Our Nature-Inspired Guest Room with Crate and Barrel
First and foremost, yes, you read that correctly! And trust me, I’ve had to go back and repeat it to myself a few times! I had the opportunity to work with one of my favorite furniture and lifestyle companies of all time…CRATE AND BARREL! I’ve been a Crate and Barrel STAN for as long as I can remember! I’m pretty sure I have catalogs dating all the way back to 2008 and have loved every minute of their growth and evolution over the past couple years! I’m still in disbelief that this partnership is real! It’s a bar that’s set pretty high, so I brought my A++ game!
When trying to determine which space I would transform for this collaboration, I seriously hesitated. I thought about a space at my dad’s or a client project, because I felt like it needed to happen in a premier space, i.e. living room, master bedroom, etc. I questioned if our guest room was “good enough” for Crate and Barrel, since it had barely been used since we moved in. It’s gone through a few iterations of a storage room to guest room and back to storage room, and I eventually realized that what the room needed was the attention that I was so willing to put elsewhere!
My goal for the space was to totally transform it from the hodge podge of hand-me-down furniture to a space that I loved and was proud of. I wanted the space to feel like a genie or fairy godmother came to visit and granted me 3 wishes: 1. make all the clutter disappear 2. replace all the dinginess and hand-me downs with all new furniture and fresh finishes 3. make it look and feel worthy of a Crate and Barrel catalog!
Spoiler alert: Crate and Barrel was the genie and I was the fairy godmother and all my wishes came true! LOL!
Inspired by the Crate and Barrel Modern Prairie collection, I wanted the space to have colors that were reminiscent of nature, felt like fall and could be a total mood! I started by doing away with the awful baby blue wall color. I (and a little helper) painted all the walls, trim and doors with BEHR Red Chipotle (S160-7) in a satin finish. Since there was nothing special about any of those elements, so I felt that there was no need to call any attention to them by painting them a contrasting color. Painting them all the same color and finish made them recede into the background, helping all the new furniture stand out as the stars of the room. You can see the paint transformation taking place here.
When it came time to make selections for the room, I went down the list of guest necessities: bed, storage, seating, mirror. These are basic elements you would find in any hotel room, so they are must-haves for a guest room. I, however, wanted to make sure each of these items were elevated beyond just cheap hotel room fixtures. Here’s the mood board I put together.
All from Crate’s Modern Prairie collection, described it as “a new kind of warmth, each piece has a true connection to nature with lots of modern and mid-century modern touches. With such a bold backdrop, I selected furniture that was subtle in finish, but had tons of interest in their shapes and materials.
The very first piece that I chose for the space was the Sculpt Chair in Spice Velvet. This chair is a win win with its sculptural frame and soft, terracotta colored velvet (and you guys know how much I’m loving all things terracotta right now).
Since we’ve only had 2 overnight guests (my bestie, Shavonda, and my sister-in-law) in the entire 4 years we’ve lived in our home, I decided to go with the Aberdeen daybed instead of going with a traditional bed. Upon their return, both ladies would still be super comfy on the daybed, since it offers plenty of sleeping/lounging space. But in thinking about how this space would get used on a day to day basis, I knew a piece like a daybed would give the most flexibility.
I replaced all three dressers that were in the room before with the Tate Walnut Credenza. After purging a few items, it now holds all my swimsuits, scarves and bags that the previous storage was holding. The sliding doors and deep file drawer are perfect for easy access to everything.
Crate and Barrel Tate Walnut Crendenza featuring custom art by Monica Lewis Art
In almost all bedrooms I design, I try to incorporate a full-length floor mirror. There are few things better than being able to check your entire outfit, so imagine how grateful any guest would be to have access to one while getting dressed away from home. The Brass Edge Arch Floor Mirror is beautiful and of the highest quality and reflects my favorite corner of the room.
I saw the Anaise Black and Cane Room Divider and knew immediately that I had to incorporate it into the space. I had no need to divide an already small room but it’s rounded arches would add a ton of interest to an otherwise architecturally, lack-luster space.
In addition to all the amazing furniture, it’s the incredible accessories and details, like the Ruell Black Rug (8 x 10), that totally make this space magical.
Ok, I know I said this was our guest room, and yes, on the rare occasion that we have a guest, this space will be theirs. But now that it’s done, I’ve totally claimed this little oasis for myself! You see, Marcus and Davin, both, have their own spaces in our home that are solely theirs, so it’s only right that I get to have one too! The living room is shared, the office is shared, our bedroom is shared, so it’s only fair that I get to claim it as MINE! It will be my little corner where I can shut off the world and not be interrupted by someone needed to use the space themselves. I’ve tested it a few time (even got in a nap) and it was glorious!
Thank you so much Crate and Barrel for this amazing opportunity to work with your incredibly beautiful line of furniture and décor! And if you guys are on the hunt for new pieces to freshen up any of your spaces (fall is right around the corner and great time to do so), be sure to check out all the amazingness Crate and Barrel has to offer! You can shop all the items in my space below!
Granada 20" Pillow w/ Down Insert
This post is sponsored by Crate and Barrel (pinch me!), but all thoughts and opinions are my own.