Woohoo! I’ve got some “after” pictures of our bedroom today. After renting apartments for years it feels pretty liberating to be able to do ANYTHING I want to the apartment. The front bedroom (that we are calling the Master bedroom) is a beautiful space with Bay Windows. The trim had been previously painted white and it had white walls. So it was definitely a blank slate. When I went looking for inspiration for our house I kept searching for “Modern Victorian” I want to keep all the amazing details that make me love the apartment, but I want the space to feel modern and fresh.
I kept coming back to Jenna Lyon’s Brownstone, probably my favorite example of this. What I like about the room is it still feels fresh several years later. They take risks (like painting everything black!) but there are a ton of architectural details and everything feels modern and a little sparse. I loved how they had painted their trim black too, not just the walls. It gives the room a whole different look than accenting the room with standard white moulding. After weighing my options I became obsessed with painting my whole bedroom black. This might not seem like a risk to some people but I have spent my whole life trying to figure out how to make my small cramped apartments feel “lighter” so to actually make some thing darker on purpose seemed scary to me. Coincidentally Valspar contacted me about the same time and I told them I would LOVE to work with them considering all I do is think about paint colors all day. So I started looking for the “perfect black.” Valspar has an awesome Love Your Color Guarantee where if you aren’t happy with your first color you can have another color “on them.” It’s a pretty amazing guarantee because anyone who paints a lot knows that sometimes, no matter what you do, the paint colors don’t turn out how you thought they would. It was so nice knowing I had the option of switching colors if I didn’t love the bold color I originally chose.
My method for choosing paint is pretty simple. 1. I look at at pictures and look for something that works or something that is inspiring to me 2. I try 2-4 different color samples. This step is KEY. There have been so many times I looked at a color swatch and SWORE it was the perfect color, then after I spent all day painting I would get a sick feeling in my stomach when I realized it was totally wrong. 3. After testing then I choose my color and paint the room. This system has worked pretty foolproof for me.
I tried a few different dark greys and blacks but ended up with Dark Kettle Black by Valspar. I was a little nervous when we first put up the paint but by the end I LOVED it. It makes the room feel cozy and dramatic. It is my favorite room and I love waking up every morning in it. One of the first things we did was install our hanging chair which has been my favorite thing. The kids and I crawl into it in the mornings and read together and look out the window. I still want to hang some more art and our bed will be delivered next week (it’s a low platform bed) but am so happy about the direction it’s going in.
Sources: Hanging Chair – Serena and Lily, Sheepskins – Ikea, White Throw – Ikea, Orange Rug – Vintage from Morocco, Fiddle Fig Plant – SF Flower Market, Orbit Chandelier – Patrick Townsend
This post is sponsored by Valspar: available at Lowe’s stores nationwide. To find your nearest retailer, visit the Find A Retailer tool on ValsparPaint.com. And make sure you remember their Love Your Color Guarantee – if you don’t love the first color you choose, you can have another one on them!
Photos by Ashley Batz for Oh Happy Day
Michelle
December 4, 2013
Beautiful! I love that you stuck to your instinct and went for a bold look. Love the bedding too. Its so fun watching you make this house awesome!
Valerie C
December 4, 2013
this is an absolute dream! love the dark, somber walls brightened by cheery accents such as that hanging chair, the orbit chandelier and the fiddle fig plant. 🙂
xo, http://www.lilyonfillmore.com
Marnie
December 4, 2013
The black is classic and stunning, and I love the hanging chair in the bay window!
Smith And Ratliff
December 4, 2013
Love it! We painted our bathroom black (and our living room a dark high-gloss navy). Some people thought we were crazy, but I agree with you—in a room with great natural light, it creates a timeless, cozy effect.
Mina
December 4, 2013
So daring and dramatic. I love it! Looks great. And I especially love the little potted plant under the side table. : )
Lisette Wolter-McKinley
December 4, 2013
Gorgeous! Love the drama of the dark walls.
Caitlin
December 4, 2013
that a super dramatic look! it makes everything else pop!
Heather
December 4, 2013
This is beautiful!!! I want to sit on that chair! I want to lay on that bed! I want to touch those walls!
Jessica {Storyboard Wedding}
December 4, 2013
I am utterly in love with your decision to go black! I think the black you choose is much warmer then your inspiration and as such it actually has a wonderful homey quality to it and makes it an approachable black for a room. LOVE IT!
ashley
December 4, 2013
i’ve always wanted a hanging chair or hammock in my house. lucky you! it looks great
Jen Taras
December 4, 2013
Yes! The room looks great! I loved jenna lyons apartment too, and, finally decided to paint our living room with some left over black chalkboard paint. We love it, and so does everyone who sees it. The black makes the room so cozy.
Laura
December 4, 2013
I love your black room!! My husband and I just bought a house and painted our bedroom black as well (keeping it simple with Sherwin Williams ‘black’ I. Semi-gloss)!! Like you, I was quite nervous, but adore the results!! Curious where you got the side table from?? Looking for something just like it!! Cheers!! -L 🙂
LAURA
December 4, 2013
dark kettle black has been my “go-to” black for years! BEAUTIFUL!!
rachelle
December 4, 2013
it SERIOUSLY looks crazy beautiful. it’s neat how it makes the wood floors look a different color, even warmer than before. the chair is the crowning touch. (ps – can you tell us anything about installing the chair – i.e., how to install one safely esp for kids? i want to install hanging rings we have in my kids room but know nothing about how to install something from a ceiling. if you had any tips – or if you recommend getting it done by a pro- it would be great to hear from someone who has done it.).
CONGRATS!
J.Allen
December 4, 2013
Applause from Boston for your bold choice! Jenna Lyons house is a dream from start to finish so well done in inspiration! I’m looking forward to see the rest of your place.
Gaby [The Vault Files]
December 4, 2013
I’ve been considering painting my bedroom black for a couple of weeks, and I go back and forward with the idea, until today. You just gave me the kick I needed 🙂 Looks AMAZING!
Chhavy
December 4, 2013
Love these choices! Black works so well when there are big a lot of windows in the room. We painted our bedroom with Valspar’s “muted ebony”…charcoal-ish and still love it!
What are your tips on how to hang the the chair (links)?
Ashley
December 4, 2013
Oh, Jordan, what a fantastic use of black! It looks like you room is flooded with light, so the dark color on the walls strikes the perfect balance.
Jennifer F- American Mom in Bordeaux
December 4, 2013
What a beautiful room! Thanks for such a lovely inspiration.
anne
December 4, 2013
that sounds so comfy! you’re very lucky!
I love the coral detail of your border frame duvet, beautiful!
Lily
December 4, 2013
Love this! Also wanted to note that for some reason this post didn’t end up in my feed. (I use Feedly.) I happened to see your photo on Instagram so came to the site to check it out. 🙂 Might be worth looking into if others missed it as well.
Robin
December 4, 2013
Gorgeous!
maggie
December 4, 2013
Oh my God, that chair – AMAZING.
Your Mom
December 4, 2013
This is fantastic. The hanging chair, what a dream. I want to sit in that, but, for reals, do you worry it fall out of the ceiling? I don’t know if I could get peace in it.
Also, is that whole wall adjacent to your bed a fat ass painting?! Thats great.
Victoria Smith
December 4, 2013
looks so fabulous, jordan! i’ve always loved jenna lyons bedroom too and you’ve made that inspiration your own! beautiful!
Sarah Nickerson
December 4, 2013
Fabulous.
Bernie
December 4, 2013
I’m so happy you love your new room. I’m not a fan of black rooms. Navy, maybe. I guess I will just have to be in the minority here and say I SOOOOO prefer the white. viva la difference!
Christine Røde
December 4, 2013
I’m so in love with this room. What’s crazy is that the “before” picture looks EXACTLY like the bedroom in my last SF apartment, down to the layout, wall colors, bay window and even floor pattern! I’m still in a rental, and my current bedroom is probably too small for this to work, but you just made me want to drop everything to run home and paint my walls black. I love how you left everything above the moulding white. LOVE!
I creeped on some of the photos of your old apartments that you linked to in an earlier post, and I was happy to see that you weren’t always *this* amazing at interior design. Gives me hope that I’m not a list cause. One day I will have a home as lovely as yours.
Michelle @ Full Belly, Worn Soles
December 4, 2013
This is gorgeous. I’m always amazed by how cozy black looks.
http://www.fullbellywornsoles.com
Kristen
December 4, 2013
This is fantastic!
Elizabeth / Violently Happy
December 4, 2013
Pardon me while I wipe away the drool from my mouth!! Your house is turning out lovely. Such bold choices but classic and modern balanced. Well done Jordan
Melissa
December 4, 2013
I’m a colour freak but I’m in LOVE with the dark walls. The pops of brass look stunning against it. And that chair! Amazing job.
obat stroke alami
December 4, 2013
nice make over
Sarah
December 4, 2013
This all looks so great!
Sarah
aroseinthecity0.blogspot.com
martha
December 4, 2013
it’s extraordinary!!! i can’t tell – is the ceiling pink or white?
eva
December 4, 2013
Looks great! You’ve done an amazing job! Looking forward to seeing the next room(s)
Where did you get your copy of ‘Gypsy’?
Stacia
December 4, 2013
I LOVE bay windows and your space turned out so great. It looks so comfortable and effortless.
Katerina
December 5, 2013
I absolutely love it! I even called my husband to give him a hint for our bedroom..
emily
December 5, 2013
you work fast! gorgeous. I love that you painted the window moldings black too…very seamless and sleek. and it provides such a great backdrop for everything else…helps everything really stand out, like the silhouette of the hanging chair.
meg
December 5, 2013
Gorgeous! I am in love with your reading swing!!!!
http://happinessiscreating.com/
Lindsay
December 5, 2013
Your bedroom seems dramatic but airy and soothing at the same time. Love the hanging chair. It looks like a beautiful room to begin with, so I’m sure whichever direction you go it’ll be a good one. Enjoy your new bedroom!
Aileen@AtHomeinLove
December 5, 2013
Love your advice on how you choose paint colors (I’ve had that sick feeling halfway through painting a room too, and it sure doesn’t feel good)…and love, love, LOVE your bedroom!!!! So chic and aweseome.
Christina Warren
December 5, 2013
AWESOME and BOLD! So inspired by your striking choices! Totally impressed and so happy when someone becomes a homeowner and gets to customize! You took it to another level!
brittanyMakes
December 5, 2013
absolutely beautiful! and i’m so happy to know you can actually sit in those swings 😛
Melissa
December 5, 2013
The black walls are genius! Love the makeover!
Allie
December 5, 2013
the hanging chair is so good.
KCH
December 5, 2013
Awesome! My room is also painted in Dark Kettle. My batrhoom, too!
Evi
December 6, 2013
Your bedroom is great! Love those three windows… love that hanging chair! all my wishes to enjoy it and have great memories there!
rubi
December 6, 2013
Woah this is beautiful!
Julie Kuberski
December 6, 2013
Love the black. My fiancé and I plan on painting our bedroom black when we get a house too. Can’t wait.