Guest Bedroom and Library Reveal – Country Girl Style!
My new guest bedroom and library! A lot has been going on around here at Grandma’s house. Lots of changes. With the divorce final and so many hard days behind me, my cousin said, “I know you’ll be fine because you’re Stubborn and Busy.” We’ve decided that that’s going to be on my tombstone, “Here lies Tarah who was stubborn and busy.” And we have all agreed that my two grandmas would be very proud as they too, were VERY stubborn and busy women. So, on to the first of the big changes that I’ve been working on: here is my BRAND NEW guest bedroom and library!
(Here is the before the renovation photo of the screened-in porch that this room used to be!)
My initial plan was to create a rental suite in the basement so that’s what I’m working on it becoming. Of course, first thing’s first, it can no longer be my wood workshop! SO all of my tools and wood (and the universe knows what else) had to come out of there and find a new home somewhere else.
I have two bedrooms on the main floor of my house, one of them I was using as My Office, the other was a guest bedroom so, one of the very first things I did was move my desk and computer into my entry so, that meant, I now have two unused rooms in my house!
I just knew my old guest bedroom would make a great workshop for me because it had a HUGE closet (See how my new workshop turned out here!). Then I figured: why can’t my old office become a guest bedroom and library? I got to work!
I gave all of my old guest bedroom furniture a makeover because I just HATED the green and black on the end table, the bed and the desk.
It was time to reclaim not only my spaces but my furniture too. With some light gray paint, and some decals I purchased really inexpensively on Amazon, they all transformed into country girl style.
Meanwhile, with the furniture all made over I tackled moving a few things around in my old office, leaving the barnwood book shelves and all of my books.
With the end table and bed in the room I still had a place for my grandma’s old rocking chair that I refinished years ago (check out that transformation here.) And the desk fit just fine at the end of the bed along with a little stool I built earlier this year.
This room is an absolute stunner, the old house siding I painted white, the vaulted ceiling, the ancient painted wood floor that I painted over (the color is called Sooty Lashes by Valspar) and, of course, the real statement piece: that glorious stained glass window.
The only problem was that it is, in fact, a window that looks right on in to my living room. So, I needed to come up with something to give my guests some kind of privacy so I made some really easy curtains by folding some sheers I had in half and clipping them up.
And I gave that old bed a ruffle with a no-sew bed skirt made out of drop cloths. I found that home pillow and the practically matching lamp shade at Walmart and I gave that old lamp I bought a makeover too.
The last project you guys saw to FINALLY complete this room, was a gorgeous 100 year old door that I refinished because, ya know, its kinda important for a guest bedroom to have a door lol
Of all the rooms in this house I do believe that both my mom and aunt speak of this one with more fondness then any other place here of their childhoods. You see this used to be a screened in porch before I enclosed it and when they were girls they got to spend their summers sleeping out here!
I can only imagine the sound of rain, summer breezes, crickets and the incredible smell of dew in the mornings. Interestingly enough, this bed is almost in the exact place their old bed sat. So, I gave them an open invitation to, of course, come and stay any time!
And, when its SO hot in the summers upstairs in my master bedroom, I might just sleep down here too!
Though I did not intend to make a teenage girls room it does feel that way a bit to me lol but it certainly shouldn’t be surprising. Right down to the curtains that came from my childhood bedroom that I hung up over the closet, all the books from my childhood, all the prints on the walls and every little important thing I have ever held on to, its all in this room.
There is little here that doesn’t really mean something to me. Even the license plates I used on the lamp were my first license plates off my first car! This is truly my keepsake room. (I even have a stash of model horses in the closet lol)
With the divorce final I have been doing a lot of things to reclaim my home but I was worried about this one… I thought I might really grieve the loss of my office but every time I come in here now my heart is glad.
This feels like it is finally how it was meant to be. Why did I create this space? Why did I feel the need to get this done as quick as I could? Why on earth was I painting this bed not three days after my divorce?
I think I needed to make a space that was just mine, a place that held no memory of one very trying relationship that lasted far too long, a sweet little corner made of PEACE.
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I’m Tarah!
It’s been a hell of a ride since I started this blog and renovated and moved into this old farm house back in 2015. I got married, divorced, lost my doggo soul mate, spent two years as a single gal, remodeled everything, threw my back out countless times and was even found by an amazing guy in my own backyard! (The story behind Storyhardt Farm.)
Around here we’re totally fearless when it comes to bettering our home. We love to refinish old furniture, re-purpose old pieces, build it from scratch and totally renovate anything that needs it! If we can do it – so can you. We’ve got some serious plans for this old farm and, for first time ever, I have a real partner!
This is gonna be so much fun!
You can also find out more about the amazing Grandma behind this blog who moved in to this old farmhouse with my Grandpa nearly 70 years ago!
Glad to see it finished, Tarah, Well done! So lovely to see it bright and airy with no black; and you sound quite perky, so I am glad for you. Big hug from over the pond! xx
Thank you Susan!!
This room is absolutely beautiful. I love using what we have & you’ve arranged your treasures beautifully.
Thank you so much Jenny!
What an amazing renovation! I really love the floating bookshelves!
Thank you so much Amy!!
So light and bright and airy!
Thank you!!
It’s really touching to follow along with your transformation. Your guest room is wonderful and unlike when it was a porch enjoyable on summer nights, now it is enjoyable year around. I am enjoying watching your energy and creativity blossom as your scrape off the memories of the man who tried to hold you back.
Thank you Leanna 🙂
This room has so much character and history. I love the painted siding and the stained glass window top. Just lovely!
Thank you so much Audra!!
Once again Tara you have made a room into the cutest guest room, so cute and so bright and cheary!!!
I would love to have you share on #omhgww this week, hope you have a minute to stop by!!
Pinned to share!!
Have a great week!
Thank you so much Karren!
Love the look and feel of the room. Great job!
Thank you so much Linda!
Love old houses and old quilts. Turned out great. Found you on Blogger’s Lifestyle Link party
Thank you Candy! Have a great weekend!
I love your style & what a transformation! Cosy & comfy!
You are most welcome to drop by with your favorite beverage & tasty treat for a time of
quiet reflection together.
Jennifer
Thank you Jennifer, have a great weekend!
Wow what an amazing transformation. What a fun fun guest room! I had schedule to share this in my home tours pin in Pinterest! So glad to find your blog via Bloggers Pit Stop
Thank you SO much Susan, have a great weekend!
Wow!
You do know how to get busy, and you have done an amazing job!
I do have a question. I do and have always done this funny thing all the time, even as a little girl I did it. I look around a home and think to myself,” if I lived here I would do this or that”. I mentally change things around. Now my question is as a youngster in Grandmas house did you do this? When you moved in did you have a pre conceived idea of what you wanted OR did the house slowly over time “tell you” what it wanted to be? I know some folks will think I’m crazy talking like this but I’m ok with that. Being a little crazy helps the creativity juices to flow.
Anyway you are doing a super job and I hope you are having fun with it.
I wish you peace and love
Blessings to you!
Minnie
Hi Minnie! I was working on Grandma’s house in my head for nearly a decade, I didn’t even really realize it until my mom brought up the notion to me that it could be mine someday. Then I got to work on the plans and worked on it in a home designer program for over a year before I tackled the renovation. I wish I had let the house speak to me more though while I was working on it, I would have changed my plans more during the process but once the renovation starts it is SO hard to change things especially when you’re on a serious dead line! I definitely go into other people’s homes and work on them while I’m there lol I can’t help it!
Tarah, oh my! You have outdone yourself with this room! Everything in it screams “Country Girl” and it looks like You. Beautiful job, I love everything you did. Brings to mind my own Grandmother’s house, her guest room was part of her front porch enclosed and made into a room, and I slept there when I went to see her. Brings such good memories to me, seeing your room… THANK YOU!
Oh thank you so much Sue!!
Tarahlynn, your post has been popular on the Blogger’s Pit Stop, we will feature it this week.
Well done.
Kathleen
Blogger’s Pit Stop
Oh that’s awesome, thank you so much Kathleen!
It is so lovely! So peaceful and relaxing. I love your quilt. A lot of crazy quilts use dark colors. These are so bright. Beautiful!
Thank you Tammy!! My Grandma made it many many years ago 🙂
Love it!! What a nice inviting place to sleep!
Thank you Erin!
Very nicely done, Tarah
Thank you Tom!!
Girl, stubborn and busy are great attributes, but I’d rephrase it to be Determined and Hardworking! This a great post and I know there are many happy days ahead for you!
Thank you so much Sheri!