Redecorating Nikolas' Room

So I have a problem with buying pieces of furniture before I realize that they don't necessarily work in the space they will live in. Case in point...my 3 year old son's room.

I was so excited that we were ready for a "big boy bed" that I ran out and found him a huge Cargo style bunk bed system and refinished it in navy blue. It looked amazing....just not in his room. With the bulky style of this system we couldn't even open one of his closet doors and it blocked the light from one of his windows.

So the bunk beds went on Craigslist and I decided to take my time to really PLAN OUT what I envisioned his room to be. I wanted something that he could transition from a toddler to a teen in...so even though he LOVES trains right now, I don't want it to get too themey (is that a word?). I also have to redo the room on a MAJOR budget.

So, I'll be posting pics as I continually add to the room. This is a process :-)

A little Background...

We originally decided that this particular room was going to be the nursery even long before we decided to have a baby. The great lofted ceiling and the cute little window seats screamed "NURSERY!"

Here's a picture of the room, before baby. I decided to paint the walls as soon as I found out we were having a boy...big shock, blue. Luckily I chose a soft blue that actually goes well with what I plan to do with his room now.

Here's one of Tres painting the ceiling, while I in my "delicate condition" document it. (sexy shorts, Mr!)

And me, seven months preggo excited to finally have the crib assembled :-)

And finally, putting the finishing touches on...

and...he finally arrives!

But enough trippin' down memory lane for now...I have a 3 year old's room to transform now!

Step 1: Bargain Hunting for the Right Pieces

I was searching for months for the perfect twin bed. I hit the jackpot with JCPenney's Black Friday Sale where I got it for $199 with free shipping. I was really surprised at the quality and it is a dead ringer for the PBK bed I'd been eyeing but couldn't justify the price tag.

I also got a killer deal on the perfect nightstand as well.....I think I'll paint it dark red to pull out some of the colors in the train bedding we chose.

Step 2: It's All in the Details

Ever notice the little details that give a room character? For me, I'm drawn to wainscotting and trim in bright white glossy paint. Unfortunately our house lacks these features...we have large expanses of sheetrock walls. I've always wanted to do wainscotting or beadboard paneling in Nikolas' room, but the cost and the fact that I'd have to rip out the existing baseboards before putting up the paneling, made me reconsider.

I had seen BEADBOARD WALLPAPER on other design blogs, and I thought well, for $15, why not give it a shot.

It ROCKS! Let me tell you, it was so easy! I just measured the length I wanted and cut the strips. Then I filled the bathtub with water and submerged each strip in water for a few minutes before sticking it to the wall. Just make sure to smooth it out really well to get the air bubbles out and make sure your lines are even.

Here is a picture of the first wall I did. You can see my uneven lines at the top but they were quickly covered by a chair rail moulding.

 

Super easy....you just get it wet and lay it on the wall smoothing out the bubbles.

Here's a picture of the wall with the chair rail moulding put up (it's still wet here but today it was totally dry and it really looked like the real thing).

I haven't decided if I need to paint it glossy white or not yet, but I will go back and caulk the corners and edges. I am now a Beadboard Wallpaper Believer! I have big plans for how to use it in the rest of the house.

Stay tuned for pictures on the final room transformation :-)