Wallpaper Wednesday and a Bedroom Makeover

Hi Christine,
I discovered your website and really need some advice. I have attached pictures of the room that I'm having problems with, it is a guest/Daughters bedroom when she comes home from college. Our inspiration is the Marilyn Monroe picture mostly brown, cream and tan with the only color being red. The curtains are chocolate brown, furniture is dark cherry. The bedding is white down, and I bought a white bedskirt. I don't know if I should use red as an accent color or not. I put one red pillow on the bed but its just not working. I don't want to use blue that's too common. I usually don't have this much trouble but this one has me stumped! Any advice you can give me would be greatly appreciated. I love your website! Thanks for your help!
Laurie

Hi Laurie,
You are off to a nice start on the room- we just need to add to it. There are four things I’d like to address:

Texture
More Bedding
Wall Décor
Scale

We’ll start with texture. If there is one word that comes to mind when I think of Marilyn Monroe, it is glamour. Let’s add some glamour to your room.

We will add texture as we do this. To start with, let’s upholster your headboard wall. (photo above found here.) Use a silver- gray velvet. When you upholster your wall you can keep your headboard, or get rid of it, whatever you prefer. Check out this wall too. Sound a little crazy? Read on…

For your other three walls- let’s add some pattern in a beautiful wallpaper. This one is from Stacie Garcia’s collection. It is brown with a silver pattern. If your drapes happen to match- great- or you can find a different paper, or change the drapes. If you do change the drapes, take them all the way to the ceiling.

Under your picture of Marilyn Monroe, have a piece of mirror cut- same proportions, but about five inches larger all the way around. Hang your Marilyn Monroe picture ON the mirror. The mirror will act as a frame. There will also be a cool “dimension” to the look, with the canvass sticking out from the mirror.

Fold your duvet at the base of the bed. Find a dark brown blanket, rich in texture, that goes with the wallpaper. The one below is from Dillards. Finish off the bedding with dark brown sheets, and two dark brown pillows, and two white pillows in front or on top of the brown ones. Go ahead and keep your red pillow in the center.

With the Marilyn picture as your inspiration piece. Do not have any other art in the room. However- we do still need wall décor. A silver metal piece would be great, like the one below from Uttermost.

Every bedroom needs some photos. These frames are from Aaron Brothers.

Your night stand and lamp are too small. In a bedroom your size, I would have the headboard wall pretty much wall to wall furniture, bedside table, bed, bedside table. Don't limit yourself to "night stands." The pice below is not consiidered a nighstand, but a chest. It is thirty inches wide.

Your lamps should be about 36 inches in height. The table above and lamp below are both from Uttermost.

Keep your current lamp- but put it on your chest. Add some greenery, and you are set. Can you see my vision? Rich in texture, with dark walls and some bright white accents. Glamorous and reflective surfaces, that will make your daughter want to quit college and move back home. Perfect.