guestroom — chapter 3
coming together
Near the end of a project, there's a moment when everything is in place but the room still doesn't feel finished. The furniture is there. The walls are done. The plan has been followed. It just needs a little life.
The closet became a small vanity with a mirror, stool, and chandelier. I built shelves for the brightest wall and let the sunlight decide which plants belonged there. Others moved to different rooms. I'll see how they like their new homes. I have a feeling they'll let me know.
The last layer came from things I already had. Vintage flower prints got new gold frames. Old lamp bases got fresh paint and new shades. Small changes, but enough to make the room feel settled.
A room doesn't have to be finished all at once. Maybe it's better if it isn't.
leave room to grow
during
I wanted the closet to do more than store clothes. Opening it up and adding a vanity, mirror, stool, and chandelier made it a place to begin the morning or wind down at night. A luggage rack gives guests somewhere to unpack, and the shelves keep everyday things within reach.
the first and last place
before
field notes
I've had these botanical prints for years, ever since spotting them throughout the mansion in Designing Women. I hope to eventually collect all twelve months. In 1730, English nurseryman Robert Furber commissioned Twelve Months of Flowers, a series of engravings depicting flowers available from his nursery. Each flower numbered to correspond with his plant catalog.
flowers worth keeping
The lamp bases and picture frames had both been around for years. A few coats of gold paint gave them another life and connected them to the rest of the room. They're small details, but I'd notice if they were gone.
a little warmth
the guest room begins to come together through the choices that make the space more useful. We add the lamps and rethink the closet, transforming it into a small vanity area with a mirror and space for a guest to settle in.
watch