Cozy and Collected Girl’s Room; ORC Week 4: The DIYs

Whew!  You guys, it’s week 4 of the ORC, and I’m feelin’ it!  I’ve got a million and one things to do, and only two more weeks until reveal day!  This week is all about the random miscellaneous DIYs that I’m working on to make this a unique and special spot for my sweet 8 year old daughter.  Let me jump right in…

The Bedside Table

I picked this lil’ table up from Ikea the last time I was there, and loved the features: single closed drawer, the open shelf, and the size was just right.  I didn’t love the black or white color options, so I figured I would give it a fresh coat of paint and a unique look.

I took the two fabrics above into my local paint store to find the closest matches.  I wanted to repeat the green from the tent on this side of the room in this table.  (You’ll see more of the gray below). The folks there assured me this All Surface Enamel would hold up beautifully.

When painting fiberboard or metal (what this piece is made of), I always rough up the surface a bit with sandpaper.  Then I cleaned it thoroughly and used some Kilz primer I had on hand to give it a good base coat for the paint to adhere to.  I used a small roller to apply the primer and paint.  That gives a nice, consistent finish, though it may take a few coats.

Just be sure to follow the re-coat and dry times on the paint can and give it some time to cure before you set anything on top.  I picked up a gorgeous faceted gemstone knob from Anthro to add a punch of style and a natural element.

The Benches

I just love a bench at the foot of a bed.  If there’s enough space to include them, they can add such a nice layer of texture and function to a bedroom.  Of course, I needed two.  And I didn’t want to spend a fortune.  I saw some in HomeGoods that could have worked, but couldn’t find a pair of matching ones.

Then I took to the interwebs.  Of course, I wanted them ASAP, so I hit up Prime to see if I could find anything there.  I narrowed in on this particular bench, as the size and price were right.  I pulled the trigger and had them in my hands in two short days.

I had stumbled on this gorgeous Schumacher remnant and envisioned a way to whip up new covers for the cushions.  Check out my Instagram Stories for more details.

Then I painted the wood bases the coordinating gray.  Voila!  “Custom” benches!

The Boxsprings

Next up: adding a bit of texture and pattern to the box springs.  Bedskirts are not an option on these bedframes, and I wanted a touch of pattern here (I love a layered bed!) and fell back on an old favorite trick.

Simply cut a strip of fabric as tall as your box spring, plus 10 extra inches or so, and “upholster” the box spring by wrapping the fabric around the perimeter.  I simply hot glued the 5 extra inches on the top and bottom sides.

Again, more deets are in my IG stories.  The graphic nature of this pattern appealed to me, and I love that it resembles the letter H!

The Desk Chair and Mirror

On a whim I decided to strip the old paint off of a pair of bentwood chairs I had inherited.  One will go at Elsie’s desk, and I figured I may as well do both at the same time so the pair matches.  They’re handy for extra dining room seating.

(Check out the layers of fabric on those old chairs!  Apparently my Grandmother bought them from the old Hotel Kinston long ago.  They were originally painted gold with gold plastic seats.  My family has revamped them many times!)

I lubed the chairs up in the same paint stripper I used on the dresser, and wrapped them in plastic wrap to speed up the process.

I also figured I’d strip the chipping finish off an old bamboo mirror I had thrifted. I think it will be a nice pairing with the dresser.

I’ll let you know how they turn out!

So, here we are!  Next week I’ll plan on sharing bedding, art, and toy/book storage.

Now, for our updated to-dos…

• organize/purge
• rearrange
• refinish dresser
• prep and paint walls
• make tent + get comfy seating
• get bedding
• get rug
• get window treatments
• get wall art
• get mirror
• get bedside table
• storage/toy solution
• get lamps

Source List So Far

• Tent (Curtain) Tie Backs
• Rug – existing (alternative)
• Dresser Pulls
• Wall Color: Benjamin Moore Natural Cream OC-14
• Vintage Beds (similar)
• Desk (similar)
• Woven Shades in Cape Cod Sand
• Bedside Table (and Knob – similar)
• Mirror – Vintage (similar)
• Bentwood chair – Vintage (similar)
• Benches
• Enamel Paint for bedside table and benches (Green: Saguaro 6419; Gray: Peppercorn 7674)

(affiliate links above)

Important Links:

One Room Challenge

The media sponsor for this incredibly fun and inspiring event is Better Homes and Gardens.

I am linking each week below as the challenge progresses:

My current ORC Posts:  Week 1: The Befores | Week 2: Dresser Revamp  |  Week 3 – The Tent | Week 4 – You are here! | Week 5 | Week 6

The Guest Participant Link-ups:  Week 1 | Week 2  |  Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6

Featured Designers for April 2019:

At Home With Ashley | Casey Keasler | Dorsey Designs | The Farmhouse Project | Home Made by Carmona  House of Funk | House of Jade Interiors | House Seven Design | House That Lars Built | Inspired by Charm | Jana Bek | Jessica Brigham | Kelly Golightly | Murphy Deesign | The Pink Pagoda | Sarah Gunn | Sherry Hart Designs | Sugar & Cloth | Veronica Solomon | Vintage Revivals |

And, if you’d like to check out my past ORCs, those posts are here:

04.18 Powder Room:  Week 1 Befores | Week 2 Wallpaper | Week 3 Mirror | Week 4 Sink Skirt | Week 5 Storage | Week 6 Reveal

10.18 Master Bedroom: Week 1: The Befores  | Week 2: The Plan  |  Week 3: The Bed | Week 4: Lighting and Art | Week 5:  The Bedding | Week 6:  The Reveal