Ta da! I'm delighted to say we've finished the first room in our house remodel. The children's shared bedroom was a top priority because I wanted Beatrice to have a safe place to play while other parts of the house were under construction - and I wanted a nice space to welcome Arthur when he moves into this room to join his sister soon. I think they're really going to like what we came up with.
BEFORE
AFTER
We began by tearing out the carpet and one of the room's two built-in cabinets right after we moved in. This bedroom (like the guest bedroom) is from the original 1941 house and still had the original oak floors underneath the carpet. Overall they were in good shape, though with a lot of paint splatters in some areas. We'll refinish them eventually, but they're fine for now.
The built-in we decided to remove from this room was massive - it took up about 18 square feet of floor space and rendered at least 18 more effectively unusable - and it was cobbled together out of a curious mixture of plywood, chipboard, cork, and plaster. Removing it opened up so much more space, it felt like the room nearly doubled in size.
It also gave Dev an excuse to use a sledgehammer.
After tearing out the built-in, we discoverd that the walls were a modge-podge of dry wall, plaster, and cork, so with help from a crew of handymen we re-drywalled the room.
We also removed the terrible "popcorn" acoustic ceiling.
We added new door trim and crown and base moulding - I have to say, I think there's no easier or cheaper way to improve a room than to add trim.
Then we painted everything a clean, cool white that reflects a lot of light (Valspar's Subway Tile, if you're interested). This was particularly important because this is the only room in the house that has no windows.
We removed the overhead fluorescent light fixture and replaced it with a pendant light from IKEA.
And of course Dev's mother Suzan painstakingly painted the remaining built-in cabinet the same shade of white as the walls, to better integrate it into the room and to brighten up the space.
We also did a lot of minor touch-ups, like replacing all the switchplate and outlet covers.
Then came the fun part - decorating. Virtually everything in the new room is stuff we already had from the old house but I still had fun rearranging it.
We hung up photo ledges that allow us to easily switch out art as we choose. The four framed prints I wanted to put here are currently lost somewhere in the garage, but until I find them Beatrice is really into these animal flashcards from the $1 bin at Target.
We also framed and matted these two beautiful prints we got as gifts, one from Lucas and one from Summer.
I had so many ideas for wall art (collages, decals, a family tree, a chalkboard wall, a magnetic wall, a city skyline, a forest, etc., etc.) that I had a really hard time choosing one, but finally I decided that the one "theme" that would appeal the most to Beatrice (and hopefully to Arthur) was dogs, so I this weekend I painted life-size silhouettes of Shackleton and Cromwell.
A few months ago Beatrice graduated to a toddler bed, leaving the crib for Arthur. I sewed the bedding for her new "big girl' bed and matching bedding for her doll bed.
And a matching cover for her doll's bed
Above Beatrice's bed we hung the white eyelet paper lanterns from Beatrice's second birthday party.
We also added some low, outward-facing racks to display favorite books more easily (they are actually spice racks from IKEA), and toddler-height coat hooks that will allow Beatrice to get used to hanging up her own sweaters and jackets.
Most of Arthur's toys and clothes are hand-me-downs, of course, but this handmade mobile is all his own, made by my friends for his shower. And I can honestly say, the mobile is his very favorite thing in the whole world. He's not sleeping in the crib yet (he's still in a co-sleeper in our room) but every evening I set him in the crib to watch the mobile while I get Beatrice ready for bed.
All of Beatrice's toy bins are labeled with pictures instead of words which makes it easier for her to put her own things away.
Best of all, I made this great teepee for Beatrice and Arthur. Beatrice loves it so much that it was worth the fact that I had to get rid of the changing table to make room for it. The only downside is that now every night she asks to sleep in the teepee instead of in her bed.
And we filled the room with gifts from all their friends and relatives.
We tried to keep the space very flexible because Beatrice and her brother are growing and changing so fast, but I think this room can continue to accomodate them for at least a few years to come. I already have a wish list of things to do when the children are old enough for bunk beds(and therefore we have more floor space for desks, an art station, a train table - etc., etc.) but I'm very happy with this for now. And so are they.
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