One room Challenge week 3: Finishing up the big boy bed and room layout

It's week three of the big boy bed challenge!

Week 1

Week 2

Last week my goals were to:

• Finish Bed
• Draft Room Layout
• Find solution for art storage
• Reconfigure book and clothing storage

Regrading finishing the bed, I got some more paint on it and then I left my paint brushes, roller and paint open when I went to comfort a crying baby and forgot about them.  This put a damper on my progress!

Bed Painting 'workshop'

I also decided I wanted to do a top coat.  I have no idea if it will help the paint hold up or not, I mean I did sand and prime it, but it's way more work than I thought,  so it seemed some easy insurance that I did everything I could!!

I drafted a bunch of room layouts.  Then I realized I only painted one of the bunk bed rails and I'm not sure I"ll get another one painted and ready in time, so I went back to the drawing board with the side rail I had.  I think I've got it figured out, but because I'm an engineer and because my drawing was done with no scale, no straight edge and in my journal one night in bed I'm going to refrain from sharing it.

And I decided on a project for art storage.  Actually, I decided that I already have a solution for actual art storage in my house. (I'm pretty proud of it, too)

I decided what he really should have is a bulletin board.  But he's 2, and his little brother is 1, so anything with tacks, pins, or anything else sharp or easily chocked on what's realy going to work.  I spent an irordinate amount of time trying to make a board, but I can officially choke that up as a failure.  I chose some frames instead. :)

The final task this week was REALLY working on the hype.  Along with the big boy bed change is another major change; so long paci.  We've been talking about it for months already, but I really amped it up this week.  We'll see if the long prep time helps at all.

Next week:

Assemble Bed
Buy Bedding
Convince big guy he's a big guy
Update Frames

One Room Challenge Week 2: Big Boy Bed.

One room Challenge!

Week 1: Introduction

The catalyst for this project was a crib tumble incident.  The most important component is a big boy bed.  Immediately following the fall, we put a rain on the crib, making it into a toddler bed.  But it's time for a big boy boy.

The day of 'the fall' I posted my sad story on facebook and one of my neighbors mentioned that it was time for grown up bedroom for her baby boy, so she had a bunk bed if I'd like it.  I had been planning to get a bunk bed that could be set up as two twin beds so it was perfect!!

I decided I would give the bed a fresh coat of paint, but those plans have been very slow coming, (aka it just sat in the garage for a long time) but that's the whole point of this challenge right??

As you might remember, all of my sons furniture is dark, so I needed a dark coat of paint.  I googled painting furniture a zillion times and convinced myself I didn't need to sand it.  I bought some awesome primer and paint and did a sample.  It immediately flaked and I could tell immediately that it wasn't going to hold up to being in a little boys room.  So I guess were sanding.

Sanding the bed wasn't too bad.  I used a belt sander I borrwed from a friend and then hand sanded the parts I couldn't reach with it.  Even with the sanding, I decided we better put on a coat of primer.  Than I thought, eh, might as well to do.  (Paint goes along way on furniture and there was a lot left!)

Now we are own to painting, although that will probably take a while as I want to make sure each coat cures and the color is dark so it will take a few coats.

As I mentioned, the bed is the biggest part of this project, but I started thinking about what else a 'big boy' might need in his room.

Our little big boy loves reading, so a good way to store and read books is critical.  I am also thinking a place to hang his art might be fun.  A good friend of mine put these awesome continuous creation art panels in her daughter's room, but I don't think I'm quite that brave yet!

I have a general rule of no loud toys in the bedrooms, so I'd like to stick with that, but since he's getting to be a bit bigger and enjoy some activities that are easier without baby brother, I think I'll move some of those into his room as well.   It's a bit of a delicate balance, however because anything in his room as the potential to end up everywhere in his room on less successful nap days.  Ease of clean up is certainly an important factor on what goes in.

I'm also going to move around his clothes and closet to match how he uses his room right now.

Goal for next week:

• Finish Bed
• Draft Room Layout
• Find solution for art storage
• Reconfigure book and clothing storage

One Room Challenge: The Big Boy Bedroom.

If you're visiting to check out my room remodel, welcome!  If you followed my not so sucessful room in spring, welcome back!  If you have no idea what I'm talking about, read on for a short summary.

I stumlbed upon the one room challenge last spring and thought, Hey!  I have rooms to remodel!  Six weeks?  No problem!  So I jumped right in.  And I got off to a pretty good start.  Things kind of fell apart after that.  Eventually, I realized that I'm a working mom with two babies and remodeling my kids bathroom was pretty low on my to do list, especially without a plan.  And then we remolded our back yard instead.

As soon as we were done with the yard, I decided that in October, we would finally tackle our master bedroom.  I have notes, schedule, drawings, ideas, and deadlines.  

But I also have hard learned realistic expectations.  As I look at my calendar for the next 6 weeks, I recognize that my ambitious bedroom project is just not going to happen.  

And then my toddler fell out of his crib and a new, and more acheivable project, fell into my lap.   

We need a Big Boy Bedroom!

The before:

I love my sons nursery.

We worked hard on that room.  We installed the chair rails, painted and loving picked out paint colors, arts, and decor.  When we decorated the room, we intentionally chose a theme we thought would grow with our baby.

And now our baby has grown!  So I'll spend this month updating our nursery for our not quite so little boy! I hope you'll follow along!

One Room Challenge: New Perspective, but no new bathroom.

Six weeks ago, I decided to tackle remodeling a room in my house in 6 weeks.

Ha.

I didn't get a new bathroom, but I did get a new perpsective.

At this precise moment, my bathroom was swatches of sevreal paints on the wall, pieces of decor and multiple half done projects on the counter.

I'm not going to do it now.  As hard as it is for me to not meet a goal, I'm going to be realistic and acknoweldge that right now, the boys bathroom will just have to wait.

And amazingly, I'm okay with that!  I keep remembering the words my first professional mentor told me:

I certainly learned something!

If you want to see some people who didn't get in over their heads, check it out here!

One, or ten, projects at a time....

This week it really hit home why this challenge is called ONE project at a time.

Also, why I'm typically so meticulous with my planning.  I AM a Civil Engineer, after all.

Unfortunately, I'm also a frazzled mom.  That means that like it or not, my first job is to put out the fires.

The yard is a fire, sort of, and I'm excited to post more on that (and how it's NOT going exactly as planned), but in the meantime, I'm frantically turning my laundryroom into a temporary retirement home for my curmudgeonly old cat.

I just keep reminding myself that life is a marathon not a sprint....

In the spirit of the challenge, I will not post next week as everyone finishes up, but I'm cheering for you all from here!

One Room Challenge: Weak Week.

I am awful.

I have bad news.  I didn't do a single thing on the bathroom this week.

But I have great news: it's time to redo our yard!

So while traveling this week (which is excuse number 1) we received final notice on the grant for our yard!

Our yard isn't a major overall, but it needs done.  And it needs a decent amount of time and attention to get it done.  So I'm faced with a dilemma, do I abandon the bathroom for the greener pastures of our yard?  Do I try to do both?  The yard has a time limit, so just waiting isn't really an option.

What to do???   Do I switch and try to get the yard done in the next two weeks?

Like last week, these people are probably doing much better than I am!

One Room Challenge: Week 3: fail.

I decided to tackle the boys bathroom as part of the One Room Challenge.

Week 1: Introduction
Week 2: Colors!

This week, my original goals were to complete the painting, adress the mirrors and choose some accessories.

Ya, but instead I did this:

This is a picture of nothing.

To be fair, I didn't actually do nothing.  I hosted out of town guests, helped coordinate a party, worked, and I even weaned my baby!  

But I didn't touch that bathroom.  Actually, that's a lie.  I kicked the pile of towels back in from my son's room where I'd stashed them while I painted (and mort importantly photographed) and then I proceeded to walk around them all week.  I tripped over the can of sample paint that I'd left on the floor (twice).  I caught my toddler pretending to brush his teeth with the mostly clean paint brush, and I did everything on my to do list while feeling guilty for not getting around to painting. (Not getting around to buying the paint was the primary problem.)    If you want to see some people who are doing a much better job than me, click here.

But alas, that's life sometimes, right?  

But to make it up, I'll leave you with a picture.  I don't always make beautiful rooms, but I always make beautiful babies!

One Room Challenge: Week 2

I decided to tackle the boys bathroom as part of the One Room Challenge.

Week 1: Introduction

This week, my original rough goals were to finalize my plan and schedule, and choose colors, paint and theme.  You can see what others are doing here.

At the beginning of the week, I finalized my project schedule and and Goals and created a To-Do list

1. Choose Theme
2. Choose Colors
3. Match/ Choose Trim paint
4. Buy Paint
5. Finalize Project List
6. Outline Project Task Lists

Theme:
When I chose the boy's bathroom, I already had one very small detail chosen.  I'd picked up a cute wall decal at the store a while ago that I wanted to hang in the room.  I liked the colors and it complimented both boys rooms.  I thought the phrase was adorable.

What else could a mother of boys wish for??

I decided I'd roughly base my plan on these colors.  I took a last minute trip to Target to pick up Easter baskets (that bunny is a slacker).  While I was there, I wandered through the kids bathroom department and feel in love with a curtain.  It didn't match my colors exactly, but I decided to give it a try.  My wall color will be neutral, and finding a new curtain won't be a major setback if I dislike it later.  So, for now, chevrons ins blues, greens, grey, and some highlight colors it is!

Color:

We've been trying to decide on paint colors for lots of spaces in our home.  I love the cool greys, but my whole house is warm browns, so it's challenging.  I decided to pick up a sample of a paint we still have up for debate in our bedroom: Revere Pewter.  This room might be a good chance to explore the color before making a bigger commitment!  I also decided I'm going to try some matte/gloss stripes, so I spent some time this week experimenting with that.  Not sure I'm brave enough to do stripes and chevrons, although I saw some great examples of it.

Paint:

I didn't buy trim paint yet, but I intend to paint next week, so it's on the list!

Finalize/Outline Project Task Lists:

I did finalize my project list as well as creating a list of sub tasks for each.  I won't bore you with the details (yet)

• Make Bathroom accessible and easy to use for the boys
• Paint
• Frame Mirror
• Finish Stools
• Create Canvas
• Organize/kid proof bathroom cabinets

As a bonus, I got ahead!  I had purchased a few towels at Target and instead of outlining one of my projects, I decided to jump right in with it!

DIY Hooded Towel

I'm exciting about how they came out and it was nice to jump in and actually finish something in the middle of doing mostly planning.  

One Room Challenge: The Boys Bathroom.

My boys are not yet one and almost two and a half and I'm already terrified of what will eventualy become of the Jack and Jill bathroom between their bedrooms.  I have nighmares about the messes and smells associated with teenaged boys and a room accessible only via their bedrooms.  I've warned by husband that I might just abandon the room altogether someday...

But thankfully, that day isn't today!  To date, the boys bathroom is the least utilized room in our house.  For years, before children, it say completed unused, except to be cleaned.

But with one child approaching potty training, things are changing rapidly for this space!

I decided to tackle this room because it doesn't need any great overall, and joining this challenge was a last minute decision.  I think with a little bit of time and energy, I can give this room a little bit of freshing and address some of it's recently added uses.

My primary goal for this room is to make it easier to use for little people: step stools, child accessible towel racks, toy storage, etc.

Week 1: Finalize Plan, Choose Colors, Choose Paint and Theme

Week 2:  Complete Paint, Address Mirrors, Choose Curtain and Towels

Week 3:  Chose and purchase stools, hooks & Decor

Week 4: Complete Step Stools, additions, and address organization

Week 5: Completion!

In the meantime, I'm hoping the challenge will keep me moving along and I can steal borrow lots of great ideas from the other participants on Calling it Home!

The biggest challenge I anticipate in this room is time.  Because it's located between my kids rooms, my prime 'project time' (naps and after bedtime) won't work very well.

My current challenge is that my camera lens broke!  I'm currently shooting with a fixed 50 mm lens, so I apologize for the photos as I get used to it and decide what to do about the broken lens.