Boy's Bedroom Makeover for Under $100

 

 

I know it has been a while since I have posted.  Things have been crazy busy in our household lately.  We have a lot going on as this school year is coming to an end. 

 

I wanted to share with you a long overdue post of my sons room.  I worked on it over Spring Break while he was away at his dad's.  (Yes, that is how overdue this post is.)

 

Here is the Before: 

(This is clean.  Well, his idea of clean.  If you have any boys you will understand that their idea of clean is not the same as Mom's.)

 

As you can see there was really was no rhyme or reason to this room. 

The walls were covered in posters and things that he hung up himself.

 

Now that he is 14, the bunk bed just wasn't working any longer.  He has gotten so tall that when he would sit up in the morning he would hit his head on the top bunk.

 

It was time for it all to go!

 

So I emptied out the room.

Ahhh!!! A blank canvas!

 

Now time for paint.

 

My question, why isn't gray just gray anymore?  or black, black? or white, white?

 

After painting the room the room the first time, what was supposed to be gray, turned out to be baby blue.  So back to Sherwin Williams I went.  And finally found the right color.

 

When looking for a new bed, I had a hard time finding anything that looked like it belonged in a boy's room.  I wanted something sturdy that would last.  (Seems like these days everything is made from particle board.)

 

It was time to get creative.

 

I found this 4 post bed at the thrift store for $20.00.

(not for a boy, until you do what I did)

 

I cut off the posts! 

 

Sanded it down!

 

And added some Black Paint!

 

On to the table.  He needed a table for his new TV that he got for Christmas.  It was still in the box, since there was nowhere to put it.

 

Another Thrift Store find....

It needed a face lift too.

Literally!

I pulled this plastic piece off the drawer front.

 

Then sanded!

Painted it Black!

 

Here is what it looks like now.

What a difference a little black paint can make.

 

 

The last BIG project I did in here was the comforter.  It is very hard to find a comforter or duvet cover these days for "grown-up" boys.  Everything is so girly.

I had an image of what I wanted in my mind and I think that made it more difficult in my search.

Since I was unable to find what I was looking for, I made my own.

 

How?

With Sheets!  Yes, a duvet cover made from sheets.

I found 3 flat sheets in the colors I wanted, lime green and black.  (His favorite color is lime green) 

I used one of the black sheets as the back.  Then the other two, one lime green and one black, I cut into different sized strips.  Sewed the strips together. 

After this I sewed the now striped sheet together with the solid black. 

Like a giant pillow case.

(Sorry there are no pictures of this process.  I was under the wire and had to do it quickly.  I sewed it all together the morning he was coming home.)

 

Filled it with his old comforter and voila...  a new duvet!

I was so happy with how it turned out. 

 

I added a little black side table to serve as a night stand.

A little lamp, I spray painted green.

A fun chair.

And a little black hamper.

 

 

The last thing was a little art on the wall.

Well, this kid loves his video games. 

(His prize possession is his XBox 360.  He had to wait 4 years before Mom finally got him one for Christmas.)

 

So what would be more fitting than XBox picture art.



I just went on to google, found a few photos, printed them and added them to these black picture frames. 

 

Room Complete!!!

He loved it!  And still does!

I was so happy with how it all turned out!

 

 

Oh yeah.......One last thing.....

 

When you are in a huge hurry to try to finish, don't forget an important step.

Remember to put the Slats under the Mattress.  Oops!!

We laughed about this one till we cried!

 

 

 

 

Cost Breakdown:

 

Paint: $40.00 (since I had to do it twice)

Bed: $20.00

TV Table: $7.50

Bedding: $20.00

Chair: $5.00

Hamper: Free

End Table and Lamp: Free

Pictures: Free

Bed without slats: Priceless

 

Total Cost:  $92.50  (UNDER $100.00) 

 

It can be done.  Get Creative.

 

 

 

 

Come and Sit a Spell, The Final Reveal

The Final Reveal......

Here is a look at our new sitting area that once was a formal dining space. 

It all started with the chairs we found on craigslist.  I reupholstered them in a pretty blue. 

Here is the link to the post for: Reupholstering Sofa Chairs-Part 2

 

 

Now that I had two comfy chairs, I had to add a little table.  I picked this one up at the thrift store on half price day for $4.50, and went to work on it. 

I sanded her down, stained the table tops and then painted the sides and legs.  I used my favorite Dark Walnut from Minwax to stain it.  I wanted to keep things cohesive in the space.  (this was the same stain I used on the desk, crates and chair legs.)  I wanted to keep the paint color neutral, so I used Sherwin Williams - Crisp Linen.  (this was paint I had left over from another project.) 

 



Here is the finished look of my little side table.

You can't sit and read without some lighting.  So I was on the hunt for a little lamp.  I came across this lamp and shade. 

 

 

Of course, they don't go with anything in my space so they got a little makeover.  The lamp was simple.  A little spray paint is all you need.  The lamp shade on the other hand was a bit more tricky. 

 

I found some fabric that matched the Sawhorse and Bulletin board color and it was only $1.50/yard.  Lucky for me!  I didn't even the whole yard of fabric.  So here is what I did....

• I pulled off all the red fabric but left on all the plastic (I was able to salvage it)
• then I wrapped it in the new fabric (used a quick dry craft glue every few inches to secure it)
• when I got to the end, I just folded over the fabric to make a seam
• trimmed up the top and bottom, folded it over and glued it down  (the clothes pins worked great holding it until the glue dried
• I made a little trim by folding a strip of material in half and folding in the edges  (Best part was no sewing)
• I then attached it to the top and bottom edges for a finished look



Here is what it looks like now.

 

 

Lighting complete.  Or is it?



 

Then it was time to add something to the large, bare wall.  I already had a plan for this.  Last summer we had picked up an old window from Rebuilding Center here in town.  (If you have a project to finish around your house, you should really check this place out.  They have so much and the prices are great.)

Of course, like everything else, this window needed a face lift.  It was layered with many coats of paint. 

 

It had a layer of light pink, dark pink, white, green, ivory, another pink and then white again.  As I started to prep the window for paint, I realized that I couldn't just sand it and add another layer.  The paint started to chip off.  So instead of using a paint stripper like I should have, I chipped it all off.  Scraping a little at a time.  (don't ask me why, I never seem to do things the easy way.) 

Anyway, I finally got down to the bottom layer of paint, sanded, taped it off and then..... almost Paint! 

 

I had some paint that I picked up a while back for a project in the kitchen (that is still not done, that's a post for another day).  I opened the can, the paint was PURPLE.  After a small panic, I decided to just tint the paint myself.  I put some of the Purple paint in a tin can and then added some True Navy Apple Barrel craft paint until the color was just right.  Now Paint!  It was perfect.

 

Here is the area finished! 

I think.... okay maybe not.

 

I am thinking about adding a shelf under the window.  What do you think?  

Also, I have some pillows that I want to add to the chairs but.... they are still in my head.  (I come up with great ideas at the strangest times.  But finding the time to finish them..... I'm working on it.)

 



You may be wondering why the lamp is different in this picture than above.  Well when we went to hang the window, the brass lamp was to tall.  So I went and found a shorter, cute little lamp to replace it.

 

We love this space!  I sit here every morning and enjoy my cup of coffee (in between getting kids out the door for school.)