A Dueling DIY Guest Bedroom Makeover: From Clutter to Cozy and Functional
Welcome back, DIY enthusiasts! I know you were eagerly awaiting this update last week, and I apologize for the slight delay. The past couple of weeks have been a whirlwind of activity, balancing personal milestones with major home renovation progress. My birthday kicked off the month, bringing with it an unwelcome but epic bout of hayfever, which unfortunately sidelines me every spring. It’s hard to feel like a DIY superhero when you’re taken down by tree pollen! Nevertheless, amidst the sneezing and swelling, I managed to celebrate with my amazing partner, K, who truly understands my love language – gifting me a shiny new power tool! More on why I was outdoors (and susceptible to pollen) later, but first, let’s dive into the latest on our Dueling DIY Guest Bedroom Gauntlet!
As we discussed in our previous update, my friend Charlotte, from At Charlotte’s House, was on track to potentially finish her guest room makeover ahead of our next scheduled post. Given her room’s slightly smaller scale compared to mine, it’s not entirely surprising that the formal challenge concludes before I’ve fully completed all the intricate elements of my own space. After all, I still have custom built-ins to construct and two custom-designed furniture pieces to create, essential for this room’s dual functionality. But the true essence of Dueling DIY has never been about who finishes first. It’s a powerful catalyst, igniting that much-needed motivation to tackle projects that have lingered for years. And in that spirit, my guest room has certainly seen a monumental transformation!
It’s time to celebrate the significant progress made, whether the room is fully furnished or not. Let’s take a wall-by-wall tour and highlight the biggest leaps forward we’ve achieved so far, along with a glimpse into what’s still on the horizon for this ambitious renovation.
Before: A Bland and Cluttered Canvas
During the initial “before” tour, I presented a freshly decluttered room, much of its former contents having found new homes via donation. While tidiness was a good start, the room was undeniably devoid of character, a blank canvas simply waiting for a creative touch. It lacked warmth, personality, and any sense of intentional design, serving merely as a storage overflow rather than a welcoming retreat.
Progress: Crafting a Cozy, Art-Filled Corner
This once-drab corner has undergone a remarkable transformation. I introduced a serene sage green to two of the walls, creating an immediate sense of calm and depth. A third wall received a sophisticated, super pale gray, providing a subtle contrast and brightening the space. The final wall will be painted to match the right-side wall once the built-ins are fully installed, ensuring a cohesive and polished look. The difference from the “before” is truly striking! The DIY picture ledges I envisioned have come to life exactly as planned, finally giving a home to a significant portion of my stored artwork and instantly injecting personality into the room. This simple addition not only declutters but also serves as a rotating gallery, allowing for easy updates to the room’s aesthetic.
Beyond the walls and artwork, the window area also received a thoughtful update. I installed custom DIY curtain rods featuring a clever built-in hanging rod. This innovative design initially allowed me to create a series of hanging planters, which I genuinely loved. However, as is often the case in shared living spaces, compromise is key! K felt the deliberately varied heights of the original planters weren’t quite right for the room’s evolving aesthetic. Since this room will also function as his dedicated office space when needed (and I’m committed to making him feel truly at home in what was once my exclusive domain, as seen in our Valentine’s Day additions), I opted for a quick switch to pre-made planters from Amazon. Sometimes, you just pick your battles, and this was one I was happy to concede for the sake of harmony and a polished look!
Before: Cluttered TV Wall, Uncomfortable Room Temperature
The “before” state of this wall was a classic case of neglected space: visual clutter, an oversized TV dominating the wall, and a truly uninspired “boob light” ceiling fixture contributing to a generally uncomfortable ambiance. It was far from the inviting and functional space we envisioned.
Progress: Streamlined Storage and Refreshing Comfort
While these two upgrades might not reinvent the wheel of interior design, their impact on the room’s comfort and functionality is immense. Installing another simple picture ledge directly beneath the television provides a dedicated, neat spot for remotes and small media accessories, eliminating countertop clutter. More importantly, the addition of a bright, breezy ceiling fan (complete with its own remote control!) has dramatically improved the room’s airflow and temperature regulation, making it a truly comfortable space to relax or work in. We’ve also removed all the old, visible storage units, paving the way for a truly custom solution. Soon, a bespoke furniture piece will be built to perfectly fit beneath the TV, designed specifically to house K’s beloved vintage speakers. He’s incredibly enthusiastic about developing this piece, and I’m considering giving him full creative freedom to design it and share his perspective on the blog – a fantastic first project for him to showcase his design prowess.
And let’s not forget the once-empty nook right next to the door – a true “nothin’ space” now brimming with potential. This area will soon feature a few easy-to-install shelves, perfect for K’s vintage record collection and video games. Once the larger built-ins are complete, we might even re-evaluate and switch around what’s displayed where. The primary goal for now is to get these items out of our living room and into their own organized home, which is a significant step in the right direction for overall household harmony and aesthetics.
Before: The Undifferentiated Bed Wall
Previously, this wall was just that – a wall. It served no particular aesthetic or functional purpose beyond holding the bed, lacking any design ingenuity or thoughtful integration into the room’s overall plan.
Progress: The Transformative Murphy Bed Wall – Way Cooler!
The Murphy bed has been a central feature of this renovation, discussed extensively in previous updates. In the last two weeks, however, it has undergone two crucial developments that bring it much closer to its final, integrated form:
- The bed unit is now painted in the final, sophisticated color chosen for the upcoming built-ins, creating a harmonious and unified look across this feature wall.
- I’ve made significant progress on the custom art piece for its front panel, which is designed to seamlessly integrate with the room when the bed is closed.
In the photo, you might notice green tape on the wall – this was my ingenious way to visualize the precise size and placement of the art on the closed bed panel. The two smaller vertical sections within this outline indicate where the handles for optimal leverage need to be positioned. My ultimate design goal is to create a piece of art that ingeniously incorporates these handles, so when the Murphy bed is neatly tucked away, it presents itself as a stunning, intentional wall feature rather than merely the exposed underside of a bed. Here’s a sneak peek at the art in its current developmental stage!
Intricate Murphy Bed Wall Art Takes Shape
Please disregard the plywood scraps behind the art; they’re simply serving as a stable, flat surface for me to work on this intricate piece. This represents a happy stopping point as I await K’s input for the next phase of design. I’m currently contemplating adding some delicate scroll saw pieces to introduce geometric patterns and elegant swooping shapes, enhancing its visual interest and complexity. The real challenge, and the most exciting part, is how the handles will fit into this grand design. Take a closer look here:
I’ve meticulously cut out precisely sized sections on each side, designed to perfectly fit over the handles once they are installed. These intricate cutouts were achieved using a scroll saw and then carefully glued to a sturdy backing piece to ensure their stability. The front portion of the wood, which will ultimately conceal the handles, is quite thin, making this reinforcement crucial for durability. While it might still appear a bit abstract with the plywood background, rest assured, I’ll be dedicating an entire detailed DIY tutorial post to this process once I finalize the design, complete the staining, and bring this vision to its finished glory.
Dueling DIY Vlog #4: A Visual Summary of Progress
As this marks the official conclusion of the Dueling DIY: Guest Room Gauntlet challenge, I’ve put together one final vlog update to visually walk you through all the progress and future plans. You can now find four comprehensive episodes documenting this entire journey over on my YouTube channel. For your convenience, I’ll be adding all these vlogs to a dedicated playlist under the Dueling DIY: Guest Room Gauntlet tag, making it easy to watch them in sequence and get a full overview. If you’re eager to see more about how I envision the Murphy bed art coming together, including a short clip on the handle placement, be sure to watch for Charlotte’s insightful input around the 2:20 mark!
Now, about that reason I was outdoors, bravely facing the hay fever demons? Here’s an exclusive sneak peek at something monumental that’s finally taking shape:
Yes, that’s right – progress is finally underway on the new shed and platform deck! I’ve been meticulously planning this project since last fall, and now, things are truly in full swing. This massive undertaking is precisely why I was so determined to make significant headway with the guest room renovation before spring arrived. I knew attempting to tackle the bulk of the Murphy bed construction and this substantial outdoor project simultaneously would be an overwhelming challenge. To ensure I provide the most comprehensive and helpful information, I’ve decided to batch out the posts for this outdoor project as two separate, in-depth series. This approach will allow me to delve into crucial details such as understanding pre-treated lumber (including when to use ground contact varieties), essential wall framing techniques, and navigating local building codes. This entire process is a huge learning curve for me, and I’m committed to sharing as much practical knowledge and as many lessons learned as possible. Please keep in mind that structural details and code requirements can vary significantly based on your specific location, so while I’ll share my experiences, some answers to very specific questions might be outside the scope of my own project and yard.
That wraps up today’s update, but be sure to check back in throughout this week. My goal is to post every other day, including weekends, until all these exciting goings-on have been fully documented and shared. I have several complex tutorials currently in my pipeline that I’m eager to publish. It’s largely a matter of how much sleep I manage to get before this relentless hay fever finally subsides – which, after a long winter craving warm weather, makes staying indoors a constant struggle!
So, I’m curious to hear from you: what exciting projects have you been working on or planning that fill you with enthusiasm and anticipation?
P.S. One more exciting announcement: My incredible friends Charlotte and Erin Spain, who host the fantastic North South Makers podcast, invited me to be their very first guest interviewee! You can tune into Episode 34 right here to hear all about it. Even more thrilling, they’ll be my roomies at the Haven Conference in Charleston this July. I’ll be sure to capture and share any road trip shenanigans and conference highlights in a future recap post!
P.P.S. And one FINAL thing: I have officially added the completed guest bedroom to the comprehensive house tour section of my website! This updated tour page includes some of my favorite highlights from the room’s transformation. Additionally, I’ll be compiling and adding a detailed resources list to the bottom of that page, making it easy for you to source specific items or materials if you’re inspired to create a similar look in your own home.