Before & After: A Charming, Flower-Filled Bedroom
When Aimee Friedrichsen and her husband, Nate, had their “fourth and final” baby girl, they knew their family of six was ready for a little more space. Luckily, a 1937 colonial style house soon caught their eye, and after almost a year of tearing out carpet, refinishing floors, and repainting, they’ve managed to transform the abode into a home of their own.
There’s been one major project to tackle, however: the master bedroom. After revamping their kiddo’s rooms, Aimee and Nate wanted to give their own space a little attention. The result is utterly bright and charming, with plenty of florals for good measure.
We asked Aimee to give us a rundown of her bedroom makeover, including what inspired the light and airy space.
Tell us about your home! How did you know it was the right one for your family?
We started searching for a new home a little over a year ago when we added a fourth kid to our family and wanted a little more space. We love older homes with character, so we were delighted when we saw the slate roof and copper gutters of this 1937 brick colonial.
When I popped in at the open house, I spotted the blueprints rolled up in a closet, which made me feel excited to learn about the history of the home. With our family of six, we realized that we could turn this three-bedroom home into a four-bedroom home by finishing the attic.
While we’re waiting to complete that project, we turned the primary bedroom closet into a tiny room for our youngest. We’ve lived in our home for less than a year, and there are lots of projects left to go. But we were surprised to find that our house is surrounded by the most friendly neighbors, which makes it already feel like home!
What inspired your bedroom makeover?
Our first major project before moving in was to rip out the carpet and finish the hardwood floors. Our next priority was to get our kids’ rooms in shape with a fresh coat of paint and decor. We wanted our kids to feel like they had their own spaces that reflected their personalities. Once their rooms were done, it was time to give our own room some love.
Can you share what the makeover process was like?
We have a lot of projects to do in our home. When thinking about our bedroom makeover, I wanted to do the things that would make the biggest impact and save other projects for later.
A fresh coat of paint can really transform a room, and white paint in this space really brightened things up. I love prints and patterns, so adding wallpaper behind our bed was a really fun addition.
After that, my main goal was to make the space around our bed feel cozy and complete with new nightstands, lamps, and layered bedding.
What is your favorite part of the finished look?
My favorite part has to be the wallpaper. A few years ago, I started seeing wallpapered rooms on Instagram, and I fell in love. I found ways to sprinkle wallpaper in our old house at the time. When we moved into this house, I knew that there were so many spots to add it. I love the subtle white and yellow print of this paper, and I think it’s the perfect backdrop for our bed.
Tell us about your Schoolhouse picks for this space. What are a few of your favorites?
Many years ago, I pinned a photo of a bedroom with the Blooming Field Duvet Cover, Popcorn Grid Coverlet, and Popcorn Dot Pillow Shams. Whenever I think about what I want my bedroom to feel like, I think of that photo. I’m so excited to have this bedding, and I love the layered look which seems just right with fall around the corner.
I love mixing patterns, so I thought the Alpine Garden Wallpaper and the Gingham Sheet Set would be a great mix with the bedding. I chose the Rospo Table Lamps for the perfect finishing touch on each of our nightstands.
What advice do you have for someone updating their own home?
My advice is to embrace the character and personality of your home — especially if your home is older. We love the vintage tile bathroom, quirky closet spaces, and marble window sills in our home.
I was also so inspired by the colors already in the home: original yellow tile in the kitchen, mint in the bathroom, wallpaper in the entryways, and a hand-painted mural in golds and teals. I’ve been embracing these colors throughout our home, and it just feels right here.
When updating a home, it can sometimes feel like the best thing to do is rip everything out and start from scratch. But there is often beauty and charm and something more unique in what is already there. Embrace the old character and then add your own spin on it.
