Handsome went hunting in November and, as many of you know, that means {project time} for moi. Our 21-year-old son recently moved out (this is after moving out, two room redos, moving back in and now moving out...I know, it's hard to keep up with but that is another story).
I've thought long and hard about what to do with this room...here's the before picture:
Truth be told, I had no idea what to do - I drew up some plans that included a sofa that would fold out into a bed, a built in desk area with a TV mounted on the wall and space for me to craft. I must have thought I had a MUCH bigger room (and imagination)...there's no way that would all fit in this space. And, I couldn't find a sofa (that I could afford) that had function and form...it's all about style, you know!
And, after getting rid of all the extra beds, literally a week before Tlo moved back in, we just improvised in that room with a twin bed on the floor (no frame), a dresser and a chair. The bed was too uncomfortable so I traded out some graduation announcement design work for a queen size pillow top bed.
Also last year, we sprung a major leak out front where the hose spigot is...it still has not been fixed and I was waiting for the wall to be fixed. (as you can see from the pix...it is finally fixed and Handsome just textured it today. I did threaten him with..."You cannot go hunting this spring until you fix.that.wall - amazingly enough, it got fixed, but I have not yet painted it, so igore!)
Handsome had a week-long hunt planned in the great state of Kansas...for deer and pheasant. I have to admit, I panicked a little bit when, the day after leaving for Kansas, I received a picture of him with his recently shot 10 point buck...talk about springing into action! Should have known better...he wasn't going to come home any earlier than necessary!
So, one element of this room is his childhood furniture. Now, don't go getting all upset with me...I could have very well sold it and purchased something else...but that is not how I roll and that is not what up-cycling is about. This piece of furniture is solidly built - I mean, it has withstood 3 teenage boys...there's something to be said for that!
It just didn't "go" with my idea, and it's not very modern looking.
I've always said..."forget the little black dress...all I need is a little black can of paint."
And I will continue to say that until I die!
You be the judge: first photo = the original furniture....second photo = painted furniture
{and oh I miss this room...it was my favorite, really...or maybe it was because of the boys that lived in it. Nonetheless, I miss it}
I, know, right?!
And the best part? We still have his furniture, to which he is very attached, and it looks better!
Oddly enough, when Handsome came home and said, "Is that my furniture?" I had to crack up...HE didn't even recognize it! The jury is still out on whether or not he "likes" it...but I know he likes having it around. And, as I said, it's well built and functional.
My jumping off point for the room was this serigraph that I bought at a gallery in Sydney, Australia 21 years ago...I happened to wander into the gallery, saw the original painting, titled "The Arrival" and LOVED it...so I bought the print. As luck would have it, the artist, Charles Billich, happened to be in the gallery and signed the piece for me; I also have a smaller piece of Perth. It wasn't an inexpensive purchase at the gallery...and since it is signed, it goes for about $2,500-3,000.
I have been lugging this piece of artwork with me for the past 21 years...and it has been in a closet for the past eight. Well, I decided it was time to honor it and hang it up...so it was really the inspiration for this room.
And the rest, it's history...I love animal print and I tried to pick colors that were warm and inviting, but not too feminine (apparently I missed the mark on the "not too feminine" part). Alas...the room.
Handsome constantly teases me that I've created a nice room for myself. ha ha
Truth be told...it is VERY different from the rest of the house. But that's why you have rooms, right? So each room can be something different? Our bedrooms are Paris, and zebra diva and now this room. Each have a different personality - just like the people that live there. I wanted to create a space that was warm, inviting and comfortable to those who come visit.
Besides painting, which is an obvious for me, I up-cycled {my new "thing"} this chest I nearly jumped an old woman for at Goodwill ($15 people, $15!). I needed a bedside table and everything was too wide or ugly. I found this piece at Goodwill and knew it was perfect - not only the right size, but storage too!
And then there is the chair and ottoman, which I PAINTED, people, YES! And it is gorgeous...if I do say so myself. There is going to be a whole post on this, so stay tuned. It turned out lighter than I wanted, but I am not re-doing it...and I like it...I LOVE it. Sometimes I just go in the room to see it...is that wrong? This was a major up-cycle job for me and thanks to my blogger-friend, Mandi, for the instructions overat http://www.vintagerevivals.com/
Another thing I like to do is
So two weeks ago I was in HomeGoods looking for "stuff" (you know how it is) and I came across this beauty for $50...$50, are you kidding me? And here comes the knockoff...
Mine cost me $20 and I was able to pick the exact colors I wanted. Why pay good money for what you can create in 10 minutes by yourself?
So that's our new guestroom...
Won't you be our guest? We're taking reservations...but I am holding a spot for my parents at Thanksgiving this year...hoping they'll come for a visit.
{alicia}
1 comment:
Alicia, it's beautiful! You really do have a knack and eye for design. Want to come redo my sons bedroom into a craft room? That's on my agenda.
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