A Few Bedroom Mockups (Plus, A Story Of Personal Failure And The Consequences)
Y’all, these last couple of days have been rough at the Linauer house, so I’ve gotten virtually nothing done on our bedroom suite. Sunday was Matt’s birthday. We were planning a fun day to celebrate Matt’s 51st birthday, but he had a horrible day. I mean, horrible. It was, by far, his worst day so far this year. (If you’re new around here, my husband has M.S., so he has good days and bad day, a some bad days are far worse than others.) It was one of those days where things started off great, but as the day went on, he got progressively weaker and weaker to the point that I feared he might end up in the hospital by the end of the day. Thankfully, that didn’t happen. But what that did mean is that I had to stick close by in case he needed anything.
But since it was his birthday, I had purchased a couple of treats for him. I didn’t buy a cake because I knew he wouldn’t eat much of it, and then I’d be obligated to eat the rest by myself. 😀 Because that’s what sugar addicts do. So instead, I bought him two of his favorite candies — peanut M&M’s (just a small, individual package that you get at the grocery store checkout) and Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups (and they only had the king size package with four cups in it). Since he doesn’t do well with lots of sugar, I was going to give him his choice between those two rather than giving him both to eat. And since he was getting a sweet treat, I also used that as an excuse to buy myself a sweet treat, so I bought a millionaire for myself. It just comes one to a package at HEB, so I thought I could handle that without losing control.
But I bought them early in the day when he was feeling pretty well. By the time dinner rolled around (I had made him homemade chili, which was his birthday request), he was feeling so awful and weak that he didn’t even want to eat chili, and he surely couldn’t eat anything with sugar in it. And I was feeling so stressed because of the horrible day that he was having, and the fear that we’d wind up at the hospital by day’s end.
So in my stress, and with that candy in the house that he wasn’t going to eat, I did what sugar addicts do. I sat at my desk and ATE ALL OF IT. I kid you not. I ate every last bit of that myself. A whole package of peanut M&M’s, a king size of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups (four cups), and my millionaire. All in one sitting.
Y’all, I felt horrible. I mean, I felt physically terrible, and the effect was immediate. After going last year with eating virtually no sugar (that was my 2024 New Year’s resolution), and going this year with very little sugar, eating that much sugar in one sitting just about did me in. But I thought I could just go to bed and sleep off the negative effects and wake up to a bright new day yesterday morning.
Nope. The effects of that sugar were even worse yesterday morning. Do you remember when I had that sciatic nerve issue that put me out of commission for a week back in October 2023? It was back. I was in so much pain yesterday that just walking was difficult. Matt had a better day yesterday, but still not great. So all of that combined meant that I was pretty much out of commission for two days straight. It was such a stupid, short-sighted decision on my part to eat all of that sugar, and I paid the price. Play stupid games, win stupid prizes, right?
So instead of actually getting work done yesterday, I sat at my desk and did some mockups of our bedroom. 😀
I started with the mockup that I did way back. It’s funny to see how different my vision for our bedroom was back then.
And then I swapped everything out for the recent selections I’ve made.
Those aren’t the exact bedside tables I’ll be making, but the one I want to make didn’t have a front-facing picture that I could copy and paste into my mockup, so I used a similar one. And that bed frame is also not one that I’ll be using, but I just needed a bed to copy and paste in front of the headboard. But at least it gives the general overall feel of what I’m going for.
And then I started looking for table lamps that would go with the new selections. As I was scrolling through, they all seemed to look the same. Gourd lamps, modern lamps. Everything seemed to blur together. And then this one stopped me in my scroll. This was it! This was the one. It was perfect.
Of course it was. It’s $989! I swear to you that I don’t do it on purpose. I don’t intentionally seek out the expensive stuff. It just always seems to happen that the things I like the most are expensive and out of my price range. There’s no way I could justify spending almost $1000 each for two table lamps. But oh my goodness, it’s so pretty, and so perfect. Don’t think for a second that I’m not already planning how I could DIY such a lamp. I don’t think it would be difficult. Just look how perfect these are for our bedroom.
I also found this beautiful art glass lamp. This one was much more my price range at $129 each. While I love the art glass look, I don’t think this will work because (1) I want gold accents, and (2) I think the color will get lost against the dark teal of the walls and curtains. But I do love a unique art glass lamp.
As much as I like those, I do think they get lost, just as I suspected.
As far as price goes, these lamps are even better. These are $140 for a set of two! I do love that sea glass look, and there’s a lot of this light blue-green color in the headboard fabric and also in the rug.
I think these look really pretty, and they do stand out against the teal. But they do seem to get lost with the bold colors.
And finally, these pretty lamps also come as a set of two for $340.
I really like these, too. They can also hold their own against all of that teal, and they’re a bit bolder in style, so they don’t seem to get lost like the sea glass lamps.
But my favorite is the orange. I love that it seems to bring balance to the overall design, bringing that color from the rug and the accents in the headboard.
But there’s no way I’ll be spending $2000 on a couple of table lamps for our bedroom. So I’m going to have to find a way to get that look on a budget. Perhaps I can start with a trip to a thrift store and see if they have something similarly shaped that I can paint and transform.
Anyway, no more sugar for me. I have learned that lesson the hard way. Yesterday was painful and miserable. I fasted yesterday in an effort to purge all of that sugar from my system, and I woke up this morning feeling good. The pain in my hip is gone, and I’m ready for a productive day. I hope I’ll remember yesterday’s misery the next time I’m tempted to gorge myself on sugar.
Addicted 2 Decorating is where I share my DIY and decorating journey as I remodel and decorate the 1948 fixer upper that my husband, Matt, and I bought in 2013. Matt has M.S. and is unable to do physical work, so I do the majority of the work on the house by myself. You can learn more about me here.
The orange lamps are the perfect color But I’m not in love with them I don’t really like the shape.-or the price. You should be able to find orange/coral lamps somewhere. Do you have Homegoods near you or you can go online for TJ Maxx, I find Lamps Plus overpriced. Look at Wayfare, Target,(their online selection is really good)
I love everything about them except the price. 🙂 I only started looking yesterday. I’m sure I’ll check out many more stores before making a final selection, but once I fall in love with something, it’s hard for me to compromise. And I do love those orange lamps. We do have a Homegoods, so I’ll be sure to check there and several other stores. I just don’t want to get stuck with gourd lamps or anything else that’s so ubiquitous these days.
Our local Habitat for Humanity Restore partners with Jennifer Sofas and so often has brand new items. I assume the partnership is nationwide. They have had a huge lot of gourd lamps for a something like $22 each. The downside is the color, a not very pretty shade of sand/tan. If your shop has those, and you like the gourd shape, you could easily paint them. I think they even came with white barrel shades.
Whoops, just reread your comment and saw you don’t like gourd lamps. By the time anything has filtered down to Jennifer Sofas, it is going to be pretty mainstream. But our reStore shop had lots of donated lamps, too, as do other thrift shops.
Oh, it’s not that I don’t like them. I do. But I feel like I’ve had so many of them over the years, and I want to find something different this time.
I am definitely not a fan of orange, or coral, but wow!! those orange lamps are gorgeous in your mock-up. You need to find a way to dyi them for sure.
They are $507 on Amazon! Still pricey!
I don’t know how far you are from Argyle, but there is a pair of lamps for $35 on Craigslist (Item#353). You just have to paint them and do your magic. With new drum shades they are very similar to your original discovery.
https://dallas.craigslist.org/ndf/for/d/lewisville-porcelain-brass-large-lamps/7824463715.html
Ohhhhhhhh! Those lamps are GREAT! Especially for $35 each with the finials included. The ivory color is pretty but probably not with Kristi’s white woodwork. I’ve never painted over a ceramic finish but I’m sure Kristi could. I was wondering if brass lamps could be painted. I’ve seen that shape of the orange lamp Kristi likes at Good Will or Salvation Army stores for less than $15 each.
Anything that stands still can be painted. 😀
Wow! Those are great! Argyle is about two hours away from me, though. 🙁
It would be worth the road trip to snag those lamps! Maybe you could find someone to keep Matt company and someone to go on the road with you. I’m one who would do it for something I loved but I know you have Matt to consider.
Road trip!
This seems like a good time to do some trawling of the thrift stores in your area. They are usually a great source of interesting lamp bases (and sometimes shades too) – and a little DIY with some paint and gold leaf can get you what you want. It’s probably possible to build those bases yourself with wood and a cheap ceramic urn.
That said I have glass bases on the lamps in my living room. They are clear with bubbles – and after many different pairs over the years I like these the best. They are quite large but because of the transparent base they aren’t imposing at all and they will go with any changes of decor. I eventually swapped out the parchment shades for white linen (which I admit was an expensive trade since the shades are not a common size or shape but I’ve never regretted it) and found interesting finials for the top.
Also – just to throw another option into the mix – what about pendants? The advantage to pendants or sconces is that they don’t take up nightstand space – and since you may be raising or lowering blinds and moving curtains behind the nightstands they would eliminate the possibility of being knocked over.
I do love bedside pendant lamps!
I think the orange lamps are just right. I think I’ve seen that shape in fake wood that could so easily be spray painted and accented with gold.
YES! A thrift store find is the best. My favorite lamps have been repaired, rewired, repainted and loved for years. But then, it’s in my DNA to repurpose, reuse and enjoy. I love the hunt 😉.
Absolutely the orange lamps are best 🤩
Kristi, I have the same problem with sugar and sciatica. Just curious, did you eliminate maple syrup and honey too, which has natural sugar in it, or did you eliminate solely refined sugar? TY
I have found for myself that my arthritis in my ankle flairs with ALL sugar, including sugar from fruit. Not only that, but I have audible pops when I walk down stairs. When I eliminate ALL sugar, the pain (and the popping) goes away completely. It’s because sugar (in every form) causes an inflammatory response in the body, and arthritis is a form of inflammation (any condition ending the in suffix -itis is an inflammatory response).
* FLARES, not flairs. I wish we could edit our own posts.
WOW! This is mind blowing – sugar? and sciatica go hand in hand..? Well I never knew this.
Sugar is highly inflammatory. If you have aches, pains, or any issue that is related to inflammation, sugar is the first thing you should cut out of your diet, followed by processed flour and seed oils.
This year, I’ve started having a little bit of maple syrup on Sunday mornings. That doesn’t seem to bother me at all. And I don’t like honey, so that’s not an issue for me. It’s the refined sugar that seems to be the biggest problem.
This is so true and after eliminating it like Kristi did you really feel poisoned after a binge. I would have easily done the same.
I really like the classic shape of the coral lamps. They made me think of alabaster/marble lamps that were fashionable in the 1940’s and ’50s. which made me wonder what if you could find some of those and do a coral shade, perhaps with a teal trim on them. As much as you like creating things I bet you could figure out how to make such shades. I know this is an off the wall suggestion, but if anyone could pull it off, I think you could.
I’m glad you’re feeling better and hope Matt is too. I had a similar issue when I was doing lighting in my current place. Lighting is my thing but my budget was almost non existent. I fell in absolute love with a Lamps Plus floor lamp but I just couldn’t make myself pay the price on it. I think is was atound $400. One day I was at Walmart and there, in the clearance section, was a very similar lamp for $14! I couldn’t snatch that thing up quick enough! Of course it’s not the same quality but for the corner it needed to go in it was perfect! I hope you have the same kind of luck in your search.
Does Waco have a ceramics shop? If you do, I’d take a pic of the orange lamps and see what they could come with.There may well be several molds in the shapes of the lamp that you could stack up, paint and fire, even the gold.
I don’t know if we do, but that’s an interesting idea!
With your DIY skills you could make the lamp bases out of wood. I wouldn’t invest in glass lamps.
Look for Stiffel lamps in second hand markets. They were premier lanps in 60s-80s. Solid brass, usually marked on the bulb socket. You may need to update shades. But they had very similar shapes, have a nice weight to thrm & you could add your own color.
Man, I totally relate on that sugar addiction. Just like an alcoholic can’t have just one drink and easily stop, I can’t have some sugar and easily stop. Avoidance is easier than moderation for me. Similarly, my pain that goes away with sugar avoidance comes charging back with sugar intake. It’s a good reminder of what I need to do for my health — so that I can take care of my adult son with special needs for the long-term.
It’s only a mock up, but the curtains being the same color as the upper wall messes with my head. I, personally, would need more contrast. But I don’t have the time to go back and look at the real samples to see if that’s already done!
Hi Kristi: I love the Possini blue-green ceramic lamps from Lamps Plus. They are just stunning and so unique (and 10% off through next Monday) but I understand your desire for the coral color lamps to bring that balance more. I hope your continued journey brings you exactly what you are looking for! And I am glad both you are Matt are feeling better!! Stay well!
So sorry you had such an awful time with that sugar overload. I’ve never heard of sugar doing that to anyone, but I don’t doubt it could happen! I tend to overdo sugar sometimes too, but I guess I’ve never associated it with my many aches and pains at my age. I just know that it makes me feel crummy. Now, about the lamps, I too love the tangerine ones the best, and I think you could find components to put together to re-create those fairly easy! The base is easy, just some wood cut and stacked; then some sort of small vases for those narrower curvy sections, and some sort of vase for the larger shaped piece. It may not be the EXACT shapes, but could be close. I see it in my minds’ eye at least, LOL!
Marianne, I didn’t know sugar and sciatica are cause and effect. Of course I knew the damage sugar can cause in terms of diabetes but didn’t know it affects arthritis and sciatica like this. Hmm.
There are a pair of the orange lamps on ebay for $650.
Never mind. It’s local pick up only.
Don’t be too hard on yourself, stress is a terrible thing to have to deal with. As an Army wife I found I could handle the end of the world, my husband was at the Pentagon on that horrible day while I was at work a mile from there. I can handle just about anything, but my Kryptonite has always been my husband or the cats. I could probably saw off my arm with the chainsaw and wander back in from the barn and say, “Hey can I get a lift to hospital?”, you are exactly the same way. But if something is wrong with my better half, my blood pressure will go through the roof, my blood sugar will go extremely high or just the opposite, and then something will happen with my body. Boy I get it. Just remember to breathe, it gets us from point A to point B. I’m with you on the lamps, get to the thrift store and paint those babies to match, you got this.
Cheers to you both and sending well wishes to Matt!!!
What a lovely post. Just wanted to say thank you.
Miss K, you are EXACTLY like our daughter (thankfully she’s been on her husband’s payroll for 17 years 😂). She doesn’t MEAN to love the most expensive version… it just happens. My mom and dad lived with us when she was growing up – and my mom’s favorite saying was “cheap can be VERY expensive!” The girl learned well from Grandma 😜
Stress makes us do crazy things then regret it later. Glad Matt is feeling better. He just couldn’t handle being older and you couldn’t handle him being older either.
The orange lamps are perfect. Darn, why do they have to cost so much. You will come up with something. At least now you know what color you need.
Lay off the sugar. You really pulled a stunt on yourself. Hope you remember that!
Have a good rest of the week.
I am so sorry Matt had such a horrible day, please wish him a happy birthday for me, glad he is doing a little better. As for your addiction and the consequences, everyone is allowed a mistake or two, just glad you recognized it. I am sadly addicted to sugar and haven;t found the willpower to quit entirely.
Now for those beautiful lamps oh how I hope you find something at the thrift store, those lamps are simply gorgeous, good luck. Be blessed.
If you can’t find something from a thrift store, you could buy the seaglass lamps and paint the body that glossy orange color and goldleaf the wooden base and finials.
Lamps Plus has gourd lamps that come in A LOT of different colors. That how I found the perfect green for my family room.
https://www.lampsplus.com/products/color-plus-double-gourd-28-and-three-quarter-inch-high-granite-peak-gray-table-lamp__29v50.html
Can’t wait to see what you come up with. I need 2 big lamps but I need Christmas red with some silver accents. Gonna have to hit the thrift stores this week.
BLOOD SUGAR: Yes, the candy had a part in you feeling so bad. The worst part was your anxiety/worry about Matt. Our bodies push out CORTISOL like a new oil well gusher when we are upset. It is part of the flight/fight response. Your body actually gave you a craving for the sugar to fuel you to respond to whatever pushed your cortisol button.
You didn’t need to fast. You could have had a rib-eye or other protein/fat combo to keep yourself going. The body has a plan: Carbs/sugar gets used first. Then fats and lastly protein in fueling your body. Also plenty of liquids.
You probably got the craving for the sugar precisely because you haven’t been eating anything with sugar. It takes longer to convert the fats and even longer for protein. Your body NEEDED the sugar to help you thru the fight/flight issue it thought you had. The liver needs to maintain a level of glucagon for this purpose. I suspect yours was low. Your body knew you weren’t in any shape to be fighting or fleeing all these lions, and tigers and bears! Similar process when a diabetic has hypoglycemia. They CANNOT fight the craving the pituitary send out to EAT SOMETHING! I can tell you from my own experience, you will eat anything you can get your hands on! I keep a can of frosting in the fridge to stop that craving as well as bring my sugar back up. Taken many years to learn to limit myself to 1 tbsp. which will bring the BS up but not send it thru the roof.
I’m glad to hear the scientific explanation for this. I had no idea. Thank you for sharing. Maybe I can finally use this information to better control my urge to eat. I can’t stand canned frosting but if it satisfies the physical need then I’ll give it a try.
Kristi,
It seems it has been awhile since Matt has suffered so much, sad to hear about your special day going so wrong. Happy Belated Birthday Matt. May God continue to strengthen you both and shower you with His favor.
Kristi, please don’t be hard on you for a human reaction to stress, worry and anxiety over Matt. It is a rare treat and now you are both better.
Very pretty lamps, you will have such a lovely new area
Oh Kristie, I understand the stress of caregiving. I cared for my husband for 12 years. He died this past December. While I haven’t had too many episodes of overwhelming stress since I got beyond the first month, I did make a lemon meringue pie yesterday and ate the whole thing in 2 days. I felt like that might be the last time I do that sort of thing. I was definitely on the “one step back” journey after a week of “two steps forward”. Love and prayers to you as you walk this journey with Matt.
I’m so sorry to hear about your husband, Donna. I would imagine it’s a strange transition after 12 years of caregiving. I pray God’s peace over you while you make your way in this time of loss and transition.
Can I post a link? No need to publish.
The first lamp but with the orange shade on Ebay for $324. You could swap shade for white later on.
Love the trophy shape traditional in a fresh color.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/166865665634?_ul=US&mkevt=1&mkcid=1&mkrid=711-53200-19255-0&campid=5339046648&toolid=10001&customid=eb%3Ag%3Avms%3Aeb%3Ap%3A166865665634%3B50415345a0e11595c81c34ee07676a92&_trkparms=ispr%3D1&amdata=enc%3A11arQdJnhTBGGxsKBb72arw17&msclkid=50415345a0e11595c81c34ee07676a92&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=PMax%20US&utm_term=2324505021064440&utm_content=PMax%20Assets
That’s the exact lamp!
I too love the orange/coral the best! Hope you can find something you love. Belated happy birthday to Matt, and happy to hear you’re both feeling better. Don’t be too hard on yourself, we’ve all fallen off the wagon over something.
I like the orange, too. What about Kirklands? You may find a shape you like and create your own masterpiece with paint. I have full confidence in your DIY skills!
I always forget about Kirkland’s. I’ll check!
Sorry Mat had a bad day on his birthday. Don’t be too hard on yourself. You have a lot to manage. The Master Bedroom mock up looks great. I wish I could master how to do mock ups. I am illiterate when it comes to computers!
Consider finding inexpensive lamps you like and paint them? Didn’t you do an acrylic paint pour awhile back? Vase tumblers are inexpensive. Or use alcohol ink? Check out videos using Saran Wrap with alcohol ink. It’s such a cool look and you can use the coral or coral and teal. You might find ugly lamps you can paint and change the shades on if you check marketplace. Thats just some ideas beyond expensive lamps online.
I don’t typically gravitate toward orange, but that color in your room is gorgeous.
So sorry you and Matt both had such awful struggles. Check out ChocZero’s website (choczero.com) or you might be able to find it on Amazon. Their chocolate and other products (syrups, cookies…) are sweetened with monk fruit. It is all my husband and I eat when we crave chocolate. This might be better for you both. I really like some of their products (milk chocolate almond Keto Bark) and others not so much.
I can’t wait to see how you DIY those lamps. I know whatever you do, it will be awesome!
On the cheaper ones you do like, could those be painted orange? What did the sugar do to you exactly? So sorry you all had such a bad weekend.
That headboard looks really huge, is it really going to be that big?
I’m the same way with jelly beans. I finished the ones in the bowl and while at Walmart w/my Fella, I thought about another bag. But I’m officially 20 lbs heavier than I want to be and I usually eat 2 fists full resulting in a massive sugar headache!! So I stayed strong and didn’t buy any. If they’re in the house, I’ll vacuum them right up!
Glad Matt feels better.😬
You can make those orange lamps. If you can find someone to turn the top part of the base on a lathe lathe and you make the square bottom part. Same bottom style you’ve done many times. All lamp parts and shades are easily available. Then boom-paint it. Yes, it’s some trouble but this could be done. I have someone that I can get to turn things for me, I’m not suggesting you use my source but u should be able to find someone locally. Try, Waco Wood Turners Association or something similar. Anyway, if I liked those lamps well enough that’s what I’d do. I really do like them too.
Or I could buy a lathe now that I have a workshop. 🤔 Ha! I probably won’t. Not yet, at least. I used to have one many moons ago and could kick myself for selling it. I plan to get one eventually. It’s one of those tools that I don’t need, but I’d sure love to have and get good at using.
That’s what my first thought was, as well. I don’t think they’d be that difficult for Kristi to make. It’s worth considering.
Hey Kristi
I have similar lamps, that appear to be homemade. They are on a wood base, all trimmed out etc but the body of the lamp is a shaped verandah or bannister newel post, with a hole drilled though for the wiring. That way, you could make them to the size you want.
I hope Matt is felling better today!
Deborah
I scrolled back and forth between the orange lamps and the blue green lamps, and it seems to me that the orange lamps fight for attention with the other elements in the room while the blue green lamps softly whisper support for the colors in the headboard. That, and the rug, are the focal points in the room, right? My eye was just jumping from orange lamps to orange rug to orange in the headboard, while the blue green gave them a place to rest.
This may be long. I’m sorry. I have looked at a couple of websites to try to find a similar lamp. The following are some that I can picture painted coral. They are not exact to the ones you posted today but I think they might work.
https://www.athome.com/found-fable-wood-cut-out-design-lamp-base-19/124388957.html?nav=search
https://www.athome.com/blue-pillar-table-lamp-base-22/124296211.html?nav=search
https://www.athome.com/chestnut-leaf-patterned-table-lamp-base-21/124264515.html?nav=search
https://www.athome.com/white-distressed-table-lamp-base-21/124272142.html?nav=search
https://www.athome.com/honeybloom-brown-bird-branches-lamp-base-19/124389278.html?nav=search
The bird one I threw in for fun since I know of your love of birds.
There are so many places to shop for lamps online. You might try Nebraska Furniture Mart, Ikea, At Home, Etsy, World Market, Wayfair, Overstock.com, etc….. It may take some time to do it, but you might find something you like as well or one that you could paint yourself for it to work. Good luck finding what you want!
I’m also sorry about Matt being sick on his birthday and you not feeling well yesterday. Don’t beat yourself up. We all let stress get to us sometimes and we don’t always handle it well. Give yourself some grace. I hope you feel better. Tell Matt Happy Birthday!
Oh, I really like some of those. Thank you!
Hi,
Those art glass lamps are beautiful!
Is there a local glass blower who could make you something in an orange and gold colour way?
If you had that base made I’m sure you would wire up the rest yourself.
It would look gorgeous with the sunlight shining from behind.
Food for thought…….
The orange lamps are gorgeous. But yikes!
And I want to add that I love your original mock up. Those colors suit me to a T! I’m saving that picture for reference.
Have you tried Google Images?
Not yet.