A Laid-Back, Coastal Bedroom Transformation

From dark and depressing to light and bright, our master bedroom has had an amazing transformation. This is one of my favorite spaces in our home, and I’m excited to share this fun laid-back, coastal bedroom reveal with you today.

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The master bedroom (and the potential it had) was one of the main spaces that sold me on this house.

Despite how dark and depressing it was when we first walked in, I could easily visualize how amazing it would look look with fresh coats of white paint and lots of neutral wood tones and organic textures. Of course, it took much more work than just a few coats of paint, but this room had so much character with the brick fireplace, paneling, hardwood floors, and wood beam ceilings that I fell in love with it right off the bat. Not to mention, it has some of the best views in the house!

I took a lot of inspiration for my house from the Surfrider Hotel in Malibu. It’s so casual-California, with a classic laid-back coastal feel that I wanted to emulate into our own home. Everything about it feels so effortless and simple, yet it’s not. It’s actually purposefully designed to give you a relaxed vibe.

I originally thought we’d keep the wood paneling and just paint it, but because of the amount of termite and water damage, our contractor recommended that it would be more cost effective and look better in the end if he completely removed it and put up drywall. I was bummed for about 5 seconds and then I accepted the reality of the situation and moved on. And he was right, I have no regrets with that decision.

The room is not large, but there was just the right amount of space next to the fireplace to fit a comfy chair to sit and drink my coffee in the mornings. We also turned the wood burning fireplace into gas so it would be easier to use.

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I chose Bonaire Flaxen Woven Wood Shades and love how much warmth and texture they bring into our room. The neutral color ties in with the fan and other natural elements.

On the other side of the room, we enlarged the bathroom footprint by about a foot to make room for a larger shower. And then by sliding the bedroom entry door over a few feet to the left, we were able to use the previous entry area for a small walk-in closet.