The Reveal

First, check out the BEFORE.

The headboard here is actually the front of our old antique piano (the only bit we have left of it).

We love it--a better picture would be nice, of course. It has beautiful, detailed carving. 

Maybe we'll use it as a headboard on a guest bed someday.

This dresser is part of a bedroom set Michael grew up with (the remaining pieces are in Ender's bedroom, and this dresser is now our makeshift TV stand in another room). 

The mirror was free at a trading event our stake organized a year ago.

Michael and I have never been ashamed of our bedroom...it's a great place to be. 

And we've always done what we could to make it beautiful and inviting. We were given great advice as newlyweds; I don't remember if it was a book or a friend, unfortunately (the two are much the same thing in my mind). The advice: don't leave your bedroom as the last thing to get attention in your home. It's easy to make other rooms a priority since anyone visiting your home will likely see the living room first and you probably spend a lot of time in the kitchen. But the bedroom should be a room you and your spouse love to be in, a room that shows your personalities (and yours only--don't bother with pictures of the kids) and is something of a sanctuary even from the rest of the home. Your marriage is of  utmost importance, and since the bedroom is quite a strong symbol of that unity, respect it.

Over the years, we've made little changes to dress up the atmosphere. We finally had the opportunity to do that in a big way this year, and the only thing that is the same between the Before and After is those mirrors in the corner! We're still not finished, but that's the way this kind of thing goes. Bit by bit. We're just glad we could jump in with a big change for once.

With a big thanks to IKEA, 

The AFTER:

We absolutely love our plant. It completely changes the atmosphere...and it makes us smile.
It hangs over the bed just enough to give the romantic illusion of a canopy without invading the room.

The bed features sliding night stands--they're like miniature bookshelves that can recede into the headboard. They are pictured halfway out.

Our mattress can be raised at the foot and/or the head for better reading comfort. I loved this feature for when sitting up was the only way to keep my cough subdued, and it's very nice to have the option of lying on my back without the full weight of the baby crushing my ribs. We'd do it more if it weren't a little awkward for Michael to sleep that way!

Obviously, our room gets a lot of light now! 

What you can't see is that the white, sheer curtain has an artsy pattern to it. Somewhat floral. The lighting in this picture might not also show how the red tinge of our record player and jewelry cabinet compliment the red on our bed (and the green of the plant).

I LOVE the way the plant's leaves curve into view with the round mirror.

This dressing table was added to our new furniture collection at Michael's insistence. 

I didn't fight hard-- but it really feels like a gift to me because I love makeup, and Michael loves that about me. He thinks it's wonderful when I can pamper myself and dress up. 

I love being able to sit down and relax while I spruce up (even though my pregnant belly keeps me from pulling the drawer out while sitting).

With a view of our boring closet doors, :) here is our full-length mirror over a storage trunk. 

I know it's hard to see details--blame it on me!--but that's a bowl on the trunk. 

We put little slips of paper in the bowl with romance ideas for dates and favors.

We even have a cute little name for it: the Desire-a-bowl.

Yes, we are cheesy. No, we are not ashamed.

The mirrors are a project in the works; we have more to add to the walls in a similar pattern.

The idea currently on display here is that it makes our plant look deeper, and since that corner is one that draws your eyes when you come in, it plays with the light just enough that you don't feel like your eyes have walked into a corner when you walk into our room.

Figuratively speaking. Whatever.

As for further ideas in completing our room, we plan to add portraits of ourselves, hem the sheer curtain, put up more mirrors as mentioned, and perhaps play around with some more lighting tricks (specifically targeting the ceiling light). What you couldn't see for my lack of photography skills is our lamps on the bed and dressing table. They're like this, in varying sizes.

Ahhh.

We love our room so much.