From Spare to Serene: A Northwest Guest Room Transformation

When we decided to relocate across the country a few years ago, the looming question was: would anyone actually visit? We cherished our relationships with family and friends, and our new city offered many appealing attractions for visitors. However, the significant distance and the expense of cross-country air travel presented a real challenge. Coming from families deeply rooted in the Midwest for generations, this move represented more than just a change of address; it was a substantial shift in perspective.

Thankfully, our fears were unfounded. People came. They arrived for summer vacations, holiday gatherings, quality time with us, and even used our place as a free and convenient starting point for their own adventures in the Pacific Northwest. Years later, the visits continue. This summer alone, we’ve hosted over a dozen guests, with more scheduled before the year’s end. Our home has become a delightful haven for those eager to explore the stunning mountains, breathtaking ocean vistas, cascading waterfalls, ancient forests, and the vibrant culinary and cultural scene that Portland has to offer.

Therefore, when we purchased our first home earlier this year, creating a dedicated guest room became a top priority. Fortunately, we found a house with an actual bedroom we could designate for visitors. This meant no more rearranging furniture, storing half the room in plastic bins, or inflating air mattresses. We were finally able to offer our guests a proper space of their own.

However, this also meant starting from scratch with an empty room. Hosting is important to us, so we decided to tackle the guest bedroom as our first major home improvement project. We partnered with True Value, our trusted local hardware store, to transform the worn-out, patched-up, century-old room into a welcoming home-away-from-home for our cherished friends and family.

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The “Before”: Assessing the Guest Room’s Potential

Let’s take a look at what we were working with. The guest room is located on the second floor, nestled within a dormer. This architectural feature creates charming angled ceilings and a cozy, nook-like atmosphere. Roughly square, about 12×12 feet, it boasts a fantastic set of original windows that flood the space with natural light throughout the day.

Before we moved in, the house was rented to several young people, creating a roommate-style living arrangement. As a result, the room bore the marks of years of hasty, half-hearted repairs: carelessly patched wall holes, odd attempts at covering up imperfections with paint, and generally quick fixes implemented by landlords seeking the simplest solutions. You can clearly see the darker spots on the walls in the photos above, which represent the realtor’s handyman’s unsuccessful attempts to match the original paint color.

Being an older house, the structure has shifted slightly over time. Now, the door audibly strikes the ceiling when it’s not securely latched – a sound we heard every, single, time. Observe also, further evidence of patchy paint jobs.

The room includes a convenient closet in the corner, but it features an unusually sized door opening. The original door is long gone, and even if we could locate a replacement with the correct dimensions, the frame is covered in layers of accumulated paint, and the hinges and hardware would require significant re-mortising. Therefore, we sought a temporary solution while keeping our eyes open for a suitable new door.

We recognized that a key aspect of making this room feel bright and welcoming would involve paying close attention to the details. This meant focusing on the smaller fixes and simple repairs that collectively create a sense of freshness and cleanliness. Furthermore, we aimed to rectify all the questionable work and remove years of sloppy paint on the windows, walls, and even the floors. Yes, the floors.

The Transformation Begins: Creating a Welcoming Guest Room

With a clear vision in mind, our first step was to visit our local True Value hardware store to gather the necessary supplies for our project.

Here’s why I appreciate this particular store:

• Conveniently Located: It’s right in our neighborhood, easily accessible by walking, biking, or a quick stop on the way home from errands. With projects like this, you inevitably need to make multiple trips for small items, making the store’s proximity a significant advantage.
• Helpful Staff: Unlike the larger home improvement chains, where I often find myself researching online tutorials in the aisles, the staff at True Value are exceptionally helpful. They’re quick to offer assistance, and within minutes, they provide effective solutions and the necessary materials.
• Focus on Older Homes: The store specializes in materials and supplies suitable for the older homes in our area. This means matching finishes, appropriate sizing, and readily available replacement hardware for period fixtures. Our neighborhood primarily consists of Northwest bungalows and older Tudor-style houses, and True Value stocks the right products to maintain these charming Arts-and-Crafts-era homes.

Our first stop was the paint section to select a new color for the walls. We knew we wanted a shade of white, but weren’t sure about the exact tone to use, since we wanted to ensure the trim work would stand out. Should we opt for an off-white for the walls and a true white for the trim? Or, if we used the same paint throughout, would the window, door, and base trim blend into the space?

Jason, from True Value, recommended using a warm white throughout the room, with an eggshell finish for the walls and a semi-gloss finish for the trim. This approach would create an overall “white” effect, avoiding any of the gray or dingy feel that can sometimes occur in older homes. It would also minimize shadows cast by the dormer and the strong roof lines. After looking at our options, we decided to go with “Golf Ball” from True Value’s EasyCare line. We felt this color would complement the original Douglas fir floors, which had aged to a warm red tone that we really loved.

With a few more essential items gathered, it was time to begin the transformation.

Preparation and Cleaning: Laying the Foundation for Success

Upon moving into any house, particularly one that isn’t new, the painting history is often unknown. To ensure optimal results, we prioritized proper preparation by thoroughly cleaning the room. This would allow the primer to adhere effectively, creating a smooth and pristine surface.

The walls had numerous deep gouges, which we carefully filled with layers of water-based spackling.

I also spent time cleaning the walls and windows with a TSP solution. While this may seem like an unnecessary step, the color of the water after cleaning clearly demonstrates its value. All that grime was previously on the walls, and painting over it would have compromised the final result. The half-hour spent on this task was well worth it.

Jason also recommended a hinge-pin door stop, which prevented the door from banging into the wall. It cost only $2.00! I initially envisioned constructing and painting a wedge into the baseboard, struggling to avoid creating a tripping hazard. Discovering this simple device eliminated the need for complex solutions, and installation took only three minutes. It’s hard to believe this wasn’t installed sooner to prevent the existing damage.

It’s all about the details!

Painting: Transforming the Space with Color

After preparing the walls, we applied a coat of water-based primer. This helped seal the surfaces and block potential stains from future damage, which is a relevant concern given the room’s proximity to the roof and the house’s age. Additionally, since primer is more affordable than paint, it helped conceal the underlying beige color with fewer coats.

Next, we applied two coats of the eggshell “Golf Ball” paint to the walls, followed by a coat of semi-gloss on the trim. The dormer’s design facilitates painting since the ceiling and walls flow seamlessly into each other, all painted in the same color. It made the job quick and easy.

The previous painter had not taken the time to tape off the window glass, so we meticulously scraped away the old paint with a putty knife and used blue painter’s tape to protect the panes before painting the trim.

Furnishing the Guest Room: Creating a Comfortable Haven

With the walls and trim painted, it was time to furnish the space. Since this was to be a guest bedroom, we needed a bed. We opted for a platform bed frame and mattress from Leesa. Their mattresses are designed and crafted from three layers of cooling foam, 100% made in the USA. The mattress was delivered to our front porch in a box, and it expanded into a super comfortable solution. We love it.

The bed frame and headboard were purchased separately, so I needed to get creative with a DIY solution to attach the headboard supports to the minimalist frame, which didn’t offer much surface area for attachment.

This is another area where my neighborhood True Value excels compared to the larger hardware chains. Their hardware aisle features an extensive selection of less common bolts, screws, and nails. Customers can touch, test, and assess the suitability of the hardware without having to open packages.

I found connector bolts with matching finish nuts. After experimenting with the lengths, I found the ideal size to pass through both the bed frame and headboard. Back at home, I secured the headboard to the frame with clamps, drilled a hole for the bolt, and tightened it for a clean, finished look. I repeated the process, adding two bolts to each leg.

The final touch was addressing the window treatments. We wanted something clean and simple that would block sunlight, keep the room cool, and provide privacy. I had grown tired of the cheap plastic mini blinds that I encountered while living in rented spaces. As homeowners, we wanted to invest in high-quality shades that would complement the room’s lines.

We chose the Signature Roman Shades from Blinds.com in white. Custom-made to fit our windows perfectly, they feature a cordless design for ease of use, and they look great whether raised or lowered. We couldn’t be happier.

The Final Touches: Completing the Transformation

Several detail-oriented tasks made a big difference. The fresh coat of paint highlighted some of the room’s more worn-out features. Thankfully, these were easily replaced in less than thirty minutes. I swapped the tarnished brass window pulls and locks for clean, brushed nickel options.

The worn-out, dirty, yellowed light switch also needed replacing, an inexpensive fix that I recommend whenever painting a room.

To do it, select a new switch, and turn off the power at the breaker (seriously, do this). Then, remove the old switch and note the wire configuration. Disconnect the wires with a screwdriver, reattach them to the new switch, secure the switch to the box, attach the faceplate, and you’re done. (For the electricians out there – yes, I know this is a two-wire run. We replaced the knob-and-tube wiring to the receptacles and outlets with modern, grounded wiring. The only remaining two-wire run connects the light switch to the lamps.)

Because our walls are lath-and-plaster, hanging heavier items required creativity. For the coat rack, we used toggle bolts and a matching nut and washer. This allowed me to install the bolt, trigger the toggle inside the wall, and back out the bolt to keep the head protruding. When tightened, this fit into the keyhole hangers on the back of the coat rack.

The Finished Guest Room: A Cozy Retreat

After adding a cool vintage chair, some artwork, and plants, our guest room was complete!

DIY Poster Frame Project: Add a Personal Touch

After purchasing a print of Mt. Hood from a local craft fair, I needed a simple way to display it on the wall. I purchased inexpensive trim molding from the hardware store, cut it to length with a coping saw, and attached it to the top and bottom with a staple gun. A 3M Command strip secured the frame to the wall.

Final Room Reveal: More Photos of the Guest Room