The other day we were watching cartoons, and Olivia came on. Have you seen it? It's a show based on the Ian Falconer picture book series about a precocious little pig and her quirky take on life. The important part, though, was the decor inspiration we gleaned from Olivia's room.
We love Olivia's vintage steamer trunk and red lacquered floor mirror. You can recreate the look with this heavy-duty travel trunk, some stickers, an adorable kid-sized floor mirror, and a can of glossy red spray paint. Thanks for the inspiration, Olivia!
Left to right:
Heavy Duty Vinyl Trunk ($143.99)
Replica Vintage Luggage Labels (box of twenty labels, $17)
Child's Cheval Floor Mirror ($85)
Krylon Banner Red Gloss Spray Paint ($4.98)
(Image: NickJr.com)
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$144 trunk for a little kid? What about one of those $20 fiberboard foot lockers that I usually see for sale around back-to-school season?
Hi Firesong! Could you post a link? I've been working on a round-up of steamer trunks and would love to include a lower priced option. So far the cheapest I've found are in the $80-90 range and have chrome hardware (I was looking for brass for the vintage look). Thanks!
KatieDoh, way to ask me to put my money where my mouth is! :) Searching my usual discount retailers' websites turned up surprisingly little. I did find this $40 black foot locker with brass-plated hardware at Kmart. The next cheapest I found was this slightly larger one with wheels for $70 at Bed Bath & Beyond. They also have a pink version.
I guess it has been a long time since I was in the market for college dorm room furnishings... I feel old!
Oh, I like that Kmart one a lot! It even has the brass hardware, and $40 definitely beats $144. That's certainly going into my round-up. Thanks, Firesong!
PS When I headed off for college, I think I used a lot of Hefty bags. So chic!
I just remembered that my freshman dorm roommate had a huge, light-up plastic Spuds MacKenzie. That should give you a hint about how long ago it was.
My son likes the cartoon well enough, but I love Olivia! There's just something about the gentle, but sassy nature of it on the whole that I love. And I thoroughly enjoy Ian Falconer's sense of humor.
By the way, check at your local Hobby Lobby for trunks. They run 30-50% off coupons nearly every week and have a variety of sizes & styles. I think you could snag one there for closer to $50-60.
I am forever searching cartoons & children's books for inspiration! I really like Charlie & Lola's style!
My son's favorite show right now is Olivia. He dances and squeals everytime the show comes on. He also has two of the board books and is always digging those two out of the book basket.
As an adult, I enjoy her outlook on life. I wish I could be that precocious and get away with it!
I love this idea but must add a word of caution: kids can get easily locked in trunks with drop-down latches. It would be a good idea to drill a couple of discreet air holes just to be safe.