If a chair will not work in front of the window, then leave the area empty.

I love her chenille bedspread! If it goes, can I have it?

Love the lavendar color on the walls and your idea to incorporate castle pictures. Your mom is going to love it!

lol neesie! her chenille bedspread has many years of puppy footprints and it's worn thin in spots where there will soon be holes. :) I guess that's a sign of a loved bedspread.

The new white bedding is pretty (altho' the chenille has retro appeal too), and I like the pale celadon accent color for lamps and throw.

In the interest of saving money, and keeping things simple, I would perhaps not use the valances or the throw pillows. You said a chair won't fit -- would a bench?

Be careful not to hang the TV too high, since it probably will be viewed while reclining. If there is any possibility that the bed position could change, you might not want to mount the TV on the wall.

mjlb... i already bought the pillows and the valances... do you think it's overkill? i guess i'll have to play it by ear once i get everything in the room. she loves a beautifully made up window, and i'm a sucker for pillows, but i'm glad you brought it up to make sure i don't overindulge. :)

re: the location of the bed, i wish the bed could move. in fact, i'd prefer to move it to make it more of a focal point, but they bought a king size bed and it's not a king size room so that's the only wall it fits on. we're going to try to mount the tv at exactly the same tilt and height it's currently at because they seem to like it. They actually have it propped up a little bit now.

Definitely no room for a bench. It's about a 30" square I have in the corner, and I'd want to keep it smaller than that so it doesn't crowd the walkway to the far side of the bed or the dresser.

I hadn't considered leaving it empty oddly enough. haha

what do you think about leaving the tv wall with just the tv and using those 3 photos above the headboard? I was thinking I could get some decorative hooks, and hang the frames on the hooks with ribbon like so:

Very nice thing you're doing for your mom. Since I don't know her taste, I can only comment if the room were for me...

I'd prefer tranquil, so nothing at all above headboard, and no ornate mirror on wall. No white paneling, but maybe a chair rail in white. I love all the lamps, especially if one is just right as a 'TV lamp'. The castle photos sound lovely, but if they do not have a personal connection to your mom (or dad), I'd try to find something that does. Sometimes photos that you've taken yourself look great when converted to B&W. If there's budget remaining, and it's something your mom would use, I'd add a beautiful fluffy white bathrobe or bath towels.

I prefer the pictures over the bed, but I'd like to see see them in a bit fancier frame given the mirror's high level of detail...is that an option? (I also love the soft gold on the lavendar wall).

I don't like the valances on the windows myself, but then I hate valances. I'd rather see you trim out the edges of the sheers with the pretty color you have on the valance...are you handy at all?

Now for that beloved bedspread...is there enough to make a teddy bear or a bolster pillow, just to remember such a wonderful piece??? I'd even trim it in the lavendar in a silk or something and make a big chunky square pillow...it's nice to have different textures in a room and that's such a "sweet memory" texture for so many of us.

I have my tv at about 6' and it works great laying down. I'm sure your height will be fine, but I actually like the highboy they had in there...it's a more elegant looking piece...

You're making a beautiful room!

oooh! now we're talking! igloochic, i am handy indeed! :) my mom loves valances though.

i'm loving the idea of making something out of her old bedspread--i think i just might wait until she comes back and likes the room just in case she doesn't like the new bedding and then i've cut up her old faithful in pieces. haha

the fancier frames are definitely an option, but i was afraid to over-do the ornateness. i thought maybe just an ornate hook with a simpler frame would be good. i have the black frames already, but maybe i'll pick up some fancier ones and try both ways.

The best kind of person -- a handy person! You could do a pelmet instead of valance for window. You could really goose up the window treatment with trim, contrasting lining, holdbacks, etc.

I prefer the highboy, too, but assumed you just switched where it is in the room?

yes, just swapped the position of the dresser and the highboy. i don't have any photos of that side of the room.

the low dresser is prettier from the front view than it is from the side which is what you see where it is now.

I think what you're doing is absolutely wonderful and I commend you and your husband. I'm sure your mother will be so touched and delighted. I'm sorry, I also don't care for the valances, in part because they're so shiny and don't have straight edges, but I'm sure you know your mother's taste best. I do think black picture frames against a dark wall color are somber, especially since you have a gold frame on an adjoining wall. Hanging pictures up with ribbons was very "in" some time ago but is seldom seen now, and mainly goes with an English country house opulent style of decor. I think a green plant would introduce a warm color into this primarily cool room and is therefore a great idea. Please be sure to post pictures when everything is completed; I know it's going to be beautiful.

I love what you have planned. I love the slightly eclectic mix, the beadboard, the ornate frame, the modern headboard. I don't like the valances. They are rather a rather formal look for the other casual offerings. I know that older women seem to like valances on windows and your mother may not feel the windows are "finished" without them. Maybe something not gathered or scalloped, but just fabric, plain and boxy with an inverted pleat? And also valances that match the walls rather than contrast with it so they don't stick out so much and distract from the nice features of the other decor.

You really have made some nice choices and it looks great. Do keep us posted.

Do you have any family photos you could enlarge for over the bed? Maybe even their wedding picture and I love a sepia tone in a dark brown frame which would work off the headboard color but that's my taste and you're the best judge of your Mom's taste. I love the pillows and accents. No matter what you do, your Mom will be thrilled to pieces. She's going to be soo proud of you!!!

To me the beadboard seems too "cottage-y" for the rest of the room. The headboard and accessories seem elegant and I think you lose some of the contrast of the bedding with the lower half of the room being white also. Just my 2 cents worth!

Is there room for a corner chair? I googled and found several on ebay. Also, here are some more examples....

Here is a link that might be useful: corner chair options....

Very nice headboard, is it possible to mount it higher so the pillows don't hide it? Maybe a bolster covered in the old chenille. Living in earthquake territory, I personally do not like pictures over my head, and I've noticed how much I appreciate hotels that put nice big pictures to enjoy while laying in bed. Behind me with a blank wall in view make no sence to me. The headboard mounted the height of the fabulous mirror so the shams and pillow hide the bolster, not the headboard would, I think be all that wall space needs. I see your valances as going nicely with the bedding. The castle pictures I'm wondering if there is a narrow spot they could hang virtically?

She'll need somewhere to put all those pillows, each & every time she gets into bed (can you tell I'm not a fan of the multiple pillow look?), so a small chair/bench/basket in that corner could serve that purpose.

The only thing I remember reading about feng shui decorating is you shouldn't have family photos in your bedroom. I don't want to be too graphic (especially since it's your mother we're taking about!) but many people have an activity other than sleeping that often occurs in a bedroom and your ancestors shouldn't have to watch it. I know, ewww, right??? So I vote for no family photos as art work.

Love the purple walls. A;so love white, purple, green, black accents combination which I did previously in my Princess Room.
old house

How about a sheer green or lilac scarf draped over the top of white curtain? The one in picture #1 I had purchased at linens & Things. The large print I think I ordered from art.com

You are an amazing daughter. Your Mom is a very lucky woman.

Thats all I have to say!

Haley

I agree with ''haley comet" ; it is sooo wonderful of you to do this for your Mom and she will love whatever you do!! I would do whatever you know she would enjoy!

aww, thanks guys! she's a far more amazing mom than i am a daughter. :)

but back to business--all the talk about the window treatments really made me re-consider. I'm ordering a second option and will see which works best in the space. Option two is a pair of floor length panels in a creamy white and "seamist" stripe. They're not shiny! :) These are very elegant looking so I think they'd update her look but still be elaborate enough to make her feel like she's got a dressy window.

also, i just scored the best deal on 2 matching lamps from TJ Maxx. They were a gross color, so I've already painted them with my leftover RH Silver Sage paint. They have beautiful soft gold colored silk shades! $20 each on clearance!

I'm also reconsidering the beadboard. While I know she loves beadboard, it does seem a bit off with all the ornate stuff going into the room. Plus the permanence of it scares me just in case dad doesn't like it! Instead, I think I might "correct" her paint color which looks about 3 shades darker in her room than expected because of the bad lighting. I have this purple color in my living room and it doesn't even look like the same color. So I might just repaint it a few shades lighter.

i've photoshopped some of the updates and options. what do you think? Beadboard, paint shade, and window treatments especially!

I like the new drapes. Would you choose the same color and add white to it? Or use a shade from same card? I like the lamps too. The no beadboard is a good idea. Looking good!!

Are the valances the same silk as the pillows? I like the teal/lavender intermixed. I'd keep a fancier valance with the sheers if your Mom is into fancy window treatments. the last photoshop of the panels looks too contemporary to me.

I think she will be so excited to see it when she gets back!

I love the color scheme. But then, I'm highly partial to purple and green.

Hubby and I both loved the look with the beadboard. I may even steal tht for our own bedroom. I thought that you said your mom was happy with the color? If so, I wouldn't go changing it - at least not for a surprise makeover.

You know your mother's taste and style, and that is all that matters. We do not want to make the room contemporary if she likes it more old fashion. I thought the ornate mirror looked beautiful and the three frames in your last shot would compliment with the mirror. It is only your mother's taste that count here for your gift to be all hers.
It isn't her gift if she feels obligated to live with our gardenweb style. Your first instincts were probably correct, don't let us talk you into another direction.

caroleoh, i was afraid someone would mention that about the window panels! i just had a tiny swatch of the panel fabric on my computer and stretched it out in a rectangle to simulate the look of panels. the panels are actually rather fancy so i'm not worried about them being too contemporary. :)

here's a picture of the actual panels--i would not do the cream ascot valances or any other valances--just the panels you can kind of see tucked in the back here:

pbrisijar... my mom loves the color in my house but hates that it makes her room dark which is why i was originally thinking the beadboard would brighten it up a lot. she already has white bedding and just white sheers on the windows...

any other ideas how else i could brighten up the room aside from lightening the paint or adding white beadboard? (don't say lamps!) do you think white crown molding would brighten it up at all?

i think i must have misguided everyone here into thinking my mom has completely "old nana" taste. :) the rest of her house has been re-done in a very clean, contemporary style so I'm not too worried about mixing some contemporary in her bedroom. i don't want it too contemporary or too frilly--need to find a good balance.

i came to you for help, so don't be afraid to talk me out of bad ideas. :)

Sorry if I misunderstood, just wanted to be careful. I think the crown molding would look fabulous, maybe even dropped a bit to hide LED uplighting for tv/night or gloomy day lighting. With Beadboard for more period,without more contempory.

I love what you have so far - except the beadboard. I think it is going to look too fussy. I'd add the elements you have to see what it's going to look like and if you really feel it needs the beadboard then do it. But I don't think you're going to want it when you see how nice it looks without.

I love the teal and the gold accents you have planned to mix in with the purple. I wouldn't paint the walls. I liked the beadboard but I like even better the idea of some nice crown molding. I think that will dress up the room and is always classic and would definitely give it some polish! Great idea :-)

The pictures arranged around the tv bother me. I like the tv hanging alone with just some pretty things with height on each end of the dresser. I like the idea of hanging the 3 pictures over the bed with decorative hooks too. Or you could use some decorative tieback posts to hang them from. I vote for a pretty plant in the corner, or a plant stand with a plant on it.

What a wonderful idea to do this for her. I bet you're excited and she'll love it!

Here is a link that might be useful: Tie back post

Another idea instead of the beadboard, reverse putting the white above using crown picture molding,(makes painting a breeze, no line to cut in) I think it is typically a foot down from the ceiling, with or without uplighting. This also give her no-holes easily movable pictures anytime with out touching the walls.

Ah, gotcha. In that case I'd vote a yes on some nice, thick bright white crown moulding with some uplights (could just be simple rope lights.

I do like the beadboard but that's my tastes.

IF it was my room, I'd change out the bedskirt to an aqua color-to ground it more. In fact-I'd purchase a bedspread that has some design in it or a solid in a deeper color than the walls or one of the pillow colors. You could always make a 'throw from her original spread & maybe make the bedskirt from the existing spread. If the mirror is a given..maybe add some gold accents on the nightstand/dresser? Does the gold mirror exist now or are you buying one? Methinks the 3 small prints aren't in scale with the large gold mirror. I noticed a floor mirror in one pic...does she really need 2 mirrors in the room?
I'd also change out the lamps on the dresser & go for 2 of the 'buffet sty;e lamps. They'd add some height to that side of the room. Also-consider perhaps adding swag lights over each nightstand, instead of table lamps. I seem to think 3 larger prints (in the pretty colors you've chose) or even a wallhanging (on a pole that matches her nightstands) above the headboard would add some nice drama to the room...maybe no frames at all?
A pretty tall floor plant in a big ceramic pot in one of the room's colors-placed in the window corner would breathe some life into the room. Yea on the crown molding! As for the headboard..I'd probably change it out for a taller one that matches her dresser & bureau. Just another opinion.
Lastly-maybe think about losing the valances and get the nice woven blinds then hang drapery panels on each side-in one of the room's colors.
Whatever your selections....your mom will be blown away when she returns home! Way to go!

I like the curtains better than the valances and I like the idea of crown moulding over the beadboard. If you really think she would like the beadboard, you could tell her afterwards that you had planned on doing it, but you weren't sure how your dad would feel about it. If she likes the idea, you could add it then.

Laurie

Well, i can be a half bubble left of plum when it comes to decorating matters, but i really like the updated version of the room. The color and feel are tranquil, the more "linear" lines sophisticated, and the bit of texture/pattern on the lamps is a nice compliment to the bedding. I would put a plant in somewhere because i like to always have a plant in the bedroom, but beyond that, i really love it just as you've put it together.

Oh, and i love the idea of making something out of the original bedspread once you know she will no longer be using it. :)

I think your updated room looks great! (Well, I'd lose the throw pillows, but that's just me...)

Drapes look great. But if you can stand to photoshop another alternative, I wonder how it would look with the two center panels tied back together, with each end panel tied back.

If you like the idea of a chair in the corner (and I do), but there's not room for an overstuffed chair, there is probably room for a small chair with an upholstered seat and back:

I'm not recommending that specific chair, but it's only about 22.5 inches in each direction.

It looks better without the valances. The valances date the bedroom. It looks so much cleaner & classic without the window valances..in my opinion.

Here is an example of the picture rail with the wall/ceiling painted the same down to the rail.
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This example shows crown molding and the picture rail plus a border.
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I have read the picture rails were about 8 inches but when decorative borders became popular they dropped to even 24 inches.
I personally like the clean simplicity of only the dropped picture rail. Seems the height is often defined by the top of the windows as seen in the first example.
In the correct setting the ceiling crown molding AND the dropped picture rail certainly work even with the border, but its a much fussier victorian look.
Uplighting behind the picture rail works for both.
Beadboard is multiple interest to take in down low unless it is dark to blend with furniture. A deep dropped ceiling adds a singular intrest above thats serene. It also gives the feeling of more space making the ceiling feel higher.
Hope this helps.