River Rental Reveal: The Primary Bedroom
Drumroll, please... The first room makeover in our short-term rental is officially complete, and I'm practically bouncing with excitement to share it with you!
I decided to start with the primary bedroom – not because it was the most dramatic transformation (spoiler alert: that's coming later!), but because sometimes the smallest changes pack the biggest punch. And let me tell you, this room went from "meh" to "ahhhh" with just a few thoughtful touches.
The Before: Perfectly Fine... But Missing Personality
Before the makeover, when Billy was living here, there wasn’t anything wrong with the room—it just hadn’t gotten the love it deserved. My goal was to turn it from a basic spot to sleep into a cozy, calming retreat. I pictured guests coming back from a long day on the golf course or out on the water—tired and sun-kissed—and stepping into a space that felt like a home away from home. A place that says, “You can finally relax.”
The Paint Game-Changer
We kicked things off by painting the walls Chantilly Lace by Benjamin Moore—a classic white that brightens the room without feeling cold. I wanted a contrasting color for the trim to add warmth and keep that welcoming vibe going. Originally, I picked Stone Hearth by Benjamin Moore, but thanks to a little mix-up at the hardware store, we ended up with Olympic Mountains instead. It’s more of an off-white, so it’s not as contrasting as I’d planned, but it still feels calm and warm—and honestly, it wasn’t worth the hassle of swapping out the paint when the store is 20 minutes away!
The Thrifting Challenge
Here's where we made things really fun (and budget-friendly): We challenged ourselves to decorate this entire rental using only thrifted and secondhand finds – with the exception of bedding and towels, because let's be real, guests deserve fresh linens!
Luckily, we already had the two anchor pieces for this room: the bed and dresser. We just flipped their orientation to give the space a completely fresh perspective. Sometimes it's not about buying new things; it's about seeing old things with new eyes.
After the paint dried, the real magic began. I decided to lean heavily into a river theme for this space, hoping the water motifs would bring that naturally calming, "vacation cottage" vibe I was craving.
Cue the treasure hunting! I spent weekends combing through thrift stores, hunting for the perfect wall art and accents. The lamps were my absolute favorite find – scored them complete with shades and bulbs at the Habitat for Humanity Restore. Talk about a win!
The nightstands, though? They're still my white whale. I wanted matching pieces flanking the bed, but the space is tight, and I haven't found "the ones" yet. So for now, two painted barstools we already owned are pulling nightstand duty – and honestly, they're working beautifully as stand-ins!
The Reveal
The Budget Breakdown
Already Owned:
Bed - $0
Dresser - $0
Curtains - $0
Rug - $0
Nightstand stools - $0
Thrift Store Treasures:
Lamps (2) – $8 each from Habitat for Humanity Restore = $16
Lampshades (2) – $0.50 each from Habitat for Humanity Restore = $1
Wall mirror – $5 from Goodwill
Large wall art – $10 from Goodwill
Sea painting – $5 from Goodwill
Lighthouse picture – $3 from Goodwill
Small mirror – $4 from Goodwill
Silver tray – $1 from Goodwill
Local Flea Market Finds:
Dock photograph – $10
Wicker fish – $5
Vintage perfume bottles (3) – $3 each = $9
Small white vase - $2
New Purchase:
Bedding (7-piece set from Amazon) – $40
Grand Total: $111
Not bad for transforming a basic bachelor bedroom into a cozy riverside cottage retreat!
What's Next?
This makeover was definitely our "warm-up act" – the simplest transformation in our rental renovation journey. Trust me, the rooms coming up are going to blow your mind! I can hardly contain my excitement to share what we did with the kitchen and living areas.
But for now, I'm dying to know what you think! What detail caught your eye first? Is there anything you would have done differently? Any budget-friendly decorating tricks you swear by? Drop your thoughts in the comments below – I love hearing from fellow design enthusiasts and thrifting fanatics!
Stay tuned next week for the next room reveal and budget breakdown! It’s going to be a good one!
