“A Box Room with No Character” Gets a Minimalist Makeover for $132
Even the teeniest of bedrooms deserves special attention. Take it from Melanie Lloyd (@my_neutral_place), who added some special details to what was once “a box room with no character” — an 80-square-foot bedroom for her granddaughter, Daisy.
“It was a blank canvas,” Melanie says. She wanted to give it some TLC, but also “wanted to create a room that would stand the test of time.” She did that by keeping a neutral color palette and adding timeless picture frame molding.
Measuring the molding was difficult due to the small square footage.
Melanie has added molding to rooms before to give them extra character, but this time measuring was especially important because the room is so small. “I made sure to measure out the space on paper as well as on the actual wall as a template,” she explains. She used wood glue to attach her trim pieces to the wall, a level to make sure everything was lined up, and caulk for a seamless look.
Her advice is to plan your measurements carefully, cut all the same lengths of wood in one batch — “that way you’re way less likely to cut a wrong angle,” she says — and take into account any outlets and light switches in the room so you don’t have to move any.
“Paint [your] skirting and architrave the same color as the walls for a cohesive, elevated look,” Melanie adds. She painted the room “in a warm cream color,” Frenchic’s “Corker.”
Melanie says if she were to do the project over again, she might move all of the furniture out of the room before adding the wall molding because it was a bit of an obstacle to maneuver around.
More DIY projects upgrade the bedroom.
Speaking of furniture, Melanie made a DIY headboard to upgrade the bed by making a simple fabric cover for the metal bed frame.
She also installed IKEA MALERAS shelves near the foot of the bed and added a new window treatment. Mostly, Melanie says, “I used items I already had. I used a bench that I had stored in another room. I upcycled an old set of drawers. All I bought was the wood and paint.” She also added wall art for more interest.
Her project total came out to about £100, or about $132 USD, and she has just what she was after — a timeless, cozy, neutral bedroom.
Inspired? Submit your own project here.