Monkey Room Make-Over #1

To begin the make-over of my boys' bedroom, I started with a color scheme that I knew they already liked: bright green, dark orange and medium turquoise.

I got a quart each of semi-gloss in the orange and the green, and a can of the turquoise in glossy spray paint. My paint was $14 each at Lowes, but that's way too much for the projects I was using it for...so next time I'd go somewhere cheaper like Walmart.

I first tried to find comforter covers or quilts in these colors, but was shocked to find out that no company offers affordable (less than the hundreds of dollars you might pay for something nice at Pottery Barn Kids) yet 100% cotton kids bedding.

To make the twin sized covers myself I bought 6 coordinating 100% cotton fabrics (2 1/2 yards each) from Hobby Lobby and sewed the solids ($2.99/ yard) and striped patterns ($6.99/ yard)  together for interest. Total cost of fabric: $65.00 for both. Total time for sewing: about an hour.

I was also having to work around their existing bunk beds which were hand-me-downs from a neighbor: red, yellow and blue metal.

I found a red, yellow and orange shag rug (made from recycled materials) at Big Lots for $30 (I felt like it cost too much! But I really liked it,  so I got it anyway. Maybe I'm just really cheap.....)

Their lime green metal side table was found at a thrift shop for $2.

I revamped their old thrift shop dresser (from the seventies?) which I got for $25 by roller painting the drawers and body separately, then spray painting the hardware (removed it first). 

The orange and green baskets are from Easter 2 years ago (I hate getting baskets that can't do double duty): $2 each from Hobby Lobby.

 I purchased the hanging Cubes unfinished (with hangers already attached) at Michael's: $5.99 for a pair of big and small.

 

After spray painting the cube I applied scrapbook paper (59 cents each) to the back with rubber cement (notching out a place for the hangers).

Green Ikea hanging organizer found at thrift shop: $2.

 

Quilt made by their Grandma Kathy from old shirts (flannel and corduroy). Chair from Big Lots: $20.

 
Poster prints from Baltimore Museum of Modern Art (gifts from Grandma).

Raw wooden shelf from Michael's: $9.99 (spray painted). I wanted to provide a place for night-time water and books while on the top bunk.

The boys requested a cactus garden, so I got the cacti at Lowes (about $4 each), and the plastic container at Big Lots ($1). Rocks are from my yard.

 

The chalkboard hanger was originally a black framed mirror from Pottery Barn which broke during a move. I painted the frame green and the backboard with chalkboard paint.  

I hung a trio of paper lanterns for reading on the top bunk: lanterns ($1 - $3) and lighting kits ($10.75 each) from Luna Bazaar. Curtain: $3.99 at Ross. Rod: $2.99 Big Lots. 

Dresser "BEFORE".

Lime garbage pail was one of this year's Easter baskets (the other one went in the bathroom).

Imminent Blog Resurrection

What my studio aspires to....

After a long boring hiatus of the real world interrupting my blog, I will be resuming with a vengeance in a couple of weeks.

First we all vacation on Block Island for a week, and then.....(trumpets).....I will be monkey-less for almost two weeks!

Combine that with my new summer work schedule of Fridays off, and my stock pile of interior design projects should be getting an electrifying jump start!



Here are some plans (if I write them down I will feel compelled to follow through, one hopes.):


Studio Re-Do.

After attempting to work in my studio for a few months it has become apparent that it sucks. Not enough surface area, storage or light. As it is now I rummage frantically through piles (messing up my carefully color-coordinated stacks), sew on the floor, hot glue dangerously and haphazardly wherever and end up more often than not drinking wine while trying to beat my Bejeweled high score, blocking out the rubble with my mind.

Here is some inspiration for a studio sure to strike jealousy in the hearts of my other crafty friends:

Monkey Rooms Make-Over (also known as Project "Go the F**k to Sleep" (see book of same name).

For years I forced the boys to sleep in separate bedrooms, thinking that separating them would ease the bedtime process. Ok, so after YEARS of them waking up in the same bed I give up. I put their bunk beds back together and made two spaces: bedroom and "library/ computer room". The result is two rooms kept cleaner than the two we had before (I'm not exactly sure why, but that alone was worth it), although bedtime; pretty much just as annoying.
No one will take the top bunk. If Marley wasn't already a man-sized 9 year-old, this might not be such an issue. I've come up with a few ideas to make the top bunk more attractive,and plan to implement them while they're away as a surprise.

Some inspiration:

 

See results here.