Childhood Bedroom GLOW UP
Friends! Hi again! Super excited to finally share with you all the details of my childhood bedroom GLOW UP! As you know, I made the choice to leave Chicago during quarantine and spend it with my family in Wisconsin. This is a decision I do not take for granted and am so grateful and feel so privileged to have had this option. My parents have a beautiful, eclectic home. It’s super colorful and filled with great art. In fact, I don’t think there is one white wall (well now there is since I painted my childhood bedroom). My childhood bedroom was no exception. It perfectly described a young teenage Ali. Half of the room was painted an eggplant color and the other half metallic silver (photos of both below!) The walls were filled with my photographs, photos of beloved friends & family and maybeeeee one too many photos of me with Relient K and other punk rock bands. I was a wannabe emo kid in my teenage years, but that’s a story for another time. HA!
After living at my parents house for about 2 months, the reality of shooting projects in their house was becoming real. I’m not sure how many more times I could have used a bed sheet as a back drop. Having a space to be able to work (I didn’t have a desk previously and had been working from the couch) & a place shoot that was indicative and on brand for who I am today was sounding pretty nice. While I was sad to say goodbye to the memory lane that was my childhood bedroom, it was about time for this glow up. I must say… I LOVE how it turned out. I wish I could move this room into my home in Chicago, honestly. I did warn my Mom that when I outgrow my one bedroom and have a guest room, I’m going to want to move everything out of this room and into there! I really love everything I picked out for this room so wanted to bring you ALL THE DEETS. I kept my same bed frame which is the MALM frame from Ikea. All of the artwork and large mirror were actually from my Bubby’s home. They have been in storage since she passed away and I am so happy to finally have a beautiful home for these pieces and be able to look at them and be reminded of her each day. As you scroll down, I have clickable links to each different area of my room. You can find each and every thing that I purchased for this room linked below.
VANITY AREA
I wanted everything in this room to be simple and sleek. This area was no exception. I needed storage and this piece from target fit beautifully. As mentioned above, the mirror is vintage- it was my Bubby’s. I lucked out with these books because as I was finishing my room, Evan moved into his van so his collection of amazing fashion and art books are on loan until he’s done living #VanLife. There are a couple of key rules to follow when styling a flat surface. First, pick a color scheme. I went with neutrals, obviously. Mixing in shapes & textures is important all while keeping clean lines. Styling with books and a few simple photos + products you actually use every day (I keep out my Equilibria CBD + Body Oil) is a good starting point. Shop this section of my room right below. Click each image to be taken to the product.
SLEEP AREA
Keeping this area clean and simple was super important. But the most important part of a place to sleep? The thing you actually sleep on. I had an old futon mattress that didn’t fit my bed frame in my childhood bedroom up until this point. You had to sleep in the direct middle of the bed because it sunk to the center anyways. So, if you didn’t start there, you’d end up there. I opted for a Lull mattress and MAN OH MAN was it an upgrade. It’s so easy to open yourself (see my story) and it’s the perfect mix of firm and soft. Really feels cloud like. For the first time I look forward to spending time in this bed. If you’re in the market for a new mattress, I can’t recommend Lull enough! They were also so kind to give me a link for $150 off their summer sale. CLICK HERE for $150 off your order. I chose inexpensive sheets and a super soft cotton throw. I LOVE them. I think I’ll replace my bedding in Chicago with these as well. They are linked below. The last thing that was super important for the overall feel of the room was the COLOR, of course! I wanted a warm white tone. I chose Sherwin Williams color: Alabaster and it’s just about as perfect as a white paint color comes. Just warm enough but still nice and bright.
WORK AREA
Last but not least, the work area! I was bound and determined to have a blush accent wall and I chose this small wall next to the windows that I would work at. I chose the color: Sashay Sand also by Sherwin Williams and WOW. I was so so nervous to paint a wall “pink” but Sashay Sand is the most gorgeous, neutral blush color. I couldn’t be more happy with the outcome of this wall. Sticking with the simple, neutral theme, I chose this desk because of it’s size, drawers and affordable price. It looks super nice in person too. Win win. I wanted my desk chair to play off the credenza on the other wall and I found this one on Amazon of all places. It’s beautiful in person and somehow matches the legs of the desk perfectly! Both + my sheer linen look curtains are all linked here!
Overall, I’m pretty thrilled with how this room turned out. It feels like a reflection of who I am and I feel that I was able to keep it super clean and simple but still feel personal. Let me know if you have any questions about this GLOW UP.
xx Ali