Stunning Flea Market Bedroom Makeover

Third-generation Southern Living reader and avid EddieRoss.com reader, Elizabeth Harris of High Point, North Carolina, contacted Eddie about helping with her bedroom makeover. With the 127 Corridor Sale, better known as the World’s Longest Yardsale, right around the corner, Eddie knew just where to go shopping.

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.

Worn-out carpet, drab paint, dark furniture, masculine bedding, and fussy drapery hid the good points of Elizabeth’s bedroom and kept it from becoming the respite that she wished for her room.

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.

• Bedroom Makeover Source Guide

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.

• Bedroom Makeover Source Guide

Eddie spotted this stylish, faux bamboo chair outside Forbus General Store in Pall Mall, Tennessee. The caning had fallen into disrepair but the seat cushion was in good shape. Eddie had the chair back upholstered in a Jacobean print from Calico Corners and slip-covered the seat with a box-pleat style cover for a softer, more feminine look.

Upholstery: Calico Corners Workroom; calicocorners.com for locations. Chair back fabric: Llyta in Firecracker, and slipcover fabric: Checkmate in Seabreeze; calicocorners.com.

• Bedroom Makeover Source Guide

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.

• Bedroom Makeover Source Guide

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Eddie picked up these porcelain canisters for only $10! He switched out the bases and had a professional turn them into working lamps. A new pair of white oval shades with red grosgrain ribbon trim top them off and complements the coral mirror.