Surprise Reveal! Our Hygge Bedroom Mini Makeover

You may have been expecting a living room reveal this week. However, since the One Room Challenge has given us until the end of the month to complete our projects, I dialed back the stress-o-meter, and worked on this little surprise instead.

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In the six years we have lived in BHH, we have never touched the main bedroom–our bedroom. The wallpaper, while not our style, is in good condition, and the paint is too. The windows–oy! Not so much, but hey! I know someone in the window restoration biz. Eventually, she’ll get to it (while talking about herself in the third person).

Over the years, many of you have encouraged me to choose the main bedroom as my One Room Challenge project, so Andy and I would have a sanctuary. The truth is that we’ve always felt really good in this room, and making it into something different did not feel like a priority. What changed?

Well, we have had a gorgeous fall this year, which gave me a bit of extra time to get used to the idea that winter will be here soon, and it will last far longer than we like, and the pandemic seems to be here to stay.

Six Winters, So Far

I am a positive person by nature, so every winter we have spent here. I have tried to welcome in a new way. One year I joined a hardcore winter running challenge (Sub-freezing temps? Yes, please). I bought a SAD lamp because this California gal needs sun! Proper clothing became a must, and finally, last winter, I embraced the Danish concept of hygge.

I’m not going to go too much into what hygge means because that made the blogger world rounds in 2017. The basics are that it is pronounced hoo-ga, and it translates loosely into a feeling of comfort, gratitude, and well-being. Some of the general tenets of hygge life within the home include:

1. a cozy atmosphere with warm lighting
2. togetherness (So. much. togetherness. Thanks, pandemic!)
3. pleasure – treat foods, warm drinks, fuzzy pjs!
4. being thankful – This might be as good as it gets!

I highly recommend reading Meik Wiking’s The Little Book of Hygge for more information. It is a quick read with the sweetest illustrations.

This winter, since the pandemic will continue during the coldest, greyest, and darkest months, I’ve decided to fine-tune our house for maximum hygge, and I started with our bedroom.

This project was a one-day makeover that included cleaning, rearranging, and shopping from the other rooms in BHH. The only new item was a set of sheets.

The Bed

When I had children, I didn’t sleep through the night for fourteen years. I am not exaggerating. Now that my babies are teens, I don’t sleep through the night again, but that’s because I’m worried about them crashing cars, becoming addicted to MMORPGs, or possibly living in my house forever, or under a bridge–totally rational stuff that is in no way related whatsoever to anxiety. My therapist is thrilled with my progress.

Anyway, I went off on a bit of a tangent there. All that to say that my bed is one of my favorite cozy places to read, watch TV, and sleep. Oh, sleep! I love you.

I started this room makeover by simply making our bed. Andy runs hot. I run cold, and the dual-control mattress warmer I got for Hannukah last year has changed my life. When I have late-night chauffeur duties, I text Andy, “Fire up my side of the bed. I’m twenty minutes out.” It might be worth noting that the messages I texted Andy earlier in our marriage were quite different. We both know what fire up my side of the bed means: Choose the pre-heat setting for level four–six if it’s below zero outside. Sizzle.

Next up, I added the only new item in this room, 100% ethically produced, organic cotton sheets from Boll & Branch.

Now, I am spoiled and can’t live without luxury bedding. I almost got flannel sheets for maximum cozy, but as I said before, Andy runs hot. Also, wearing flannel pjs between flannel sheets is basically like velcroing oneself to the bed. Good luck rolling over.

Instead, I chose their signature hemmed sheet set in the color Dune. Right out of the package, they were so soft, and running them through a quick first wash-and-dry made them even softer. I have spent so much money on cheap sheets over the years, and I won’t do it again unless I have to. Luxury bedding is a thing, and I am here for it.

I topped the sheets with another favorite item, my weighted blanket.

This post is starting to make me sound very high maintenance. I started using this 15-lber early last spring, and I love it. It is a little hot during the summer since we don’t have a/c, but I consider it a year-round item for the most part.

I kept the rest of the bedding neutral with a lot of texture. The wallpaper print in our bedroom doesn’t play well with others, but that doesn’t bother me. I prefer neutrals–the more beige, the better.

I’ll link all the sources at the end of this post, but nothing else on the bed is new. I stole the throw pillows from downstairs and the knitted blanket from the Cabin Vibes bedroom.

Lazy housekeeping tip: Don’t bother putting the comforter in the duvet cover. Just layer it under, instead. Who wants to wrestle their bedding every morning? Not me.

Making the Rest of the Room Feel Cozy

After I made the bed, I felt inspired to make the rest of the room look and feel warmer, so I began to shop items from around the house.

I moved the rug that used to be in the living room, under the bed.

I also scooted Andy’s dresser to the left of the window instead of the right. It used to have our old downstairs TV on it, which blocked the door. We never used that TV, and we had grown blind to the fact that it was an eyesore.

I leaned a piece of thrift shop art on top of the dresser with a few books and a scented candle.

With the dresser in a new location, the empty corner was begging for a reading nook. So, I made one with my Goodwill chair, estate sale lamp, and the table from the library.

The pinecones are from a few of our vacations, including Prince Edward Island and the UP of Michigan.

Although we can safely build a fire in our fireplace now, it is not something we will do regularly. The ash dump is full, and I am too lazy to scoop ash and cart it downstairs. Instead, I added some remote-controlled flameless candles to the mantel. They would look nice in the fireplace as well. Andy is team scented candle, and I am team flameless candle. Now, we are both happy.

Someday, I will fill that entire fireplace wall with Mapiful maps. I’m a fan.

The Obligatory After Shots Photo Dump

I spent all day on this mini-makeover, and I am so thrilled with how our bedroom looks and feels now. I kept bugging Andy to come admire it, and I am certain he wished he could go to his downtown office instead.

True Story: I cannot remember when I bought that lampshade or why I thought it was a good idea. The only thing I remember is that it was a very long time ago, pre-BHH, for sure.

Here is a completely unstaged photo (wink wink) of Andy sitting in the new reading nook, reading the book about hygge, and drinking tea from his favorite True Tales From Old Houses coffee mug. Nope, not planned at all.

Working on this room reminded me that decorating really is more about how you feel in a space vs. the fancy stuff in it. Choose your possessions wisely, and they will serve you well.

Bring on winter; bring on the hygge.

Source Links

• heated mattress pad
• weighted blanket
• Boll & Branch luxury sheet set (Treat yo self!–Boll & Branch is running a 20% off sale for a few more hours, and Black Friday is coming.)
• knitted blanket
• green blanket at the end of the bed
• textured lumbar pillow (similar)
• jute rug
• flameless candles
• wood cleaner
• Mapiful Maps

PS: I will continue to post regular Lopsided Living Room updates until the big reveal. It’s coming; I promise, and it will embrace hygge too.