My Widows Walk Bedroom

It has been ten months since my beloved Alberto died. Many of you have been kind enough to indulge me pouring my heart out and sharing my grief with you. You might have read in older posts that I have been working on dividing my house in two, so I can rent one part of it out until my sister moves in with me in a couple of years. Photography by Sara Essex Bradley.

Valorie Hart Designs a master bedroom for a widow

It's good to have a project, though I have been sluggish making the changes. Every day spent packing away things and organizing a home made for two into a home now made for one is a volcano of emotions. It slows one down.

One of the major changes I have been working on include turning Alberto's office that was up on the second floor in a part of the house called a camel back, into my bedroom, dressing room, and sitting room. I added a bathroom up there, something I should have done long ago for Alberto. There are twenty-one steps up to the camel back, and he walked up and down them many times a day to use the downstairs bathrooms. Here is the link to see the "Before" - "The Office Of A Milonguero".

The upstairs is done. I have been sleeping up there for a couple of months. I forced myself not to return to our old bedroom once I moved upstairs. In fact that room has been reconfigured as part of the rental.

The upstairs consists of two rooms joined together by an archway.  It has an industrial loft like feeling, with an exposed brick chimney running through the center of the two rooms. There are four windows, two on each side, one set is on the east and the other set is on the west. From my bed, I can watch the moon rise on one side, and watch it go down on the other side. I see sky and tree tops. I have a birds eye few of my back patio and of the neighborhood. I call it my widows walk, a solitary aerie imagined as a garret high above the Parisian rooftops.

Surprise, surprise, I painted it white! White has always been in my arsenal and wheelhouse. I pulled out all the old Frenchy things I had stashed around here and there. I re-purposed furniture from Alberto's office and from around the house. I got something new that has been on my decor bucket list, the Etched Arcadia mural from Anthropologie. I got two murals, one for behind the bed, and one for behind the TV.

Etched Arcadia mural from Anthropologie

The bed is Alberto's old futon style couch he napped on - I added a nice memory foam mattress and an upholstered headboard - the smaller  double bed size is a perfect for me (and Cholo and Kitty Kitty Bang Bang)

I chose the mural because of the black and white and tree motif. I see tree tops outside my windows, and I love the playfulness of the idea of  being up in a tree house. It also looks like a modern version of the antique grisaille wallpaper that I loved in Howard Slatkin's New York apartment.

White drapes with black Greek key trim hung on return to the wall rods

I changed the doors from paneled ones to flat ones so I could have mural extend onto them. The mural is a stock size, and a was a little short for my walls. So I did a faux baseboard by adding a piece of trim at the bottom of the mural where the white wall is exposed, and adding trim and molding to the door. Black hinges and a black door knobs were also added. Removing the casing around the doors was too involved. I had to pick my battles.

The TV was Alberto's and it is in the same place when it was his office - The chest and mirror came from our dressing room and bedroom -  The antique Adirondack side table has been stored away for years - The rug is from our former dressing room

I kept Alberto's computer and a table he made, but I skirted in a drop cloth painted with wide black stripes, which I also used as a coverlet on the bed - the candle sconce above the computer was once in my breakfast area

This is a note I left him - we often left each other little love notes - I would be downstairs and hear him laughing at something on TV or that he saw online,  and also hear him singing tangos or playing the clarinet

This nook has a book shelf Alberto built - I organized all our photo albums or our years of teaching tango abroad. along with his important tango books here - The pair of white DIY faux marble lamps were once in our bedroom years ago

My old vanity and lamps have been kicking around for years - The pendant hanging on the lamp holds a lock of Alberto's hair

Another nook with shelves Alberto built for CDs and Videotapes

I tore out the ten year old wall-to-wall carpet and replaced it with gray faux wood (that would be affordable laminate lol). The house tilts as all old houses are wont to do, so a floating floor suits the shifting and tilting. I put in new ceiling fans (a necessity on the second floor). My closet is open with no doors or partitions.

My open closet is much smaller than the whole room Alberto and I had for our dressing room

Shoe storage is in a nook that once housed Alberto's tango video tapes now boxed and stored in the cabinets above - The little bench was once orange velvet and I had it reupholstered in faux white leather

I carved a full bath (albeit made for a petite person) out of a second unused stairway and stairwell - I used basic tile and brass fixtures - It may be a small bathroom but it is perfect for an ex-New Yorker who is used to small bathrooms.

This bathroom was once a stairwell - I used stock tile and brass fixtures - My skeleton anatomy chart makes a perfect window shade

I searched for a tiny sink - I think it is adorable

One day my lovely devoted friend Sara Essex Bradley came over to take pictures of what I had done. I was in a sad tailspin, and being with her brought me back some smiles, and the joy that comes from working with with her. 

This chaise was in our bedroom, and I had it reupholstered

All in all I am happy with the results. The only thing missing is Alberto.

My team: 
Oscar Amaya (and his wife Elvira and his son Alex) -  the contractor who did everything
Kevin (and his team) the electrician
Tommy (and team) from Pipe Wizard Plumbing
Dennis Gaultier (with his wife) - the best wallpaper installers
Designer Upholstery by Marvin
Drapes installed by Jennifer from Shading Places
My neighbor Brian for hauling away Alberto's collection of old electronics
Louis St. Lewis for hanging a mirror and his excellent company, kind heart, and sympathetic ear 
Fellow designer Penny Francis and Donna Russell for their invaluable input about the bathroom

Decorating With Chanel And Hermes - Sources For My Bedroom In Rue Magazine

Love these photos via La Dolce Vita. What girly-girl doesn't love Chanel and Hermes?

Using Chanel in your decor - photo via La Dolce Vita- go visit to see the whole fab space

Anne Harwell of Annechovie does the best prints of a Chanel perfume bottle that are so cute and affordable.

So cute! Ger it for your house! Anne Harwell at Etsy

And what girl doesn't want an Hermes purse?!!!!

Love how the purses are displayed as decor - photo via La Dolce Vita

Anne also does a fab print of a Kelly bag, and it comes with your choice of background color. I love them all, but I love the one with the Hermes orange background the best!

You can affor4ed this Kelly bag!!! Anne Harwell at Etsy

I got four of them and used them in my revamped bedroom. I framed them in black with white mats (frames from a big box store) to play back to the black trim on the lamps, and the black trim on the accent wall.

Decorating with Hermes as seen in rue magazine - photo by Sara Essex Bradley

I upholstered it in green linen (from fabric.com - they are out of what I use, but I gave you the link for something similar). I purposefully chose black trim on the hotel bedding (from an eBay store), with the oversize black monograms in a font called Tango (done by Uptown Embroidery).

I used extra green linen to make a bed skirt. The upholstered  headboard and  slip covered bench are done in Schumacher Nanjing in Jade Green. The headboard is very affordable from Country Door. I had the double piping removed by the Leonels the upholsterer, The chevron Missoni style rugs come from a big box store, and I put two together to make a larger rug,

The lamps are vintage that I painted to look like alabaster, and the oversize shades came from Lowes.
The nightstands were a close out that I got about six years ago, and have been painted a couple of time.
The color is Benjamin Moore Kelly Green.

The flower ball chandelier is discontinued, but it came from perch. and I am sure they could find you something similar.

It takes a village to make a pretty room, and I thank Anne Harwell and Mitchell Settoon for their help, and rue magazine for including me in the current issue May/June 2012 issue.

Next time I will share some sources in my living room.

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The Dwell Studio Dance

Moving things around in your house is a sure fire way to get a new look fast without spending any money. Buying things in the first place that have a common thread the weaves throughout the whole house makes for good design with stylish results.

Guest room now - Dwell Studio bedding, the Peacock pattern in Citrine moved in here - Also move in the painting that used to hang over the bed in the master bedroom, and the pair of mercury glass lamps, and the "santos" lady on the vanity

A few years ago I got some bedding from Dwell Studio. An investment for sure, and well worth it. The quality is gorgeous to the hand, and the wash and wear is awesome. The design ethos at Dwell Studio is modern and fabulous, with touchstones to the  traditional, so it mixes in really well with all styles.

The flip flopped bedding works with everything in the guest room

Recently i repainted the master bedroom, changing the color scheme. Rather than get new bedding, I swapped the Dwell Studio bedding I have in the guest room, with the DS I had in the master. Magically it works wonderfully, and it feels like we have "new" bedding in each room.

The Hedgerow pattern bedding from Dwell Studio moved into the master bedroom

Because of the color changes in each room, I also flip-flopped the accessories. Orange came into the master bedroom, and blues went into the guest room.

All the orange accessories from the guest room look great with the new green color scheme - I really love the Foo dog with the Nanjing toile headboard

The other nightstand has a vase of orange flowers, and the  lamps with the red lamp shades  that were in the guest room look wonderful in the master bedroom now

"Shopping" for things you already have in your house, and moving them around is the perfect way to chase away the doldrums and make everything feel refreshed and fun again.

I love my Dwell Studio stuff for sure!

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Whatever Happened With Miles Redd Green?

It all started with the ceiling falling in. The bedroom had not been painted in seven years. So why not change the color, along with the ceiling repair? The Veranda cover featuring Miles Redd with its green wall beckoned. The green bedroom of Sara Silverman done by FORM Interior Design inspired. Nick Olsen's love of emerald green tickled my fancy.

After all was said and done, and all the paint samples collected and put on the wall, the all green bedroom was not the way to go. With only one window in the room, the color wasn't so much the issue, as what the lack of light did to the color. It would have been like living in a terrarium.

This is how it turned out!

Onto Plan Z. I painted the walls greige. My Vamp Greige that I have used over and over again for myself and for design projects for others. BORING?! Yes and no.

Greige walls with green accents -  A peek inside the door of The Visual Vamp's "new" bedroom - This is how it looked in transition to the fianal look

Determined to use the gorgeous greens I collected, I switched gears and decided to use them as an accent. First up was the Nanjing Toile, with props to Tobi Fairley. I saw photos from a show house she did, and while show houses are usually the stuff of make believe, I thought the vibrant green on a new padded headboard would be the major green moment in the room.

The other side of the room - You can see the greige walls with the hand painted green diamonds done by Mitchell Settoon

Equally important was the idea to hand paint pattern on the walls, using green of course. I had the idea of doing a huge diamond pattern. Ring-ring, I called fellow blogger and my friend Mitchell Settoon, a crackerjack designer and inspired decorative painter. Both of us are not that great in the exact science of straight lines and the uber precise painting of them. I suggested a free hand approach, so the lines would look hand painted, perfect in their imperfection. Doors and bump-outs got the pattern too. I think Mitchell did an awesome job. The hint of green of the greige walls gave me the best of both worlds.

The chevron rug provides more color cues to play with - Cholo loves it!

I purchased two chevron pattern rugs, a real bargain I could not pass up HERE. There are two put together to look like one large rug. The colors in the rug gave lots of opportunity to play, and pull them into the rest of the room. The turquoise silk drapes I already had, came back into the room. They work really well with rug.

The nightstands were painted a vibrant green

I painted the nightstands the same color as the green lines on the walls. A TV armoire got repurposed elsewhere as a linen press, The two dressers remained and got rearranged. The larger flat screen from the living room got moved in on top of one of the dresses. The chaise lounge was purchased three years ago, and moved around the house first in the living room, and then in the guest bedroom. It is a tricky piece of furniture to make fit, and I think it finally found it's proper home. I also moved some huge mirrors out, replacing one with a smaller one over one dresser, and creating a gallery wall where the other one was.

The TV armoire is replaced by one of the dressers -   Now that the chaise is in here we use the room more - Note how the pattern continues on the doors

The flat screen is where the old armoire used to be

The chaise moved in

I found this green box in the closet and used it to elevate a basket of throws

The gallery wall over the chaise

The smaller mirror over the dresser

The Lucite tray Nicole Cohen made for Alberto

The guest room lamps with their bright shades came into the room, and the art work over the new headboard changed too. I hung three fabulous Philip Mayberry/Scott Walker platters over the bed. I have had these for twenty years, and never had a place to hang all three together.

Philip Maberry/Scott Walker platters over the Nanjing toile headboard - lamps with red shades moved in from guest room - Dwell Studio Hedgerow bedding - I over dyed the little Dwell Studio pillows and the Ikea duvet covers green

The guest room Dwell Studio bedding came into the room, and I over dyed two little Dwell Studio pillows and an Ikea Duvet in green. Later on I'll post the changes in the guest room. It is so great when you shop your house, and flip things around. It totally makes things new and fresh again.

Detail of over dyed throw and chevron rug - I spy some little kitty feet!

The bedroom now, is so much an expression of us - lots of unexpected color and patterns, and it's totally comfortable, even more than before. We really like the chaise and the bigger flat screen in the room. The room is much more useful as a bedroom and a sitting room.

Kitty Kitty Bang Bang loves the new room

Many of you think I change things all the time. It seems that way, but really the changes happen over the years. I use my home as my style lab, trying things out before I  do them for a paying customer. Also as repairs come up in this old house, opportunities present themselves for a change or two.

The Miles Redd Veranda cover that started me down the green slippery slope

I'm writing a decor book for Gliterrati; doing freelance writing assignments; doing local TV home decor spots; styling and doing some design projects; and still teaching tango. My time is flexible, and my own. It still takes effort and planning and energy to do the home projects, and  it is something Alberto and I enjoy doing.

Master Bedroom of Valorie Hart The Visual Vamp - November 2011

But it ended up like this!

This is the final finished  version of the room - I added a fabric wall and dust skirt in emerald green, a slipcover for the bench in  the Nanjing Jade, white lamp shades trimmed in black gross grain ribbon, four prints of Hermes Kelly bags done by Anne Harwell of Annechovie, and new white bedding with black trim and monograms

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Nanjing Toile Headboard

The master bedroom has been refreshed. The walls are painted, some furniture moved, and a couple of new accessories added.

The former headboard was comprised of two ends of an antique daybed mounted on the wall. The update is a padded headboard, purchased HERE. It is a basic white duck headboard, that got recovered in Schumacher Nanjing in a color called jade, but actually looks more emerald green.

This inexpensive headboard comes in three sections

We traced the shape of the headboard on some paper. A rubbing was made using a pencil to get the impression of the mounting hardware. Then we taped the paper headboard on the wall and used a nail to mark where the holes had to be made for the screws to hold the headboard to the wall.

Paper template of the headboard was used to mark where the mounting screws would go

In no time at all, and with a little fiddling around, the new headboard was up on the wall.

The new headboard mounted on the wall - The fabric is Schumacher Nanjing Toile - Leonels did the upholstery job

I think it turned out great!  It's all a part of my green thing that I wrote about HERE

The new headboard with the bed made up with Dwell Studio Hedgerow

Te Nanjing toile is beautiful, but it is a challenge coordinating bed linens. I cannot afford to do the whole matchy-matchy thing using more Nanjing for a coverlet. So I looked at what I had, and rotated the guest bedroom bedding, the beautiful Dwell Studio Hedgerow print shams and duvet. The persimmon color plays off the emerald green really well. And the print looks like like a larger more expanded modern toile. I'll move the other Dwell Studio bedding I used in the master bedroom (Peacock in citrine) into the guest room.

Designer Sara Richardson boasts that she usually uses no less than a dozen different prints in a room, so I thought the trick is to mix in several prints with the toile. I would love  to add the Dwell Studio Draper Stripe sheets in the new color they have called Poppy.

Dwell Studio Draper sheets in Poppy - Don't you think they'd look great with the Nanjing toile?!

Would you like to see the rest of the bedroom???? Stay tuned.

This is how the bedroom looked before - note the headboard and the Dwell Studio Peacock bedding that has been changed for Dwell Studio Hedgerow -  this photo by Sara Essex Bradley - all others (except Dwell Draper Stripe) by Valorie Hart

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