Yesterday marked two months since we moved in, and our bedroom finally feels like a real room instead of a temporary storage zone. It was the last space to transition from “unpacked mess” to “a calm, comfortable retreat,” so here’s an update on where we are, what we added, and what’s still on the to-do list—plus a few rough photoshops that show ideas we’re considering for the exterior space.
If you remember our first walk-through, this room used to be a living room. Since we preferred to keep the larger upstairs living room for family time and sleep on the same level as the kids, this space made sense as our bedroom. It already had a sensible spot for a closet and an ensuite bathroom—so we simply closed off the big opening and added a door to the smaller doorway nearby.
Fun fact: before this, the whole house only had two rooms with doors you could close. So having a private bedroom (and a door for our son’s room) is a huge improvement. We’re excited that the room is becoming the light-filled, cozy space we pictured during that rainy walk-through back in February—especially since most of the furniture came from pieces we already owned.
The main additions were a new rug, a wood bed frame, and curtains. We still want a proper headboard—likely something we’ll build—and when that’s in place the round mirror above the bed will probably find a new home so we don’t have two similar round mirrors so close together. For now, the layout feels right for the moment.
One of the best features is the wall of glass doors opposite the bed. They flood the room with natural light and will eventually open to a private patio. For privacy and light control, covering them was a priority. Our temporary solution was packing blankets while we waited for proper window treatments.
Now we have blackout curtain panels in an ivory/talc shade that feel softer than white-on-white against the Sherwin-Williams Pure White walls. We used brass curtain rods with matching rings, and after the fabric relaxed we lowered the clips to hide them behind the curtain loops for a cleaner top edge. To make the long run look seamless, our long rod is actually three shorter rods butted together and leveled carefully.
We also added string lights outside that look charming from the bed, but that courtyard space isn’t inviting yet. One of our rough ideas—shown in a playful photoshopped mockup—is to add a privacy fence and a small seating area, maybe even a fire pit or a DIY water feature, so it becomes a cozy nighttime hangout after the kids are asleep.
On the bedroom’s fourth set of doors—by Sherry’s side—we plan to add an ensuite bathroom that will use part of the existing side porch. The bathroom is still lower priority for now, so we opted to hang curtains there rather than live with more packing blankets. Those panels can always be moved to a guest room later if plans change.
We bought a second matching wood-tiled dresser to use as a nightstand, the exact same model we purchased seven years ago. It arrived looking identical, which was a pleasant surprise. Using dressers as nightstands gives us extra clothes storage while we’re still without a closet, and it keeps the inlay theme we love running through the room.
Our new rug from West Elm turned out to be the perfect subtle anchor for the bed. The online photos made it seem pinker than it is; in person it reads as soft neutrals with touches of tan, gray, and a hint of lavender—so it blends without demanding attention. The 8×10 size fits this room nicely and gives the bed a soft landing zone.
The fireplace wall still needs work. Right now it’s a collection of mismatched items—an old Ikea cabinet, an air purifier, a small end table and a lone lamp—but we envision symmetrical built-in storage flanking the fireplace. That would provide smart storage and make better use of the space in this modest house.
We’ve ordered shades for the windows, and once the gas company connects the service line we’ll convert the fireplace to gas logs. Then we’ll add a mantel and settle on furniture arrangements. For now, the scene in front of the fireplace is jokingly described as “a potted plant enjoying a good book while relaxing on a fur rug in front of a roaring fern.”
One awkward corner of the room—where the wall slopes out—ended up being the only viable spot for the minisplit AC/heater. That corner also creates an oddly large triangular floor area that feels unused. Our idea: enclose part of that corner to form a closet. Doing so would square off the space, eliminate the strange empty floor, and give us a closet without eating into the bathroom footprint.
We imagine a drywalled side and two lattice-style doors on the front, which would let the minisplit vent freely and add texture and function to the room. It wouldn’t be huge, but our clothing needs are minimal—right now most of our hanging clothes live in our son’s narrow closet, and the dressers handle the rest.
This idea still needs refinement, but it’s a promising direction that should make the corner both prettier and more useful. We’re also pleasantly surprised by how much storage the new wood bed frame provides—underbed storage has been a real game-changer.
If only our window shades would arrive soon so we could retire the packing-blanket curtains for good, I’d be over the moon. For anyone following along with the full remodel and renovation of this house, you can find every update in the FL House archive on our site.
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