Finding Guest Room Accessories
It is time to find guest room accessories for my daughter’s old bedroom that we converted into a guest room. It’s been quite an adventure so far, from becoming an empty nester, to finding a new paint color, to deciding on a paint color scheme. In my last diary entry, I was focused on selecting the right shade of paint. Now, something I often struggle with — finding accessories for a room.
First off let me say, I love the colors! The guest room is completely painted and I love it. If you remember, we went with a complementary color scheme — yellow in the comforter and purple for the walls. These two colors are across from each other on the color wheel.
The purple (Notorious) is a deep purple without being too dark. We used it as the accent wall behind the bed. It complements the yellow on the bedspread. The gray (Silver Shadow) is the right amount of gray providing a nice contrast while still keeping the room warm and inviting.
Using SureSwatch really came in handy here, especially when picking the gray. Grays can easily shift depending on the room’s lighting. Remember to look at your gray on different walls and at various times of the day.
Where Do I Start?
Now comes perhaps the hardest part of a painting/redecorating project — finding accessories for a room. The big stuff is easy, it’s the little stuff that I struggle with. Do I need one nightstand or two? What height should the lamps be? Can I find accessories that work with the room’s color scheme?
When finding accessories for a room, I start with a list (every project starts with a list!) and just work my way through it. It’s always a good idea to paint a few extra SureSwatches so you can take them to the store with you, it will help you narrow down your choices.
Can’t even decide on what accessories to add to your room? Here are some good suggestions that can be easy to pair with your paint colors:
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- Window treatments
- Table lamps
- Ceiling light
- Flowers
- Dresser trays
The Keys to Accessorizing a Room
When accessorizing a room, it’s a good idea to start with a mirror. I already have that so, I’m in good shape there. This might be easier than I thought! My mirror is large and will provide balance above the dresser. If you do not have a mirror, the right piece of art could work as well. Just make sure it is not wider than your dresser (but it can be smaller.)
Another tip for accessorizing a room is to find something tall. When designing a dresser, the thing that makes it visually appealing is using accessories with differing heights. For this, I looked in different rooms of the house to see what could be repurposed for this guest room. I found a tall vase, but you could also use tall candles, a lamp, or even an upright jewelry box. Shop at home first – you might be surprised by what you find!
A pretty tray comes next, which will be placed in the center. This is low and long and fills up space. Perfume bottles and toiletries would fit nicely here. I’m still looking for the perfect tray.
Create balance with a few other accents – flowers, photos, candles, and books all work to create balance. This is where I went shopping looking for items that fit with the color scheme of gray, yellow, and purple. Michael’s had great flower choices, SteinMart had a few items as well, and of course. Home Goods is always good for accessories.
Once I had everything, we came home and tried the items on. Version 1 had the mirror centered, but we wanted to add a chair to the room since it is a guest room. So we moved the dresser over flush with the mirror and filed in the empty space with the vase. Perfect!
Then it was onto the nightstand. I tried a few lamps, but could not find the right one. So we spray-painted the existing one yellow. I, of course, tried a few SureSwatches first to make sure we picked the right yellow. It’s a little short but books helped to create additional height.
When I was painting the lamp, I wanted to use a toilet paper tube to cover the socket while we painted it. My husband decided to help out with this part of the project. I was imagining an empty tube, but we had another idea So, pro tip for you — find the bathroom with the least amount of toilet paper and use that roll.
Struggles excluded, accessorizing the room is coming along nicely. We are getting close, just need a chair and a tray and the room should be good to go. It better be — our first guest will be here in two weeks.
The Million Dollar Question
So … how does Ilyssa like the looks of her former bedroom? “It’s so grown up! Can you come to paint my room in LA?” Well, Ilyssa, you’re going to be the first guest, so I guess it’s off to the store to find some accessories for your new “adult” room (and maybe book a flight)!
Until next time, happy painting!
Jamie
Jamie’s Painting Diary is a series by SureSwatch inventor Jamie Peltz. It chronicles her adventures in painting – and in life – from finding accessories for a room to the trials and tribulations of a home improvement painting project. Find SureSwatch at Home Depot and Ace Hardware.
