Last Updated on August 17, 2023 by lindseymahoney
Another One Room Challenge reveal is here and I am so proud of our office and guest bedroom makeover.
One of my favorite parts of this 8-week challenge is how it pushes me creatively to make design decisions and experiment when something doesn’t go as planned.
From the beginning, my goal for this guest bedroom / office makeover was to build a design around items I already owned, second-hand items, and new, quality-made purchases and I feel confident that I accomplished it. I can’t wait to take you through all of the design details!
Catch up on the previous weeks of the feminine guest bedroom/office makeover below:
Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6 | Week 7
Check out the previous five One Room Challenge transformations:
Dining Room | Master Bedroom | Boys Bedroom | Girls Bedroom | Living Room
Guest Bedroom / Office Makeover Reveal
This blog post contains affiliate links, thanks for supporting Building Bluebird! For a complete source list, scroll to the bottom of the post.
Here is the guest bedroom when we first moved in three years ago.
And here it is now! I started by painting the walls a beautiful blueish gray color called Skylight by Farrow and Ball.
Updated Bed & DIY Headboard
Another view of the guest bedroom when we moved into our home.
The focal point of this room is the large bed.
It is the first thing you see when you walk into the room and I wanted to give it some personality since I wasn’t buying a new one. Here is the platform bed before the guest bedroom makeover.
I decided to add a dust ruffle to hide the platform, update the bedding, and build an upholstered headboard. Here is the same bed just 8 weeks later!
*Check out the full tutorial to DIY your own upholstered headboard with tufted buttons.
I stepped out of my comfort zone and chose a bright green suede fabric for the upholstered headboard and I love the fun color. It works perfectly with the Danicka Herrick fabric accent pillows.
The dust ruffle really changed the look of this platform bed. I am thrilled that I was able to make our old bed work without losing the integrity of the design.
The simple white quilt is the perfect backdrop for the sweet, blue and white checkered accent blanket and shams (similar).
Painted Nightstands
This nightstand is actually an old sewing cabinet. After sitting in my parent’s garage for a few years, I took it off their hands and used it as a temporary nightstand before this makeover.
My original design plans did not include this sewing cabinet, but after splurging on an acrylic sofa table, I decided to make this one work!
Once the cabinet was painted white and new knobs were installed, it worked perfectly in this room.
The nightstand on the other side of the bed is an old fern table I found at an estate sale.
The height is similar to the sewing table so I knew they would work together once they were the same color. Painting furniture is an easy and affordable way to breathe new life into items you no longer love.
I painted the fern table white and it looks perfect! The silver vase is another estate sale find that I shined up with silver polish.
Wall Sconces
A few years ago I found a pair of wall sconces for $8.50 each and they finally have a home in the guest bedroom!
Before hanging them on the wall, I updated the shiny brass arm swing and wall plate with Rub n’ Buff.
Because the sconces are not wired, I used a plastic conduit to hide the plug cord and painted it the same color as the wall.
Guest Bedroom Dresser
The inspiration for this bedroom design came from the vintage Italian Tole lamp I found at a nearby antique shop.
The floral lamp is so unique and because my husband didn’t exactly love it as I did, I knew my office/guest bedroom was the perfect place for it! LOL.
I bought this dresser a few years ago for our master bedroom but the drawers were way too small.
It lived in my daughter’s bedroom for a while until our neighbors offered us a bigger one (score!) and finally made its way to the guest room.
It really feels like it was made for this room. The Chippendale detailing even matches my vintage Century desk!
This DIY lacquer tray is another thrifted item that I painted green and blue for a fun pop of color. I was inspired by Rita Konig’s serving trays so I made myself a dupe that fell within my budget.
Artwork
This large blank wall had me stumped for quite a while. It’s funny how a tightening budget can push you into an affordable solution that turns out awesome!
At the last minute, I decided to have a custom slipcover made for the accent chair in this room which essentially eliminated any budget for artwork.
Luckily, I buy lots of random artwork even when I don’t have a place for it and store it in my closet. I pulled out all of my spare art and came up with a gallery wall that I absolutely love.
Each piece that I hung has a backstory and inspired me in some way when I decided to buy it.
As a room that doubles as my office, it really is perfect that I surrounded myself with art that inspires me and that I find beauty in.
Accent Chair
I have a habit of collecting items that are free (or almost free), even if I don’t know where they will go. My husband calls this hoarding and I call it smart.
For example, when my aunt asked family members if anyone wanted her neighbor’s free chair, I raised my hand as soon as I saw the word free!
While the fabric was not to my taste, I liked the shape of the chair and it was well-made.
I wasn’t planning on creating a custom slipcover for the chair during this challenge, but the opportunity presented itself and I took it!
Because there wasn’t time to order fabric online, I chose a fabric that was available at my local fabric store.
I kept it simple with durable white denim for the slipcover.
In contrast, I had the upholsterer use the green headboard fabric for the chair welting (piping). I am still blown away at how beautiful the chair looks! The slipcover fits like a glove.
This side of the room is really tough to photograph because of the bay window. I wish the colors were more accurate, but I wanted to make sure this side of the room is shown!
The floor lamp behind the chair is Lillian August which I found on super discount at a consignment shop. The scalloped rattan lampshade fits the design of this room perfectly.
In this wider shot, you can make out the acrylic sofa table in front of the bay window overlooking the garden.
This is one of my favorite purchases in this room and is worth the splurge. The table is really sturdy, adds a modern touch to the space, and doesn’t block the window view. The curtains are from Ikea.
Office Bookshelf
Again, I repurposed an old bookshelf that we have owned for years and painted it the same color as the wall.
The bookshelf was originally dark brown and because it sits directly across from the wood desk, that side of the room felt heavy visually.
Check out these upcycled furniture projects!
- How to Paint A Bed Frame | Easy DIY Tutorial
- Old Sheet Music Cabinet Makeover | DIY
- Bentwood Chair Makeover | Easy DIY
- The Easy Way to Paint Kitchen Cabinets (no sanding!)
With both of the nightstands and the dresser already white, I was concerned that another white, painted piece of furniture would start to give off farmhouse vibes. Painting the bookshelf the same color as the wall gives it a subtle, modern look.
Desk Area
I fell in love with this vintage Century desk at our local consignment shop as soon as I saw it! It is in great condition with its dovetail drawers and beautiful bamboo-style details.
I searched high and low for a second-hand desk chair but had no luck. This blue and white striped chair was on clearance at Home Goods and it fit most of my criteria.
I wanted an upholstered chair without arms that had skirting to hide the legs. The peg board was a new purchase from Home Goods as well.
Guest Bedroom/Office Source List
- Wall Color – Skylight by Farrow and Ball
- Headboard DIY
- Bed Skirt
- Bed Quilt
- Blue and White Gingham Quilt & Shams (similar) – Ugg brand no longer available at Home Goods
- Floral Sheets
- Accent Pillows
- Sconces – thrifted
- Rub n’ Buff for Sconce Arms
- Nightstand (fern table) – thrifted and painted white
- Nightstand (sewing cabinet) – owned and painted white
- Artwork – thrifted
- Dresser
- Mirror
- Italian floral Tole lamp (similar)- thrifted
- DIY Lacquer tray
- Century Desk – thrifted
- Desk Chair (similar)
- Linen Pinboard (similar)
- Bookshelf – owned and painted
- Acrylic Sofa Table
- Accent Chair – free and had a custom slipcover made
- Curtains
- Floor lamp
- Everlasting Candle
- British Designers at Home Book
The guest bedroom makeover is complete and I am so happy with the finished space. Now we need guests to visit us and stay here!
Thank you so much for following along as I worked on this space in our home. Don’t forget to head over to the One Room Challenge blog to see all of the other room reveals!