Friday, August 12, 2011

bachelor pad boys' room

When funds are tight and you have a boys' bedroom with mismatched furniture, it is time to turn the creative thinking button up a notch.

The original state of Charlie and Jack's bedroom looked sterile.

Out with the stark white walls and in with the Charlie and Jack's chosen blue. It wasn't my 1st choice, but it is their space and I believe in giving small children choices whenever possible. I went with it.

Take note: So unlike me.

The blue choice was easy for them; they copied Luke's choice for his room. Big bro sets the standard in this casa.

When Jack now 3 began crawling out of his crib at 2, we knew it meant one thing: time to say good-bye to the crib.

You have no idea how hard this was.

I'd rather have someone remove my appendix without anasethia at the time.

It was somewhat traumatic that we ousted Charlie's toddler bed at the same time.

In came a bunk bed. Does it get anymore big boy than that? It was an emotional week, friends. Kevin thought I was nuts.

Maybe I was.

It's a mom thing.

While I loved the new cappichino stained wood bunk beds, I did not love that we still had a white dresser to go with it.

After staring at that white dresser clashing with the bunk beds for one year, I finally convinced my "it looks fine" husband that we do not live in a bachelor pad with random furniture and that this mama has a need for aesthetics.

We purchased a new dresser at IKEA. My Pottery Barn snobbery has long been diminished. Thankfully.

It is functional, clean lined, and will carry them through as they get bigger...if I allow that to happen.

The room still needed a lil' something-something so I took a bookshelf from Luke's closet and spray painted it red.

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Let me be the 1st to warn you that when Mr. Lowe's Man says you just need a primer; no sanding necessary, don't believe him.

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I layered red upon red upon red upon red. For D-A-Y-S. Days, and days, and days.

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As I cursed Mr. Lowe's Man and sprayed over and over again because there were parts of the bookshelf that were absorbing more paint than others, I questioned if I should have just bought a bookshelf at IKEA. It would have the same wood as the dresser and would have saved me from buying more cans of red spray paint than I care to confess.

But, all the layers of spray paint worked out just fine. Just like all of life's hiccups. Our problems are layered. Then we layer more problems upon the first layers. Some areas of our lives seem to absorb the pain and frustrations more than others. But then it all works out. That's the way life rolls.

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So with some final rearranging of wall decorations, we finished the room. More of that to come!

Good-bye bachelor pad.

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Much love,
Katie

Linking up with the lovely Heather today:

11 comments:

Rebecca said...

I like it! So worth the extra pain...I mean paint!!!

Rebecca

missmehoneybee said...

I love Ikea!( Confession: I went twice this week. ) Thinking about getting a toddler bed there,just not sure that he will stay in it. Red is so hard to work with,but looks really great. ps. Save the pottery barn snobbery for your room. :)

April said...

love love love! the extra work was so worth it girl! :)
xoxo

Erin said...

It turned out great- way to stick in there and use your determination to make it work!

Laurie J said...

now that is some serious red going on.....how fun! makes me want to grab some spray paint and join you in the quest to make my boys room looks less bachelor pad ;)
<3

Greta said...

Just so you know, if the furniture has any kind of finish on it, or a paint that is not flat, you need to rough it up a bit for it to take the paint. Even the primer. It doesn't have to be tons of sanding, but some.
Also, the gray primer works best.
Also, it is really, really, really hard to good coverage with red paint. It's notoriously difficult.
All this coming from a girl who has painted tons of furniture and is the daughter of a house painter.
AND, in the end, it looks awesome! I love that fire engine red.
Love from,
Greta

Jami said...

oooooo, that's sooo cute! It came out great! Is there anything better than spraypaint?

susan jakovina said...

The bookshelf looks a.ma.zing!!
Red is so hard to work with it - I know it.
Great job.
xo

Adrian said...

I love the bookshelf and I love Ikea! I was just thinking today that I wanted to drop off my two whiny boys with someone and go room around that fabulously gigantic store.

Angee @ October Morning said...

I love the pop of red! Transitioning my oldest out of the crib was a nightmare too. Such a nightmare that she's sleeping in our bed.

Moments and Impressions said...

Oh I love a good red spray paint! Lovely.