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.

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!

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…

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

Before

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

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!

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.

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

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

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.

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.

Nightstands
Before

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

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.

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.

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.

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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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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
- How to Add a Simple Scalloped Furniture Detail | IKEA Hack
- One Room Challenge Week 4 | Easy IKEA Hack
- Make A Scalloped Edge Shelf with this IKEA Hack
- Easy IKEA Hemnes Dresser Hack to Try at Home
- The Best IKEA Furniture Hacks to Try at Home

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.

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.

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

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.

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.


Source List
- Wall Color | Outer Space by Sherwin Williams (SW 6251) Satin Finish
- Trim Color | Outer Space by Sherwin Williams (SW 6251) Semi-gloss Finish
- Bed Frame
- IKEA Hemnes Dresser
- Round Mirror – Home Goods (similar look here)
- Alarm Clock
- Eucalyptus Diffuser
- Nightstands
- Sherpa Chair & Ottoman
- Seascape Painting Print
- Blue Throw Blanket – Home Goods
- Brass Floor Lamp – thrifted
- White Quilt
- Flannel Sheets
- Waffle Blanket (over the quilt)
- Accent Pillows – Home Goods
- Nightstand Lamps- Home Goods
- Ceramic Vase
- Glass Lamp Base
- Lamp Shade
- Faux Linen Drapes
- Black curtain Rod
- Boat Artwork – thrifted at Consign-It
- Square Upholstered Cubes
- Picture Frames – Home Goods
- Closet Organization System
- Styled by Emily Henderson Book
- Made for Living by Amber Lewis Book
- Make Life Beautiful by Shea and Syd McGee
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!

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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!

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!!