Guest Bedroom Makeover: How We Transformed an Outdated Lime Green Room Into a Cozy, Calming Oasis

Transforming our outdated lime green guest bedroom into a cozy, calming oasis has been one of my favorite home projects yet. In this post, I’m sharing the full guest bedroom makeover—from the bold “before” to the soothing, welcoming “after.” Whether you’re looking for guest room ideas, bedroom makeover inspiration, or simple ways to refresh an outdated space, this transformation is filled with approachable tips and design details you can easily recreate. If you’re dreaming of a peaceful, inviting guest room that makes visitors feel right at home, you’re in the perfect place. Let’s dive into the makeover!

In our new-vintage house, we have three bedrooms; each of which is a different color. The primary bedroom is a dark sage green, what is now our office space is a pepto pink, and the guest room WAS a vivid lime green. While all three bedrooms will be getting the full royal treatment, it was the guest bedroom color that had to go first. Luckily for me, this room is also the smallest of the three, making this makeover the easiest one we will be doing in our home.

While many will turn up their nose at a room with four white walls, I am the type of person who gravitates toward it. To me, a freshly painted room with soft white walls says clean and calm. After testing three different whites by Benjamin Moore Paint, I landed on White Dove, not only because of the positive feedback I was getting from others who have used it, but also because of its neutral tone and the way it feels warm while also being a true white. This room, with its lime green walls, took 2 coats of Kilz Restoration Paint on both the ceiling and the walls, followed by two coats of Benjamin Moore Ceiling Paint and 2 coats of White Dove. It was a labor of love, but one that was well worth the effort.

Once painted, it was time to replace all of the outdated electrical outlet covers, window treatments, and the baseboard heating cover. To keep things looking clean and simple, I went with white for both the outlets and the updated baseboard heating cover. That way, the technical aspects of the room blend in rather than stand out. For the light switch covers, I couldn’t resist going with brass. This house was built in 1989, when polished brass was all the rage; so it felt fitting to bring some of that finish into other areas of the home.

For our windows, we have been replacing all of the outdated and dingy metal blinds with brand new, bamboo roman shades from Two Pages. I wanted the entire house to have a consistent look and Two Pages was kind enough to gift us with the Sybil Bamboo Roman Shades in Wall White. These window treatments are easy to extend and retract at the beginning and end of each day. In the bedrooms we we went with a blackout liner, to ensure deeper and higher quality sleep—something both my husband and I are in need of.

When it came to decor and furniture, everything we used in this room is something we already owned before moving in—aside from the rug. The furniture has been our primary bedroom furniture, which we are now passing on to our guest room while we update our personal pieces. All of the smaller decor and art are things I have collected over the years from antique and vintage shops. Even the curtains and the rug were sourced from Facebook Marketplace.

Pulling this room together is something I had been working on, mentally, for quite some time. So when it came to actually doing it, once the painting was completed, the process was simple. Collecting items that are true to your personal style, over time, makes decorating a natural and intuitive process. Creating a space using secondhand, antique, and/or vintage items allows for a room to take on a life that is unique and interesting. Stepping into a well-thought out space, that features intentionally sourced pieces, is like taking a breath of fresh air.

Before/After

So while many may just see a room with white walls, I see a room that is ready to receive many-a-visitor. One that took years to curate and the first step into making our new-to-us vintage house, a home.

Shop this room:

Bamboo Roman Shades // Bed Frame // Curtains (similar) // Curtain Rods // Curtain Rod End Caps // Nightstands // Olive Tree // Sheets // Duvet // Duvet Cover // Pillow Cases // Mirror // Sconces // Rug // Quilt

For antique and vintage decor, shop my website: Gentri Lee Antiques. New inventory launching, soon!