Vintage Room Blog
by Mariam Diaz
Updated: June 11, 2024
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This room makeover has been a long time coming. I started renovating this bedroom back in January 2024, and to this day, I love how it turned out! When I first started, I went on Pinterest and created a mood board of what I wanted the room to look like. If there is one thing you should know about me, it’s that my projects never turn out exactly as planned.
When I approach a project, 90% of the time, things don’t go as expected, and I have to make some changes to make it work. The original design was supposed to reflect a traditional style with a bit of modern influence, but somewhere along the way, it transformed into a vintage look.
One thing I knew I needed was to fit a closet into that tiny room, so I started playing with the layout. I managed to fit a twin bed, a desk, and a built-in closet, and I still had room in the center to move around.
Room Dimensions:
This room is rectangular, and the space I was working with was approximately 11′ x 14′, with 8′ ceilings.
This is what we started with:
The first step was to clean everything and clear out the room. My grandpa had this room before, so I packed up all his clothes but couldn’t take the bed out. I had to manage with a queen bed still standing in the room. My initial plan was to give this room a makeover for when people come over to visit. As I mentioned, I change my mind a lot, and after working on it for hours, I realized I wanted to make it for myself, so I kept adding more details.
I started by laying out the flooring using Lucida Vinyl Planks. Unfortunately, I didn’t do the math correctly and ended up ordering twice because I ran short. Starting with the flooring wasn’t the best idea, as I had to cover it every time I worked on the room.
Once all the flooring was laid, I removed some molding from the wall to build the closet. Instead of buying a premade closet or a semifinished wardrobe, I decided to build it from scratch. First, I cut some 2x4s to set as a base for the closet. Then I bought three sheets of plywood, cut them into pieces, and built an L-shaped closet to optimize the corner space. Once the sides and the three horizontal dividers were up, I added more wood filler and sanded it down so that, after painting, it looked like one complete corner unit. I added crown molding and baseboard, and I also attached wood carvings on the top corner for a decorative touch.
Then I decided to build the drawers. I got a 4×8 sheet of plywood and cut it to size. I measured the space from side to side where the drawers were going, subtracting 1 inch for the sliders, which gave me the width. For the length, I left about 2 inches at the back, though I could have left less.
Once the closet was all done, I proceeded to prime and paint it. Choosing the color was a tough decision. At first, I wanted to go with neutral colors, but green was calling my name. For the painting process, I used Zinsser water-based primer, sanded everything down with 220 grit sandpaper, cleaned and wiped it down, and then used Behr’s Leafy Rice in a satin finish from Lowes. Instead of using a sprayer, I opted to paint it by hand (since I didn’t know how to spray paint), and it turned out looking like it was sprayed! I used the same process to paint all of the drawers.
Yay! The closet is finished, and I can hardly believe everything worked out so well. I added a golden rod and installed lighting, which really enhanced the overall look.
Aside from the closet, I took on the task of restoring an old wine-holding table that we had for about four years. As you can tell from the pictures, it was in desperate need of a makeover. Like I said before, I change my mind often, so at first, I wanted to achieve a white-washed look, but it didn’t go as planned. I painted it a beige color and then, instead of buying a white-wash stain, I used one that was in the shed. It turned the table into an old-looking orange. I wasn’t happy with it at first, but I stuck with it and trusted the process.
While I was working on the room, my mom suggested adding glitter to the ceiling, so I did. I used regular white ceiling paint and mixed in gold craft glitter. I didn’t know it was a trend from the ’70s! It turned out pretty, but unfortunately, the glitter isn’t visible when it’s dark. Additionally, the ceiling had a strange texture. Spoiler alert: I might redo it in the future and remove the old texture.
The rest is just details. I decided to recreate a wall art, so I bought some vintage paints on Amazon and got different-sized golden frames. This might be more expensive, but you can also thrift these items from Goodwill or other thrift stores.
The room already had a shelf, so I bought some items to style it. This was challenging since I’m not an interior designer. I consulted various online resources to find the best approach. It is key to start with an empty shelf and classify the items based on color, texture, and height. Then, I followed the triangle layout to organize the items on the shelf. I sourced my items from Macy’s Backstage, where I found various pieces for less than $5 each. I also got some items from Kirkland’s, as they had a sale going on. Additionally, I got a full-length mirror that I absolutely love.
Another key factor in this room was my new mattress. About a year ago, I bought one from Amazon without doing enough research and ended up with a cheap, thin mattress where I could feel all the springs underneath. I decided to get a new one, so I visited a high school friend’s store, B&G Mattress, locally in Tampa. When I got there, he started asking me specifics that I had no clue about. You could say he chose the mattress for me, and it turned out amazing. My back hasn’t hurt at all since I started using my new mattress. I am beyond happy with it.
I wasn’t sure if I wanted a rug in this room. I kept seeing a rug I loved on Pinterest from Loloi, but it was about $160 for a 2×6 rug, so I didn’t get it. Surprisingly, I found a few of the same one at HomeGoods for about $30, and I couldn’t resist picking one up.
This room makeover has been a transformative journey. Despite all the challenges and changes along the way, the final result is a space that perfectly blends my evolving tastes and practical needs. From building a custom closet and restoring vintage furniture to incorporating unique design elements like glitter on the ceiling and carefully curated décor, every step has contributed to creating a room that I truly love.
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