The Bunk Room

The biggest part of preparing for our daughter's visit this week was clearing out and setting up a proper guest room.  We had the basic ingredients in place, but the remaining space had devolved into something that looked like an out-take from an episode of "Hoarders" on TV.  I worked on and off on it for three days ... no gorey 'before' images were captured, only tidy, organized 'after shots to show you.  This is the result:

This room is a textbook example of how we can make a beautiful space using mostly items that we have on hand.  In this space, the only things I bought were the red comforters (cheap at T. J. Maxx) and the white bedskirts.  Everything else was either already in the room (beds, trunk, cabinet with drawers from Ikea) or was pulled from storage and other places in the house (antique rope bed was stored in the garage, quilts in the linen closet, etc.).

I bought the bed years and years ago, scrubbed its original finish clean, and have had it on hand waiting for a chance to use it.  As far as I can tell, it is completely intact and unmolested, and I wanted to keep it that way.  But, the original rails for it are too short for modern bedding, so I ordered bolt-on rails for it.  The bedskirt hides the modern rails, and the original rails (with their rope pegs intact) are safely stored underneath the bed.

There is no place for a bedside table for this bed because of the radiator.  The deep windowsill can hold a tissue box or clock, and whatever else is necessary to have close at hand, and I mounted this swing-arm lamp for bedside light.

The bed on the other side of the room is placed in front of the room's fireplace.  I decided that I wanted more sleeping space for guests and grandkids instead of decorating around a fireplace that we can't use.  The headboard perfectly covers the firebox (which is blocked by styrofoam insulation to keep out drafts).

The door you see leads to our attic.

I have had the Greyhound sign forever ... bought it on eBay and have had it on hand, waiting for the perfect spot to show it off.  The oak headboard was a yard sale find from at least twenty years ago.  The bedside table is a vintage metal school desk in an awesome shade of smoky salmon, perfect for holding some bedside reading ... rose books, of course.

The little mama piggy doll has been one of my favorite things since I bought her at a craft fair back in the 1980s.  She is made using scraps of worn quilt and primitive fabrics, and she is cradling her three little piglets ... representing me and MY three babies (who aren't actually babies anymore)

Our daughter arrived late on Sunday night.  (this visit was a birthday present for my husband and me, arranged by our youngest daughter as a wonderful surprise.)  I intend to savor every moment of the time we all have together this week.