Our master bedroom may not be much to look at in its original state. But it had my heart from the very start, thanks to its position in the house - mainly because of its distance from the kids bedrooms! This new master bedroom will be a retreat in our own home and therefore deserves our time and attention. Unfortunately, those are two things we don’t have in abundant supply.

Renovation life is pretty full on. But in the spirit of gratitude I often tell myself at least we aren’t on The Block! I don’t have to paint through the night, I don’t have Mark yelling “tools down” or have the success of each room reliant on what two judges say! On The Block we had to renovate a space within a week. But it was possible because everything else in our lives was on hold. We didn’t see friends or family, we didn’t go to work, we didn’t attend church - we were all about the TV renovation 24-7. But it seems that renovating with two children while we are both working, managing our blog and trying socialise like normal humans - actually equates to a similar time frame to The Block. We probably spent a maximum of 4 hours on the project management and interior design of this room. So that moment when everything had been selected, but nothing had been installed, had me seriously nervous. But once we stepped away from our self-appointed “tools down” I was blissfully content!

The hero of this room is the wallpaper - Masterpiece collection by Eijffinger. This was my first design decision for the space and everything else fell into place behind it. My ability to design this space in such a limited time was made possible because I picked my wallpaper, paint colour, curtains and carpet at Guthrie Bowron in one visit. Seeing all the products together in one space gave me the confidence that even though I was making bold choices (approved by Caleb) - they would all work well together. 

And if loving the look of this wallpaper wasn’t enough - there’s a gorgeous story behind the Eijffinger brand. It started in 1875 when Anna Eijffinger and her husband Theo opened a wallpaper store. It was extremely unusual to find a woman running a business - which is exactly what Anna did. This sign of women’s liberation formed the basis of an eccentric and innovative vision. I love that Anna was a pioneer in her time, showing that women can pursue whatever they are passionate about. And now her story is a part of mine. If you want to find out more about how to hang this easy-to-install wallpaper see our HOW TO blog.

To add to my excitement to live and relax in this space away from the children (have I mentioned that?) - we wanted to renovate the room to give us as much space as possible and add those homely elements. My first request was a much larger wardrobe with mirrors on the doors to see our full appearance, bounce light around the room and to get some great selfie shots! We selected a quality carpet for simple benefits like sound insulation and underfoot comfort. And I showed little restraint in selecting full length blush curtains that will give us warmth and keep the room dark (for that sleep-in I believe will happen once my kids realise life is better if we all wake up well after the sun rises).

Even with the room empty, it feels full of design - with the wallpaper, lights and curtains. So adding furnishings was a simple process. I selected white bed linen that was soft and classic, simple bedside tables with a few décor items and for a bit of fun, added a big vase of flowers in front of my wallpaper flowers.

Cost + Supplier Overview

Curtains Inverted Pleat in Chambray Dusk lined with Black Out White) from Guthrie Bowron $895

Carpet Guthrie Bowron Collection 4kg in Barracuda from Guthrie Bowron $ 1,140

Wallpaper Masterpiece collection by Eijffinger from Guthrie Bowron $575

Paint (including preparation and spray hire) from Guthrie Bowron $1,900

Wardrobe Custom made by Showerwell $1790

Building Work (including plasterer) by So Renovate $4,400

Lighting OPAL Globe Pendant 40cm and OPAL Globe Wall Sconce from Mr Ralph $700

Total Cost: $11,415

Design Details

Colour Scheme | Wall and Ceiling Mt Aspiring by by Dulux New Zealand | Trims and Windows Okarito by Dulux New Zealand 

Bedside Tables Made by Caleb Pearson | Painted in Okarito Aquanamel Gloss by Dulux New Zealand | Handles by Heritage Hardware

Bedding Cover Queenscliff Duvet Cover Set by Savona | European Pillows Queenscliff Covers by Savona | Throw and Cushion Fortide Accessory Range by Sheridan | Cushion Shimmy Ivory Square Cushion by Maison all from Harvey Norman

Decor Vase from Freedom | Flowers by Tomuri & Co Floral Designs | Pot Plant from Kmart | Candle from Father Rabbit | Old Books from Trade Me