63 May Challenge: Project "Projects" {Boy's Bedroom - Part 3}

I don't know how I made it out of there alive.  Or sane.  In fact, I am going to be brutally blog honest... stripes are not my friend.

Rewind.

We are purely crazy in the Jones casa and felt that we had to do what we can to quickly complete the half finished boy's bedrooms before we start moving our house around to finish the lower level.  And as you may recall, I left you with half taped walls...

A couple of days later... we finished taping around the whole room!

The hubs measured all of the stripes down from the ceiling and from about the same point of the ceiling to ensure they were all perfect and straight.  Good man!

I had read some tips online about painting stripes on textured walls, and they all mention to paint a small coat of the under-wall color, over the edge of the tape to create a seal/lock, which won't allow the new color to get underneath the tape when it goes on.

So I did!

{It's weird how the different times in the day the walls look different shades of blue...}

Once I waited for the paint to dry, I started rolling on the second color, Pittsburgh Paint/Primer combo, Cityscape.  I have to mention, the first blue was a satin, the next lighter blue was also a satin finish.  Satin + Satin = Satan.  OK, no more negative Nelly, but it wasn't a great combo.  Even with built in primer, the stripes had to be two coated.  Boo to two coats.  This didn't make this gal happy.  Two boys in limbo of a finished room makes for too much commotion.  So, in the end, this project took FOREVER since I mentioned, I wanted it done in 10 minutes.

And as much as I totally wish I would have gotten this moment on film, I didn't, but I can't leave out the fact that I was standing on a small chair to paint the higher stripes, and completely fell off, right into the paint tray below.  Yep, paint splashed everywhere, kid's sleeping in the rooms down the hall, the hubs was at golf league, and I was left standing there on one foot, contemplating my next move and giggling at the chaos that had just went down.  I eventually hopped all the way to the closest bathroom, praying that I wouldn't trip or tip over before finding the bathtub to wash up!

When Bryan returned home from golfing, together we whipped out the rest of the painting and got both coats done in one night, including the inside of their closet.

Then, came the moment of truth.  The part I was biting my finger nails over.  The tape pulling.  It was either going to be pretty, or the opposite.  It was either going to make me grin big, or give me waterworks.  Go BIG or go home....

Oh my greatness, it was pure perfection!

Incredibly straight stripes on awfully textured walls!  Enter GIANT sighs of relief!!!

Once the paint was dry, I couldn't wait to get the outlet covers back on and hang the curtains to gain a better feeling of the room!

Do I dare say it?  It's the hub's fault actually.....  he said it reminded him of jail.  Jail colors, jail stripes, just plain jail...

However, I know the magic that textiles and furnishing and artwork can do to a space.  Most rooms in my house had me nervous at first, but by layering in multiple elements, they always have a way of magically pulling together and working themselves out.  Fingers crossed that happens here!

And what kind of mom would I be if I neglected to deal with the fact the kids have been sleeping on the floor for two weeks.... of course, there are absolutely worse things, but I couldn't wait to get those mattresses up off the ground and onto some new single beds.

The bunk beds, were HUGE.  They swallowed the itty bitty room whole.  The room is actually only 9 x 11.  That's like a sardine can.  And I know I am absolutely a crazy lady for thinking that two twin size beds can fit in a sardine can, but I have an awful hatred towards bunk-beds.  I just can't stand them.  I know they are a practical space saving solution and have been around for eons because they are practical in offering needed space in a shared bedroom.  However, and it's a big however.  I L O V E laying with the kid's at night.  We chat, sing, read and snuggle.  At bed time or in the middle of the night, I adore those moments more so than any other.  But it's not so easy with bunk beds.  The poor kiddo on the top bunk never seems to get as much snuggle time at night or in the morning, and it's not easy for me to even hoist them up there while they are half asleep....  And I can't for the life of me figure out how to make the bed on the top...

So I absolutely refused to reconsider bunk beds as the new option, although, my husband begged and pleaded with me. 

Considering we are always on a limited budget, the first place I headed to was Ikea to look for a bed frame/headboard combo.  When did beds get so expensive?  Furniture stores and even Target were crazy prices, and as much as we would have typically gone with a DIY version to save boatloads of moola, we have limited construction space as the garage is all lower level storage at the moment.  Time is also a giant factor.  Ikea was the only place that could offer somewhat reasonable prices... so we went with two of these guys...

I am the first to admit they aren't the most attractive bed.  But here is our logic.  I will be spray painting them at some point.  I will just say that now.  Or even adding a solid slipcover to the headboard?  If only I knew how to sew.  However you want to slice and dice it, they are modifiable {biggest win for me}, yet offer inexpensive off of the floor mattress support.  Not to mention, for the teeny tiny room, they are pretty compact options as well, and high enough off of the floor that we can come up with some incredible under bed storage solutions.

Because my man knows I can fix curtains all by myself, he also trusted me to put together the new beds... Before you know it, I will feel like I can use crazy power tools, re-tile our ugly back-splash or even demo a giant wall in the house....  stay tuned as I grow into my big girl pants....

Here is what the room looks like in this very second of the day....

What I love... the stripes are slowly getting better as items are being added to the room.  The red with all the blues is GREAT.  It feels brand new and fresh!  The different patterns and textures are F U N!  The boy's adore it, and that's the most important part!

What I don't love?  We absolutely have to find some box springs to raise the mattresses even higher and make the beds feel more substantial in the room {we didn't have box springs with the bunk beds, so we are currently without}.  There is no artwork on the walls {YET} to break up all of the blue.  SO much blue going on right now.  The room is small {that won't be changed}.  The carpet is the worst, must remove and find some sort of hardwood {someday}.  The dresser will have to be removed and the closet will have to be completely utilized for clothes.  I need to get creative in storing the rest of their toys and books and belongings in the space...

We are lucky that we plan on adding a playroom back into the lower level, and I like the idea of keeping the bedrooms more for relaxing, sleep and quiet time... so the limited space isn't as much of a factor when it comes to play, but more when it comes to storage.  I love a good challenge though, that's when I am forced to be the most creative!

For now, I found an old white cabinet from downstairs, to use for some of their books and a lamp...

But we have a ways to go!

So that's how the room is coming to fruition!  And I do actually have a secret crush on the stripes and I probably wouldn't be so bitter about the process of getting from A to B, f I wouldn't have lost my balance on that chair... chuckles!

There is still so much more to do, but it's already quite the transformation.  After days of deliberation, I ended up ordering this light fixture, and I can't wait to see what that brings to the space!  I am still on the hunt for a giant world map and we need to get the closet designed and installed this weekend.  But these things don't happen over night... so stay tuned for more project fun!

Before:

After:

So what do you think so far?  What do you love and not love?  What are your feelings on bunk beds?  Love 'em or the opposite?  Anyone else feeling accomplished this month?  Any fun projects in the works for this weekend?

I decided a little challenge would be fun! This month we are getting all those projects done!  Any project big or small counts!  Wanna join?  Take photos and blog about your awesomeness as you go!  I am hoping to do a giant, "We did it!" celebratory post where we can all link up our project completing success stories at the end of the month!