I had to lead with a cozy shot...that's when the room shines! More evening pics further down.
To say that I am happy with the room is an understatement. It feels like my soul has taken the form of a bedroom.
This is not just my kids room. It is a space where my family will gather and play games and have movie nights. There will be sleepovers, birthday parties, and many cuddly moments. On hot summer nights all five of us sleep in here since it is the only room that has an air conditioner. It is where we do art projects and paint. When one of us needs a nap it is in here...the rest of the house is open plan except the bathrooms. So really it was LONG overdue for a makeover.
I am so thankful to have been a part of the One Room Challenge, without the push to finish the room, I very well might never have. So thank you One Room Challenge and media partner Better Homes and Gardens! I am grateful for the event and to be able to participate.
A huge thank you to my amazing sponsors who trusted me to showcase their beautiful pieces. I am in love with the room thanks to your generous contributions, thank you so much Revival Rugs and Milton and King Wallpaper.
There are so many things I want to talk about, where to start?
I knew I wanted a cozy wallpaper so that is really where I started my search. I landed on the Pineapple Harvest wallcovering from Milton and King and it was love at first sight. It has a tropical leafy pattern with a warm red background, it honestly feels like a hug when I look at it. Both my husband and I grew up with bold walls at home and knew we wanted to give that experience to our kids. There's nothing like retreating to your bedroom after a long day at school to be welcomed by warmth and comfort.
One of my childhood bedrooms was a hand painted jean wall...like jeans that you wear. It took days and I would peek in at Bobby as he was working and I loved seeing the transformation. I know my son, who was by my side for this whole transformation, will feel the same way looking back on this experience.
A lot of this room is drawn from childhood memories. I included nautical elements reminiscent of my family vacations in Maine. There is a quilt on my son's bed (from my bed growing up) with sailboats on it. There are flags above the mantle and also there is a brass barometer and clock. We even hung the old state of Maine flag above my daughter's bed! It has a pine tree and the north star and is so cute!!
I really wanted to make the room as cozy as possible so when I was looking for a rug my first stop was Revival. I ended up finding the perfect size vintage rug in the most beautiful red tone. It has subtle greens, turquoise and pinks too which tie in other elements in the room. It adds such a warmth to the room and really grounds the bed area. There is enough room at the bottom of the bed for a little play area and my kids have already flocked to it. In the back of my mind I want to sneak it out of their room and keep it for myself...it's so pretty!
One of my favorite DIY's of the room is the mantle I added to a bookshelf. It makes the room have a glamorous twist on a traditional kids room. I also included lots of traditionally mature style furniture pieces, like the tapestry ottoman and sofa. They are built incredibly well and have already stood the test of time since they are over ten years old and in great condition. I wanted there to be a Harry Potter feeling to the room and these older pieces give me those magical vibes.
Five years ago when my son was born I put up ceiling mount curtain rods to help divide the room. I replaced the white linen curtains with bold Osborn and Little panels that I bought from a neighbor for $25. There is minor damage to one of the panels but that just adds character. By the way one of the things I love about buying second hand pieces is the mental freedom they bring. Like I would never allow my kids to eat spaghetti on a brand new sofa but we've already had tv dinners with this furniture and there is no concern about spilling. And not because I don't care about the item, let me be clear, it's because all these pieces have lived through many years of use with families before mine so I know they are durable and will last many years to come.
The kids beds were one of the things I found first. I saved them and watched them go down in price for weeks and finally I bought them for $100. They are so sturdy and each one is unique with gentle organic lines. When you walk into the room it smells like old wood, it's delicious.
Since I went bold with pattern and color I decided to include a lot of white accents to help ground everything. I have a large white rug in the sitting area, the white mantle, both duvet covers are white, white furry pouf, white shelves and a few other key pieces.
Lighting is always a hugely important aspect to my designs...I need lamps everywhere. I fell in love with the wicker sconces over the beds and when I finally went to order them they were out of stock...the drama! So I watched them like a hawk and finally two popped up with an open box discount sale- so I got them and at a reduced price- I was so happy!
Another lucky lighting moment was when I realized two days before I was taking my ORC pictures that I needed a sconce for over the sofa...long story short it arrived in time and brought in that lovely boho fringe element the room needed.
For the windows I decided to do roman shades early on mostly because the sofa was going to be right in front of one of them (and half a bed on the other side). I didn't leave myself enough time to have custom ones made so I went straight to my go to place to find things...you guessed it, Facebook marketplace! After weeks of searching I found these beauties that fit my window PERFECTLY! Like so perfect that I already had a trim mounted rod on the window and all I did was tie the shades to the existing rod! I even used fancy pink ribbon for a little extra flair. I love them! Oh and they were $20!
The bedding is a mix of old and new. I bought new sheets and duvet covers on Memorial Day and then I found a vintage quilt at an estate sale. I also have a sweet doggy quilt my aunt made for Otis when he was a baby and a sailboat quilt from my teenage bed.
I knew I was going to be working on their room this year, so long before the One Room Challenge even started I was searching on facebook marketplace for pieces. The list is long but here are the pieces I got from FBMP: sofa $90, ottoman $90, fireplace mantle $200, white knit rug $200, window shades $20, book shelves $100, Osborn and Little curtains $25, side table $225, beds $100, and an art table for my son $100.
Lets take a midway break and check out what the room looked like before:
Little things that make me happy:
-the closet doors I upholstered in fabric using the reverse side...the result is a muted scene that is harmonious with the wallpaper. My son's bed is right up against the doors so I needed them to be soft and cozy.
-the play kitchen that I used wallpaper scraps to decorate the face with.
-the Nigela flowers Matt got me for styling- my son said they look scary which I totally get- they are so magical they look like they are about to come alive.
-art, made by my mother in law, by their beds.
-the star lanterns on the mantle that glow at night.
-the gallery wall on the built in cabinets.
-all the textures and patterns.
-how every toy has a home now.
-the landscape design I made out of my books.
-sailing flags that remind me of the Maine cottage where I met my husband when I was ten.
-the retro stars on the ceiling of the bed area.
-moons and stars everywhere for that matter.
-led twinkly lights under my kids bed.
Time for the cozy night shots!
I love this room at night. We live in an open concept home so while the revamp was happening the kids have been sleeping in the main area which means at night my husband and I have had the pleasure of spending our evenings in here. We really don't want to give it back to them...it's so cozy!
This is officially the longest blog post I have written and I feel like I could write more. I can't tell you how happy this room has made me. I love it. And I know I keep saying this but I am so grateful the for the One Room Challenge to have pushed me to complete this space. If you want to finish a room, sign up for the fall challenge. Having the deadlines really work!
This room really is my happy place, I am going to miss hanging out here at night when my kids finally move back in...but I am keeping it for myself for just a little bit longer!
Thank you so much for cheering me on during this process, you have no idea how much it means to me to have this supportive community.
xoxo Ginny