your doggies! thank you for dropping by and saying hello. xoxo

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  46. Hi Janet, I was just thinking... Have you considered adding a picture rail to your molding so you don't have to puncture that beautiful paper? Just a thought I had! :) Happy Monday! ~Miranda

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    1. yes I have but I'm still not sure at this point. I only need to hang 2 things on the wallpaper so i'm guessing that with a little more passage of time i'll get the guts to do it. lol. thanks miranda! xoxo

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  47. This is SO beautiful! Is it the light blue or blue version of the Raphael?

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