Ryan's Bedroom Before & After

I am finally posting Ryan's Bedroom Re-Do. Click here for the original post. Here are the before pics again. The pictures are not that great, but basically it's the original paint, the room has not changed since we moved into the house 4 years ago.
BEFORE:


Drum Roll ....... I call it modern minimalist-cool chic.
AFTER:

I started out by clearing out the entire room. It is so much easier to work in the space if you clear everything out. Then we started taping. Because of Ed's back, I didn't get any help from him, but Ryan stepped up to the plate and he taped everything. He did an awesome job. Then there was some debate on whether to do the horizontal stripe around the room. That took about 1 day of thought (I do a lot of thinking, before actually doing it). I painted the room in Behr Premium Plus in Anonymous which is a gray. After it dried, I taped for the horizontal stripe. I bought a laser level because I thought it would help, but found it more frustrating than helpful.

I painted the horizontal stripe in Behr Premium Plus in Stealth which is on the same color card as the Anonymous. There were some mishaps with the stripe (we recovered). Half way through I was trying to justify in my head, how I could get away with just doing 2 walls and not go all the way around, but I prevailed. We really loved the way it turned out. I was concerned that it would be too dark, but it turned out great. I really like the contrast of the colors with the white mouldings.

We had already bought some other bedding, but I happened to be browsing at Wal-Mart and found this Microfiber bedding set which I thought would go so much better, so I had Ryan choose and he chose the Wal-Mart set. The picture frame above the bed is from IKEA. We were actually there to buy a different picture, then saw this one on clearance for under $30....AMAZING....the original picture I was going in there to buy was over $100. The pic is black and gray hues, with a red pop of color, just like the pillow on the bed. The smoke colored curtains are from IKEA , 2 panels for under $20!!! I swapped the dresser from Brennan's room for Ryan's old nightstand. I left space above the dresser for a future wall mounted TV...way down the road! I re-purposed some frames that I had in storage. I didn't want to put a night stand back in because it is a magnet for clutter. So I helped Ryan de-clutter, sort, organize and store and put in these floating shelves. Tah-dah! Now Brennan is jealous and wants a redo in his room. I need to recover from this one first.

Ryan's Room Redo - Before

I am tackling another home project while I am also working on my craft room. I am also working on a redo of Ryan's room. I wanted to surprise him with the room completed while he was on his 5 day Scout high adventure trip, but I couldn't pull it off. I really wanted to do a more traditional look with a chair rail and a burgundy color to match his current bedding to save some moolah, but as I was thinking about it, I realized it was more my want and not necessarily a reflection of what Ryan would like. So I put on my Ryan hat and started trying to think of what he would like. I came up with a more modern, contemporary look to reflect his artistic sensibilities. I presented my idea to him and he really liked it and is super excited about it. Last week we picked new bedding, paint color and some accessories. I am hoping that it looks great and that he will be happy with his space. I will post the after pictures once I get the room completed.


Here are some of the before pics:

The closet doors (above) take up almost an entire wall. If I had money, know-how and "manpower", I would make the closet half the size, by knocking down the left hand side wall, reframing the closet, which would create a niche for a desk....maybe in another life.

The room is very small, so there is not a whole lot of furniture. I will probably not be putting this super old (it really is not that old, but you know how technology advances) TV back in the room. You can't tell from the pics, but there are about 5 speakers that go with his CD Player/Tuner. When you walk into the room, all you see are wires behind the TV, soooooo not sexy. I am excited to get rid of the tangled web of wires. I would love to get him a small flat screen TV to mount on the wall. Again, maybe in another life.

I am going to be changing out the bedding and curtains to a more contemporary, minimalist look. Currently the comforter and shams are traditional from Nautica. The curtains, bedskirt and pillows are denim. I still really like them, but the "boy" has grown up and outgrown this look. I am going to be repurposing the shelf above the bed. I am planning on painting it and putting it in the craft room during my craftroom redo, click here. Still not sure what I will do about the nightstand. His current nightstand will not go with my idea, however, he needs a nightstand for his clock/radio, but that nightstand is a magnet for clutter. If I end of using it, I may repaint it. Decisions, decisions.....

Craft Room Project

Since we got our basement finished a while back, I have been so excited to have a craft room for all my doings. I feel pretty lucky to have a room all to myself, it feels pretty decadent! Well, it has NOT looked decadent, nor do I really do anything in there because it is so uninspiring. It is a disaster zone in there. So I made the decision a couple weeks ago, to start working in there and start getting it organized and decorated. It's a work in progress, but I am excited to get this part of home and life sorted out. Here are my before pictures:

Here are my attempts to start sorting. I will admit, I kind of am a pack rat, an organized pack rat, but a pack rat none-the-less. I keep lots of things. Here's the kind of things I got in that room: receipts and instruction books for every major purchase we have ever made (if we still own it), every single letter and card that Ed has ever given me in the past 20 years, my report cards starting from kindergarten, the boys report cards, school work, awards, art work, geneology and who knows what else I haven't uncovered yet. First order of business is sorting all the papers and junk.

Notice the hole in the wall, it's an access panel to some kind of pipe. I think I have been harassing Ed on a monthly basis to get that covered and fixed. May need to come up with a better way to ask him to do that.

Small Changes

Last week I undertook a little home project. I decided that I wanted to paint the floor vent registers that go on the wood floors. The white registers had never bothered me because it matched all the mouldings in the house, but as I started to think about it, I thought, the white registers were a little shocking against the walnut wood floors. So I found a Krylon Brushed Metallic Oil Rubbed Bronze spraypaint that will compliment the existing hardware and fixtures.
I like the change, but now the registers seem shocking against the mouldings. The jury is still out....what do you think?

BEFORE:

AFTER:

Christmas Decorating - Phase III

Christmas Tree #3 is up this week as well. This is my favorite tree. It's colorful and bright. This year I put this one upstairs in a little corner. I still have visions of 2 more tree, but not this year. Maybe in years to come. I would like one in the kitchen and one in the basement (shhh, just don't tell Ed! He thinks I'm crazy).

The first thing to go up after Thanksgiving was the Nativity. Brennan set it up, which was good because we get a chance to talk about the true meaning of Christmas. All the decorations are up now, the garland, the mini trees and knick-knacks. There are a few things that still need a little tweaking, but I am relieved that the big stuff is done, now to enjoy it and look forward to taking it all down.

Christmas Decorating - Phase II

Tree #2 is up. I call this tree the Family Tree. There are ornaments on this tree that are close to 20 years old. It has a mish-mosh of ornaments that the boys have made over the years, we've received as gifts, we've bought because they were cute or had some significance. Last year I didn't put up this tree because by the time I got done with the 2 other trees I was tired. I really didn't think anyone noticed or cared until cute Ryan that is generally quiet pointed out after Christmas that he missed the 'family tree' and how it's his favorite. I felt so bad and guilty, but it made me happy that someone does notice and does care. So Ryan...... this one's for you! And thanks for putting it up and decorating it. You did an awesome job.

Christmas Decorating - Phase I

Tree #1 is up with the help of my little helper elves. I love this funky tree. Ryan calls it the Target tree, as in Target the store. Ed, thinks this tree is very 'modern", whatever that means? I think it's fun!