Belle: Being Adventurous in the Bedroom

...and I'm talking about paint, people! See what I did there?

Anyone who has been reading Live Creating Yourself for a while knows that black paint is kinda my jam. Well, it never was before. I always played it safe: with my wardrobe, my decorating sense, and overall lifestyle. And then I started blogging and shiz hit the sparkle-covered, neon-hued, black-painted fan and my style sensibility was forever changed. It was the black wall in my teensy old home office that got people's attention (including Nina Garcia!, Cosmopolitan Slovenia, and Chicago Home and Garden - my old apartment tour coming out at the end of this month!). And ever since, I've fallen madly in love with the ultra dark shade.

Even before the lease was signed for the new apartment, the wheels were turning with ideas of how I'd decorate it. Black wasn't the first choice for the new bedroom. It was actually white. But given the horrible shape the walls are in, the white just wasn't cutting it. So I went the other route... and tested out a swatch of dear ol' Black Jack by Benjamin Moore just to see if I liked this direction.

And when an offer came from Farrow and Ball for some of their paint, I jumped at the chance and requested a gallon of their Off-Black (one shade lighter than their Pitch Black). Thus began a crazy Saturday afternoon of painting... Let me tell you, trimming with black paint on an extremely uneven surface is no easy task. Had to be done by hand. It was too big a challenge for my favorite trimming brush.

 Here's a shot of it coming along... paint hasn't fully dried - hence the brush strokes.

Seen here with my JCPenny crystal ball lamp. Love. Thank you, thank you, thank you Farrow and Ball for making such beautiful, non-smelly paint. The walls are seriously messed up - see that line to the left of the lamp? Those and similar dents are all over the walls... as I said, it's an old building. But Farrow and Ball's paint went on so smooth and did a great job hiding many of the glitches in the walls.

New black wall, pre-bed arrival, mattress on the floor. Definitely has the dramatic, sexy, cozy effect I was hoping for! Yes, I said cozy. Fortunately the room is rather large and gets a good amount of natural light through the one large window. So to answer what many people have asked, the room in no way feels claustrophobic. Believe me, I LOVE bright, natural light! But the black walls in the bedroom are sooo cozy. They make me feel so cuddled and warm and ready to settle in night after night for a good sleep.

After a week or so, the upholstered/nailhead trim bed I ordered from Joss and Main arrived! ($600 people! Would retail for at least twice as much in most stores. Note it's not just a headboard - it has the full base, as well!) It was a bit of a challenge to put together... but nothing a hammer, and two+ hours couldn't figure out. How sad and dreary does that old duvet look... even Tucker's like, "Mom, what are we going to do about this?"

...and as predicted, light-colored bedding is JUST what the black room needed. Here's a sneak peek I instagrammed of the new Serena and Lily bedding. They are so soft and luxurious - I feel like I'm in a hotel bed. duvet cover: Ventura Duvet // sheets: Pewter Gobi Embroidered Sheets // euro shams: Bark Border Frame // pillow shams: Berry Border Frame

...and here's the view of the wall across from the bed. It houses a dresser and tv. I am very anti-televisions in the bedroom for a whole host of reasons, but let's be honest: there is nothing like watching a movie in bed when you're sick (I tend to run You've Got Mail and Pride and Prejudice on repeat). So the cable is deliberately not hooked up to this tv, but it can play movies and Netflix should my heart desire. Now that the couch has arrived and we can actually use the living room, the bedroom tv is barely on except for sick days or particularly awesome thunderstorms.

All of that being said, I am creating a gallery wall around it. I love how the tv disappears against the black wall. Almost like it's not there at all. : )

So to recap without all the commentary:

 

Sigh. Now we're gettin' somewhere...

Still have some work to do. Not quite sure what I want hanging over the bed (if anything at all). And I am hanging Pottery Barn's white velvet drapes to add to the coziness.

I love it. What say you?