Tag: play room

  • The Playroom’s #100reveal Makeover

    The Playroom’s #100reveal Makeover

    I’ve been making over four spaces in my home over the course of four weeks, using just $100 from Target each time, plus GE reveal® LED light bulbs. I’ve also had a total of $4000 in Target gift cards and plenty of GE reveal® lighting to give away so that each week, 10 readers win everything they need for their own #100reveal makeovers! The rules and information are at the bottom of this post, so be sure to enter.

    You’ve already seen what I’ve done to update my dining room and work space, and this week I worked on our playroom.

    The Playroom, Before

    The room is divided into a few different zones with one side set up for art projects, plenty of toys on shelves and a big open space in the middle for playing, and then what I jokingly refer to as the kids’ apartment, over by the window. There’s a nicely stocked play kitchen, a small table and chairs for hosting tea parties, and a couple of chairs that divide the space and provide a spot for the grownups to sit. That’s the side I focused on for my #100reveal makeover. I used my budget at Target to pick up a wire cubby, a large wire basket, a clock, picture frame, and some fake flowers for the kids’ table.

    #100reveal Makeover Supplies from Target and GE reveal® Lighting

    The cubby, picture frame, and clock were hung on the wall to the left of the play kitchen. The cubby is acting as a pantry, the sweet print in the frame is from Petit Pippin, and I figure every kitchen (pretend or not) needs a clock.

    Playroom Toy Kitchen

    Clock, Petit Pippin Framed Print, and Cubby with Play Food

    I like to have fresh flowers on our dining table, so the kids like having them for their table too and an artificial arrangement is more practical for them to play with. The wire basket holds stuffed animals for tea parties.

    Making it Lovely's Playroom

    Wire Toy Basket

    I sewed those patterned curtains years ago for my studio, back when I was running my stationery shop and before Brandon and I had any kids. I loved the pattern then and I still do, all these years later! (The fabric is called “Mom’s Couch” by Moda, but it was discontinued ages ago.) There are three lights in the playroom: one in the ceiling fan, a floor lamp, and a matching task lamp. Swapping out their bulbs for GE reveal®& LED bulbs really made that pattern in the curtains pop! The white walls looked far better at night too, without the former lighting’s yellow cast.

    The difference between GE reveal® and ordinary lighting

    You can see more of this week’s #100reveal makeover in action in the video below.

    Wire Toy Basket

    Eleanor and August patiently waited for me to finish up working on the room so they could come up to play. The new additions were a big hit, and the lighting made it much nicer to be up there as the sun went down.

    Playing in the Playroom

    Tea Party in the Playroom

    Giveaway

    Do you have a playroom or other fun space in need of some updating? Comment below about setting up the perfect place to relax and play using GE reveal® and a $100 gift card to Target, mentioning #100reveal for your chance to win!

    There will be ten winners drawn. See the complete rules for more information, and good luck!

    GE LightingI’m so excited to be a GE reveal® #100reveal sponsored blogger. Opinions are my own, projects have been chosen by me, and additional products used in the project were selected by me and provided by GE reveal®.

  • The Playroom’s Accent Wall (Featured in HGTV Magazine)

    The Playroom’s Accent Wall (Featured in HGTV Magazine)

    The playroom is sporting a different look from the last time you saw it! I showed a couple of shots while the wall was in progress a couple of months ago, but then I couldn’t show any more until the feature with Glidden ran in HGTV magazine this month.

    Playroom Accent Wall in Progress

    I write for Glidden, so when they asked if I had any painting projects coming up that they could share, I told them about my plans for the playroom. Typically, I’m not one to do an accent wall, as they can seem kind of arbitrary. In this case though, I really liked the white walls on the third floor for the most part, but wanted to bring some of the color over from the curtains on the other side of the playroom. A big block of color (like a traditional accent wall) could have worked, but I thought this would be a good place to try something a bit more playful.

    Accent Wall in the Playroom #makingitlovely

    Playroom Accent Wall #makingitlovely

    The feature is inside a peel-back front cover in the June 2014 issue of HGTV magazine, along with projects by Kate and Eduardo, who also write for Glidden over at My Colortopia.

    Making it Lovely  for Glidden in the June 2014 issue of HGTV Magazine

    Initially, I thought about creating a more orderly polka dot wall, but I changed my mind the day before I started painting and went with a bunch of falling bubbles instead. The walls on the third floor are textured, so the design couldn’t be too intricate. I started with the quick marker sketch you see at the beginning of the post, and then drew large circles for the design on the wall, freehand with a pencil. I used an inexpensive art/craft paintbrush to outline some of the smaller circles, and used a 2″ angled paintbrush for the rest, and to fill everything in.

    Circle Outlines

    The other side of the playroom has those floral curtains that I made years ago from Moda’s “Mom’s Couch” fabric. They hung in my stationery studio initially, and were also used in Eleanor’s bedroom in the last house.

    Playroom #makingitlovely

    I chose Glidden’s Red Geranium because I wanted to pull in that bright orangey-red color and bring it to the other side of the room.

    Playroom Accent Wall #makingitlovely

    There are bookshelves for toys to the right of the easel, and along the left side, I hung cubbies to keep art supplies within reach, and also put up three large wall clips to use for rotating artwork on display from the kids.

    Playroom Accent Wall #makingitlovely

    Art Supplies in Reach, and Display

    I’m glad I’m finally able to share this updated space with you! We spend a lot of time in the playroom, and the added color has made it even more fun for the kids. And thank you, Glidden and HGTV magazine for featuring the project!

    Playroom Accent Wall #makingitlovely

  • The Finished Basement Studio and Play Room

    The Finished Basement Studio and Play Room

    I know, I know. I never really showed the basement after I finished it.

    Basement Craft Studio

    You’re already seen the laundry room and half-bathroom. The storage area has these shelves built, but since we decided (abruptly) to sell, it’s not looking so photo-ready in there. I’m assuming you’re not all that interested in it anyway though, as it really is just a bunch of storage.

    Let’s see the parts you might actually want to see, yes? Here we go.

    The basement has fairly high ceilings (for Oak Park, at least). We’ve never had any issues with flooding or seepage, even before we remodeled and finished it. The problem, I suppose, and the reason you haven’t seen “after” photos until now is that it’s not really finished the way I imagined it would be. It looks fine, but it’s far less Pinterest-y than it could have been. You know what I mean.

    Basement Craft Studio

    Basement Craft Studio

    Dude. I know what you’re thinking. Where’s the bunting? The pom-pom everything? The framed Etsy prints? But don’t worry! It’s still plenty twee!

    Basement Craft Studio

    Basement Craft Studio

    Basement Craft Studio

    I kid, but I really was going to do a paint-by-numbers mural on the far play room wall. (Next house, perhaps, especially after seeing it in person at Camp Wandawega.)

    Basement Craft Studio

    We had a problem with one cat peeing on the rugs I tried to have in the space before. I don’t know why it started, but once it happened, it just kept on happening. We had to throw the rugs out. The striped rug that’s in the play room side is the one that I bought for August’s room and so far, it is unspoiled. (I’ll tell you a secret though. We only have it out when we’re going to be playing down there. Then it gets rolled up as a precaution.)

    Basement Play Room

    toys

    Basement Play Room

    Ta da! Finished.

    p.s. Our house is for sale today. All official-like with an MLS listing and everything.

  • Paint-by-Numbers, Giant Wall Mural Inspiration

    Paint-by-Numbers, Giant Wall Mural Inspiration

    I’ve painted original murals before for my nephews, but it’s been a while. These giant paint-by-numbers murals have me inspired though, maybe enough to actually commit to making one! It might be something fun to do in the play room area of the basement.

    – Camp Wandawega

    – Camp Wandawega

    – Curtis Robertson

    – Camp Collective for Etsy

    – Scott and Cheryl White

    I don’t think it would be difficult, but it would be incredibly time-consuming. Here’s a peek at the process…

    – Curtis Robertson

    – Cabin Collective

    – Cabin Collective

    A crazy amount of work. I think the results are just the right amount of cheesy goodness though! You like? Or are they too cheesy for you?