Master Bedroom Makeover: Part 3

Concept Boards Are the Key to a Successful Room Transformation

Have you ever tried to redecorate your master bedroom? If so, you'll know that it's challenging to get an Instagram-worthy look because things are so fake on Instagram. So what do you do if you still want a beautiful bedroom? Interior designers find success by using mood and concept boards. But there are a few things you should know before you buy and implement a professionally designed French Country Master Bedroom concept board to ensure your vision becomes reality. This post will tell you what you need to know to make sure you select a designer that will let you successfully accomplish your vision.

Table of Contents

I.Intro

II.Related Reading (Parts 1 & 2)

III.Professional Designer’s Process

IV. Bedroom Concept

V. Master Bedroom Before

VI.My Inspiration

VII. Floor Plans (Before & Proposed)

VIII. Couple’s Decorating Dilemmas

IX. My Solutions

X. Concept Details

• Free Shopping List Download

XI.Design Rationale

XII. A Note About Mattresses

XIII. Sources

XIV.About the Author

XV. Comments

I’ll use my own recent Master Bedroom refresh as an example, which makes this post Part Three in a series of the journey of our Master Bedroom Makeover. Below in Related Reading are Part 1, Part 2 and the final reveal in Part 4.

Related Reading

PART ONE Blue French Country Bedroom Inspiration Ideas from Pinterest: Bedroom Makeover

PART TWO 2D Floor Plan for My Master Bedroom Makeover

PART THREE (YOU ARE HERE!) How A Concept Board by Julie Ann Rachelle Interior Design Can Help You Have a Romantic French Country Master Bedroom

PART FOUR Blue French Country Primary Bedroom Reveal!

PROFESSIONAL DESIGNER’S PROCESS

If you're looking for an online virtual interior designer, aka an edesigner, the best method to ensure you end up with someone that lets you capture your own vision and style, instead of what the designer prefers most, is by looking for these things:

An Educated Eye for Design

• Ensure your designer has a design education so you can rest assured that you’re not hiring a homemaker with a vanity project. When I graduated from Michigan State University with a Bachelor’s in Arts in Interior Design, it was one of the happiest days of my life.

• Learn more about my “why” here and my background here.

Design Questionnaire

• Make sure your designer lets you express or discover your own style through an intake that takes the form of a design questionnaire during edesign. If he/she doesn't, you'll have trouble when you receive a design that doesn’t express your personality, let alone your needs at all.

Inspiration

• Any good designer should let you provide inspirational images, which can be gathered from magazines, books, or online sites, which is discussed here. This is important because this sets the stage for creating an overall concept.

• My Master Bedroom Refresh inspirational images are found in my previous post: Blue French Country Bedroom Inspiration Ideas from Pinterest.

Floor Plan

After the design concept is given your approval, the next step is the floor plan.

My own Master Bedroom received a new floor plan when we recently did a refresh.

While not necessary, some great bonus features of a great bedroom floor plan are symmetry, the headboard up against a wall (or as close as possible considering baseboards), and the bed located in the dark part of the room (away from the door), according to feng shui principles.

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BEDROOM CONCEPT

Introducing my concept board for my master bedroom refresh in the French Country style. I create my concept boards after my floor plans.

The chest of drawers was our first discovery, and the rest of the design played off this fun item.

My first priority was to tone down the colors of the walls to a more calming blue tone.

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Master Bedroom (before)

Our Master Bedroom in the “Before” stage is a hodge podge with no clear design concept. A mish-mash of handed-down items with the bed frame the only item that we actually purchased years ago.

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My Inspiration

2. Inspiration: Bedding & Wall Color via Lory at designthusiasm.com.

We have the same color carpet in our Master Bedroom. While I thought about layering an area rug over ours for added texture, color, and pattern, you don’t miss it in Lory’s room.

1.Inspiration: Bedding & Wall Color via Shirley Stankus of Housepitality Designs. Inspired by:

• Bold patterned bedding in blue (shown is a chinoiserie pattern)

• French Country style table lamp

• Layered bedding

4. Inspiration: Dark wood bed frame via Erin at HouseOfTurquoise.com. Inspiration:

• The dark bed frame (I thought I would have to paint our wood bed frame white until I saw a few photos where a dark or wood bed frame worked wonderfully in this style of bedroom.)

3. Inspiration: Hanging Linens via Michele at HelloLovelyStudio.com. Inspiration:

• The linens hanging from the bed frame

Floor Plans

Current Master Bedroom Floor Plan

As you can see from the furniture layout above, we had tried centering the bed with the wall in between the two doorways across from the bed.

However, that wasn’t working so well as it didn’t leave much room to maneuver between the bed and the dresser under the window. Yet it stayed that way for many years because the furniture was too heavy to move in our opinion.

For the new furnishings plan (aka the design drawing shown below), the long dresser under the window was replaced by a tall dresser with less width, and the bed was centered on the wall that it is on.

Comparing the two layouts before and after, we also removed the rocking chair (no ottoman) from the bedroom, which allows a clean flow of movement around the bed and access to the closet.

Couple’s Decorating Dilemmas

All couples, if they are being honest, have to communicate their own desires and wishes to express each individual’s unique tastes and personalities. Sometimes they agree, and sometimes there needs to be compromises.

Dilemma #1

Since our Master Bedroom is an addition that used to be a garage, we had to use carpet over the concrete floor for warmth, especially with New York State’s chilly winters. 

As I mentioned, I did want to bring in an area rug because it helps anchor the room for me as a designer.

However, my husband said no. (Read my article on overcoming decorating dilemmas with a spouse here.)

DILEMMA #2

The linens in our master bedroom were purchased when I took my mother to Ireland a few years ago.

I struggled with the idea for months because not only were they going to be used for the bed, but my husband was insisting on using them also on the bedroom window.

My experience told me that there would not be enough fabric.

DILEMMA #3

One of our household’s recurring dilemmas is that my husband loves and adores natural wood, especially dark wood furniture, while I long for white-painted or whitewashed furniture.

My Solutions

Dilemma #1 Solution

My husband agreed to runners along each side of the bed.

My thought is to get something very soft and cozy to the feet, such as faux sheepskin.

Solid Faux Sheepskin Area Rug or Runner

2’ x 6’

More info

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Want the full shopping list for My Master Bedroom Concept?

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We have yet to add these faux sheepskin runners, however, as you’ll see.

So far, the room works without them, as does Lory’s welcoming guest room above.

Dilemma #2 Solution

An extra window panel added on either side gives the window treatment beautiful fullness. (Read: What Is the Fullness of a Drapery?)

Dilemma #3 Solution

People have said to me in amazement in other work settings that I have an abundance of patience.

At one time, I worked with very ill and elderly patients.

(I know I am cranky when I am not feeling well, myself.)

A physician admired my patience with these patients.

It doesn’t even occur to me that I am practicing patience.

However, when I look back over our marriage, I see how patient I have been in getting what I want.

Sometimes you know you can’t get everything you want, and then there are times when you can’t get what you wish for because of another person’s preferences.

I’ve learned that if I wait long enough, my husband will come around.

And I’m not opposed to compromise.

I was dealing with having a wooden bed frame that I longed to paint for many years ended up being one of those times that was a combination of biding my time and compromise.

I agreed to keep the bed frame as is, and we ended up purchasing a refurbished French Country dining set painted white for our dining room as a compromise.

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Concept Details

Concept Board inspired by Designer Alisa Bovino

Design Rationale

The design objective was to create a calm, soothing environment with color and decor, specifically starting with paint color. The challenge was to find new storage to replace the previous drawers. By emphasizing the romance of the French Country style, the homeowners’ personal preferences were captured.

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A Note About Mattresses

Every so often, I get contacted by sites asking me to mention them on their blog, such as a mattress review site.

Instead, I will share with you what mattress I just purchased recently, and the site that I rely on when comparing mattresses.

For years, I heard my friends talking about the Purple Mattress on Facebook, and I didn’t pay much attention to it.

Until my husband needed us to change our mattress, and he asked me if I ever heard of it.

I sent him to Sleeplikethedead.com for reviews with no advertiser input, no product endorsements, no commissions.

Unlike the latex mattress in our guest room that gets very warm from body heat, the Purple mattress is the most comfortable and cool mattress I’ve ever slept on, and my husband loves it too!

We highly recommend it.

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Sources:

1. These Feng Shui Tips Might Help You Sleep Better, RealSimple.com, Amanda Lauren, Updated May 07, 2019

2. The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Feng Shui, Greatist.com, Medically reviewed by Debra Rose Wilson, Ph.D., MSN, R.N., IBCLC, AHN-BC, CHT, Written by Jordan Shakeshaft, Updated on May 28, 2020

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