Finally, finally, finally!! Lena’s room is ready to show you! It took a while because we threw another makeover in the middle of that one – which I promise to show you soon! But, now it’s done!! And tidy enough to show you around, even! In case you want to see the Before Post – click HERE!
This room was the one of the few rooms that didn’t get a coat of paint when we moved in, it had been painted blue by the previous owners, shortly before we bought the house. But Lena was tired of the blue and after two more years, it was due. Lena was allowed to pick out the colour and she opted for Wickham Gray by Benjamin Moore, a soft gray tone that keeps the space bright and works well with everything. We found a painting that we used to draw our colour scheme together by the talented, witty Mary Maureen.
It was all easy stuff – painted the ceiling, the last of the beige trim and then the walls. Spray-painted a few things, too, including a cheap light fixture and a book case made by the handsome Mr.Byrne as a high-schooler. My wonderful father-in-law hung the new light fixture for us, I don’t do electrical stuff EVER! We were able to keep certain things from her previous room, like the patio lights, which I still love!!
Lena painted her new desk and chair in Farmhouse White by Miss Mustard Seed Milk Paint. I love that she worked hard on this make-over and made it her own. She has great ideas and a style all her own.
One of the big goals of this makeover was to free up some floor space for her and make the room feel bigger. It is the tiniest bedroom in the house, but so cozy and she does love it. We talked about building a built-in bed for her, tucked into the eave, but that never panned out. We took out the red bed, that’s been hers since she was born, except for the bit of time she had the top-bunk in our previous house. We ended up trimming a couple inches off the top bunk and sliding it into the eaves, it’s a prefect fit and I love the day-bed effect it creates for her. She’s reader, so it isn’t uncommon to find her tucked in a corner of her bed, with a good book in hand. By being able to tuck her bed along that wall, her room really opened up.
The curtains were a score from Wicker Emporium – perfect colour and they were on sale! The ombre is great, too, keeps it fun and girly, without being too pink and fru-fru. The rods are new, as she had a roman shade before. The mother-of-pearl finials are so pretty and yet, simple.
We looked around for new bedding but didn’t find anything that fit the bill. So, her ‘new’ quilt is her old quilt, flipping over! It’s the perfect shade of pink and the best part was the price 😉
The white dresser was an unexpected addition. We had other plans for the lay-out but she asked if she could have it in her room, and it is the perfect fit beside her bed, giving her a night stand, extra storage and a mirror. { There is a mirror, spray painted to match her light fixture in the studio now…. } The dresser was my mom’s when she was little and I’ve had it for years, and now Lena is excited to have some history in her room, too.
We did another gallery wall for her, above her bed this time. As you can tell, it is pretty heavy on the horse-themed goods, as is her whole room. I love all the fun things we added, horse shoes, prints, the painting from which we drew everything. It’s a great way to compile a bunch of small items plus it fills a very awkward wall.
The major theme is horses, without being too themey and tying us into that for years to come. Making a change down the road would just mean switching up a few accessories and pictures…that is, if she is ever NOT horse crazy anymore! I’d rather horses than teen-aged rock stars or whatever other girls are into these days.
So, there you have it! Lena’s new room! As with any of our rooms, they do change continually and I’m sure this room will be no different. The girls love to recreate dorm rooms, cafes and shops in their rooms so any given day, it could be anything other than Lena’s room. And that’s all good by me!
To be continued,
Lori
