a-frame cabin bedroom - progressHooray for a bedroom in the A-frame… finally! We spent our first night there a couple weeks ago (after owning it for over a year) and once we got used to hearing coyotes howling in the night we started realizing that we might just love it here. Everything is starting to really come together. There is still a bit of work to be had in the bedroom but I couldn’t help but give you a sneak peek (i.e. a shot of the corner of the room that is the most finished and not a disaster) and to share my design plans.

a-frame cabin bedroomI’ve had all these home decor goodies from High Fashion Home and the bed and the rug just sitting around in storage waiting for a finished space to move into. Since this is a second home/our getaway, I wanted to keep things pretty minimal. No bulky storage furniture needed, no layers and layers of tchotchkes, just a few well chosen investment pieces that each make a statement on their own.

The room is fairly small and I wanted to keep it open and light so I chose these small brass pedestal tables to use as nightstands. They are large enough to fit a book, a cup of tea or glass of water, a midnight snack (you know the basic vacation bedside necessities), but small enough (and without shelves) so no extra clutter can add up. They also leave a lot of open visual space which makes the room feel a bit bigger.

I collected most of the pieces from High Fashion Home which, since I did (about a year ago), has become a go to site for unique home items. The hands vase, the set of candleholders, pillows and nightstands are all from there. We also got our dining table (that you might remember I was using the top as a coffee table in the studio for a while) and this fun side table.

Now that you’ve seen where the room is heading let’s take a look back at where we started with the before photo…

To get from here to where we are now we have 1. torn out the carpet, 2. installed new flooring (we used this faux-wood tile from Home Depot), and 3. painted. Which got us to…

And then I saw this and cried because the grout color killed it (and not in a good way). We weren’t around when they started grouting and it was SO not the color I had intended. I had to make the call to bite the bullet and re-grout. Someone came in and used a dremel-like tool and removed the old (which was actually brand new) grout to replace it with shade closer to white. Luckily the contractors took it easy on us.

Next, the room looked exactly like this for months and months while the rest of the place was getting all the work done. But now we are back in business and it’s onward with just a few more things to finish it off.

a-frame cabin bedroom - progressWe still need to trim out the room with baseboards, hang a new curtain rod and curtains (it is a pet peeve of mine when people install curtain rods to the exact width of the window. Come on! give a lady some room for drapes to hang where they don’t cover most of the window when open!), we also have to build out the closet a bit and add a sliding door of some sort to the entry.

I also have been seriously considering getting a fake cactus in here and I almost want to slap myself for it at the same time. I’ve always been completely against faux flowers and fake plants but having a real live plant in a house that may or may not be inhabited for days at a time (we may plan to rent it out eventually but we can’t expect renters to water our plants. ha) would probably not last long. Also if we went with a real cactus I am not sure that is the greatest idea with a toddler in such small quarters. So… do I just forgo any potted greenery and just put clippings in vases when we are there (it would certainly be a lot more affordable and authentic which are both big pluses) or actually go for a big ole fake cactus so it is zero maintenance?

Sources: Porcelain Tile //  Nightstands/Side Tables from High Fashion Home  // Rattan Bed from Anthropologie // Bedding by Parachute // Lumbar Pillow in photo from the Vintage Rug Shop // Pillows in Product Round up from High Fashion Home // Vintage Rug from Frances Loom // Oversized Basket from Spartan // Vase from High Fashion Home // Candle Holders from High Fashion Home // Tall Cactus Plant

To see all the A-frame renovation progress, check here.
For the full before tour check here.

  • Katy

    I’ve never had a big ol cactus before, but I do have a few small ones and they are super drought tolerant. I’ve gone over a month without watering and they never seem to even notice. So if I were you, I would maybe try a real one first and see how it fares before going the faux route. If you plan to be there at least once a month, they should be fine. Although I think you have to eat them established first before you can start neglecting them like that, so maybe get one and care for it in LA for a few months before moving tout to PS. And also – you can’t expect your renters to water them, but you can totally ask your cleaning company to!

    • sarah

      Ah good call! We already have one here in LA that I could move over there and see how it goes.

  • I totally get your cactus dilemma. I recently overwatered my big cactus and it has since died, it was the saddest thing (they are super expensive over here)! So I’m not as opposed to the idea of a faux cactus as I used to be… I think it depends on the quality. And oh that bed, soooo pretty!

  • Hi Sarah, I’ve been a long time reader and love everything you do! I’d suggest a totem pole cactus. They’re beautiful, sculptural, and spineless!! I have a baby in the house and think this is a great way to go. I also water maybe once a month.

  • lisa

    I read on Lauren Leiss’ blog once that she has some outdoor plants she hacks back to bring greenery inside every time they arrive at their family lake house. And by the time they return, the plant has regrown. We have a cottage where I don’t keep live plants, and I thought this was a great idea. The trick is to find something for your region (obviously plants that survive in my northern Ontario won’t be what you can count on in your dessert). I would forgo the fake greenery and stick with something authentic. I’m no dessert person, but palm trees? Palm fronds are beautiful and large.

    • Lori

      I bet yucca would work if there was enough light inside. They’re super drought tolerant. Ditto aloe or kalanchoe. I have some in my sunroom that I water when I remember, which is every couple of months, and I live in Texas where it’s hot like whoa.

  • […] and install the tile flooring. You might remember that for the longest time this space served as a storage/dumping ground during construction so I am happier than ever to have this clutter free resting place, perfect for […]

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