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Exciting Dark Blue Bedroom Reveal | ORC

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Last Updated on November 16, 2023 by lindseymahoney

The moody dark blue bedroom reveal is here and it looks nothing like it did a few months ago! I love these 6-week challenges so much because they really push me to complete the projects in one single space.

Transform the feel of your bedroom with a bold wall color and modern furnishings | Building Bluebird #orc #bhgorc #sherwinwilliams #sw6251

For those of you who are stopping by for the first time, welcome! Last year my family moved into a fixer-upper in Toledo, Ohio, and have been documenting our renovations on the blog. In fact, I renovated our dining room for my first ORC! I updated my little boys’ bedroom for my second ORC last Spring. Thanks for following along as we work to transform our master bedroom in 6 weeks!

6 Week Recap

  • Master Bedroom Mood Board | Week 1
  • Moody Paint & Furniture Picks | Week 2
  • Installing Closet Organization Systems | Week 3
  • Updating our IKEA Hemnes Dresser | Week 4
  • Final Design Details | Week 5

I worked with Kara from Opal Studios to capture the master bedroom reveal shots and she did an incredible job! I can’t wait to share the complete transformation with you today – let’s get started!


Moody Dark Blue Bedroom Reveal

Disclosure: I received paint from Sherwin-Williams as compensation for the post. All views and opinions expressed in the post are my own and no other compensation was provided. Thank you for supporting my passion!

Modern dark blue bedroom makeover reveal | Building Bluebird #outerspace #swcolorlove #moodypaint #sw6251

I often find myself bouncing around from project to project around the house, but when I really focus on one area, it is so worth it in the end. It’s also a great opportunity to finish a project before the craziness of the holiday season.

Before

Here is a refresher on what our master bedroom looked like a few months ago…

Master bedroom before the moody makeover | Building Bluebird #orc

Let’s be honest, the before pictures are not exactly the reality we lived in. I definitely cleaned the bedroom and hid the clutter before taking these shots!

All of the furniture was from our first family home 10 years ago and we were ready for a change. My goal was to create a relaxing retreat for Chris and me to enjoy at the end of a long day.

After

Modern dark blue bedroom makeover reveal | Building Bluebird #outerspace #swcolorlove #moodypaint #sw6251

Before

Master bedroom before the moody makeover | Building Bluebird #orc

We moved into our home a year ago and had not touched the walls in the master bedroom. The paint was a pale blue chosen by the previous owners and we hadn’t even removed some of the nails in the walls from when they lived at the property!

After

Modern dark blue bedroom makeover reveal | Building Bluebird #outerspace #swcolorlove #moodypaint #sw6251

Dark Blue Bedroom Paint Color

My original design plans included clean white walls, but Chris rebelled and said we needed some color on the walls. He asked for color so that is exactly what I gave him!

I chose Outerspace SW 6251 by Sherwin Williams in a satin finish and it completely transformed the look of the space!

Outerspace SW 6251 by Sherwin Williams | Building Bluebird #moodypaint #emeraldinteriorpaint #swcolorlove #bedroommakeover

I chose Emerald Interior paint because it is a paint and primer in one. This allows for better coverage and fewer coats, plus the paint is low VOC which is better for the environment and has less of an odor.

Our bedroom has tons of closet space which means tons of closet doors. I decided to paint the trim and doors the same dark blue as the walls to camouflage bifold doors.

Modern dark blue bedroom makeover reveal | Building Bluebird #outerspace #swcolorlove #moodypaint #sw6251

The trim and doors were also painted with Outerspace SW 6251 in a semi-gloss finish. It took me 3 coats of paint and some touch-ups to completely cover the bi-fold doors.

I don’t even want to think about how many coats it would take if I did not use a paint and primer option!

Master Bedroom Furniture

The furniture we were using in our bedroom was purchased for our first home and the bedroom was tiny. The platform bed was perfect for extra storage because we could only fit a small dresser into our first bedroom. Now that our bedroom has 3 large closets, I wanted to streamline the bed frame for a more modern look.

Before

Master bedroom before the moody makeover | Building Bluebird #orc

I originally chose a beautiful upholstered bed frame from West Elm, but when it got back-ordered into December I had to switch up my plans.

I ended up finding an awesome mid-century modern frame from Overstock and it was half the price of my first option! It also arrived in like 2 days which was super exciting to get our bed all set up.

After

Modern dark blue bedroom makeover reveal | Building Bluebird #outerspace #swcolorlove #moodypaint #sw6251
Bed Frame | Quilt | Waffle Blanket | Upholstered Squares

This new bed worked out for the best because it better aligned with what Chris and I both wanted. I really wanted an upholstered headboard and he really wanted wood. This bed was the perfect mix of what we both wanted!

Instead of placing a bench at the foot of the bed, I went with these upholstered squares. They not only add more seating options, but they are also the perfect stepping stool for our teacup poodle to hop on our bed!

Bedding

With the moody paint color as the backdrop, I focused on neutral bedding to brighten the space. This is honestly my favorite spot to hang out in our home! It feels like a cool bedroom at a boutique hotel.

Modern dark blue bedroom makeover reveal | Building Bluebird #outerspace #swcolorlove #moodypaint #sw6251

I have been eyeing Boll & Branch blankets for a while now and was so excited to incorporate this beautiful pewter waffle blanket into the makeover.

It is the perfect extra layer during the winter months and has a subtle texture that gives our bed added dimension. Varying textures help to bring a room to life when you are layering in similar colors – like the bedding.

Modern dark blue bedroom makeover reveal | Building Bluebird #outerspace #swcolorlove #moodypaint #sw6251

Nightstands

Before

IKEA Hemnes nightstands before the ORC makeover | Building Bluebird #bhgorc #moodybedroom

The IKEA nightstands were the perfect size in our first home, but I definitely wanted more surface space for our master bedroom makeover.

After

Simple nightstand decor with family photos for a personal touch | Building Bluebird #moodybedroom #moodypaint #bhgorc
Nightstand | Clock | Flower

These black nightstands were a perfect size and maximized the usable wall space on both sides of the bed. I made sure the closet doors could fully open with the new night tables.

I love that I can keep odds and ends in the drawer and display books on the lower shelf.

Modern dark blue bedroom makeover reveal | Building Bluebird #outerspace #swcolorlove #moodypaint #sw6251

My alarm clock adds to the vintage-style touches of our bedroom and has USB plugs on the back that are perfect for phone chargers. The light-colored lamp offsets the dark blue walls and the small bowl is a perfect spot for jewelry.

Modern dark blue bedroom makeover reveal | Building Bluebird #outerspace #swcolorlove #moodypaint #sw6251

I added a family photo on Chris’ side of the bed and left space for his book. For symmetry and balance, I used the same nightstands and lamps on both sides of the bed.

Modern dark blue bedroom makeover reveal | Building Bluebird #outerspace #swcolorlove #moodypaint #sw6251

More One Room Challenge Reveals You Will Love

Master Bedroom Seating Area

Let’s take a look at the other side of the bedroom now. I wanted to add seating near the window to add function to our bedroom and give the rest of the decor a little love.

Before

Master bedroom before the moody makeover | Building Bluebird #orc

After

Here is the same side of the bedroom after 6 weeks. I installed floor-length, faux linen curtains, and a cozy seating area in the corner.

Modern dark blue bedroom makeover reveal | Building Bluebird #outerspace #swcolorlove #moodypaint #sw6251
Curtains | Curtain Rod

When I organized our closets, I put all of our formal clothing on the side of the closet behind the chair. We use this side of the closet much less frequently than our other closets and therefore allowed us to create a seating area in front of the doors.

Matching the trim and closet doors to the dark blue wall color in the bedroom helps to camouflage the fact that the seating is directly in front of the closet doors.

Modern dark blue bedroom makeover reveal | Building Bluebird #outerspace #swcolorlove #moodypaint #sw6251

I chose this vintage seascape print from Etsy because it reminds me of our family vacations at Cape Cod. The brass lamp is from an estate sale and the cozy sherpa chair and ottoman are from the Threshold Studio McGee Collection at Target.

Modern dark blue bedroom makeover reveal | Building Bluebird #outerspace #swcolorlove #moodypaint #sw6251

Master Bedroom Storage

Before

When I started our bedroom makeover, the Hemnes IKEA dresser had a broken drawer and was the wrong color for my design plans. I love the amount of storage that this dresser offers us so I decided to try out an IKEA furniture hack that Mandi from Vintage Revivals shared on her Instagram.

IKEA Hemnes dresser before the IKEA hack and bedroom makeover | Building Bluebird #ikeahack #orc #moodybedroom

After

I am in LOVE with the new look! We fixed the drawer and I installed trim around the edge of each inset drawer for extra detail. I finished the piece by applying the Rust-Oleum Cabinet Kit. This light gray option comes with the light tint base in the cabinet kit.

*You can check out the full IKEA hack tutorial here.

Modern dark blue bedroom makeover reveal | Building Bluebird #outerspace #swcolorlove #moodypaint #sw6251

This fun IKEA hack may be my favorite one yet. It completely elevates the look of the bedroom.

More IKEA Hacks to Try at Home

Modern dark blue bedroom makeover reveal | Building Bluebird #outerspace #swcolorlove #moodypaint #sw6251

I added a larger lamp to fit the size of the dresser and included one of my favorite family photos. The eucalyptus diffuser smells so good, I want to put them in every room of my house.

Modern dark blue bedroom makeover reveal | Building Bluebird #outerspace #swcolorlove #moodypaint #sw6251

On the other side of the dresser, I added an earthy, ceramic vase and popped in a few tree branches from our backyard that had colorful leaves. Two coffee table books and a candle on top helped to balance this corner of the dresser. I went with a round mirror to soften the feel of the room and give it a more feminine touch.

Modern dark blue bedroom makeover reveal | Building Bluebird #outerspace #swcolorlove #moodypaint #sw6251
Vase | Styled Book

Closet Organization

Remember my cluttered and messy closets? Those all got a major upgrade too!

Closet organization before image | Building Bluebird #closetmaid #orc

After sorting through our clothes and purging rarely worn items, I painted each closet a crisp white and installed Closetmaid organization systems. I chose a center stack with shelving and three clothing rods. One side of the closet has a single rod to accommodate my longer dresses and the other side of the closet has two rods for my shorter items.

Check out the closet organization blog post for more details and tips on closet upgrades.

Modern dark blue bedroom makeover reveal | Building Bluebird #outerspace #swcolorlove #moodypaint #sw6251

Remember what the third closet looked like just a few months ago? It was so disorganized and full of junk!

And now every item has its spot in the closet and there is plenty of room to grow if we need more storage.

Modern dark blue bedroom makeover reveal | Building Bluebird #outerspace #swcolorlove #moodypaint #sw6251
Modern dark blue bedroom makeover reveal | Building Bluebird #outerspace #swcolorlove #moodypaint #sw6251

Source List

If there are any items from my moody, dark blue bedroom reveal that is not linked, shout it out in the comments and I will find you the link to the source!


Threshold Studio McGee sherpa chair and ottoman with the walls painted in Outerspace by Sherwin Williams | Building Bluebird #sw6251 #swcolorlove

More Content You Will Love

Participating in the One Room Challenge is always a blast. With each experience, I walk away with new accounts that I love to follow and unlimited inspiration for projects I want to tackle in my home.

Head on over to the One Room Challenge blog to explore all of the incredible makeovers. Thank you for your encouragement and support as I take you through my home projects, it means so much!

Fall 2020 Better Homes & Gardens One Room Challenge

Dramatic Blue Bedroom Redo | Apartment Therapy | Sephina

Tuesday 12th of January 2021

[…] Lindsey Mahoney of Building Bluebird moved into her home a year and a half ago, her bedroom had her feeling the blues. The baby blue […]

Stacy | Blake Hill House

Monday 30th of November 2020

Your bedroom looks beautiful! You did an excellent job with this makeover. I especially love the wall color and dresser.

lindseymahoney

Monday 30th of November 2020

Thank you so much!! :)

Beth

Friday 20th of November 2020

Love how moody yet bright this room is! Great job!

lindseymahoney

Monday 23rd of November 2020

Thank you so much, Beth!

Sam

Sunday 15th of November 2020

Love this room! Great choice on the paint color, and I love the simple but effective decor.

lindseymahoney

Sunday 15th of November 2020

Thank you so much!

Lindsey

Thursday 12th of November 2020

That color blue is amazing - it transforms everything else in the room

lindseymahoney

Thursday 12th of November 2020

Thank you!!