Hey there, reader! Does this wallpaper look familiar? Any chance you remember this MOTO photo (below) from my last makeover reveal? The one where I plastered the tinier of my two bedrooms in DIY fabric wallpaper, forced a queen bed in there, and called it mine? Or maybe you’re up-to-date and instead recall a more recent post, where I flashed you my scary second bedroom, aptly named “The Doom Room”, and contemplated swapping the two?

The TLDR version goes something like this– I loved my initial bedroom design and still intended to keep the furniture (and fabric wallpaper) forever, but I made a mistake in choosing the smaller room for my personal bedroom, leaving the bigger room to be my “office”. Instead, this larger space just turned into a dumping ground for estate sale finds, crafty crap, and miscellaneous junk I wanted to close behind a door and forget about. I was sick of my excess stuff, desperately wanted more space in my own bedroom, and hoped that by switching the two rooms, I could finally free up the smaller one for guests. So I went for it, moving my bed and dresser to the larger room (which I’m loving btw), to free up the wallpapered room for a new project–a (hardly) blank canvas.

During the switch, a kismet opportunity to work with AllModern fell directly from the sky and into my lap. They were specifically looking to do a story about hosting visitors for the holidays. Like what?! This was my chance! A timely partnership paired with an insatiable desire to declutter and design a thoughtful guest space? It kicked my spare room dreams into high gear, and I can’t wait to show you how it all turned out.

Double-Sided Desk

When I first wrote the room swap post, contemplating how each area might look and function, I thought I wanted this second bedroom to double as an office space. Before the partnership, I had even picked out an AllModern desk (a piece I was eyeballing for its clever, double-sided, dual-purpose design). But the truth is, I like doing my daily computer work from my dining table and mostly use my vintage desk chair as extra living room seating, so relocating my “office” to this smaller room just didn’t make sense. What it did require was storage (and sadly, this cool desk was too big anyway).

Above all, I was craving a second sleeping zone that felt comfortable and spacious. A tucked-away oasis for any friend, parent, or first-date-mistake to have a place to crash for the night. A room that felt…roomy, despite its humble footprint. A private hang-out spot that could transform for guests but would still inspire me creatively anytime I needed to dig in the closet for art supplies. This old “wallfabric” isn’t coming down anytime soon, but with a hefty dose of some AllModern magic, I think we gave this familiar space a brand new feel…

Please, feast your eyes upon my new and improved GUEST BEDROOM! A funky lounge space by day, an artful bedroom by night, and with just enough storage to tuck my junk treasures out of sight. Let’s dig in, shall we?

Rug

One element I wanted right from the jump was a big hit of red. I knew this would help guide the design in a fresh direction. I envisioned a simple but interesting color-drenched rug, and it wasn’t hard to find a winner–I felt great about this one instantly! I love how its subtle, indented pattern references a similar repeat on the wallpaper, and I think the deep red color solidly anchors the space, don’t you?

Sleeper Sofa

Initially, I had imagined a green sofa bed in here. It had to be a sofa bed to save on space and maximize room function. But it’d need to be the perfect Goldilocks Green to work with the green on the walls, and I just didn’t want to chance it. I figured something more neutral, a beige, gray, or cream would be better overall. I was in-between sleeper sofas. Initially, I liked the 84″ Cleo Sleeper Sofa for its compact shape and long list of customizable colors. But ultimately I chose this one, the Savelle 88” Upholstered Sleeper Sofa (in Mink Chenille) because it shipped a little faster, had stellar reviews, and still looked just as good. Also, I was hopeful that a fold-down sofa bed over a pull-out mattress would better maximize space, even if the sofa itself was a little longer.

I am SO glad I went with this option. The oatmeal color looks so good in here and helps dial back the wild wall factor, allowing the rug to stand out a bit more. Plus, a neutral like this will work in just about any space I move to in the future–something I consider heavily with a piece like this. I want it to last!

But I also want it to be easy. So far, swapping between functions has been a breeze! From sofa to bed, you start by removing the two back cushions, drag the bench seat forward (it’s on wheels and works like a trundle bed), then flip down the solid back cushion to reveal a brand new, full-sized sleeping surface–just add bedding! Flip it and reverse it Missy Elliot style, and you’ll have a couch again in no time.

Ivory Sheet Set | Waffle Duvet Cover | Duvet Insert | Striped Yellow Shams | Pillow Inserts | Waffle Throw Blanket | Yellow Throw Blanket

The cushions are on the firmer side, but aren’t at all like a cheap futon. They feel more like a dense mattress, still with plenty of bounce. Two cozied-up friends or one Emily Henderson should have no trouble lying here comfortably! See? Actually, I’ve already had multiple guests stay over in this room (no, not my boss), and they all gave rave reviews on comfort. I mean, I did ask each of them how well they slept, and it is possible they lied to me… but I had the accidental pleasure of falling asleep on it myself recently, and can attest, it was a very solid slumber!

Gumdrop Throw Pillows | Wool Pillow | Yellow Throw Blanket | Side Table | Paper Trees

You may recognize some of the styling elements (like the throw pillows, side table, chrome lamp, upholstered chair, or paper trees) from our recent Christmas at The Carly decoration transformation. And well, that’s because I stole them for myself after the shoot. Actually, Em asked me to do a chunk of the shopping for that first holiday photoshoot, and instinctively, I pulled pieces from AllModern that I thought might also work in my space, hoping to cut down on the amount we’d need to style out both. I picked colors and textures I liked and could utilize here as well, so it’d make sense for me to just keep most of it in the end. Just some light, premeditated “stealing”. Like, I’m sorry, but I really wanted some of those jewel-toned paper trees for myself. This is meant to be a holiday guest story after all!

Wall Shelf

While I can cram most of my junky stuff away in the closet, I also wanted to include a few pretty storage pieces to round out the space. I found this super cute wall shelf to display a few of my favorite things, which finally gave purpose to this impossibly small wall next to my closet. It was super simple to put together and just as easy to hang.

Sideboard

Then I came across this beautiful thing. A storage piece in a wood tone I just loved, with beautiful lines… and a secret! To me, it echoed similar vibes to the double-sided desk I liked from before. At first glance, you think you know just what it is: A dresser with nine drawers. Now go ahead and move that little slider to the left for ultimate satisfaction. They’re actually cabinet doors! Boy, do I love a sneaky piece of furniture.

Side Chair

It’s a perfectly petite size, too, but with plenty of room inside. In my mind, having doors instead of drawers also allows for easier access to the stuff within, but maybe that’s just me? For now, this cabinet stores the guest bedding, but I’m sure eventually I’ll find a way to shove a hammer or a few vintage finds in there, too.

Mirror | Chrome Lamp | Vase | Pink Catchall

Above the sideboard is this funky, amorphous mirror. I love it. It’s a curvaceous walnut that pulls a little more red (exactly as I had hoped when I first saw it online). It totally complements the rug and accent pillows and pairs nicely (but not too closely) with the storage piece below. That lamp was also a Carly swipe. Its shape and material are just so sleek and reminiscent of the last lamp I had in here (which sadly broke).

Chrome Side Table

The little metal side table in the corner was a last-minute addition (eventually, a tall, spiky plant or narrow bookshelf might live here instead), but I love what these balanced pops of chrome add to the space. The platter sitting on the cabinet works great as a catchall, and the pink matches the flowers on the wall, but when visitors come to stay, I’ll likely clear the surface so they can use it to spread out and unpack. However, one MUST leave out a design-forward vase of flowers to properly greet your guests upon arrival!

We filled out the opposite wall with a few of my favorite artworks. The large painting is a piece my mom’s college classmate painted for her that I, yes, STOLE and refuse to give back. The bamboo-framed dancer print is one I scored years ago at a local Latvian rummage sale for just $10. And the newest addition is a piece Em commissioned for all of us by one of our favorite local artists, Purl. At our last team retreat, she surprised us each with a custom art piece for our birthdays. Mine is titled “Shopkeepers”. It was the final piece needed for this little gallery wall, which I think hangs so nicely over both the bed and the sofa. I didn’t even have to move the old swing arm sconce from my last makeover!

Well, folks, I think that about sums it up! In just a few weeks, I was able to carve out my little dream space for all future guests with the help of AllModern. The strong punches of color and wild wallpaper might be a bit much for some of you out there, and that’s okay! But I’m truly over the moon with how it turned out. It’s fun and functional, but the best part is there’s now SO much room for activities. Way more than before, even with the sofa in “bed mode”. I no longer feel like I’m tripping over crammed furniture or homeless piles of my “stuff”. Everything and everyone has a place now. So what are you waiting for? COME OVER!!! I’ll text you the address.

Sincerely, Gretch

*Design by Gretchen Raguse
*Photos by Kaitlin Green

What do you get when you combine 32 yards of fabric, a beautiful bedroom bundle from Article and the world’s best boss? My very first Makeover Takeover reveal!! If you read my post from yesterday, you know how quickly this bedroom came together. Personally, I love a deadline (Em too), and though this one came at us like a 90 mph fastball, I really do think we hit it out of the park! (Insert softball emoji here) What’s so wonderful about Em–besides gifting me with an incredible opportunity such as this–is that she really let me take the reins on the design process, but stepped up for me big time when I desperately needed her eye. So when it came time for the shoot, she styled, Kaitlin photographed and I teared up in the corner as we brought my dream bedroom to life. I couldn’t be more excited to share this finished space with you all! Are you ready for the breakdown? Here we go!

Headboard | Bed Frame | Mattress

It’s not too difficult for a bed to be the focal point in any room, let alone a 9′ x 10′ box, but thankfully she’s no eyesore! I’m still pinching myself knowing that THIS is the bed I come home to every night. From the headboard to the mattress to the bedding (to the window, to the wallllll)–it’s all Article! As if they weren’t already one of my favorite places to shop for furniture (and a tried and true EHD favorite for pieces that are beautifully designed, well made, and at amazing price points), now you can literally fulfill EVERY SINGLE ONE of your bedroom needs in one convenient place. And I did!

Article has partnered with Leesa to supply you a great mattress to go atop your beautiful new bed frame. And to no one’s surprise, it’s extremely comfortable! I feel like I could recreate that classic infomercial, where the lady jumps on the bed next to a stemmed glass of red wine and it doesn’t budge one iota. Now I’m not gonna do that with this bed, mostly because I prefer a pinot gris (or in this case, an empty coffee mug), so you’ll just have to trust me on this one. It’s firm yet soft, and hugs just right without swallowing you whole. It has three layers of memory foam, each one designed to keep you cool and supported. After sleeping on the same full-size mattress I’ve had for years and years, this queen mattress makes me feel like just that–A QUEEN.

Storage Bed | Throw Blanket

Next up is the frame. I knew I wanted to incorporate this oak Pactera bed frame as soon as I saw it (the white version is also so crisp). My place has decent storage, but sadly no real spot for linens. The fact that this bed is as beautiful as it is sturdy and has hidden storage drawers, is unreal. Positioned at the front of the bed are two huge drawers, and inside them I can fit all of my extra towels, sheets, and blankets. I love that they disappear completely, tucking away into the frame’s wide base, only to be clocked by me. The added lip around the perimeter of the frame is such a nice design touch, too and more importantly, functional. Making my bed in the morning really just requires stuffing the duvet into the sides of the frame and yet somehow every time it comes out looking so polished!

Gauze Charcoal Duvet Cover | Gauze Charcoal Sham Set | Sheet Set | Left Throw Pillow | Right Throw Pillow

Speaking of bedding…Article really NAILED IT! No surprises that their new bedding launch is as good as the furniture we know and love them for. Their bedding comes in three fabrications: the delightful crinkly gauze I picked, a super soft cotton, and a classic breezy linen. Before choosing the fabric for the walls (and yes…I will get to that!) I decided on the Leni gauze bedding in charcoal. I talked about it in the Link Up a few weekends ago, but I really can’t say enough about my love for it. I just feel so dang fancy sliding into a bedding set this beautiful and high quality. And technically what you’re seeing isn’t really a set, but rather a collection of styles, which just goes to show how well their colors and materials mix and match. I snagged an extra set of gauze-y shams in taupe and cotton sheets in light taupe, too. Top it off with two cute throw pillows and this fuzzy, tasseled blanket (yes y’all Article does decor too!) and celloooo–you’ve got a bed! (Hands up if you caught either one of my School Of Rock references)

But the real show stopper is the headboard, obvi. It was a much harder decision for me to make, only because they have too many great options to choose from and I was really going back and forth on the direction of the room. In the end this one beat out the rest because the wood tone matched the other pieces so perfectly without being all from the same line. The woven rattan detailing makes it feel so high-end and lux, and I really love that it mounts to the wall. It hangs on a French cleat so I know it’s super secure, but I can also nudge it one way or the other, should I want to shift my bed a bit.

Gauze Taupe Sham Set | Headboard | Swing-Arm Sconce

Another fantastic feature of the headboard are the built-in nightstands. With my room being so small, adding nightstands into the mix could’ve made it feel clunky. Instead, the integrated shelves take up zero floor space and give me a great resting spot for my phone, a cup ‘o joe, or whatever book I’m reading–I mean, I haven’t attended book club in months, but that’s only because I had no place to set it down! I promise that’s the only reason!!

Because they’re still on the smaller side, I opted for this beautiful swing-arm sconce to keep the surface clear. I like that it provides a bit of asymmetry to the space and replaces the need for art above the bed–which I did try, but just felt like too much going on with the “wallpaper”. It’s also a plug-in so no wiring required! The mushroom lamp sitting on the other side of the bed (the previous photo) is one I stole from Em’s prop room just for the shoot, and will be going back because the sconce gives off plenty of light. But like, how cute?!

White Double Planter | Dresser | Table Lamp

That said, I’m super happy this other mushroom lamp is staying because it gives off a really nice glow and the gold shade connects well with the greenish gold of the wall fabric (I’m so close to talking about this, keep reading).

But the dresser??! Again, if you saw yesterday’s post, you’d know this was the one piece I absolutely had to have. We used nightstands from the same Vireo line in Kaitlin’s bedroom makeover, and when I realized they had the same style in a 6-drawer lowboy, I lost it. I have way too many clothes and until I get that problem under control, a dresser in addition to my closet is necessary. Whether I move or stay here for years, this is a piece that I know will be with me for GOOD. I can see it working so beautifully in my living room as a sideboard when I graduate from clothes-hoarding, that is. It just feels so timeless. The soft closing drawers are a mega bonus, but the design of the drawer pulls is my favorite element.

The one piece of art hanging in the room is something I painted. At my last apartment, someone left it in our communal free pile. It had a weird, black plastic light mounted to the top and looked like an early-stage art project left to die. I had a vision and snagged it, even though my neighbor-friends were like “Gretch, babe, that’s trash”. I’ve painted on it a few times, and I’m still not sure it’s “done” but I really love what it adds to the space, breaking up the uniformity of the wall and picking up some of the pink-ier tones in the room. References to both of my cherished apartments are hidden inside and I love looking at it as I fall asleep, reminded of the gratitude I have for those designs. There’s even a scrap of the current wall fabric pasted on the left side of it…

From Left To Right: Vintage | Planter | Planter (Old) | Footed Bowl (Local) | Planter | Box (vintage) | Planter (local) | Planter (local)

Okay wait, first the window and then we’ll talk wall fabric–I mean it!! This long but short window surprisingly lets in a lot of light. But unfortunately, it looks directly into my neighbor’s kitchen and the awkward eye contact happened enough for me to hop on the internet and order this window film. It’s made to look like reeded glass and diffuses the light beautifully. I also don’t need anything to block the light because I truly sleep like the dead, so just a bit of privacy control was enough for me.

When Em came by to see the progress of space, she suggested I extend the window ledge to display some of my plants. Love!! So I headed to my local Ace Hardware, snagged a board, cut it to size, painted it to match, and drilled it into the sill. Done. Then Em helped me pick out a few fresh plants for the shoot and I’ll be damned if I can’t keep them alive, because they’re just too perfect!

White Double Planter

Okay you’ve made it!! It’s fabric time. This wallpaper isn’t wallpaper, but rather wallfabric, as I’ve lovingly coined it. It’s something I’ve added to many of my past rentals, and I like to think it’s my signature. I will argue ’til the day I die that it’s absolutely the best way to “wallpaper” a room because it is 100% renter-friendly and a process you can do completely solo without the need to rip your hair out along the way. Now I will admit, I’m a TEASE, because the fully-fledged, step-by-step process post won’t be coming at you until next week. But I will give you this: in my humble opinion, it’s miles better than traditional paste-up or peel-and-stick wallpaper because clean-up is a breeze–any residue left behind simply doesn’t exist–and it’s sooo much less wasteful. If I move, get bored of it, or realize it belongs somewhere else, all I need to do is peel it down and give it a wash before I’m ready to start again. And by then the opportunities are endless–wallfabric another room or sew an outfit or a bedspread or a pillow or CURTAINS. Now who can say that about sticky paper?

But to immediately contradict myself, I am thinking about ordering a peel-and-stick version of the same design to line my drawers and closet shelves, because it’s slightly easier to clean. I worked with Spoonflower to find this fabric and they offer all (we’re talking literally millions) of their designs in both fabric and wallpaper of every kind. And to them I said, “Hey, how ’bout one more application?” and they said “Sure!” and I said, “Thanks, guys!”

Anyway, I am super proud of this room and extremely grateful to be given the chance to express myself with such incredible pieces. To have a room in my new place fully designed feels so fulfilling and is driving me to rethink and refresh the other rooms in my apartment. So stay tuned! And come back next week to read all about that wallfabric process. If you have any questions about it, I’ll make sure to answer them over there!

The hugest of thank you’s to Article for partnering on this project. Every single item is an absolute hit and I am tickled as pink as the flowers on my walls to be surrounded by such beauty. To the readers, thanks for following along! To Kaitlin, the photographic magic you capture is unmatched and these are photos I will cherish forever and ever. And to Emily, just wow. The things you’ve introduced me to, the projects you’ve brought to me, and the gifts you’ve bestowed, leave me speechless. Thank you for your ongoing love, support and trust throughout this process! You are so cool.

Sincerely, Gretch

*Design by Gretchen Raguse (me!)
**Styled by Gretchen Raguse and Emily Henderson
*** Photos by Kaitlin Green