Monday, June 21, 2010

New bedding choices




Recently I went to Ikea, and saw these pillows....and this red quilt and shams.  I loved it, and thought it might be just the punch I've been longing for in my room.  I love the red because it is such a beautiful crimson color.....and all the while I was thinking I wanted something much more subtle!  This red really got my attention! And the pillows! Oh, goodness for the price of about $25 each, my heart sang a little song!

http://www.ikea.com/ms/en_US/rooms_ideas/easy_home_renewal/index_bed.html#lnk-3-4
(choose Traditional red choice to see the items)

 So I brought them home, thinking I could  use my cream colored matelasse spread and shams that I've had for a while, just add these, and be oh, SO happy!  Well, the new set certainly didn't go with the dark green and red I already had in there, and I really was ready to go to something lighter and less intense.  But I didn't know what in the world I was going to do for a dust ruffle.  The only (and best option, I thought) route was to get some fabric and make one.  The drop on my bed is a long one, and it's hard to find a dust ruffle that is long enough.  In the meantime, I was thinking that a red plaid sheet I had gotten at the Ralph Lauren outlet about four years ago might just go with this set nicely also.  I bought the sheet for a song, knowing that I would use it for something!  Well, it occurred to me that maybe, just maybe, it "might" work as a dust ruffle, so I pulled the old one off, and it fit perfectly!  (the NESTER would be so proud!!)   I did have to notch the end corners so that they would fit around the corners, but it was simply the perfect size!  My only dilemma is that the first thing my husband said when he saw it was..."Oh we are going back to country, are we?".....my heart sank.  I had "country" in my decorating scheme for many a year, especially while we were in graduate school.  I did NOT want to go back to those days.  While some enjoy ducks and mauve/blue in their decorating schemes, I no longer do!  I didn't want to go back to that style.  Now, sometimes I do take what my husband says with a grain of salt, especially about decorating, because he is, after all, an engineer.....he does that extremely well.  But decorating, not as extremely well.  He is the guy that thought that moving boxes turned on their side worked ok as a table when we first married.......really.
So I thought about it, and decided that YOU were a great resource to ask......do YOU think this red plaid dust ruffle makes my master bedroom look too country?????  I plan to look for a pattern that perhaps will go better...the plaid works, especially for the summer, until I find something that seems more fitting...please tell me blog reader friends, what do YOU think????

I still have more to do in here, as you can see by the bare windows......I need to add some curtains, and I'd really like to bring in some color on the walls .  I do think the new Ikea pillows and red throw/shams are a good start...and I thought for the fall, I can bring in some great fall colors if I take the Ikea pillows away for the season.....give your ideas, please!  And your verdict on the dust ruffle!!!! Please add your honest comments......thanks, friends!

22 comments:

Nancy said...

I think you can get away with the red plaid Suzanne. Although, you have to be careful with the other things you do. It could be a slippery slope but I'm sure you can pull it off.

Those pillows are very pretty!!!

Jenny said...

I think it looks great!! Just be careful washing those sham covers/pillows. I had one similar from Ikea a year or two ago and spilled my nightly water on it and the red all ran and ruined the cushions!!

Stacey said...

Suzanne, I think it looks fabulous! Think french country instead of american country. You can definitely pull that off!

southerninspiration said...

Yes, Stacey, that's EXACTLY what I was thinking!!! thanks!

Suzanne

Andrea said...

Beautiful...I love those pillows and the bed skirt is gorgeous, too.

Thank you for your prayers and encouragement. You are truly a blessing!

Hugs,
andrea

Chel's Leaving a Legacy said...

Well somebody already beat me to it, but I was thinking French Country, too, which is something I am totally partial to. As in: LOVE IT.

Plus, I loooooooove a deep red, so I am very drawn to what you've done.

But I think this: ducks with pink and blue are a faaaaaar cry from what you have here; so if you like it, then go with it...regardless of whatever label someone else might put on it.

Anita@Theycallmejammi said...

Definetly French Country....love the red. Can't wait to see your finished project.

Kim @ Savvy Southern Style said...

Suzanne, you have a very French country look, but not old fashioned country like he means. I love the red checked of course.

Debbie said...

OK, just call me "Debbie Uncreative" because I was thinking French Country along with everyone else.

I love the new shams. I agree with others that you just need to keep the French country hat on while decorating the rest of it.

Great choice... and the bedskirt was technically free. I count all things that sit on shelves for more than a year as freebie no matter what they cost when I buy them.

Grin.

Tales From My Empty Nest said...

I like the bedroom as is. As someone said, it looks very French Country. I love the bedskirt. Everything looks so pretty. Love & blessings from NC!

FrouFrouBritches said...

I am with everyone else. It's not 80's country like blue and mauve. I loooove the bedskirt you made. I'm always drawn to red plaid and checks or red anything for that matter, especially the dark crimson red like that. GORGEOUS!

Love those pillows! We don't have an IKEA - sure wish we did!

Tracy F. said...

The matelasse quilt with the red check dust ruffle is just perfection! And, your Ikea touch really finishes it off. Very pretty!

Amanda @ Serenity Now said...

I think you can pull it off...it doesn't look 80s country to me at all. I think it looks nice. :)

Diana Ferguson said...

Short and sweet -- love it!! Thank you so much for your prayers.

Anonymous said...

Very pretty! If you wanted to go another direction, maybe a white- on-white bedskirt would bring in a more modern or Scandanavian touch since the shams are that flavor. But, hey, when you're a country girl, you're a country girl. Lovely!

Anonymous said...

P.S. Maybe changing the table cloth from lace to a solid white would change the country feel.

Trish @TheOldPostRoad said...

Those pillows are beautiful!

Renee @ AddMoreChocolate said...

Has it been FOUR years since we went on that shopping trip? Good heavens how time has flown!
Ok, you know me. I would never EVER say to get rid of anything red. I wasn't thinking "French" country (I'm geographically challenged) but I was thinking "tailored and crisp" which the dust ruffle certainly is. Had you added a 4X ruffle then we would most certainly be in dangerous territory.
I vote to get a new tablecloth (no lace) in white for summer and a dark color for fall/winter (or the months of fall and winter, known here in Houston as "not quite as hot.")

Manuela@A Cultivated Nest said...

I recognized those pillows from Ikea (one of my favorite places). I like the way the bedskirt looks in there.

Manuela

Kristin @ My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia said...

Love the pillows! Thanks for stopping by!

Pamela said...

I am loving it!! I just started using red to decorate with as well and am just loving the color. I need to go and check out that pillow. It would go nicely in the guest room.

Delchick42 said...

Oh my goodness I absolutely love it! It's so funny (coincidence) that you went red cause that's what I am about to do with our drab master bedroom. My inspiration are some retro curtains that I found with red in them. Now all I need is the bedding and the curtains hung. I'm so excited. Thank you for sharing.