Justin and I are only two month away from closing on our new home here in Raleigh, and my mind is running a million miles a minute with design ideas and trying not to get ahead of myself.

While our intent is to take it slow and customize this builder-grade home over the next several years, our master bedroom is one space we intend to tackle immediately.

Our bedroom furniture currently is an eclectic mix of repurposed hand-me-downs and antiques. And there is certainly nothing wrong with that! But our room is a space I have wanted to overhaul for a long time now so that it better reflects who we are as a couple. It’s an area in our home that is just for us, and I want it to feel warm and cozy and inviting; I want it to be a space we want to be in instead of simply a room we sleep in.

To help me keep track of what is going on in my brain for this space, I put together this inspiration board!

Here’s what I’m thinking:

ACCENT WALL & PAINT COLOR

As much as I love bright white paint on the walls, I am drawn to dark and moody tones for cozier spaces. My paint color of choice for our master bedroom is Sherwin-Williams Iron Ore, but it might take some convincing on Justin’s end.

In our new bedroom, our bed will sit against a large, windowless wall that screams for custom trim. I love how elegant board and batten looks in a master, but I also pulled some other accent wall inspiration on Pinterest. This one and this one are two that really catch my eye and pull me in. Whatever we do for this accent wall, it will be a DIY that we install right away.

TEXTURES & NATURAL ELEMENTS

My favorite way to cozy up a room is to add natural elements and mix a variety of textures. For this bedroom design board, I have done this by incorporating an upholstered bed, wood side tables, velvet curtains, a concrete lamp, a rattan storage basket, and a woven rug.

FURNITURE

A new bed is at the top of our must-have list for this space, and it has been a battle to find one we agree on (and by battle I mean I have shown Justin a smorgasbord of bed options and this is the only one he liked that I also liked — married life, y’all) .

This is the bed that we both like. Personally, I appreciate that it’s a neutral piece that will look good in the space no matter what wall color we choose or change to over time as our home style evolves.

For nightstands, I love having ones that double as storage pieces. So, drawers are a must. To be honest, I’m not a fan of the price of dressers and nightstands, especially when you take into account the actual quality of what you pay for. While I really like the way these nightstands look, I can achieve a similar look by DIY customizing the IKEA three-drawer TARVA chest (stay tuned for that project).

A comfy white chair in the corner will help balance the moody, dark elements and soften the room.

LIGHTING

Here in the South, a ceiling fan in the bedroom is a must. Justin and I cannot sleep at night without the fan on!

We had our builder pre-wire for a ceiling fan in our master, but we did not like the fan options they offered so we decided we would install it ourselves. As long as it’s pre-wired, installing a ceiling fan or light fixture is very simple.

I love the brass detail on this fan and think it will add a sophisticated and modern feel to our space. I also pulled this table lamp for inspiration but the Pottery Barn price tag has me shaking my head no. Instead, I am going to be hunting for a similar style lamp (or two) at our local thrift stores that I can smear concrete on and paint to give a similar effect. Again, a DIY I invite you to stay tuned for!

WINDOW TREATMENTS

I have never been someone who pays attention to blinds and curtains. However, we did not select blinds for our home during the design studio phase because we knew this would be something we could do ourselves at a much lower cost.

Great — we saved money! Not so great — now we have to worry about blinds independently of our home construction. That’s fine, though. It gives me the opportunity to explore our options and pick out something we love.

I am a huge fan of these roman shades in lieu of traditional blinds, and for curtains, these white velvet drapes add a cozy and romantic touch.

Let me end this by saying, this is just stuff and none of it really matters at the end of the day. What matters is that our family is fortunate to have a roof over our heads during this time, and that is a privilege that does not escape my mind each day.

At the same time, dreaming up spaces, designing a home that we love, getting my hands dirty with DIY projects, and learning new skills is what I thrive on, and I have felt displaced every moment of the last five months that we have lived in this rental house. I am very much looking forward to feeling settled in our own home again and being able to do what I love.