Alli turned seven this year, and the big gift was her very own room. She got the room that June used to have (and June now shared with Ruby). The room started out pretty bare... beige carpet and walls. The crib came down and the rocking chair found a new spot. It was a blank canvas. And so the makeover began...
The new room was going to be a surprise, but it is hard to keep a room secret. Alli found out, and then she had all kinds of ideas of what it should be like. She made a sketch and I made a sketch and we worked together to get it just right.
She wanted a place to display her drawings and hang her calendar. I got this bulletin board for $5. It was used, but I painted the cork with Modge Podge and covered it with fabric and then painted a second layer of Modge Podge on top. It is cute with or without papers hanging on it.
Alli really wanted a nightstand. And we had one that wasn't really being used in our guest room. This nightstand came from an alley in Chicago. Free. With a fresh coat of paint, new hardware, and some distressing around the edges, it is as good as new.
Alli keeps books, her journal, pencils, tissues and other necessities in the drawers. She keeps a little vase with a note from Ruby, a lamp, and a picture of her friend on top.
The lamp came from an estate auction. It cost about $5. It was purple when I got it. Inspired by Eddie Ross, I fancied-up the shade. I added pink circle stickers to the shade to made it pop. I made the stickers with some pink sticker vinyl that I had and the QuicKutz Revolution die cutter. The polka dots are so whimsical and fun, best of all, it was so easy to do!
Above Alli's bed is a fairy painting. She found an illustration in a library book that she just loved. I painted the picture on canvas board put it in a simple wood frame. I love how the fairy looks down on the bed.
The owl on the bed was a Christmas gift. Alli asked for something homemade. And she asked for a Pillow Pet. So I made a pillow pet for her (which wasn't quite what she had in mind... but she loves it now).
The bed was purchased years ago when Alli graduated from the crib. It is a magenta sleigh bed with a trundle. I got it for $75 off of Craigslist. Alli did get a nice new mattress. I was able to get it for $75 (50% off!) using a Groupon deal at DFW.
The square pillow came from Marc's for $3.99. It is a down pillow. I made the cover from a sample of designer upholstery fabric. A bag-full of fabric samples is $5 at Chelsea Design House Warehouse in Columbus.
Alli's duvet cover is made from a king-sized sheet folded in half and sewn up the sides. There is an opening at the bottom of the blanket to remove the feather blanket inside. I purchased the sheet at a thrift store for 75 cents. I loved the color and the bold, graphic pattern.
Alli's dresser is from an estate auction. I think is was $3. With paint and a little distressing around the edges... and some gluing and repairs on the drawers by my handsome handyman... it is adorable and functional.
For a laundry hamper, I used some heavyweight oil cloth and sewed a tote with handles. It is easy for Alli to bring her dirty clothes down to the laundry room. And it is a cute tote too.
My sister gave me the vintage mirror above Alli's dresser. Alli keeps a few of her treasures on the dresser: a diorama, her piggybank, the alarm clock, and her CD player.
Of course there is a bookcase in Alli's room. My brother Dan made this a few years ago. It needed a fresh coat of paint, and I decoupaged some fabric on the roof.
Everyone loves the book shelf.
And no big sister's room is complete without little sisters trying to get in!
Alli loves having her own space. This room is Alli through and through.
After reading this, you may think I am cheap. I sort of am. I like really nice stuff, but I don't want to pay full price for it. If you take the time to hunt down the bargains, design can be done for cheap. This whole room was painted, furnished, and decorated for about $250. Not bad.
The new room was going to be a surprise, but it is hard to keep a room secret. Alli found out, and then she had all kinds of ideas of what it should be like. She made a sketch and I made a sketch and we worked together to get it just right.
She wanted a place to display her drawings and hang her calendar. I got this bulletin board for $5. It was used, but I painted the cork with Modge Podge and covered it with fabric and then painted a second layer of Modge Podge on top. It is cute with or without papers hanging on it.
Alli really wanted a nightstand. And we had one that wasn't really being used in our guest room. This nightstand came from an alley in Chicago. Free. With a fresh coat of paint, new hardware, and some distressing around the edges, it is as good as new.
Alli keeps books, her journal, pencils, tissues and other necessities in the drawers. She keeps a little vase with a note from Ruby, a lamp, and a picture of her friend on top.
The lamp came from an estate auction. It cost about $5. It was purple when I got it. Inspired by Eddie Ross, I fancied-up the shade. I added pink circle stickers to the shade to made it pop. I made the stickers with some pink sticker vinyl that I had and the QuicKutz Revolution die cutter. The polka dots are so whimsical and fun, best of all, it was so easy to do!
Above Alli's bed is a fairy painting. She found an illustration in a library book that she just loved. I painted the picture on canvas board put it in a simple wood frame. I love how the fairy looks down on the bed.
The owl on the bed was a Christmas gift. Alli asked for something homemade. And she asked for a Pillow Pet. So I made a pillow pet for her (which wasn't quite what she had in mind... but she loves it now).
The bed was purchased years ago when Alli graduated from the crib. It is a magenta sleigh bed with a trundle. I got it for $75 off of Craigslist. Alli did get a nice new mattress. I was able to get it for $75 (50% off!) using a Groupon deal at DFW.
The square pillow came from Marc's for $3.99. It is a down pillow. I made the cover from a sample of designer upholstery fabric. A bag-full of fabric samples is $5 at Chelsea Design House Warehouse in Columbus.
Alli's duvet cover is made from a king-sized sheet folded in half and sewn up the sides. There is an opening at the bottom of the blanket to remove the feather blanket inside. I purchased the sheet at a thrift store for 75 cents. I loved the color and the bold, graphic pattern.
Alli's dresser is from an estate auction. I think is was $3. With paint and a little distressing around the edges... and some gluing and repairs on the drawers by my handsome handyman... it is adorable and functional.
For a laundry hamper, I used some heavyweight oil cloth and sewed a tote with handles. It is easy for Alli to bring her dirty clothes down to the laundry room. And it is a cute tote too.
My sister gave me the vintage mirror above Alli's dresser. Alli keeps a few of her treasures on the dresser: a diorama, her piggybank, the alarm clock, and her CD player.
Of course there is a bookcase in Alli's room. My brother Dan made this a few years ago. It needed a fresh coat of paint, and I decoupaged some fabric on the roof.
Everyone loves the book shelf.
And no big sister's room is complete without little sisters trying to get in!
Alli loves having her own space. This room is Alli through and through.
After reading this, you may think I am cheap. I sort of am. I like really nice stuff, but I don't want to pay full price for it. If you take the time to hunt down the bargains, design can be done for cheap. This whole room was painted, furnished, and decorated for about $250. Not bad.
