Foyer Plans Thwarted By A Hospital Stay (Plus A Sneak Peek Of My Plan For The Long Bedroom Wall)
I had such high hopes that I’d be able to finish our bedroom suite foyer this past weekend, but Matt had other plans for us. Friday night around midnight, he started shivering uncontrollably and had a fever of just over 104. So, long story short, he’s now in the hospital being treated for a UTI and sepsis.
He’s doing much better as of this morning, but we’re still not sure when he’ll be able to go home. I had hoped that it would be this afternoon, but it’s not looking like that will happen. So fingers crossed for tomorrow.
So while I didn’t get any more done on the foyer before our unexpected hospital stay, I did play around with an idea for that long wall in the bedroom. That wall is over 11 feet long, so it’s the longest uninterrupted wall space in the whole bedroom.
None of the obvious choices were really doing anything for me. I could leave it blank, but again, that’s a huge amount of wall space. I could put three or four large pictures, like the size of the chapel picture.
I didn’t love that idea because having even more pictures that size takes away from the specialness of the chapel picture.
And, of course, I could use the other 12 pictures that I cut out of the Bible study book and make a gallery wall of those on the long wall.
But that doesn’t really make sense to me since I’ve already pulled the four out that had the most orange in them and used them on a separate wall.
I like the idea of using the other 12 as a gallery wall somewhere in the house, but having the 12 literally on a wall opposite the original 4 seems strange to me. Plus, the 12 that are left don’t really have any orange in them. They’re all very heavy on pinks, blues, teals, and yellows. So they really don’t go very well with what I’ve got going on in the bedroom anyway.
The more I thought about that wall, the more I really wanted something unexpected, freeform, and unframed. And my mind immediately went to the birds that I have on the wall in the living room.
I love those birds, but I’ve always wished I could find a more prominent place for them. They seem to get lost in the corner of the living room. Well, moving them from that corner of the living room where the walls are painted so light they barely contrast with the birds to a dark teal wall in our bedroom would certainly give them more prominence! Of course, for an 11-foot wall, I’d need many more than just 12 birds.
So I ordered more. A lot more. Perhaps I went overboard, but I now have a total of 48 birds. 😀 Since I didn’t want to figure out the arrangement with the actual ceramic birds, which would have required a lot of trial and error with actual nails through the grasscloth, I used the ceramic birds as patterns to cut out paper birds that I could tape onto the wall to figure out the arrangement. I don’t have the final arrangement yet, but here’s a peak at where this is heading…
That’s only 36 birds, and I have a total of 48. I have a total of 16 large birds — 8 that face left and 8 that face right. And I have a total of 32 small birds — 16 that face left and 16 that face right.
I’m going to keep playing around with the arrangement until I get it just right. As much as I want the arrangement to be freeform, I also want to test out an arrangement that is a perfect oval. My need for symmetry requires that I at least test out that idea before I pick the final arrangement.
Anyway, I can’t really do much more until Matt gets out of the hospital. I would love for that to happen this afternoon. It’s so difficult to actually get better in a hospital with them waking you up all throughout the night. The body needs sleep to heal, but good sleep is one thing that’s virtually impossible to get at a hospital. But it’s looking like it’ll be tomorrow at the earliest. Oh well. Maybe instead of using paper birds and tape, I can use my photo editing software to come up with the perfect bird arrangement for my wall while we’re stuck at the hospital. At least that’ll give me something creative to do to pass the time.
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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.
Hi Kristi: I hope Matt gets to feeling better quickly!
So sorry to hear about the hospital stay. Praying for Matt’s recovery.
Excellent idea with the birds! How about adding a soft gradient or ombré effect again? Would love to also see the oval version.
This is a neat idea. TBH, the birds are feeling a little off for me. I think you need more variation in size (do they have any that are larger?) and more dimension (I do realize we’re just looking at flat paper templates). Maybe a touch of color on the birds or this ombre idea would do just that.
Fingers crossed and prayers offered for Matt. UTI’s suck. They just do. Glad he was diagnosed correctly – doesn’t always happen that way.
Prayers for Matt’s recovery and hospital release to go home. 🙏🙏🙏
I don’t like the Bible pictures on the left hand wall. With a doorway into the closet it just seems cluttered. I love the birds. With a mirror and the birds and the church picture. It seems more peaceful for entering a bedroom. Best of luck for Matt’s recovery and release from the hospital.
So sorry about Matt. Prayed for him just now!
I am so sorry to hear that Matt is in the hospital. I hope he can go home soon! I hadn’t noticed the birds on the light colored wall in your living room. They would stand out nicely against the teal grass cloth and be an interesting display. I would suggest extending the arrangement sweeping the birds up and above the light switches to the right and maybe another bird leading the group to the left. I wouldn’t use the rest of the artwork from your book on the long wall across from the 4 you have hanging outside the the closet, which look perfect there.
Prayers for Matt’s recovery.
Love the bird idea!
Oh no! Poor Matt! Prayers for a return to home soon and a quick recovery! I love the birds idea, reminds me of a murmuration. Oh, to capture one of those in flight on a wall!
Praying for a quick recovery for Matt and also praying for the medical team charged with his care. Praying that you find a little time to rest and recharge during his stay.
Speedy recovery to Matt!
Lifting up Matt and his caregivers in prayer.
Praying for Matt’s total recovery. 🙌🙏
blessings to Matt, and to you.
Wishing Matt a complete and speedy recovery!
I noticed the birds on your foyer bench in your last post and wondered what was going on with those. What a cool idea!
I’m glad Matt is improving so quickly. Sepsis is scary!
I hope Matt feels better soon and can come home today!
I love the bird idea after seeing it but my first reaction was a blank wall. As I get older, I like more blank walls than in the past. I do think the birds are a great idea though!
Dear Lord, We come to you with thanksgiving for the care Matt is receiving. May he be totally healed and able to go home soon. Praying for Kristi, as well, that she can rest body and mind. In the sweet name of Jesus, amen
Amen
Amen.
Dear Kristi, we are all sending best wishes and prayers that he is healing and soon to be home resting and recovering.
Prayers for Matt and you as you continue to care for him. You are amazing with all you do above and beyond caring for him. You are lucky to have each other!
Praying Matt gets better soon and yo both get some rest.
Love the birds!
Sending prayers and well wishes to Matt for a speedy recovery, and to you as well. The birds on the long wall is an interesting idea, but wouldn’t it be better to wait until the main focus, the bed, is in place before completing all the accessories? But at least it gives your mind something to focus on for now. Hope Matt improves enough to be able to go home soon. Be it ever so palatial, there’s no place like home!
I hope you have better news when you are able to view your comments. I hope you are both home soon, don’t worry about those that follow you, I know, I will always check in to see what you’ve been working and the creative way you use your home.
This is a stellar idea, but I’d hang a lot fewer than 48–a lot fewer. Could your need for symmetry be satisfied with an oval that’s a little long and ‘squished’? They’ll look fabulous on that wall, no doubt about it.
Get well wishes to Matt.
Love the idea of a frameless, free form art piece! The birds will stand out so much better against that dark background. Remember, though, just because you have 48 doesn’t mean you have to use all 48😆. Is there room to continue the flow of the birds across to the other side of the bathroom door?
Using the time while you’re waiting at the hospital to play around with shape/layout is a great idea🙂. Sending along best wishes for Matt’s speedy recovery!
Praying a quick recovery for Matt and rest for Kristi.
Birds are always calm and renewing for the soul. Good choice 🙂
Hoping Matt makes a quick recovery!
Maybe while you are at his bedside, you could use ChatGPT to brainstorm layouts for the birds!
Prayers up for Matt. You need to take care of yourself too. I love the idea about the birds rather than pictures. 48 seems like a lot, but then the wall is 11 feet wide. I like the idea of the birds in the headboard with this on the wall rather than the abstract fabric. Can’t wait to see how this turns out.
Keeping you both in my prayers❤️Love the birds flying across that wall. One of my favorite words “murmuration” is the name for the natural phenomenon of birds flying in those beautiful patterns.
I am so sorry that Matt is ill, I have been hospitalized for Sepsis, and it is highly dangerous to the internal organs as it is a blood disease that is going all through the body. I was in for 5 days. Praying for him.
As for the birds, not my cup of tea, a few maybe, but not an entire flock. Yet it wouldn’t be the first time I read and looked at your idea, then when you finished it, I loved it, so rock on, Kristy, it will be a beautiful wall when you’re done. Peace, love, and strength for both of you.
Hope Matt is home and feeling better soon!
Praying for Matt… and you. ❤️
Hi Kristy,
I hope Matt feels better soon so he can come home and heal. I hear you about the hospital not being an ideal situation to heal in. I love your bible study pictures. I also love your birds. How about a switcharoo? The birds on the small wall where the 4 bible study currently are and the entire collection of bible study pictures on the long wall. You might even consider letting a few birds fly onto the long wall too. A little whimsy. i hope you find the solution that pleases and satisfies.
Hi Kristi! I hope Matt gets better quickly!
I like the birds but it feels like the arrangement you have now goes really close to the ceiling and wainscotting, but has a lot of blank space on the sides… not sure you follow what I mean, but i would spread them out a little more horizontally and squish them a bit vertically… They seem too center-heavy currently, if that’s thing.
I love the flock of birds! But . . . the curve seems too sharp. I would also consider dept perception of the birds considering their size. The turning point would be closest to you. Birds on the left side of the wall heading to the right, from lower to higher, where the larger birds are in their turn, in the center of a gentle curve and the left facing birds heading up and to the left.
I would do some image searching for “flocks of birds” until you find something you like.
Prayers for Matt. He needs a few days of IV antibiotics to tamp the bacteria down. Don’t be in a hurry for him to come home. His immune system will take longer.
So sorry to hear about Matt. Sending positive thoughts and prayers for a speedy recovery.
Sorry to hear Matt ended up in the hospital. That is where he should be, but a hard turn of events for both of you. Hope he able to come home soon.
Here is thought on the flight of the birds. How about an infinity shape. It would appeal to you sense of symmetry and it is a symbol of forever love. Just a thought!
I’m so sorry to hear about Matt. Sending him and you peaceful, healing vibes for a quick recovery.
With that being said, I’m not crazy about the birds. I don’t know why.
Prayers for both of you!
So sorry to hear that Matt has been in the hospital. Praying he will be able to come home soon and will continue his recovery in a more peaceful place.
I think the birds will look amazing. What you have already reminds me of when you see those huge flocks of birds moving in great undulations. Murmurs?
Prayers for Matt, the medical staff, and you!
Um, that’s a LOT of birds. Hopefully you can find a way yo integrate them so they aren’t overwhelming the space. I do agree that an ombre design would soften the look and be more visually interesting. The white en masse is quite stark.
However, I’m sure whatever you decide will be lovely.
More importantly, prayers for Matt’s quick healing. Hope you both can enjoy the comforts of home soon.
Hoping that no news is good news. Prayers for you and especially for precious Matt.
xo
Hope Matt is home and doing well. Let us know.