Hello dollies…welcome to this month’s Where Bloggers Live 11.2020; sharing a look at ‘where I lay me down to sleep.’ To be more specific…my our bedroom. My mater’s suite!! Which, on occasion, is also where I lay me down to roll around and worry all night. That happens at least once a week, or just shy of 15% of the time. Guess that’s not too bad an average, huh? But those sleepless nights sure feel miserable when I am experiencing them.
Even though these Where Bloggers Live posts are always scheduled for the second Friday of each month, I am thankful our fearless leader Bettye always sends out reminders for upcoming posts. They tend to sneak up on me even so!
Just a reminder: Once Upon a Time & Happily Ever After occasionally uses affiliate links. This means that if you click or make a purchase from a link provided I may receive a very small commission at no cost to you. Thank you for your support.
WHERE BLOGGERS LIVE 11.2020
This fun series is kind of like HGTV’s “Celebrities at Home,” but…with bloggers! I mean, who doesn’t like to peek behind the scenes and see inside people’s homes and lives? For last month’s post, we shared some of our favorite things. And before that, a look into our closets. As we wind up the series for 2020, we are making plans to bring it back in the new year. I look forward to continuing to blog with this creative group of gals.
For now, let’s head upstairs for a look at…
Where I Lay Me Down To Sleep
I’ve only had 2 houses as a grown up person. The one my daughters grew up in and the one I live in now with my Prince C. The master bedroom in ‘little house’ was downstairs while all of the other bedrooms – the kids’ rooms – were upstairs. I liked that arrangement for a number of reasons but most of all because the toys, the noise, the mess was contained upstairs, and the first floor was typically pretty well picked up and neat.
When Paul and I built our house together, we selected a floor plan that had one bedroom downstairs (Lauren’s room) but not the master bedroom. We anticipated that one or more of our parents might live with us at some point. The downstairs bedroom and bath was tagged for that possibility once the kids moved out. Our bedroom and en suite is upstairs with an additional guest bedroom (that was Matt’s room), P’s office, my loft and guest bath.
The Prince’s Lair
It seems the latest trend in master bedrooms is to create a retreat, a place for restful escape. Twelve years ago when decorating our new house, I had more in mind creating a lair or a den for my Prince. Something fitting for – say, King Henry the VIII? The bedroom furniture we picked out was very big, very heavy and very ornate. And dark. Very dark. As if that wasn’t enough, I chose a dark, heavy brocade comforter set in brown, red and gold with lots of pillows. Even the drapes were a deep chocolate color with tassels and tie backs. Our walls, a Tuscan gold. I even went so far as hanging tapestries on the walls on brass rods. It might have been more cave than lair.
My Master’s Suite
At some point, I decided to lighten things up. And the room we have now reflects a transition away from hollow to haven.
Can’t afford to ditch the furniture so have had to try to lighten things in other ways. The comforter we have now features a paisley print in blues and greens with a touch of light yellow on a white background. I have semi-sheer linen-like drapes and braid rugs in yellow, blue and green.
The white ceiling and baseboards help to lighten our dark walls. As luck would have it, about a year after we built our house, there was a move in interior design to cool colors. Grays, oyster. I figure if I wait long enough to repaint, this warm caramel color will come back in vogue.
Master or Mistress?
While my original aim was to make our bedroom a master suite, now with the lighter touches, it looks more like a mistress suite. Most of the nick knacks, of which there is probably an over abundance, are mostly things I have collected or been given. The art on the walls has a decidedly feminine feel. Double-matted gild-framed watercolors or wedding photos. Images of places where I want to go or have already been.
One of the first things PC ever gave me was the gold square-framed verse from 1 Corinthians 13:13. The lace mounted on the aqua mat in the second photo below was a piece from my paternal grandmother’s wedding dress. The art in the wide silver frame is my parents’ newspaper wedding announcement and invitation.
New Orleans was a favorite vacation destination of ours when the girls were teenagers and it was just the 3 of us. This arrangement features a water color painting mounted on a slate tile from the French Quarter and 2 post card photographs I had framed.
The photo below records the anniversary of our first date at Applebees, 05.13.2003. We sat at the same table, ordered the same meal and the same apple martinis. Thank goodness, the oozing, open scrape on my knee where I had fallen while jogging on my lunch break had healed in the year since that first dinner.
We were both so badly scalded in our previous relationships that we continued to date 4 more years after this anniversary before we decided to tie the knot.
En Suite
The master bath is right off the bedroom without even a door separating the two. If I won the lottery, I would probably add a door there!
You’ll remember my closet from an earlier edition of Where Bloggers Live. At least there’s a door separating it from the bathroom. And a door between the the toilet and the rest of the bath.
The blackboard on the floor displays my seasonal goals. I like to be reminded of them. PC gave me the rocking chair shortly after we were married. Had hoped I would read to and rock babies in it but never have the babies at our house long enough to do so. On the baker’s rack, I have old photos of my Prince as a baby, my parents’ engagement, my father looking dapper in his Army uniform.
Lauren made me the necklace hanger in the photo below for Christmas one year. It what I based the lighter color scheme for the room on. And if the floral pattern looks familiar, it is the same design on the mosaic table I have been working on forever.
The obnoxiously large framed piece above the quilt stand is my father’s christening gown, booties and a bunny made for him from an handkerchief. Even a post card my grandfather wrote to family in Kentucky announcing his son’s birth. When I left the items to be grouped in a shadow box arrangement, I never dreamed the thing would be so…so big. But it worked well to cover the holes in the wall where the tapestry once hung!!
Balcony over the Backyard
Before we conclude this tour, let’s step out onto the balcony. Three seasons out of 4, this space can be an extension of the master suite. Like a sitting room under the stars. I love sleeping with the balcony door open and hearing the waterfall in the pool below. Our little bit of heaven on earth.
We have a beautiful view of sunrises coming up over the desert. And the sun setting behind the Franklin Mountains, if slightly obscured by the neighbors’ rooves.
And that brings us back inside to my master’s suite. To the place where I lay me down to sleep. Or to worry. Depending on the night…or the day I’ve had.
And that’s a wrap for this edition of Where Bloggers Live 11.2020. Looking back over these photos, it seems my master’s suite might appear to be terribly cluttered. In need of a Marie Kondo super-purge. I go back and forth on that. All of these things…this clutter…has meaning to me, represents something or someone we love. Does it bring me joy? Most of the time YES!! Except when I dust. That’s a lot of ‘stuff’ to dust.
YOUR TURN
Have said it before but it still holds. I wish that readers could leave photos along with their comments. Would love to see where you lay your head…and the rest of you!! Is your master suite clutter-free and sleek or sprinkled with precious mementos?
Now, why don’t we all go over to check out the Where Bloggers Live 11.2020 posts of my blogging buddies.
Bettye at Fashion Schlub
Daenel at Living Outside the Stacks
Em at Dust and Doghair
Iris at Iris’ Original Ramblings
Jodie at Jodie’s Touch of Style
Leslie at Once Upon a Time & Happily Ever After
So glad you stopped by. Wishing you the very best weekend. We continue to battle the blessed virus here in El Paso. Appreciate your good thoughts and prayers for my city.
Hugs and kisses,
Always so lovely to have a peek into your home! Enjoy your weekend!
Thank you!! I love these posts. So fun to share.
Leslie, your bedroom gives me the same vibe as every other part of your home (that you’ve shared with us) – SPA-LIKE! I love that piece of framed lace from your grandmother’s wedding dress and the framed vintage postcards. I used to collect vintage postcards and would frame one that depicted the upcoming holiday and hang it on my front door (I used to do cute things, now who has time). And the balcony? Balconies give me LIFE! I used to dog-sit at a house where the master (where I would sleep) had a balcony overlooking the giant backyard and the sunrise and I loved that space. How nice for you to have that.
Thanks for sharing!
Bettye
https://fashionschlub.com
Everyone was so kind about this tour. I love my home. Apparently, we need to be using our balcony more often. Going to remedy that this weekend!! I think you need to revisit that vintage postcard idea. You can get frames so inexpensively at dollar stores. And you could spray paint them for the holidays.
Thank you so much for the very sweet compliments on our home. It isn’t fancy but it is almost paid for and is comfy!!
I love these guided tours! What a lovely home you have with such precious mementoes on display. I can imagine how peaceful it must be to fall asleep with the balcony doors open listening to the waterfall below – fabulous!
This has been a very fun group to be associated/blogging with. I like all of the prompts and I enjoy seeing everyone’s responses/posts. Thank you for the sweet words about our home. I love ‘home’ and love being here…with the option of going places when I need to or want to. We are sleeping with the windows open lately and it is so pleasant. I like having the reflected sunrise peek in our open windows in the morning, too. Makes everything look so rosy.
OMG…the patio!! Now that’s what makes it so special.
And I think you’ve combined both masculine and feminine so well with the heavier furniture and more girly decor!!
And I love the framed christening gown. I had done that to my dad’s and Rob’s pieces once, but when we downsized, it was something that had to go.
I don’t consider your space cluttered at all, Leslie. Those photos you see in magazines just aren’t how we live…at least that’s my rationale, LOL!!!
XOOX
Jodie
http://www.jtouchofstyle.com
I don’t see any clutter – I love your bedroom. All the family pictures & memories. That and the colored walls. I, seriously dislike white or cream walls with NO color. I’m a color kind of girl and obviously I’m not a minimalist. Your bedroom looks warm and inviting. I think you’ve done a great job.
Thanks for sharing with us.
Grace & Peace, Iris
http://www.IrisOriginalsRamblings.com
Thank you so much. Ha!! I am not a minimalist either! Although, I could probably live happily in a tiny home when and if we ever downsize. We stayed in one for a week and I was in love!!
Oh, I love you!! Thank you for saying you don’t consider our space cluttered. I could definitely scale back a bit on the nick knacks but they are all meaningful. I hate that you had to let go of your fellas’ christening gowns. When we finally move to whatever smaller space comes next, there will be a great deal of paring down. But I imagine we will be ready!!
I would love to wake up to that view every morning!!!! Absolutely amazing. I am so jelous. Your record seems like a hotel room and I kind of enjoy that you have your own taste and style and don’t change with every trend. I especially love the rich Devore that the various frames provide.
Thank you!! You said the sweetest things. I love our home. It isn’t fancy but it is HOME!!
Your room is perfect! The balcony, the mementos of your life together and all the sentimentals, And your set is beautiful, it looks lovely with all the lighter colors. Our room is very dark, per Mr’s request…and we likewise have the set we purchased when we were first married…for us, more than 30 years ago. Funny how sets used to be the big thing and now mismatched pieces are…we went out on a limb and purchased the whole smash as “an investment” and now only use the dressers for storage. Go figure.
Your room doesn’t look cluttered at all to me, especially since the accents so beautifully pick up all the colors of the bedding. Aside from being very intentional, it looks like a happy reflection of your marriage and life. Thanks for sharing and inspiring!
Thank you, my darling friend. I remember reading your Mr. likes your room dark. I am surprised…we have been leaving the blinds up and the curtains open and both of us have liked it with the early morning sun slipping in to wake us. Makes the room much lighter and rosy looking. Funny how having a matching bedroom suite of furniture was always a goal or important purchase for young married couples, and now it seems everyone prefers more eclectic, random look. When I bought my first little house, my daughters had mix-n-match furniture. I sold it before we moved into the house and they slept on mattresses on the floor and had piles of neatly folded clothes arranged around the room. For Christmas that first year, I bought bedroom suites for both girls and put them into their new beds in their sleep in the middle of the night on Christmas Eve.
We have rented several houses where the master suite is all one without doors and while I get the concept I often think what happens when schedules don’t co-inside? I’d be so upset if every time my husband had to get up early for work and he needed the light on in the bathroom that I’d have that light shining in my face. I too prefer a door separating them. You have a lovely space though and “in” or not I really like the wall color.
Even after years of marriage, we are still modest about some things. The bathroom is one of those things. There is a door between the actual toilet and the rest of the bathroom. Thank goodness. But it would be nice to close the bathroom off completely. We do always get up at the same time, even though Paul works and I am retired, I get up every morning with him. And I don’t turn on the light on my multiple trips to the bathroom in the night.
Love love love your bedroom furniture. It’s so pretty.
The slip of your grandmother’s wedding dress is so sweet. I like that you’ve surrounded yourself with things that bring you comfort.
That balcony though… I’d never leave home.
We need to get our booties out on the balcony more often.
Thank you for the compliments. I do think it is important to surround ourselves with things we love, things that connect us to family and friends. Our room, our house is full of that!!
You have a gorgeous home, Leslie! Thank you for sharing it with us!
Thank you!! Our home is not fancy but it is home!
I love that balcony, it is everything, really, what a view! We are lightening up our room right now but our dark furniture will remain. Unless I can convince my husband to let me paint it!
xo,
Kellyann
I love the linens and bedding you have chosen for your makeover. I think our bedding helped to lighten our room, too. We need to use our balcony more often. Maybe this weekend for a glass of wine!!
Your bedroom looks so lovely! When we were building our house the latest thing was the en suite being connected to the bedroom without a door too – so many houses we viewed has this feature. We made sure to get a door built in, as hubby often stays up later than I do and the last thing I want is him waking me when he has a shower after I’ve just fallen asleep, haha! 🙂
I like the lighter pastel touches in your room too!
Hope that you are having a nice weekend 🙂
Thank you, Mica!! Oh, I wish we had thought of putting in a door between our bathroom and bedroom. My best friend just suggested a barn door. I am not sure it would work but maybe. Would solve the problem.
It’s always fun to peek into someone else’s space. You certainly have a lot of memories in your room. I prefer warm paint colors to dark, myself. I think your room looks like a good balance.
Thank you, friend. I sure dread the day we decide/have to paint. Moving furniture will be a nightmare.
The balcony! Wow. I would love that!
We need to spend more time on the balcony. In fact, we have 2 balconies!!
I loved having a sneak peak into where you live! That pool is amazing!
Thank you!!
It’s so fun to take a peek into your bedroom! I have a similar roof slate from New Orleans too! I love getting things like that from places we go! It’s such a fun souvenir!
New Orleans is such a crazy fun place to visit. Glad to have gone with the girls and to have mementos of our trip.
How lovely!! I can’t imagine having such a gorgeous view – and a balcony to enjoy it!! – right off my bedroom. What a treat!! (not to mention, a stunning pool in my backyard! WOW) I love all the memories you have reflected in your bedroom…it really creates such a special spot!! Thanks for sharing!!
Thank you, friend. I love my house. And I guess, along with it, all the clutter of the keepsakes and photos. Someday maybe I will purge them all but not ready yet.
Hi Leslie – I love the little sneak peeks into other homes and seeing your master suite was really interesting – very different to ours! Yours is much more of a statement and full of family treasures – ours is light, bright and fairly free of anything “interesting”. I love your balcony and the view – and your pool too!
You have a lovely master suite! Such a nice feature to have a balcony right off your bedroom. I would love to sit out there right before bed to relax!
Jill – Doused in Pink
Fun post! I think you’ve found the right balance of masculine and feminine. I LOL’d at your dusting comment! That’s part of the reason my declutter journey continues… I just don’t want to manage the inventory any more. Items keep moving themselves off to the Goodwill box in the spare room closet. I try to make a trip to drop something in there daily. That said, I don’t mind pictures on the walls; they’re FAR easier to dust than knick-knacks on surfaces! The christening gown is gorgeous. We have the one my grandfather, father, aunt and uncles, and I were all baptized in. And two of our grandsons. (It skipped one generation. LONG story) I envy you your view!