Style expert Eddie Ross shopped the World’s Longest Yardsale and used his stylish and thrifty finds to make over a North Carolina bedroom.
Eddie to the Rescue
Armed with room measurements, fabric swatches, and paint chips he picked up the famed sale in Union, Kentucky and headed more than 330 miles south to Chattanooga, Tennessee, in search of furniture, lighting, and accessories that he could fix up to create a one-of-a-kind retreat for Elizabeth.
Boring Bedroom
Rejuvenated Bedroom
Eddie transformed the room into a light-filled, colorful room that’s exactly what Elizabeth pictured for herself.
As Eddie worked to revamp his yard sale finds, a talented team of professionals worked to turn the room into a crisp, clean canvas with Benjamin Moore paint for the walls, trim, and ceiling and white Dixie Home carpet for the floor. A new coat of custom lacquered paint by J’s Color Creations freshened up the bedroom set while saving lots of money. Eddie had a woodworker install canopy rails to the four-poster bed and had Calico Corners create custom bed panels and a matching bed skirt. Coordinating pillow shams and new drapery, also by Calico Corners, a painting by Louisiana artist Mallory Page, and upholstered Parsons benches from Lillian August complete the room’s cheery style.
Stately Secretary
Wanting her bedroom to be a place to unplug and escape the day’s stresses, Elizabeth got rid of her television and the large armoire that housed it. Eddie created a quiet nook for Elizabeth to sit down and catch up on her correspondence with a new, antique-inspired secretary by Somerset Bay. Artwork from Artaissance’s Biltmore Collection, framed by Larson-Juhl, adds a personal element.
Chair Change
Upholstery: Calico Corners Workroom; calicocorners.com for locations. Chair back fabric: Llyta in Firecracker, and slipcover fabric: Checkmate in Seabreeze; calicocorners.com.
Fireplace Fix-Up
Elizabeth wasn’t taking advantage of having a fireplace in her bedroom. Instead of feeling cozy, it looked forlorn with only a few porcelain accessories and a dark print hanging over the mantel.
Using the fireplace as a focal point, Eddie carved out a cheerful space for reading and relaxing with two chairs anchored on a coral patterned rug. He upgraded the fireplace surround with antiqued mirrors tiles. Above, a large peony print from Artaissance’s New York Botanical Garden collection and an arrangement of vintage figurines and accessories draws attention to the upgraded mantel. He also combined two incomplete sets of fireplace tools that he found on his trip, freshening them with cleaning and a little repolishing.
Side Table Update
Eddie found this rusty, old cigarette table for only $25. Knowing that it could be the perfect perch for a cup of tea, he painted the base, handle, and underside of the tray a dark shade of coral and then gold-leafed the top.
Paint on cigarette table: Red Ochre (2011-4); valspar.com. Gold leaf on cigarette table: michaels.com
Tufted Chair Makeover
Eddie found this barrel back chair for only $25 at an old boarding house in Pikeville, Tennessee. It had a light, airy feel that’s perfect for Elizabeth’s bedroom, but over time water damage had split the wood at the seams. After patching and repairing the frame, Eddie primed and painted it a creamy white. He then had the seat and back cushions professionally recovered in a plush, blue velvet. The two chairs aren’t a perfect match, but work well together.
Chair paint: custom color, oil-based high gloss by Valspar; lowes.com. Upholstery: Calico Corners Workroom; calicocorners.com for locations. Chair cushion fabric: Velluto in Water, Chair pillow fabric: Llyta in Firecracker with flange in Checkmate in Seabreeze; calicocorners.com.
Caned Chair Do-Over
This $35 chair was the perfect shape for the seating area and the caning was in great condition. Eddie updated the drab finish and dingy, beige fabric with creamy white paint and a new seat cushion. To accent the chair’s pretty caning, Eddie skipped a back cushion in favor of a punchy throw pillow.
Chair paint: custom color, oil-based high gloss by Valspar; lowes.com. Upholstery: Calico Corners Workroom; calicocorners.com for locations. Chair cushion fabric: Llyta in Firecracker, Chair pillow fabric: Expedition in Coral with welt in Velluto in Water; calicocorners.com.
Screen Transformation
Room screens can add drama and impact to a space. Eddie jumped at this pierced wooden screen for $100 from McBay Farms’ antiques dealer Rome Palmer. After the screen was painted to match the chairs, Eddie backed it with thin wood boards cut to size and painted a contrasting coral. Placed beside the fireplace, it adds height to the room and conceals an awkward corner.
Screen paint: custom color, oil-based high gloss, Paint on panels behind screen: Amber Rose (2003-3B) by Valspar; lowes.com.
Table Refresh
Nesting tables do double- and triple-duty in a space. Eddie spotted these for only $45 at a group sale in Union, Kentucky. After scraping off the paint from the backs of the glass tops, Eddie used clear craft glue to adhere marbleized paper. The paper’s pretty colors add an extra layer of pattern to the seating area.
Marbleized paper: ruralresidence.com.
Dapper Dresser
Lacquering the dresser a creamy white, hanging a bamboo mirror flanked by wall pediments, and adding two lamps and a layer of figurines and foo dogs, all found at the yard sale, creates a stylish dressing station that Elizabeth looks forward to in the mornings.
Lacquer on dresser: custom color; sherwin-williams.com. Lacquering of dresser: J’s Color Creations; 336/434-3138. Faux bamboo mirror paint: Red Ochre (2011-4 ) by Valspar; lowes.com.
