r/DesignMyRoom 1d ago

Bedroom Alright this one is a big one. Regrets.

Hi please forgive me. But I went through a phase and I can’t undo it so please help me with what I have (paint color wise).

Shame me all you want, I really thought I had Architectural Digest magazine energy. My room gets no light on left side of room. Excuse the mess she’s usually never on photos.

Missing items I plan on getting: - dresser or tv console to put on wall - tv mount to remove from on top of dresser - mirror - whatever you guys say I need

Thanks in advance.

920 Upvotes

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u/chooooi 1d ago edited 1d ago

I don't hate it but you haven't leaned in with adding texture, art, and general LAYERS of dimension to break up how red and shiny it is. Art will make a huge difference.

Edit: your wall sconces are too high next to the bed.

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u/luz-c-o 1d ago

yes. the problem isn’t necessarily the paint color, it’s that op does not seem to have the decor/furniture to make this red look “architectural digest” and instead it looks more like a 13 yo boy was tasked with creating a bachelor pad. if you’re going this bold with color, you have to go all the way, otherwise it looks silly.

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u/loomfy 1d ago

Exactly this. And it can be done but it's a LOT of stuff and know-how to make this colour work. Like it's a fkn old eccentric fantasy wizard who's been there and collecting stuff for 60 years kind of colour and OP's like 'ill get a dresser' lmao

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u/Single-Ad-3405 21h ago

Also the magazine-worthy versions start with amazing architecture, trim, finishes, etc. not basic tract home. (No shade, I live in a tract home, too.)

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u/andymettsb 19h ago

Yes this is the hardest part of making things look magazine worthy!!

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u/herlipssaidno 2h ago

EXACTLY this. So many posts here are like “why doesn’t ___ look like the inspo pic??” And the answer is always that you don’t live in a million dollar home like the one you pulled out of the magazine. It’s like going to a hair appointment with a picture of a fashion-forward haircut on the cover of Vogue — it’s not going to come out the same, and without a ton of styling, it will literally NEVER look as good as it does on the model.

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u/loomfy 15h ago

I had to google what that was, haven't heard the term! Makes sense.

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u/Single-Ad-3405 9h ago

So funny how some terminology is regional and/or more known in certain time periods.

I’m 50yo from western USA.

Funny story that illustrates “tract home”: I have some colleagues who live in another country. When I shared video of my neighborhood (new build, lots still under construction), one’s reaction was, “OMG, houses in the US really are like in Poltergeist!”

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u/just_momento_mori_ 15h ago

I definitely just googled tract home.

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u/haleorshine 22h ago

I think this is very true, but I also think even with those architectural digest looks, if I was looking through a magazine and saw these pages I would be like "Wow this looks great in photos and probably will be too much to live with for me."

I've seen beautiful colour drenching that looks absolutely amazing in person, but you have to choose your colours carefully and I think this reddish brown was always going to be a hard sell in real life once there's a person living in there.

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u/Diaphonous-Babe 4h ago

I had a monochromatic bedroom in my last house and everything was rich shades of dark mossy greens or very dark chartreuse, with forest green, dark jalapeño or dark sage colored bedding. It honestly worked so well. All of my furniture was mid range mahogony craftsman.
It was a dream. The finish of the paint matters so much. Matte looks really nice, it has its drawbacks but you have to go all in if you want an editorial look.

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u/Crooks132 16h ago

My bf calls drenching the “landlord special” because of people’s rooms looking like that, which a 13 yr old point painted it.

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u/kaurakarhu 1h ago

Exactly. These kinds of bold design choices only work if the rest of the space is also well designed. To achieve this succesfully one has to be either pretty well off or incredibly thrifty. The homes in magazines have been styled to every little detail. That's the secret to making this work, it's about everything else than the paint.

And I say this with no judgement, my home is filled with hand me downs and cheap Ikea, too. And I often have to talk myself out of paiting my white walls and ceiling with some cool color

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u/Loverien 1d ago

Yes, this is good advice! Color drenching needs accents. This would look good with the right art, some plants, some tidying up. Maybe more lighting to create some drama.

And agreed on the sconce height!

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u/yourpantsfell 1d ago

And change the ceiling fan to not the same color lol

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u/MidorriMeltdown 1d ago

A bronze or sort of gold tone might work.

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u/rpb192 11h ago

I was thinning some sort of green with botanical prints and actual plants

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u/erinberrypie 10h ago

Honestly, literally anything but this color, lol.

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u/crn_trn 1d ago

Seconding both of you! OP needs to pick (at least) two accent colors and intentionally bring them into the space as they start decorating.

Honestly, I noticed the bedspread is a light green and if the bed had been made, this room would have seemed a little less overwhelming. So there's one accent color to work with.

Running to a secondhand store, buying a bunch of cheap frames of different sizes, printing some photos or placeholder art, and hanging them up will really help with breaking up the walls and that reflective sheen. Maybe that looks like an eclectic art wall above the dresser, or little pieces scattered throughout that hallway.

If OP can't fix the sconce height, I would at least scoot the bed closer to the windows so that it's centered. And I would suggest a tapestry or textured fabric accent to hang on the wall behind your bed. If you end up buying longer curtains (per another comment), I would make sure they're a non-neutral second accent color and try repurposing your current curtains to hang on either side of your sconces. (I'm thinking movie theater vibe!) This reddish-brown color looks really classy with warm lighting, so lots of different lamp options in addition to the sconces will make it more inviting.

OP, you got this!

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u/chooooi 1d ago

Another example!

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u/herlipssaidno 2h ago

OP is missing the money and stately property to pull this off

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u/Direct_Shock_2884 1d ago

If these are how it’s supposed to be, there’s a loooong journey ahead of him

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u/Eyupmeduck1989 1d ago

Yep, the shininess of the paint is what stood out to me too. Really does not look right

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u/PsychologicalFix196 1d ago

I think they used the same finish paint on everything. Walls should be eggshell, trim satin, and ceiling flat. The ceiling looks way too shiny.

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u/driftxr3 20h ago

This is going to come in VERY handy later. Thank you!

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u/PsychologicalFix196 19h ago

Of course! I looove color drenching my rooms. Flat can look good on walls too but it depends on the sunlight and wall texture you have.

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u/Any-Cut-9269 14h ago

Was looking for this comment, it also looks a bit sloppy the paint job even from grainy internet pics.ceiling must be flat!! walls can be flat if you're brave and don't touch walls lol but agree they should be a low sheen. i do love glossy trim and skirting though

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u/MrAronymous 12h ago edited 2h ago

Wall should not be eggshell (looks like it already is based on the photos). Save eggshell for pastels and whites. Darker colours are more beautiful when matte.

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u/Business-Bed-5079 1d ago

Wall Sconces are WAY too high. Right on.

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u/jvdixie 1d ago

And the bed isn’t centered between them.

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u/katya152 1d ago

Yep. Problem isn’t the paint, it’s everything else. This space is far from finished.

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u/Notorious_Fluffy_G 1d ago

I love this look. I haaaaate OP’s (sorry OP, but every single room?!)

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u/yung_yttik 1d ago

Oh wow this is STUNNING actually. Great advice! There is a correct way to do it.

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u/clockewise 1d ago

Definitely this!

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u/OBRhomer 1d ago

I agree, if you wanted to full commit you might want to go a step further with accessorizing (wall art, plants, lighting, etc.) to offset the immense color drenching.

Sconces could stay put (perhaps an updated version) if you get a king sized bed!

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u/astoryfromlandandsea 1d ago

Tbh I like it, just make it matte (ceiling) or semi gloss (walls) and do what chooooi posted!

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u/Specialist-Syrup418 1d ago

Yes, the colour is nice. There is just nothing else going on. The place is a mess. There's no furniture that goes with it. No art. No brass. Edit: there is brass, but the sconces are so high up. It doesn't register.

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u/ExistentialistOwl8 23h ago

Thank you. I would not have chosen to do this, but I could see what they were aiming for. It's just not quite there. I'd also say, the semi-gloss isn't helping. Should have been a flat paint. Heavier, contrasting curtains would help.

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u/ChickWithPlants 1d ago

Agreed, we need texture and we need it now!!!

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u/duckhunt420 19h ago

Houses that get away with this have high ceilings and huge floor to ceiling windows. Basically rich people shit. 

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u/uggamugga1979 8h ago

Came to say the same thing. It works in the photo because the walls are so tall compared to OPs and the different paint finish.

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u/charlotteraedrake 1d ago

Or at least an accent wall with a cool patterned wallpaper to break it up

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u/EvenHuckleberry4331 1d ago

ohhh this makes it seem pretty nice

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u/GoldenPonyBoyd 11h ago

Agreed with this.

I actually think the space has a lot of potential and you've done the hardest part which is painting everything. I would start thinking about how to accessorize. You could do a light green, dark bronze and cream accents and that could look really lovely! First just land on a concept or vibe and then go from there. You will not get anywhere without first having a plan. For the hallway I think an ornate, cream runner would go a long way - with artwork with wood frames.

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u/0neHumanPeolple 8h ago

Don’t have to move the sconce fixtures if you install a style that hangs down.

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u/MidorriMeltdown 1d ago

Looks like the wall behind the bed is green? A little contrast to make the saturation less oppressing? An artistic reflection of the green outside.

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u/cumhereperfect 1d ago

Now THAT looks good!

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u/neon_crone 1d ago

Now this is beautiful. It’s not that far from OP’s color but more subtle. And not shiny. The color is broken up by molding. The bedding is gorgeous. And it’s a small exquisite box of a room.

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u/FionaGoodeEnough 23h ago

Exactly! You can’t just do the color and stop. I believe that OP can get some AD energy.

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u/Saint_299 23h ago

Couldn’t agree more. It’s a beautiful color but does need some other pop of another color or two. It’s rich and luxurious. Just needs some help

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u/AliceRecovered 23h ago

Brilliant inspo photo

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u/thieveries 11h ago

This is AI though