We left you hanging there a bit, eh?
For wonderful- but exhausting- work-related reasons, we got delayed in sharing our Dream Room Details. As we’re both adjusting to new work situations, there’s been a lot going on, but we have a ton of exciting things that we can’t wait to share with you!
Up first, Dream Room Details! We’ll both be talking more about the rooms we put together, including links to sources, and ways to “shop the room” and create a version that suits you! We’ve also taken on some exciting projects that we’re really pumped about: Project Lake Claire was a carpentry project for Jen that took off quickly and took a ton of energy and time, but it turned out amazing, and we’ll share final photos (including the stunning style of these awesome homeowners) as well as plans to help you build your own versions of these projects. Project Concrete Condo is a design project we’ve started, and we’ll be sharing our progress as we go! We’re in the contractor-selection phase for some light (but super stylish) renovations, and then we’ll be off to the races selecting an entire condo’s worth of furniture for this home! Basically: stay tuned- because we have a lot to share! Also, make sure to check us out on Instagram (@jmvstyle) for more up-to-the-moment project details!
With updates out of the way, let’s get back to why we’re here today- discussing the details of the grey-geometric-textured-glam-jen-and-ben oasis. As I mentioned before, we’re currently working on our bedroom, and this was a great exercise in understanding what elements we really loved (even if some of them were more aspirational). Full disclosure: this is the first time in a long time that I’ve felt that I have “designed” one of my own spaces. After college, I rented for several years, and my inner cheapskate had such a hard time putting money into things that wouldn’t last. Looking back, I wish I would have invested the time and even a little cash, to make some of those places feel more like home. Ben has joked that I’m “nesting” now, because I’m just so excited to have something that is ours, and I just want so badly for the spaces to truly reflect us.
While the style of my dream room is closely aligned with our goals for the finished real-life bedroom, that one is still a work in progress and will be the subject of some future posts and projects. So for now, we’ll stick to talking about fantasyland.
I’m always interested in hearing how other people describe their own personal style. Sometimes they have a very clear identification with a particular design style “Oh, we’re definitely Scandi-Boho”, or sometimes it turns into a hyphenated list of “things-we-love”, and sometimes it really just can’t be put into words. I think that’s really where Ben and I are. We’re taking a lot of things one at a time, and getting a feel of what the best version of this space can be. It’s not a rush to have a complete “room reveal” in one go, it’s really more about living in the space, deciding what we need, and internet-stalking waiting until the right thing comes along.
There are several elements that we were feeling for this space, and in order to create some balance, we found ways to incorporate them throughout the room, starting with:
Wood- the perfect simple material. The warm tones in the bed, lighting, and drapery add a lot of life to the space, while the bleached floor helps tie in the grey throughout the room.
Blue- our mutual favorite color. By using blue as some of the most fun elements but not making it a “BLUE ROOM”, it helped create little moments of joy as your eye travels through the space. This also makes it easier to incorporate additional accents down the line.
Black- a new favorite, and a great way to ground the space. Because the touches of black are on large-scale items, we had fewer of these- to keep the space from becoming too dark.
Geometry- our pattern style of choice. The rug and striped pillow draw your eye, but the subtle geometry in the door, flooring, and bedding add great visual texture without competing for attention.
Shimmer- a new addition to our repertoire, it makes us feel grown-up 🙂 No need to perfectly match metal finishes, it feels more natural and “collected” if they all have a little variance.
Texture- a winner in any room, and one of the best ways to add simple interest. You can have a lot of fun with this one, finding functional elements with a little something funky, like the monkey’s fist door stop, and an oversized wall hanging that doesn’t become overwhelming because it’s all about textural tone-on-tone.
By incorporating items that spanned several “categories”, it helped the overall space feel cohesive. Nothing is matchy- we’re never worried about finding the exact same shade of blue- but it all works together.
This fantasy space was a blast to create- but honestly, we’re just as excited about our real-life bedroom. I’d say we’re about 70% through the projects and ideas, and we can’t wait to bring you guys along on the journey.
For sources for the items that weren’t mystical-Pinterest-unicorns-of-no-discernable-origin (I’m looking at you, live-edge bed!), you can shop your favorite pieces below
[no affiliate links here, just stuff I loved for my dream space]
Swing Arm Sconces // Mid Century Nightstand (blue version wasn’t available anymore) // Tufted Bench (in natural) // Wallpaper // Gingham Sheets // Tree Pillow // Grey Quilt // Faux Throw // Striped Pillow // Drapery Hardware // Floor Lamp // Wool Rug // Aquamarine Print // Pisces Print // Woven Trays // Under Water Print // Atlanta Gold Foil Print // DIY Wall Hanging via Brittany Makes // Similar Hamper (with adorable lid!) //
[…] as well as the amazing tree print from Society 6 that I spotted when selecting pillows for my Dream Room. This was Ben’s favorite style, but we feared that it might not work as well as a set of two, […]