It’s a master bedroom redo in my 5th (and final installment) of this Studio City house series (that was featured in HGTV Magazine). It’s like “Breaking Dawn, Part 2, ” except without stupid names like Renesme and weird CGI children. Or maybe it’s more like “Empire Strikes Back, ” although I’m pretty sure that was 3rd not 5th in the series. Maybe I should stop trying to make metaphors and wikepedia-ing “How many sequels are in the Star Wars series” and just show the makeover.
They had a great bed, but kinda needed everything else. Here we were before:
Decent start, just blank. They had an usual case of not being able to make any decisions after six months of renovations. So they bought the bed, but everything else was empty. After:
Oh hey there, happy room. I definitely want to hang out in you. The goal was color and personality. So easy. We decided to not even paint, which we could have, but decided that we would decorate and then paint last if the room needed it. It seems strange, I know, but they had just painted everything freshly white and having each room painted would have added up to a lot (think $400 a room, if not more) so we decided to save that money at first, then if at the end we felt that any room needed it we would address it then.
Rachna wanted to be really excited and happy to go to bed — a very reasonable request. Â It’s a big room so while she didn’t want it to be busy, she wanted it to be fun when she woke up. And she wanted a fun chandelier somewhere in the house, and you know I love a swagged chandelier. So this one we found at the flea market for $80 and had it rewired with a very long cord and chain, and then spray painted it a masculine color.
Resources from above: Long blue bench ($60), black steamer trunk ($120), side table (mine, like $80), woven rug ($60), brass bird ($60), chandelier ($80), telephone (don’t remember), gold lamp ($150, I think) = all vintage from flea market or Etsy. The long quilt over the king bed was from Bed Bath and Beyond, as was the black and white pillow (from Diane Keaton’s collection, I’m not kidding, and it’s totally good). The black and white throw is from Ikea. The “Smile” print (limited edition) from Keep Calm Gallery.Â
Rachna and Dave both love typography and they had the “For Like Ever, ” “Let me count the ways, ” “Mr. Mrs, ” and “This is the start …” prints. But we all agreed that they needed more paintings or drawings or photographs — just a different medium.
First up was that original Lisa Congdon, which I love VERY MUCH. Lisa’s pieces are just so weird and interesting and her colors are so saturated. You can see it better below. Then I brought in polaroids by Jen Gotch (right lower corner) and used an Ikea Ribba frame ($20) with a custom mat (that cost $30) to make it look all custom and fancy.
The only pieces I can’t remember are the graphic sweatshirt drawing prints. They were limited edition and probably gone by now as this was over a year ago, but I’ll keep looking to see if I can find a resource for them. We had everything framed by Dana at Hotel De Ville  which has moved downtown and is more by appointment now, but just as amazing as she’s always been.
Eric Olsen, the architect, built in this dresser units with the same reclaimed wood from the rest of the house. Totally genius.
But then I styled them, because that’s what I do.
I added that amazing LOVE mirror (that I can’t believe didn’t sell on my OKL sale, although, I think I priced it too high … sorry :(). Then a collection of pretty plants and succulents, books, and vessels. We kept the color palette quieter here and more masculine with just blacks/whites and greens. In this case they kept the books (because they were their’s) but didn’t buy anything else from the shoot because they didn’t mind these dressers being less styled for everyday.
Speaking of everyday …
This is how the room looks more everyday — just a few plants and books in the window. That angle is tricky. Shooting king-sized beds is so hard — they are just so big and they come at you so the bottom of the bed just looks even more enormous, which is why you don’t see them shot straight and pulled back, unless it’s in a massive room. But this angle does show you more information and tells you more about the space.
And there you have it folks. That wraps up The Studio City house tour. Thanks to Eric Olsen for his amazing architecture skills. Rachna and Dave for having such good taste, an imagination, and patience with my schedule. Orlando, of course, for all his help and making me laugh every day, HGTV Magazine for shooting it with Victoria Pearson, and Bethany Nauert for taking all the amazing scouting shots.
Want more of this project? Check it out here: Part 4 | Part 3 | Part 2Â | Part 1