Bedroom Transformation

 

Who would of thought that the bedroom I had as young lady would someday be transformed into a room for a very special young man…one that has held, for the past thirteen years, a very special place in my heart…

It’s quite frightening at times how much he’s growing up! I do know that even though he can pick his mama up (or throw her down…if I’m laughing too much!) he will always be my special firstborn. He has always been a mamas boy and I pray that won’t ever change!

 

Kenny’s room is on the west side of the house and is facing our pond. Growing up, I remember very clearly the soothing sound of tree frogs and crickets coming through the open window during the summer nights and the croak of grandfather bull frogs as they led the chorus. The room had it’s disadvantages too, being the hottest in the summer and the coldest in the winter.

 

When I was Kenny’s age, I was in the middle of my obsession with horses and anything to do with the wild west…Indians, cowboys, outlaws, gunmen, etc. I now know I was pretty extreme because I would be seriously concerned if one of my boys would go to the extent I did. I had all my walls and furniture covered with posters of horses or native American decorations. I even had a saddle sitting in one corner. I read nothing but Louis L’amour (which I still like) and anything to do with cowboys & Indians. I used to know every detail of the OK Corral gunfight and every Billy the kid adventure. I even had plans to have my own ranch out west someday and raise horses…hmmm, now that never crosses my mind anymore. I do still stand in awe at the beauty of a horse and I would love to go out west someday just to see it, but all those dreams have been forgotten and long since become true in other ways that only God knew how to fulfill for me.

Anyway, back to the room that holds all those great memories..this is what it looked like before we redid it and turned it into an older boy’s room…(clutter and all)

  First, I removed the wallpaper border using warm water mixed with downy fabric softener…

I wanted to paint stripes on the one wall using four different colors Kenny and I picked out. He wanted his room to have a western theme and earthy colors. We picked a caramel for the plain walls and chose a dark red, off white, and dark brown to go with the caramel for the stripes.

The first step was measuring and marking to get straight lines for the caramel stripes.

The stripes have no set pattern. I made little marks up near the ceiling, in the middle of the wall and towards the bottom, just to get the masking tape straight.

I used a brush to apply the paint, A roller works great too but I didn’t have any on hand and thought it won’t cost as much to use a brush that can be washed after each color and used again.

I started with the caramel and by the time I came to the other end the first stripes were dry enough to take off the tape and apply fresh tape for the next color.

After some hours later (or more like a day)…

 

This is an old desk I picked up in a garage sale…

After…

 

Little bro running barrels

I was so impressed with the antique bed I picked up in a local thrift store. Incidentally, I had an old dresser here that matched perfectly. It was one I had gotten a few years ago in a garage sale. I didn’t need to do a thing with either of the pieces.

 

 

I ordered some glass knobs on ebay for a decent price. They aren’t real glass but serve the purpose for now.

I made the sign using carbon paper to transfer the lettering and painting with a paint marker.

I really, really would have loved to find a red bandana quilt set but, no luck. ( I am still thinking of making one someday) I thought it would fit in so well with the western theme and the red stripes on the wall. I ended up making the sham covers and horse shoe pillow.

This little piece of furniture is quite memorable to me. It is the very first piece of furniture that I took a skil saw to. It used to be a six drawer bureau and one day I decided I needed a coffee table, so I cut off the top part which served its purpose as a coffee table for a few years. I remember being deathly afraid of that saw! (or was it fear of hubs when I would need to call him at work with the news that I’m missing a few fingers?) Thankfully, so far I haven’t had to do that!

 

I wasn’t too sure if I dare enter Kenny’s room to take these pictures when I saw this sign…

 

Thanks for visiting! I always enjoy your comments and of course any in sight or tips you may have!