Name: rcwellington
Location: New York
Time: About 8 hours over 2 days.
Cost: Paint = $50, tape = $6, shades = $50, bedskirt = $45, limewash = $20, drawer hardware = $12, tulips = $6, pillows, curtains and art were all poached from other rooms. TOTAL = $189
Okay, this is a bit bigger than a breadbox, but it's a specific project done in a short time in one room and IT'S DONE. How many others can say that? Heck, we've still got one coat of paint to put on our little towel hook project. This reboot is totally inspirational. Head below the jump for all the pics, tools, and instructions and VOTING...
BEFORE
Tell us the tools and resources you used for the project:
We had been unhappy with our bedroom for a while, but I kept telling myself that it was "fine for now". The Jumpstart contest inspired us to actually DO something about it. Now that the bedroom is revamped, I feel better about our home as a whole. I think that our entry is a testament to the transformative power of paint and a good old fashioned rearrange. The tools we used were:
* 1 gallon Benjamin Moore Aura paint from Mazzone's Hardware on Court Street. Colour: Cement Gray (2112-60) Finish: Eggshell. Note that this colour looks darker and grayer in person than in the pictures.
* Lots of thick blue painter's tape
* Paintbrush, roller, Mr. LongArm roller handle (which I’ve been borrowing from a friend for more than a year – sorry Perri!), paint tray, liner, drop cloth
* 1 quart of Valspar textured limewash from Lowe's
* 2 old deli containers, rags, water
* Lampshades from Restoration Hardware (empire shade, size B, white linen - not my first choice, but they were really low on stock)
* Tailored bedskirt from Bed Bath & Beyond
* 4 Eva Osteon knobs from Anthropologie
* 2 Marimekko curtain panels
* 2 Thomas Paul pillows from storage
* Photos left over from Sam's latest show - living with a photographer is awesome when you need some art in a pinch. We usually live with a few different pieces and move them around before settling on something, hence the prints on the floor.
* Folding chairs - a placeholder until I can find a bench that I like.
* Marimekko Bottna fabric - this is earmarked for a kitchen curtain, but it's nice on those chairs until then and keeps my next project at front of mind.
(All of the other “new” art was cycled into this room from elsewhere around the apartment)
MY TOOLS
Share step by step instructions for how you completed the project:
1. Agonize over paint colours until boyfriend is about to run screaming from store, and then heroically save relationship by making a snap decision.
2. Clear room of everything but the big stuff, move said big stuff into center of room and cover bed with an old sheet.
3. Carefully tape the entire room. Our high ceilings have sloped shoulders, so it is especially crucial to be precise there. Otherwise, you end up lying sleepless in bed, staring up at errant blotches.
4. Take off shoes/socks. I step in paint constantly and this is the only way that I can prevent myself from cluelessly tracking it around the apartment.
5. Start to paint by going around the edges with a good quality paint brush. Between the mouldings, the picture rails and the sloped shoulders (all places where a roller just won’t cut it) this is a real chore.
DURING
6. Start rolling! I love Mazzone’s Hardware on Court Street in Brooklyn because they are full of useful advice. Benjamin Moore’s Aura paint has awesome coverage, but it is a little strange to get used to because it dries quickly and has a thicker texture. The paint guy at Mazzone guy suggested that I not correct any mistakes or thin spots until after the paint has dried; otherwise, things can get gloppy and ugly. Our poor old plaster walls have more pits and crags than a before picture in a Proactiv ad and it required some extreme willpower to leave the many mistakes alone until they were dry.
7. While paint dries, swap out bedskirt, lampshades and knobs.
7.5. After the paint is dry, rearrange the room and hang the curtains. I had initially bought these for my dining room, but they just didn’t look right in there. I liked a lot, though - well enough to build the colour scheme for the bedroom off of them
8. To matteify the shellacked bricks, I applied a coat of limewash thinned with water. This is a rental-friendly option that we worked out when our landlord wouldn’t let us paint the bricks plain opaque white. This way, the bricks stay exposed, but are much more attractive. In addition, the limewash cuts down on dust, can be scoured off, and is a good opportunity to go over the brickwork, take out weird nails, and note any issues. Applying it is simple: thin the limewash with water in a deli container, apply to the brick, and spread it using a brush dipped in plain water. Using a rag, blot off any places where it went on too thickly. You may want to do two passes of this until you’ve reached the desired effect. I do it over a few days because I have to make myself step away and not make it too "perfect". Sadly, there’s not much that I could do about the paint streaks from previous tenants, but I like to think that they’re a little less obvious with the limewash.
8. Add flowers, tidy up, hang art and enjoy!
AFTER
CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW! LOL
view luvdecor's profile
Man, I so want that dresser on the left side of the "after pic". WOW
view ridge_van_winkle's profile
limewash --what a revolutionary idea!
view cantabrigian1's profile
I love this room. I need to research those pillows. I like the mix of the different materials you used, just enough, not too much.
BTW, I have a very good friend here in the bay area with that same dresser, it was her grandmother's and came from Ark.
view Nate5221's profile
I want both dressers.
view LaDonnaNichole's profile
I would put a bit of space between the two chairs and lose the folded blanket. Just my thoughts.
Also, I feel like the whole leaning art against the wall thing only works if there's nothing on the wall.....Still, I LOVE the end result. Great job.
view st@cy's profile
Really cheery looking, makes me think spring is not too far off. How far down do the curtain panels hang? We have a similar set-up and I'd love to have a bright colourful curtain on our currently bare window. I didn't see the curtains on the marimekko website, did you make them?
view heathermg's profile
That grey looks lovely! I'm glad the ear poster got to stay.
view rorarora's profile
lovely!
but don't you miss having the print of a cochlea staring you in the face when you wake up?
i would.
nice colors!
view jeremug's profile
how much to do mine?
view publicityiscandy's profile
Thank you so much for everyone's positive feedback! I'm so glad for AT and this contest, which really inspired me to get cracking on fixing a room that I used to dislike.
To answer some of your questions:
The pillows are from Thomas Paul's Aviary line (discontinued). I had initially purchased them off of eBay for the living room, and held onto them when they didn't work in there.
I picked up that MCM dresser for Sam off of Craigslist for next to nothing. He is a lucky boy! My own dresser is a purchase from when I was in college and is the first "real" piece of furniture that I bought for myself. I found it in a shop on Wickenden Street in Providence and paid less than $150 for it. I'm very proud of the fact that the only furnishings in our apartment that cost more than $200 are the sofa and television.
The Marimekko curtains are from Anthropologie and were a total steal. Normally, I would have made them, but they cost less finished than the raw fabric would have. They're 108" long and don't quite make it to the baseboards. I generally prefer curtains to break like mens' pants, but since the bed is in front, it's not the end of the world.
I've finally settled on the prints for the wall, so st@cy, you'll be happy to hear that there's nothing on the floor.
And the ear is on my side of the bed, so I still get some full-on cochlea action in the morning. That's just as well, since I'm the one who generally needs to be reminded to listen.
view rcwellington's profile
lovely lovely. i love the warmth of the natural materials with just a few punches of color.
view janelle's profile
Can you tell me about the metal chairs pictured above? I saw one *today* just like them in pretty good shape at a local thrift shop for $5. I carried it around with me a few minutes before deciding I'm a chair whore and didn't need another. Thanks!
view Abra_cat's profile
My grandmother gave me four of those chairs when I moved into my first apartment after college. She had them for at least 25 years prior to that. I wish that I had more information, but as I recall, the label is pretty faded and hard to read. They have a funny folding mechanism (lift seat, rotate legs towards the center, push seat down) and are way heavier than they look. Sadly, the vinyl seats on mine are discoloured and coming off the frame. Sam and I have tried to replace them, but it's a tricky job. Either way, they're handy for additional seating and we usually swap them between the dining room and the yard.
view rcwellington's profile
Hmm... maybe it's not the same chair after all-- it wasn't particularly heavy to pick up, and it didn't look like a folding chair. I still might go back for it, although I have no idea what I'll do with it... Thanks for the info!
view Abra_cat's profile
Well done. Working with limewash even. That takes courage...unless you're a miner :-).
view ernpat's profile
Hi,
Great transformation!
Did you have to strip the shellacked brick? I have the same problem and would like to limewash mine. Was it hard?
Thanks!
view Sopheline's profile
Thanks Sopheline!
I didn't strip the brick because I didn't want to deal with the dust. It's dead simple to use limewash. Just thin it out, paint it on, spread it out with a damp brush, and rag it off where it went on too thick. Do this over several coats and you're all set. If you're a renter, I would still try to get permission first.
view rcwellington's profile
I think what you have done has totally transformed the room - it now looks crisp and cheery ( it's amazing what a coat of well applied paint can do) - I can only imagine the work that was involved in dealing with those high ceiling. Can't wait to see it in person.
view Marilyn Wellington's profile
Sharp! I love the overall look you've achieved...well done! P
view aeon's profile
What a project! It looks well worth the time and effort. It's now a bright and cheery retreat. I like that you moved the bed to the space under the window. It creates the sense that it's a cozy little nest. Enjoy your "new" bedroom.
Twyla
view Twyla's profile
this is a great reminder for a lesson that i am still trying to learn: rearranging the furniture and adding curtains does wonders!
view pinkofperfection's profile
Drapes are really nice. Yellow is very uplifting. Nice to see color like that.
view c16621's profile
I realize this blog is old, but I am interested in your lime washed fireplace. Did you have to prime the fireplace before applying the lime wash? My fireplace has really dark bricks and I am hoping this process will lighten them up without having to paint. I am going for a whitewashed look and this might be just what I am looking for. Any suggestions you have would be greatly appreciated.
view jawilliamson9's profile