Revamping Our Master Bedroom Hallway - A Fresh Look for a Longtime Home
We bought our house in 2014 with the idea that we’d live in it just long enough for me to finish my PhD. We never planned to stay in the area for more than six or so years, but here we are, still calling this place home. Back in 2014, the house was a bit of a “fixer-upper.” It had wall-to-wall carpet, even in the basement, and every room had something blue in it. The previous owners really had a thing for blue—even the exterior was blue! When we moved in, we were unmarried, child-free, and ready to tackle renovations ourselves, aiming for a budget-friendly transformation.
Some of our early design choices were definitely driven by cost rather than aesthetics, but overall, I loved the result. Fast forward ten years, with no plans to move, I’m excited to update a few spaces, starting with our master bedroom and hallway.
Starting with the Hallway Refresh
Our master bedroom originally had white walls and, yes, blue trim. Like most of the house, it was carpeted, with two reach-in closets framing the entrance. The first renovation we took on (by “we,” I mean, Dan, led the charge!) was reconfiguring the room's entrance. We created a proper walk-in closet, removed the carpeting, and painted over the blue trim that we couldn’t physically remove.
At the time, I had a Pinterest board filled with design ideas, though looking back, they were embarrassingly hideous! We painted the room gray, filled it with mismatched furniture, and hung a few things on the wall above the bed. That was our “decor” for the last decade! Now that we’re here for the foreseeable future, I’m ready to revamp, but I know myself—I get bored easily if I tackle everything at once. So, I’m breaking the updates into smaller projects, starting with our bedroom hallway.
A Fresh Coat of Paint
First up, I repainted the hallway in my favorite warm white: Roman Column by Sherwin Williams. I discovered this shade 5-6 years ago while redoing one of the bathrooms, and I’ve been slowly repainting other rooms in this color since. It brings a cozy warmth that I love, and it pairs beautifully with almost anything. I also added a fresh coat of paint to the ceiling.
Fresh Warm White Paint
This image really shows how grey our bedroom paint was. The white really warms up the space and just makes it feel cozy and welcoming.
New Molding for a Clean Finish
Next, I ripped out the generic baseboards and door trim. The original molding throughout the house is one of my least favorite features, so I replaced it with 4-inch craftsman-style baseboards. I didn’t tell Dan I was changing the molding beforehand (he would have tried to talk me out of it), so I had to complete it before he got home from work. I’m thrilled with how it turned out—the crisp lines add such a polished look.
Adding Practical Touches
Our bedroom door had a tendency to slam shut whenever the windows were open. To fix this, I added a magnetic doorstop from Rejuvenation, and it’s been a game-changer—one of my favorite little upgrades in the house so far!
Updating with Family Photos
Once the painting and molding were done, I moved on to the best part: decorating. We recently took new family photos, including updated shots of each of the kids, so I decided it was time to swap out the old pictures. I love using Framebridge for custom frames—their selection is beautiful, and the quality is usually excellent. However, I ran into a little hiccup this time. I reordered the same frames I’d used back in 2021, but when they arrived, the color was different. To tone down the silver, I dry-brushed a bit of rose gold onto the frames. It softened the look without drastically changing the color, which was just what I needed. The sawtooth hangers on the backs weren’t centered either, which made hanging them in a straight line a bit challenging, but I’m happy with how they turned out.
Finding the Right Light Fixture
With Dan’s help, I also replaced the hallway light. Since this area used to be part of the closet, the light is in an odd spot, and it’s close to the ceiling, so finding something that worked was tricky. After a few weeks of searching, I found a fixture on Amazon that fit the space. It had mixed reviews, but the trick was to rotate the shade to prevent the bulbs from sticking out at the top. We even had to hang it upside down to fit with the ceiling setup, but it works perfectly and looks great!
Adding a Personal Touch with a Thrifted Table
Once the new pictures and light were up, I felt something was still missing. One day, we found a marble and metal table at a thrift store, and I knew it was the perfect finishing touch. I spray-painted the metal base a light gold and found a plant (Aglaonema Silver Bay) that thrives in low light. I added a terracotta planter, and voilà—the hallway was complete!
I’m thrilled with how the space turned out. It’s simple, personalized, and feels more “us” than ever before. Now, onto the next part of the bedroom!
Shop our Hallway Renovation
