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I'm a day late to Kimba's DIY party over at A Soft Place to Land but I thought I'd tag along anyway and show you all a project I've been working on. Our school room, which happens to be half of the kitchen, has looked the same for a couple years now. Definitely time for a change. It still has a ways to go - a work in progress, but I'm happy with the way it's shaping up.
Here's a before pic - notice the black butcher paper on the wall, black/white polka dot trim. Too dark with the black painted book shelves and black desks. Time to lighten things up!
Tore down three layers of paper - for three different themes over the years. What a mess!
What did the bare, white walls reveal? Years of staples! That's right - I stapled lots of things on my wall, including at one point a huge tree which was for our reading corner. And yes, I did remove every single one of those staples - hundreds of them. {hangs head in shame}
It never ceases to amaze me what a quart of paint can do for a room! I painted the walls - Cottage White (left-over from our kitchen) by Behr in a satin finish. Hung the shelf which was repurposed from my daughter's room. Painted the once black desks - Sunwashed Blue by Ralph Lauren, but they didn't have it in a quart size so the kind man at the paint department custom matched the color for me in a Glidden paint. It looks a little dark on the top of the wall - but it's the shadow cast from the sunlight. The shade really is a pretty creamy white.
A few little accessories for my shelf - Anthropologie mug, old Ball jar w/seashells we've collected, white Ikea pot and small jar to hold my chalk.
My old rescued windows. I've turned one into a bulletin board and the other into a chalkboard.
Emma's desk and her drawings hanging above.
My inspiration for the desk color is from the very talented Michelle - From House to Home. Her Everything Room rocks! Click on over and check out all the great pictures. To help tone down the brightness of the blue shade, she brushed on some brown paint - a technique I haven't tried on mine yet, but probably will attempt.
Here's a snippet of just one corner of the room and her desk...
My little room is far from finished. I'm on the hunt for some cute chairs and funky fabric for cushions. A rug, and some artwork for the wall next to my desk and above the book shelf. Looking for new curtains too - possibly drop cloth.
What do you think? Any ideas/suggestions?
July 10th, 2009 at 10:16 am
Wow, what a HUGE change! It looks so light and bright now. I also really like how you arranged things on your bookshelves.
~ Sarah
July 10th, 2009 at 10:31 am
LOVE IT!!! I love the idea of the drop cloth for drapes! You could use some colorful ribbon to put on the sides to add some color to them. Super cute! -Kelsee
July 10th, 2009 at 10:49 am
What an awesome school room. Your color choices are gorgeous!!!!!
July 10th, 2009 at 1:21 pm
So this is where you have been friend.. miss you ! Looks AWESOME! I MUST get the hubby working on my desk redo...cause I just got my free sample paint in the mail...its Caribbean Sea...yahooo cant wait to start paintin !! LOVE LOVE LOVE your new school room ! Perfect !
July 10th, 2009 at 1:32 pm
Wow, what a difference. It's looking so homey and cosy.
July 10th, 2009 at 1:59 pm
Oh, Marie, I love, love, love it! The white shelf is fab and I love the color on the desk! (Is this this table that you were talking about painting the other day?)
Don't you just love Michelle's home?! It's so awesome! Have a great weekend!
Hugs,
Rachel
July 10th, 2009 at 3:57 pm
This is SUCH a cute space! I love everything about it! Well done!
July 10th, 2009 at 3:58 pm
Wow!!!
July 10th, 2009 at 4:21 pm
The black, white and aqua looks wonderful. And the shelves are so neat, too. Lovely room - you should feel very proud!
July 10th, 2009 at 4:35 pm
Ohhh Marie, the room is beautiful!
I fail most days in teaching my daughter to do for others, but hopefully, the times in between will stick!
Have a wonderful weekend!
July 10th, 2009 at 4:42 pm
Oh, I LOVE IT!!! I am SO impressed. I wish you could come and makeover some spaces in my home sweet home.
By the way...I was homeschooled since the 5th grade all the way through high school and it was the best thing my parents ever did for me...so WAY TO GO!
July 10th, 2009 at 4:55 pm
What a neat little area. I have an ugly oak shelf that is shaped a lot like yours. That makes me want to paint it black (music goes off in head).
July 10th, 2009 at 5:22 pm
wow this is one makeover, fab job, looks like a magazine spread, infact you should send it off to a mag
happy making over
Sarah
July 10th, 2009 at 6:13 pm
Wow! Your room turned out so cute!
We homeschool and have a schoolroom too....it's such a fun area to decorate and try color. Thanks for sharing!
July 10th, 2009 at 6:25 pm
OOOHHH! Love the floor the desk the shelf THE ROOM!!! I really need to suck it up and paint! Actually I'd hve to suck up all the stuff to paint but I can do it! Thanks for sharing your room!
Hugs, Lisa
July 10th, 2009 at 7:29 pm
What a great makeover!! Such a great space. I love it all, but Emma's sweet drawings really make me smile! I have Sunwashed Blue as the top color on my dining room walls.
Have a great weekend!
Michelle
July 11th, 2009 at 4:34 am
Great redo! I love a "classroom" with soothing colors!
July 11th, 2009 at 5:45 am
Oh my gosh Marie!! This looks fabulous!! I really love all of your color choices, the blue desks are just perfect, love the hutch/shelves hung on the wall, and all the accessories are great. Really wonderful job here
And Michelle's everything room, I've had it bookmarked for quite some time, isn't it just gorgeous?
Have a great weekend!
July 11th, 2009 at 6:57 am
WOOOO HOOOOO! Featured on A Soft Place To Land!!! Go Marie!!!!
July 11th, 2009 at 10:02 am
You NEVER cease to amaze me!!! I'm grateful I was able to access your site today! I have missed out on so much. (IE is driving me crazy!!) Your makeover is fabulous!!
July 11th, 2009 at 10:58 am
Awesome job!!! I am a first time visitor but plan on returning!!
July 11th, 2009 at 11:49 am
I remember reading about your rescued windows. I love what you've done with them! Your school room looks great!
July 11th, 2009 at 1:24 pm
I LOVE THAT ROOM! It is perfect! I am definately keeping those pictures for later use!!
great job!
July 11th, 2009 at 2:31 pm
Marie,
I think it looks great! It's just so much brighter and fresher looking. Paint is fabulous! Check out my blog; I'm having a giveaway and would love for you to enter. Take care!
Nancy
July 11th, 2009 at 3:37 pm
this looks great! i love painted furniture.
July 11th, 2009 at 6:52 pm
Marie,
This looks absolutely adorable! SOOOOO much better. I love the blue desk. The different colored furniture goes together so well. I would have loved to have a school room like this when I was a little girl!
Kudos!
Traci
July 11th, 2009 at 6:57 pm
Hi Marie.
I saw your shout out over at ASPTL. Front page. Not bad.
XOXO
*Tricia
July 11th, 2009 at 7:13 pm
What a wonderful change! It looks like such a welcoming place. laurie
July 11th, 2009 at 8:10 pm
love it, love it, love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
July 11th, 2009 at 8:11 pm
love it, love it, love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It makes me want to homeschool..........naaaa
July 12th, 2009 at 4:18 am
Thanks for the follow...and how lucky for me! You have a great site. I love this redo!
July 12th, 2009 at 5:49 am
It looks so wonderful!!! You did a fantastic job.
So inspiring!
July 12th, 2009 at 1:40 pm
Marie, that is one adorable room! Love all the little details. That blue looks like the same one I used in my beachy guestroom for my side table. So pretty!
July 12th, 2009 at 4:25 pm
I love the simplicity of your school room/area. I have to ask, how many do your homeschool? I hope to re-do my school room soon. You may see some familiar features.
July 12th, 2009 at 7:02 pm
I LOVE your space!! Great colors!!!!
July 13th, 2009 at 3:39 am
I LOVE LOVE LOVE it!! The colours and textures work so well together.
I've bookmarked this in my design file as I'm working on our home, too.
Thanks for your sweet comment on my blog,
Sarah
July 13th, 2009 at 6:51 am
It looks fantastic! I think it was a great idea to take down, but I am sure it was frustrating trying to get all those staples out! Oh, I would have been ready to pull my hair out! But, well worth it! Looks great!! Great job though! Thank you for visisting my blog as well!! Have a fantastic day!
July 13th, 2009 at 7:15 am
I can actually comment!! Yay! Your room looks so beautiful, I cannot get over the transformation! The colors are so fun and fresh, just perfect.
~Michelle
July 13th, 2009 at 9:07 am
Congrats on your feature by Kimba!
July 13th, 2009 at 9:15 am
Looks great! I love the touches of blue.
July 13th, 2009 at 10:08 am
You did so great, Marie -- I just don't know how you even have time to blog!
Love the chalkboard on the window idea! So practical for this room, too!
July 13th, 2009 at 12:03 pm
Cute, cute and cute! Love the way the furniture pops off those neutral walls!
July 13th, 2009 at 1:14 pm
You know I'm loving that window chalkboard! Now we're twins (Although your space is soooo much prettier than mine!)
July 13th, 2009 at 5:19 pm
Love everything you did with that room. I want to come sit there and learn something myself!
October 3rd, 2009 at 5:25 am
Hey Marie,
Love your school room. We also home school and last year was our first year to actually mark out a room just for that purpose. It is still in progress, but I love having a place for our time around the table!
Looking forward to getting to know you! Thanks for visiting with me!
Stacey