Complete Guest Bedroom Makeover Budget, Sources + Tips
Hi friends! I’m back and we are in the guest bedroom again, this time, for a serious breakdown of everything I did in the room to get it to where it is now, and I’m sharing all the extras too. This post is all about how I made our guest room, guest ready, with lots of paint, some furniture flipping and hard work. When I originally shared the pretty picture reveal of the guest room at The Little Cottage Guest Bedroom, I tried to stay focused on the Better Homes & Gardens aspects of the room, since it was a collaborative post. That means, that I kind of glossed over all the other details of the room, many of which you’ve expressed interest in and had questions about.
This is basically what I started with…
Get ready. I’m going to break down the whole room from top to bottom for you and share sources for everything!
This post contains courtesy shopping links, some of which may be affiliate links.
Paint Colors:
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Walls: Sherwin Williams Extra White in Eg-shel, Harmony Paint.
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Trim: Sherwin Williams Extra White in Semi Gloss, Harmony Paint
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TIP: I follow Sherwin Williams on Facebook and I also get their emails. They often have 40% off sales, and I buy my paint then. I like the odor free Harmony paint, so I’m happy to pay more than a bargain brand might cost.
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COST: $80.00
Flooring:
I was not content with the old carpet that was in the room. So we tore it out. I was undecided on a replacement floor so I decided to try painting the sub floor. It was a safe play since it wouldn’t hurt anything or cost much to do.
To prep the ply wood sub flooring for paint, I did this:
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Removed all staples and anything dangerous to bare feet.
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The floor was thoroughly cleaned. It was first broom swept, then vacuumed with brush attachments.
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I decided to prime the area with the red spilled paint, then cover the rest with 3 coats of ACE wood siding and trim paint in white.
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I applied the paint with a roller and an extension pole.
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I did have some bleed-thru from some rusty nails after my first coat. I fixed that by using a shot of paint from a spray paint can of [THIS MAGIC STUFF] to each nail head. This was a fast, budget friendly fix, instead of re-painting the entire floor with stain blocking primer.
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TIP: I would suggest a washable paint for areas with high traffic. The paint I selected is very matte, but we don’t wear our shoes in the house, so I left it at ‘painted’ and called it good. You may want to add a few coats of poly to protect your freshly painted floor.
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I’m incredibly happy with the painted floor. It’s bright and clean looking. It feels soft underfoot, it’s quiet, and I can always add throw rugs next to the bed for a more cushy feel.
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COST: Free labor… of how I miss him living at home. LOL – Paint $24.99 X’s two, because I needed just a little bit more. But I’ve got extra to freshen it up when needed. (I had all the other supplies on hand)
Window Coverings:
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Large Window – 2 inch faux wood blinds in white. The large window was a standard size and I was able to order a Better Homes & Gardens blind for it. They are a good quality and super affordable! We added these a few years ago to Austin’s room and they have worn and performed wonderfully. If they have your size I can confidently recommend them.
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Trio Windows – 2 inch faux wood blinds in white: The three smaller windows that the bed sits on front of, all need to be special ordered. I used blinds.com for those, and they are also a good quality. We have them in our entire downstairs, and they are going on 12-13 years now and we have never once had an issue with them.
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I opted not to pay for a valance on the three smaller, because they cost twice as much as the non-custom ones I originally ordered, that did not fit. I plan to eventually (I have no idea when) make a XL cornice box that will cover all three windows for a cohesive look.
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Accent draperies: from HomeGoods. In fact the linen panels I added to the bathroom [see them here] are from there too. As are the white pair up in the main house, flanking the front door. I find them to be affordable and they don’t take up much room to store, but really add so much to a room!
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COST: I’ve had the curtains and this is the 3rd room I’ve used them in so I’m not going to count those. The set of three blinds were under $100 because they were having a Labor Day sale (thank goodness!) and the BHG blind was around $40 if I recall correctly.
Lighting:
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The two lamps are from Ross, and I stole them from the living room. Something I do often, and a key reason I buy so many basics in white and natural colors. I get so much wear out of my decor & home goods, because so much of it is inter-changeable.
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As I’ve mentioned, the chandelier is vintage. The brass had lost it’s luster, so I applied Rub N Buff in Antique Gold [find it here]. It’s as easy as it sounds, you rub it on, let dry, and buff. It’s magic!! (comes in more colors too)
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COST: The set of table lamps were under $50 and the chandelier was under $100 for sure… but I may have traded for it. lol. I’ve had it a long time and I can’t exactly remember.
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I found this really cute one below [shop for it here] that has a pretty good vintage-look! It can be hard wired or plugged in. A set would be a beautiful alternative to bed side table lamps.
The Bed:
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The headboard was a $25 garage sale find, that I originally bought for our master bedroom. Unfortunately it didn’t fit the wall space I had to work with.
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It was painted in Maison Blanche Vintage Furniture Paint in Magnolia.
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The mattress is a Better Homes & Gardens brand but they no longer sell it.
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I ordered the metal bed frame online.
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Luckily, someone I knew (trusted for something like bedding) was selling two brand new twin box springs and I was able to get those second hand. I had been looking for weeks!
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The bedding is all Better Homes & Gardens at Walmart – My comforter is discontinued, but a pretty set available now is [this white chenille duvet set] and it’s super affordable!
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COST: The 4 new king size pillows alone were a pinch over $50. The sheets and quilt set were part of my Better Homes & Gardens collaboration. The bed frame was $30’ish and the box springs were $40, I think?
The Bench:
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The bench was such a happy accident! I bought it on a whim, when it popped up on clearance. I didn’t even have a home for it, and first put it in the living room… but it’s home now. I adore it here in this bedroom.
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Find my [blue tufted bench with turned wood legs here].
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Grey Tassel pillow, from HomeGoods
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COST: Again, I had the pillow for over a year, so I’m not counting that. The bench was on sale for $138 when I bought it. The prices change a lot on that site, so you can put it on a “watch” if you want to wait for the best deal.
The Petite Wardrobe:
This was a gift from Jimmy. He new I wanted one, and he found it for me online, and we made a day of it and drove to get it together. I kept it natural for a bit, and even used it last Christmas in the guest bedroom. It works wonderfully as a dedicated closet for guests, leaving the small closet as storage for the house.
When I was working on it, I discover it was made in England. Such a neat little fact! Makes it even more special to me.
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TIP: I suggest browsing antique shops, vintage markets, garage sales, estate sales, Craig’s List (how we found ours) and Facebook sale sites to find one of your own.
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COST: $90.00
The Console Table:
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It’s from World Market [find it here]. Watch this closely, it goes on sale for considerably less.
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It has two drawers for extra storage – they might be hard to notice.
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I bought it expressly for the entryway, but you see how that went. LOL
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COST: Price varies! When I bought mine, it was on sale a ton lower than the regular price of $329.99
It Looks Amazing In An Entryway Too [click to see]!
Accessories:
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Curtains: DKNY City Blossom from HomeGoods – $24.99 (3rd room I used them in)
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Basket on top of closet: HomeGoods (came with a embroidered liner, I simply removed it) – Old
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Grey Tassel Pillow: HomeGoods – $24.99
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Jute Rug: HomeGoods $34.99
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Natural/white floral pillow shams: Ross (coordinating quilt is folded on the console table) – Old
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Window frame wall hanging: junking find – $3.00
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Wood step stool under window: Vintage 101 – Under $10.00
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Faux Olive tree: gift from my mom, find similar [here]
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Gold frame: garage sale $5.00
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Chunky candle on wardrobe: Goodwill – $1.99
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Gold mirror on wardrobe: junking find – $5.00
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Faux plants: Ikea. So cheap
Whew — If I missed anything, message me at foxhollowcottage@gmail.com and I’ll try to get you the answers or source you are looking for!
In closing, considering I had to pull a room together from nothing… I think it was a pretty budget friendly.
The king sized bed alone could have eaten up my entire budget. But getting the mattress for a steal, and bargain shopping for the rest really helped. I’m so glad that we were able to find a comfy mattress for the price we did, especially for a king sized bed. As for the other pieces, you don’t have to spend a lot of money to decorate a room that you can be proud of. Like the $25 dollar headboard! I painted the entire room myself from the floor up, so that helped save a ton on labor expenses. The petite wardrobe was $90.00 and many of the decorating accessories were very low cost finds from garage sales and junking adventures.
I also take my time, and that is the biggest factor. None of this happened overnight… no mater how it looks when I reveal a space. The floor was finished last year, about this time. And I just painted all the walls before you saw the reveal.
In short, this is no half hour HGTV show. I’m slow, I change my mind, I’m frugal, and I steal things and move them around… and it’s never, ever perfect. My furniture is chippy, and there is almost always an unfinished room around the corner.
Big hugs! xo – Shannon
Holli says
You nailed it! This room is stunning in so many ways! I love the painted floor. I want to do that myself! Love it Shannon!
Shannon at Fox Hollow Cottage says
Your style is perfect for a painted floor!! 🙂
Connie says
Love the room. It sounds like your painted floor is going to hold up well…especially since you’re a “no shoes in the house” family like we are.
We painted a bedroom floor using porch and floor paint. (We happened to use Valspar but I believe any high quality porch/floor paint will do well.) It’s holding up extremely well ….even with the 3 dogs sometimes rampaging into the bedroom.
Again, beautiful room. Wouldn’t mind being a guest here. 🙂
Shannon at Fox Hollow Cottage says
I actually need to change my post, I checked my can and it’s siding and trim “stain” – I knew it was something different. I thought as porous as the wood was, that a stain might give better coverage, so I went with that. I’m sure the porch & floor was a good choice too!
Robyn says
Love this room so much! You did a great job with it. Gives me wonderful ideas for my guest room.
Shannon at Fox Hollow Cottage says
Oh I’m so glad! Thanks for popping in Robyn.
Sharon Warren says
Shannon,
Everything you did in that Little Cottage is wonderful. Who wouldn’t love to stay or even live in that room. And listing all the sources is so helpful. Sometimes readers want to have a room all put together, but don’t know where to start, and having the process described is one step toward getting a plan. Painting the subfloor…genius, and for someone who later wants hardwoods, or laminate, it’s a great option until budget allows.
And thanks for keeping it real. Looking at picture perfect rooms gets really stale. The variety in this room, and varied textures, styles makes is interesting and doable. Great post!
Shannon at Fox Hollow Cottage says
Thank you for taking the time to leave such a thoughtful, lovely comment. It takes several hours to list all that information and comments like these make it all worthwhile 🙂 And yes, my thoughts exactly on the floor. The paint won’t interfere with something else in the future. Thanks again!
Terry M says
You sure know how to pull a room together, your bedroom is awesome! The fact that you used some thrifted items goes to show you don’t have to spend a fortune to make a room look great.
Shannon at Fox Hollow Cottage says
No, you really don’t – And I made sure to include that it didn’t happen in a snap so as not to discourage others 🙂 It all ends up taking time, money.. or both.
Susan Handler says
Wow, Shannon, this room is so gorgeous! Light, bright and every detail is perfection. I am especially crazy about the painted floor. Susan
Shannon at Fox Hollow Cottage says
Thank you Susan! It was the only thing that made sense for me. We have laminate in the main living area, and I didn’t want a different laminate, and I knew I didn’t want carpet (for sure). So my options were shrinking.
BARB HUGHES says
Well done, Shannon. Note on the armoire: I went to several antique barns in UK when daughter lived there. REALLY, TRULY considered buying & bringing (shipping) one home, but argued against it with myself. We lived in New England once upon a time, and one of the best memories of our old house was the antique armoire / coat cupboard. My adult girls still talk about it. SO HAPPY that your Jimmy found that piece for you and glad that you are enjoying it fully!
Shannon at Fox Hollow Cottage says
Oh I can imagine that was a real struggle!! When I traveled to Alabama for work, I fell in love with a massive (imported) vintage armoire. It was a dreamy beauty. I still have pictures of it in my phone 😉 One day, I”d love to visit the East coast and see some REAL old U.S. homes. The West Coast just isn’t as old. I sure am too, it’s a great size, light, and was easy to get home. (Verses some of the beasts I usually fall for).