Our Shabby White Iron Bed & Romantic Retreat

 A few weeks ago I posted the makeover of my dome top trunk and promised to be back to share how I turned our room into a romantic retreat.
 I finished it just in time for our Anniversary this year!

This was the collage that I teased you with prior to revealing it in that post.

I promised to share the entire room with you with our bed re-do and all the special things that completed the room and blurred this pic to tease you more!

We bought this bed, many years ago, and fell immediately in love with all the hearts it possessed.

And after quite a few years, of wanting to give it  a new look, I finally lightened it with my chalk paint mix!

I wanted it to have a shabby look, so, after a little "wet distressing," some antiquing and a finish of wax our treasured bed turned out like this.

Then I added some pearls to give it some "glam."

and on the foot board, too.

White canvas with, glittered gold, stenciled letters were created to make this, new pillow, too!

Then I made some new changes that now hang over the bed.

First was a change to the gold, vintage, frame. I decided to add some white, wall paper, backing...

 then add my new heart with it's sentimental saying. I made it from an old mirrored frame and wrote on canvas with a thin, black marker to cover the mirror and added lace, silk cording and pearls for romantic glam.

The wall space to each side was calling for something else. So, I covered cardboard letters, with gold paint......two for my honey and two for me!

Then it came to me that I needed to make something for our little "Gucci." He sleeps here during the day and with us each night.

I made his name on a hanging heart pillow.

 it says.....

 Grandma's, cranberry lamps needed new shades and got upscaled with, white satin, quilting

and some pearls and lace, too!

This is the trunk that I just made over. That post is here.

Now, here's more of the look from around the room....this pic was taken before our letters were done.

This, gold vintage, frame (that I've posted before) got some new accents and some wallpaper, too and a new place above the cottage nightstand...yet, another project that's waiting for me to do!!!

A collection of heirlooms create a special vignette.

   "Grandma's" bottle of smelling salts, from the Art Deco era, is one of my all time treasures of hers!

My canvas, dressing screen is the perfect corner piece for the room. I found it in 1980, in an antique shop, for just $80!

The hand painted screen and my great grandmother's cami and tap pants are both from the 1800's. I made the rose heart wreath with baby's breath to adorn the vintage hanger.

I HATE the green color of the walls, so I have one last change that I have to do.......when I make up my mind I'll share the room's new color with you!

 My "little shadow" follows me wherever I go...he's my fluffy buddy!

 January 2016 wall update....lovin' it!

I hope you liked our "romantic retreat" and might even just give it a "like" a "pin"
or maybe a "share!"


 Love, Hugs and Kisses,
JP

and Gucci, too!

Can you see him? He's playing "peek-a-boo!

A very special thank you to Stacey from  staceyembracingchange.com  
for featuring this post on her blog

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My White Chippy Shabby Dome Top Trunk

My honey bought this 1800's, dome top, trunk for me when we first moved in together. It was something that he found on his own and knew that I would love. It's been filled with mementos that have been accumulating over our many years together.
  
I decided that it was ready for me to give it a makeover!

I took this pic of it just after I had roughed it up, a bit, with a light sand block.

This was the ugly, yellow, burlap lining that someone chose back in the mid 1900's.

 This was what I found underneath...a layer of old grey/blue/green paint...

and a Victorian, lady label!

Now, on with it's makeover...this is the fabric and trim that I chose to re-line it with.

I'm always looking to get a project done quickly and take all the shortcuts and easy ways to get things done, as long as it isn't something that I am looking to sell!

I started at the front edge of the trunk (without even cutting the fabric).
I fit one salvage edge of the fabric into the corner of the trunk.
 I turned the fabric under, to fit along the bottom of the trunk and stapled in in place as I went along continuing it up to the other side.

Then I made a cut of the fabric along the top, following the frame, folded it under and stapled it into place.

 At the next corner I marked a line (with a thin marker) and then cut the rest of the fabric all the way down, along the bottom and back up to the front of the trunk and then cut it and stapled away.

Then, all I had to do was to cut the two sides to fit and staple them in as well.
You may chose to measure each section and cut and staple as you go....I just chose to be imperfect and cheat!
And finally, I just hot glued the trim into place.

Now, I chose to not re-do the top...I hated to cover up my find because I kinda liked seeing the original bits of nostalgia.
 I just wish that I knew it's story!

I spent hours going through our old cards and letters and reminiscing my way through old keepsakes before putting it all back inside.

And guess what? I even found a long lost cameo inside. It belonged to my mentor, my dear, sweet Grandma Bea!







If you haven't met her, you can meet her here...
Beatrice Lillian Knuckey/Farnum



Okay, now, here is what I teased you with in my last post...
a little peek of the outside.

Prior to my painting, I used my gold, rub and buff on all of it's steel accent pieces for a little bit of glam.

Then, I dry brushed on my mix of white, chalk paint and wet distressed it to give it some appealing age and finished it with two coats of clear, paste wax.
(Wet distressing is to use a damp rag, gently, about a half an hour after the paint has set. Waiting too long will not work and too soon might take off more than you would like, so proceed with caution and try a small area first.)

A brief history.....

 This trunk was commonly called a ladies barrel back, dome top, camel back, or steamer trunk.  

This design was first made in the early 1800’s in Europe with this model being around 1869-70

The top was designed to prevent other luggage from being stacked atop them when used in traveling by ship to America, only the most elite people could afford to buy a camel back top trunk.  

It's design was continued in America because when the dome top was covered with tin it shed water well when traveling by stagecoach.

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Okay, are you ready?

I
think
I've
made
 you
wait
long
enough!!!

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 So, here it is!

It has a brand new, shabby look and I love it now more than ever!

It's back in place at the foot of our old bed waiting for some new additions to be tucked inside.

This was my "teaser" collage that I shared with you...I'm preparing my next post of our iron bed's re-do and other projects and vignettes from around the room. 

And here's one last teaser of the bed in our romantic retreat.

I'm sorry that you'll have to wait, 'til next week, to see it all...but,
I think it will be worth checking back in on!

  Love, Hugs and Kisses,
JP

and Gucci, too!

Can you see him? He's playing "peek-a-boo!

A very special "thank you" to
adelightsomelife
and
  rootedinthyme for featuring this makeover in their blogs!

  Sharing this post at these great parties

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