Master Bedroom Makeover


photo by Will Spears


After a good amount of planning and months of careful selection to maximize our very small master bedroom, I’m excited to finally share the finished product! (PS: In case you need to play catch up, you can browse our bedroom inspiration, and our bedroom moodboard and plans posts to see the full transformation from start to finish.) Even better, I got my good friend Joe to come photograph the space so I can properly document the makeover — so let’s get to the grand tour, shall we?


James Nightstand c/o Garnet Hill | Alabaster Orb Lamp c/o Garnet Hill | Glass Vase, vintage | Perfume Tray via Rikumo | White Bend Frame via Room & Board | Linen Curtains via West Elm | photo by: Joe St. Pierre


I was thrilled to partner with Garnet Hill during this transformation. I’ve been a sincere fan of their bedding and bathroom linens for years, with sets we still have that were given to us as wedding gifts nearly ten years ago! (See more of our partnership)

I was an early fan of Emily Henderson (remember the now defunct Design Star, anyone?!), who touted the Eileen Fisher silk and linen bedding options at Garnet Hill and put them on my radar. Since then, they’ve expanded their offering to include beautifully constructed furniture and lighting as well, and I found myself pinning and folding down pages of their catalog pages often when brainstorming on what we wanted to invest in for our own bedroom oasis in our new home.


Relaxed Linen Duvet Cover in Steel Gray, Eileen Fisher Organic Cotton Waffle Weave Blanket in Mushroom, Eileen Fisher Waves Washed Silk Quilt Pillow in Bone and Rose Down: all c/o Garnet Hill | photo by: Joe St. Pierre


As you can see, all our new bedding is General Gazpacho-approved, which we all know is of paramount importance. 😉

Our bed is the biggest component in this room, quite literally. As I shared in our floorpan, this room is rather small and a full/double size bed is as large as we could really get while still getting to each have a nightstand. My biggest priorities were to make a serene, restful space, and to maximize storage.

In order to achieve the first, I went with a slightly darker gray color on the walls (Benjamin Moore Owl Gray), invested in dual direction blinds to control sunlight, and got moodier-hued drapes. Most importantly, though, we went all out on our bedding, choosing layers of linens, organic cottons, and silk to rest on, along with a mix of firm and soft down-filled pillows.

I can truly say that the natural linens make a huge difference in my quality of sleep—they keep us cozy while also offering breathability, which is big for me because I have a tendency to get overheated when I get into deep sleep.


Face Limited Print via Josh Young Design House in thrifted frame | Eskayel wallpaper remnant via Salon Design framed | Vivienne Table Lamp via Lulu & Georgia | Book | Berkeley Nine-Drawer Dresser via Room & Board | Mirror via Rejuvenation | photo by: Joe St. Pierre


I also wanted the room to feel layered in artwork that adds beauty to the room without feeling too busy, cluttered, or frenetic. I opted for soft botanicals and abstracts with lots of negative space to evoke a sense of curiosity and serenity.

Ambient light was key to keeping the space feeling low energy and calming. This round-based lamp on the dresser felt like the perfect blend of minimal but modern, simple but interesting.


Dresser | Vase | Mirror | Framed Vintage Painting via EBTH | photo by: Joe St. Pierre


This dresser was a big investment piece for us, and I chose it for its bench-made production (the top left drawer is even signed by the person who built it!) and for its streamlined and timeless design. The mix of smaller and larger drawers provide tons of storage, which we split between bath linens and extra bedding and all of my husband’s clothes (#cityliving).


Nightstand | Senegal Lidded Basket c/o Garnet Hill | Framed art top and framed art bottom via Minted | Lamp | photo by: Joe St. Pierre


I went with a slightly darker, moodier vibe for Will’s side of the bed, with dark and rich tones in the original artwork. I layered in wood and vintage trays for warmth, and a woven storage basket to hide all his tech bits-and-bobs (chargers, headphones, etc.).

Now let me take this moment to profess my love for our matching alabaster bedside lamps. After years of using tasks lights or sconces that beamed such harsh, directed light into my eyes and causing one of us to be cranky (I always want to stay up and read a book and Will can immediately fall asleep which leads to squabbles over “lights on” or “lights off”), the soft glow from these has been a lifesaver.

But even outside of their utility, they are just incredibly beautiful. Alabaster is a natural material, so the veining and coloration of each is unique, and I love that we got one that leaned a bit more of a softer blush on the base for my side, and one with dark veining for Will’s side.


Bedding: Eileen Fisher Haven Shams and Eileen Fisher Solid Washed Linen Sheets & Pillowcases c/o Garnet Hill | Decorative Pillows | Duvet Cover | Iron bedframe, vintage (similar) | photo by: Joe St. Pierre


These nightstands were just what I’d been searching high and low for: something that was minimal, didn’t have too large a footprint, and offered storage without being clunky. The drawers offer generous storage, and the open shelving leaves plenty of room for stowing extra bits away or for creating a pretty vignette with books, magazines, or objects. It’s shocking how hard it was to find the perfect nightstands, but the tedious search paid off!


Moroccan Leather Pouf in Light Tan c/o Garnet Hill | Curtains | Macrame Plant Hanger, vintage (similar) | photo by: Joe St. Pierre


The Moroccan pouf is a surprisingly functional layer in the room: it serves as a nice seat for when I’m putting my shoes on and getting dressed in the morning and is the perfect “step” for Gazpacho between the floor and bed. We’ve also been known to carry it over into the living room when we have friends over and need extra seating!

So, ta da! The bedroom is now done and we are truly loving what an oasis it has become. Where you start and end your days is a really powerful environment that can either add or detract from your energy levels and sense of peace, and I’m so glad we spent the time and energy making this a space that rejuvenates us and puts a smile on our faces.

Thank you to Garnet Hill for being an amazing partner and to Joe St. Pierre for the beautiful photos of our little bedroom oasis!

*Many components of our bedroom makeover were in partnership with Garnet Hill. A lot of careful consideration goes into any partnership I take part in, and Garnet Hill’s dedication to slower consumerism and ecological production has made me a genuine fan of theirs long before this collaboration, and proud to partner with them now. While items were provided by GH, they were a part of an ongoing relationship, and all thoughts and opinions are always my own. 

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