Last Friday, I saw a bunk bed for sale in someone's front yard for $40 and decided to get it.
And then the idea of a bunk bed for the girls turned into ideas of new comforters and pillows and desks and chalkboards...I couldn't sleep Friday night because I had so many ideas.
Turns out that chalkboards aren't so easy to find these days.
I went to 6 different stores - no one carried chalkboards.
My step-mom called me with the idea to paint a piece of pressed board with chalkboard paint (I picked up a huge sheet of pressed board - not sure that it's technically "pressed board" - it's that stuff that they usually put on the back on inexpensive wood furniture - for only 8 bucks and it worked great).
So Ross spray painted the pressed board with chalkboard paint and I spray painted the bunk bed.
We've both had sore forearms for the last couple of days from all the spray painting (I'm guessing that anyone who does a lot of spray painting - maybe gangsters who tag walls - have a very high incidence of carpal tunnel syndrome).
And it still needs some work, but here's the room and homework area...
Even though the homework area is in the girl's room, I made it for all the kids (Coley's loving it too).
I picked up this desk at an antique store here in town (deal of the century - $19), to match a desk that we already had in our storage unit.
Spent 30 minutes searching the storage unit...and no desk (where in the heck did it go is what I want to know?).
So I had to make an emergency run to the antique shop for another desk.
Unfortunately, this one was not the deal of the century ($82), but I was desperate and it was lovely.
I got 10 different study boards (shapes, numbers, months, days of the week, handwriting, etc.) at Class E Professor over in Medford and had them laminate them back to back. I punched a hole through the top of them and secured them with paper reinforcer's so that they can hang from a little nail.
I used old yardsticks ($3.00 each at an antique shop) as molding along the top of the chalkboard.
And a little love note from Coley.
I got these from Target a long time ago (they have little blackboards on the front of them) and they're perfect for books.
That's a fabric shoe storage thingy hanging from the closet door - but we're using it for flashcards and chalk and stuff.
Coley working on some "I will not talk when the teacher is talking" homework, which is better than the "I will keep my hands to myself" homework that he brought home last week.
And the bunk bed.
Unfortunately, it didn't come with the hardware to secure the bed rails (so Josh put them up with zip ties so no one rolls off the bed until he can get to the hardware store).
Got the bedding on sale at Target (and I love it).
And got these big, tin buckets from Target too (we're using them as shoe buckets). Target always sells these (I think they're ice buckets) this time of year.
Already had a lot of this stuff (but I figured I'd post photos of the entire room).
Got Annie the rocking chair for her birthday.
Josh got the dresser for Courtney a long time ago (not sure where he got it).
I made the photo board (which needs to be organized) for Courtney a few years ago (I just removed the glass from a picture frame, mounted cork board to the back of the frame and wrapped it in fabric).
The pink buckets on top of the dresser are from Target too (each of the girls has one to store all their hair stuff).
One of my favorite things about boys is that they don't require hair stuff.
The blue thing on top of the dresser is Courtney's Sea Monkey aquarium.
The piggy banks (Courtney's is wearing her Disneyland hat and Annie's is wearing her birthday hat).
Still needing to do something with this heaping pile of toys in the toy box though.
The room was a big hit.
I have to admit though, that after pouring myself into it all weekend, I had this picture in my head of how excited Josh and Courtney would be when they got home (Josh had Guard all weekend and Courtney was with her Mom) and how excited Annie would be to have a big girl bed.
It didn't go over quite as I had planned.
Courtney loved it. In fact, she said it was "The best day of her whole life".
But when it came time to go to bed, she started worrying that there might be a fire and she wouldn't be able to get down from the top bunk (she's a worrier).
Josh's excitement about the room was overshadowed by how much money I sunk into this little project of mine (he's a tight wad).
Annie cried "No bid gerl bed" (no big girl bed) for at least an hour when we tried to lay her down.
And Coley already got his fingers slammed in the desk (by Annie of course).
And...I know some of you have posted questions for me over the last few days - will post answers sometime tomorrow.
I think it looks teriffic. If I had a room like that when I was a little girl, I would have been in heaven! What a great mom you are! (not that my mom isn't great, just not so creative) Great job!
Posted by: Amy | March 11, 2008 at 09:18 AM
your ability to make indoor shots look perfect is unbelievable. love love love the room.
Posted by: jenwcom | March 11, 2008 at 09:23 AM
Great room Karen! It is perfect!!!
Posted by: Suzi | March 11, 2008 at 09:26 AM
what a sweet roOM!
tara
Posted by: tara pollard pakosta | March 11, 2008 at 09:40 AM
The room is fabulous!!!! Your kiddos are so lucky! I'm in the process of revamping our attic into a room for my little one...I hope it turns out as well.
Posted by: Sarah | March 11, 2008 at 09:44 AM
oh wow this is awesome, i luv the antique desk and chalk board..
Maggie
Posted by: maggie | March 11, 2008 at 09:44 AM
What a gorgeous, girly room.
Posted by: Cyndi | March 11, 2008 at 09:49 AM
It looks great! Wanna come do Gabe's room?!!
Posted by: Addie | March 11, 2008 at 09:52 AM
The room turned out lovely! I love it!
Posted by: Jamie | March 11, 2008 at 10:22 AM
That was the best eye candy! SO SWEET, KAREN! I am also in the process of redoing a room for the girls (truth be told, we've been in the 'process' for longer than I care to admit). Like you, I have piles of ideas and have been collecting things over time. I need to paint the walls (took forever to fix them... our home was built in 1900... everything is a 'process' and we can't really afford to hire out for all of these projects). After paint we have to lay the carpet, which we recently purchased (the hardwood in this room is totally not salvageable unfortunately). I am expecting their bedding sets today to arrive from overstock.com (they have the best quilt sets right now)... I too went with polka dots (gotta love polka dots, right?!). I was totally upside down when it came to window treatments, but just found some CUTE valances from Pottery Barn with stitched flowers on them (I am going to add buttons for fun). So much fun.. I am totally going after those ice buckets at Target! Thank you so much for sharing your project with us... I love the ideas!
Posted by: shabbyVTchic | March 11, 2008 at 10:26 AM
thanks for the tour! how fun. isn't it amazing how projects snowball? well if we do this, we might as well do that?
Posted by: Keely | March 11, 2008 at 10:39 AM
I am now having the incredible urge to go to a) the local antique mall and b) Target, and I don't know which to hit first. Of course, I'm currently at work, which is making the shopping urge most unbearable!! Karen, that room is AWESOME!!! Thank you so much for sharing!!!
Posted by: Leslie | March 11, 2008 at 10:47 AM
This is lovely! I love the homework area -- I've been looking for ideas like that for my boys. I'm going to start scouring the local stores etc. for a couple of desks. And I know exactly what you mean about getting unexpected reactions from your kids -- last winter we thought it would be so much fun to take the boys sledding, but my then-7-year-old thought I was trying to kill him by putting him on a piece of plastic and sending him down the hill on it. Ah well -- he's used to it now and there were no fights this year -- which is good I guess.
Posted by: Jen M. | March 11, 2008 at 10:56 AM
I LOVE the room, Karen! So awesome and those old desks are just too fabulous! Great job! ;)
Posted by: kristina | March 11, 2008 at 11:41 AM
OMG! I am seriously LOVIN' that room!! You have such great ideas! I really like the one about the chalkboard and the big buckets for shoes. AWESOME!!!
Posted by: cindy b | March 11, 2008 at 12:52 PM
Fun room... :) And I just keep thinking about how much my kids loved the sea monkeys when they were little... ah yes, memories. ;)
-kelly
Posted by: kelly | March 11, 2008 at 12:57 PM
I love it! My three girls share a room, they are 19, 9 and almost 7 (in about 2 weeks!). The 19 yr old says the little ones have too much stuff, although much of what they have combined is what she had alone at that age. The end of last summer we began a redo of the room, starting with the linens and curtains, over Pres. Day weekend, I had had it with the constant pile of stuff on the floor, mostly because the proper storage hadn't been put in place by me. We started with the big ones closet, a very scary place, then ended up emptying the entire room! The dolls/stuffed animals ended up in two cardboard boxes in the living room, until I could either settle and buy one really big plastic tub and put them in the garage for storage or figure out some way of displaying them. I settled and they are in a tub in the garage, but easy to access. Bottom line, we all love the room now. Next is the boys room....
Posted by: Kimberly | March 11, 2008 at 01:02 PM
OK-I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND!!! I'm redoing my little boys room right now and just ONE SIMPLE IDEA can end up costing hundreds!!!!! I have a large chalkboard from where I work (where they replaced it with a white dry-erase board) just waiting to put it up somewhere for the kids. (and I love your bedding by the way-and I'm ALL ABOUT painting ceilings to match walls now!!!! I'm doing it everywhere)
Posted by: Bobbi in Ky | March 11, 2008 at 01:08 PM
My boys can be pretty resistant to change as well--whether it's new socks or a new bed. Eventually they come around though and I'll bet your peeps will too. The girls' room looks great, so much fun! Love, love the chalkboard and desk area--especially the yardstick trim : ). We have two (19)80s school desks in our playroom, my daughter loves them. They were another steal of the century, just $2 each at the Habitat for Humanity thrift store.
Thanks for sharing!
Posted by: Jen | March 11, 2008 at 02:05 PM
gorgeous room Karen - so love the colour scheme and all those yummy bits and pieces :)
Posted by: Miriam (Australia) | March 11, 2008 at 02:35 PM
OH MY GOODNESS! Could it be any cuter?? (no, it couldn't!!)
What I really want to see now is the closet full of all their gorgeous Gymboree goodness!! :)
Thanks for sharing.
Posted by: Megan | March 11, 2008 at 02:39 PM
Is Annie in a Big girl bed? I am having a hard time converting my two from their cribs. They were jumping out of the cribs but now their not, so I don't really feel like I have a big rush to get them into big beds.
Posted by: | March 11, 2008 at 03:30 PM
It looks AWESOME! I'm sure they will adjust quickly and love it!
Posted by: Heather M. | March 11, 2008 at 04:02 PM
Karen, It looks fabulous. Any little girl would love this room. Great job. Thanks for showing us.
Michelle
Posted by: Michelle | March 11, 2008 at 04:26 PM
The room is phenomenal! And your honesty about your image of how everyone would react to the room and the reality of how they reacted was so refreshing...and REAL!
Posted by: Karol | March 11, 2008 at 06:49 PM
Can you come do my place? It looks so good I'm prepared to sleep on the top bunk myself!
Such a fantastic job ... practical and beautiful. The best way to go.
Posted by: Lily | March 11, 2008 at 07:43 PM
Love the room Karen! Your girls are soooo lucky! Which antique store did you get the desks at?
Posted by: Sadie in GP | March 11, 2008 at 07:47 PM
it's fabulous!
you did an excellent job, and everyone loves it, despite their worries and grumblings, i'm sure!
Posted by: aja | March 12, 2008 at 06:40 AM
GORGEOUS! I love the feel of it... happy. The rulers at the top of the chalkboard are AWESOME! You are inspiring me to get goig and finish up my kids rooms!! Love it!
...and the desks, oh my goodness! LOVE THEM!
Posted by: Jennifer Johner | March 12, 2008 at 08:00 AM
I just wanted to let you know how much I love your blog! You are so generous with all your tips, information, and advise. I learn so much by coming to your site. On that note, I just went to target and dropped a bundle because I just love the room you created for your girls. Thank you for being such an inspiration!!! You seem like such a wonderful person!!
Posted by: dalia | March 12, 2008 at 09:51 AM
Hey Karen,
Just wanted to say I've felt your pain with the whole spray paint issue. I found these awesome little attachment things at Fred Meyer that hook onto the top of the can so you just have to pull a trigger instead of pushing down with your finger. They are awesome!!!
Here's a link to one from Ace Hardware... http://www.acehardwareoutlet.com/(rgqcnz55hzg3u3qcwdo4bf55)/productdetails.aspx?sku=1000020639&source=GoogleBase
Erica
:D
Posted by: Erica Hettwer | March 12, 2008 at 11:36 AM
very nice room! love all the organization! great photos...i usually check out your blog to get photo ideas!! thanks
Posted by: ana | March 12, 2008 at 01:53 PM
Beautiful job. Went to Target today and found the last pastel green ice bucket. Thanks for the wonderful idea. Love the chalk board idea as well. Maybe you could show us pics of the rest of house for more wonderful decorating ideas.
Posted by: Libbi Moore | March 12, 2008 at 07:44 PM
Hi I was wondering how much you paid for the old one unit desk.
Posted by: John Halaska | February 27, 2010 at 05:49 AM
Experience is the na me give their mistakes. (Oscar Wilde, British playwright and poet)
Posted by: nike shox o'nine | September 03, 2010 at 06:49 PM