Creating a Cacoon

When I read about the fabulous Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles 2008 Designer Showhouse, I knew that I found the perfect solution for our humdrum master bedroom. The designers showcased a master bedroom that featured walls covered with tons of curtains. The floor to ceiling drapes created a sense of a warm, cozy and soft cacoon that blocks sleep-disturbing light and noise. It is totally luxurious but also calls out for you to come in, cuddle up and take a nap.


One reason I fell in love with my boyfriend was because he knows how to sleep. And who am I to inhibit great Saturday sleep-ins or 10 hour celebrations of dreamytime?!? I figured that the best way to celebrate all things nocturnal was to create a cacoon of our own...and hope that this caterpillar blossoms quick!

Obviously we are heavy sleepers - hence the head dents in the pillows :) Probably should have cleaned up a bit for the "before" picture but I like to really see a HUGE difference with my "afters"...don't believe me - check out the dressing room transformation.

Our blah walls were not only drape-less but colorless to boot. The anitique white paint color didn't do any favors for our antique curly maple furniture or our sandy hued bedding. It was a major design blah. And since we are still about $906 short on our desired bedroom furniture, the current furniture AND the future furniture had to look good with our wall color. Enter TJMaxx. They were a big help in my overall design...mostly through their clearance section. I scored some great silk pillows in a blue-green that were on sale then discounted. (insert mini dance here) And Pier 1 had a matching accent pillow that tied the silk pillows into my existing bedding.


The beachy blue-green looked great on the walls and really tied in the antique dressers and the modern leather upholstered bed. And the draped wall solved some issues we had with the room.

Issue #1 - the single bedside window
On one side of the bed we have a window. When we tried to center the bed on our ceiling fan, the window sill got in the way. I was bummed. The bed pulled out a few inches to clear the sill looked stupid because it created a 'floating' bed...something had to be done. With the curtains, our bed could be pulled out and over in front of the sill without marring our leather headboard. Bed centered on fan - check. Wall no longer one-window lopsided - check.

Issue #2 - the morning light infused room
The light in the morning made it very difficult to sleep in - and when that happens, it is really hard to stay up for a John Cusack marathon. And peoples, we just can't have that. The curtains allow us to block out the harsh morning light and keep a few more of those needed zzz's. Nocturnal imitation - check.

Issue #3 - need to hide the cords (that we don't own yet)
I really want the sconces from JCPenney. But they will have cords - and nothing bugs me more than cords showing. Well, some things bug me more - but don't get me started. The thing is, I really like these lights - and much to my surprise, Jeremy likes them too! But the drapes are essential, vital, necessary to cover the cords. Hidden electrical neccessities - check.


Covering the wall with ($15 a pair) curtains not only eliminated our issues but made the room look larger and more lush. And when I saw the problem solving solution at This Young House on how to make the curtains look more built-in, my copy-cat skills set in motion. Hence the small board and the crown molding over the curtains.

Looks totally professional - right? My Jeremy did it. I did help - but he was the genius who rigged it up there. I'm so proud.

And ya know, with the new paint color in my very own cacoon, it helps me not dream about that furniture as much...yea - I could live with it for a very long time. Isn't it amazing how some paint and a few yards of fabric can change the way you live (and sleep)?!?! This is one sleeping (wannabe) beauty that is truly amazed.