Last week, I left you with the promise of paint on the walls, some fun wall treatments, and an exciting DIY fireplace mantel. I'm happy to report that it was a productive week! As you can see, I still have a little baseboard molding to install and paint touch ups, but this week it really felt like the room started coming together. Let's dive right into this week's progress.

Here's an overall shot of the space. The power of paint is undeniable! It's the first change I consider making to any space because it's ability to transform a room is so dramatic. So let's take a moment to talk about the paint pallet for the guest suite.

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Blue Gray // Ammonite // Drawing Room Blue // Pitch Black

I'm using all Farrow and Ball paint for this space. I chose Blue Gray for the fireplace and the wall behind the bed, Ammonite for the walls, Pointing (not pictured) for the trim, Drawing Room Blue for the doors and Pitch Black for an accent wall and in a few other spots.

I knew I wanted to paint the walls and most of the trim white because of the lack of natural light in the space. What I love about Ammonite is that the warm off-white has hints of gray, and looks more like the surface of a stone than a paint color. That might sound crazy, but I always look for a color that has some subtle complexity to it. A green that is just a little bit gray, or a pink that rides the line between gray and lavender, those are the colors that I love. Also, as a lover of dark colors, I always go to Farrow and Ball because even the boldest shades have a softness and depth that makes them easy to design with.

Here I used Blue Gray on the lower half of the wall where I created a paneling effect that's going to do double duty as a headboard once the space is finished. I created the paneling detail using some really beautiful trim from Metrie's Ture Craft collection. To create the top edge of the molding, I used True Craft Sceen III 3 1/2 inch Furr casing. Along the bottom edge, I used this 9 1/4 inch fur baseboard. To create the raised verticalI details, I used thin one-inch pieces of wood. I attached everything using a nail gun and filled in the holes with a little wood filler. As you can see, I still have a little sanding and a second coat of paint to do.

Sconces // Wallpaper // Bedding // Floor light // Art // Moroccan Wedding Blanket

Above the molding detail on that wall, I'll be hanging a Lee Jofa paper designed by Kelly Wearstler for Groundworks, called Cresent (ebony and gold). To round out that corner of the room, I'm bringing in some light gray linen bedding, some nubby vintage textiles, and some great lighting. I'll talk more about those design details in a couple of weeks.

But let's face it — the real star of the show is the fireplace mantle that I created using some more True Craft Sceen III 3 1/2 inch Furn casing and a few pieces of flat stock. Before I go into more detail about how I created it, let me explain why I did it.

As I shared last week, the space was in dire need of architectural interest and charm. So in keeping with my rustic ceiling treatment, I figured a fireplace would go a long way towards giving the guest suite a rustic cozy feel. I'm no expert wood worker, so the fact that this turned out half as good as it did is a testament to the quality of the materials. I intentionally designed the mantel to have a super simple construction that only uses straight cuts.

To start the mantel, I first taped out the profile on the wall. Next, I built a two-by-four frame, attached flat stock to the sides of the frame and then faced it with two pieces of fur casing put together. It creates a profile that is thicker on the outer edge and thinner in the center. In total, I used six pieces, two longer pieces to create the horizontal face of the mantel and four shorter pieces (two on each side) to create the vertical face of the mantel.

To finish off the edges, I applied flat stock to the sides and top for a clean edge. To further sell the look and make it extra cozy, I incorporated a wall mounted electric fireplace. I built the fireplace with its dimensions in mind. To help camouflage the edges of the electric fireplace, I painted the inside of the mantel Farrow and Ball, Pitch Black, and the exterior in Farrow and Ball, Blue Gray.

To finish off the floor around the mantel, I used a few leftover tiles from the bathroom floor project. This way my first attempt at tilling, and I have to say it was pretty easy!

My only observation is that the black grout is a little bit of a bear to clean up.

With the mantle mostly wrapped up, I turned my attention to the bathroom door.

This door had layers of paint caked on, so I suited up in "full hazmat" and used my heat gun to scrape off the paint. You really need to do this kinda thing with good ventilation and plenty of protection. It's messy and potentially dangerous if you don't take the right precautions.

Once I removed the old paint, I was ready to apply a fresh coat of paint. I like to paint the edges of the panels first, and then paint the flat areas. I didn't invent this method, but it really does help the paint look flat and minimizes brush strokes. I also found that the Drawing Room Blue paint took a lot longer to dry than the other colors. I'm not sure if that was because of the gloss finish or because of the pigment, but it's definitely something to keep in mind.

All and all, I'd say that the guest suite definitely turned a corner this week. On Saturday, we finished painting the floors and although I don't have a picture of them, the room is definitely starting to feel more finished. I feel good! Next week, I'll be talking rugs, drapes, and some fun vintage finds. Thanks for checking in!

In case you missed a week, get caught up!
Week One // Week Two

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