Before and After: Emma's Room

Emma's room is about as close to finished as it needs to be to do a little before and after.  I still have to change some outlets and fill a few nail holes, but I am gearing up to start some other projects, so I thought I would show you the crazy difference between her room now and a year ago....

BEFORE:

Boring beige walls, crusty beige carpet, lack of storage and obvious lack of motivation to clean & organize.  This room needed an injection of colour and personality! 

DURING:

Emma did most of the ceiling demolition herself (and got a few blisters on her fingers).  Then after white-washing the pine boards, the kids and I installed the ceiling.  Using the nail gun was super empowering!!  Jody had to fit the last couple of boards into place though, I just didn't have the muscle or problem solving skills to force the warp out of the last board.

Then the kids and I painted the whole room Coastal Surf (by Behr).  It is a really soothing blue that changes colour with the light.  Emma really wanted a funky striped wall, so after days and days of taping, painting, drying, taping, painting, drying....she has her stripes.

The black paint is magnetic primer that Emma wanted so she wouldn't be poking holes in the walls to hang pictures and notes and things.  It is thick, heavy stuff - I think metal shavings mixed with black primer.   We primed two square patches above and beside her bed.  I initially imagined that corner being the homework space with the desk but so far it's still the sleeping area.

After all the sanding, painting and nailing was finished, I rolled all the dust up right in the rug (a tip from my mom!) and finally got rid of the crusty old carpet!!!  These are the things I find thrilling!  Then Jody got to work on the gorgeous maple flooring.  We still had quite a few boxes left from the girls' room so I only bought two more cases from Colour Your World to finish the room.  I was so thrilled to find the flooring there - made in Canada and almost exactly the same as the stuff we had.  We had to adjust the groove in the new boards for the first adjoining strip, but otherwise it's pretty hard to see any difference.  I love the maple with the blue walls and white trim!!

AFTER:

Emma was especially thrilled to have a bedroom door again!  Thanks to my dad for coming and spending a few days on the final jobs - closet and doors!!  All we have left are light sockets and nail holes to fill (plus curtains, area rug, artwork, photos in frames, etc....).   We aren't ones to rush into anything....ha ha....but we'll keep an eye out for the perfect finishing touches.  Taa Daaa!!!