Young House Love

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A Blue Boy’s Nursery With Clouds & Stars

Hope you guys are having an awesome week-between-Christmas-and-New-Years. We’re soaking up some family time, along with sanding, priming, and painting our kitchen cabinets (it looks like a small paint bomb went off with some random gingerbread cookies among the fray), so we’re hoping to share our progress on Monday. But today we wanted to drop by with a makeover by Katy for her son Gabriel. This transformation was not only completed on a serious budget (she estimates that it was under $200, including big things like a bed and a dresser), it was also done in a rental (and we know you guys love to see those). Bravo to the landlord for letting her give this room some much needed love! Here’s her letter:

Hi Sherry and John! I wanted to share my son’s room makeover with you. We moved into our house in 2011, a few weeks after I found it at a yard sale. Yes, crazy. We’re just renting it now, but would love to buy it someday.

Gabe Before

The house needed a lot of TLC when we moved in. But I love a good project! Our son was not quite two when we moved, so his room was my first project in the hopes of making the move easier for him.

I knew I wanted to paint it a deep, peacock-ish blue, and your old guest room gave me the inspiration I needed to go for it! I got a gallon of Plumage (and tinted primer, thank you) and got to work transforming his room. My goal was to spend as little as possible. And I love the end result!

Gabe After

My Mom is amazing and found a Jenny Lind style bed for Gabriel. It was what I dreamed of for his room. Can you believe it was $80? Solid wood. Absolutely amazing. And then she got some Annie’s Chalk paint to refinish it. We used French Linen and finished it with the clear wax. I absolutely love his bed.

Gabe Bed

I got this dresser on Craigslist for $20 and refinished it. The wall hanging is a tapestry I found at a thrift store. The trees are actually Christmas decorations! my Mom gave us the charming paint by number pictures a couple years ago. The mobile is something I found, spray painted gold, and hung old pictures of my Dad, grandmother, and aunt.

Gabe Dresser

As a child, my Grandpa gave me Shel Silverstein books. So I was thrilled to find ‘Falling Up’ at the thrift store and used the pages as art in Gabe’s room. We really enjoy looking at the pages, reading the poems and playing I-spy with the illustrations. The bench is from our wedding and the basket holds some books and toys.

Gabe Shel Silverstein

So there is Gabriel’s big boy room! I’m excited to share it with you and I hope you like it.  -Katy

Gabe Last Detail

Well, it should be no surprise that we really like it. Gabriel’s a lucky guy. Thanks so much for sharing it, Katy! This may sound weird, but I think my favorite things are the Shel Silverstein pages casually taped up on the wall. What a smart and easy way to create some impact without spending a lot. Meanwhile Sherry’s obsessed with that awesome gray bed and the thrift store tapestry on the wall. Katy has more pics and the scoop on some other personal touches on her blog, but feel free to shout out your favorite part before bouncing over there. (How will you choose? Even the bedding is awesome.)

Comments

  4. Annelies says

    Love the idea of the book pages and the blue colour! Curious to find out what your plans are for the nursery… Happy holidays!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      We can’t wait to dive into that in Jan (we started planning Clara’s nursery in Feb when she was due in May, so we figure Jan is a good time to dive into the bun’s since he’s due in April).

      xo
      s

  6. Katy says

    So so soooo excited to see this on YOUNG HOUSE LOVE!! Ah! Thank you guys so much! Gabe has a new sibling coming in June, so his room will be getting another little makeover so he can share with the baby- it’ll be close quarters in his petite room! Sibling bonding! But seriously… Thank you guys!

    Reply

    • abby says

      Hi Katy!
      The room is perfection! I am curious about the bed – paint color and more details on how you did it. I have a head board / foot board i’m painting for our little guy and love the color. Can you provide more details of the process?
      Thanks!

  8. Tonianne says

    Pop-up survey from Shutterfly again. (Just FYI) No idea how to show you the screenshot, though (at least I got it this time!)…

    Reply

  10. Rae says

    I love the ABCs on the wood. I have been meaning to do something similar in my boys’ room.

    Are the clouds and stars painted? vinyl? cutouts?

    Reply

  11. Gillian says

    It’s so lovely, all the found elements seemed to have been destined for this starry little part of the universe. Love it…headed to her blog o check out the rest.

    Reply

  12. Lisa E says

    So adorable, great job! This just goes to show you what a little imagination and creativity can do without having to have all new and expensive stuff. This is so personalized, means more and looks better IMHO!

    Reply

    • HeatherB says

      I feel the same! I was like, “WHAT?! They posted something on Christmas, but not the day after Christmas when I am miserably stuck back in my office?! Hrumph.” I missed you guys! (although, I grudgingly acknowledge that you are not only entitled to some family time and a break from all this, but all this wouldn’t be the same if you didn’t get a break and have some family time…)

      And sooooo excited about that kitchen!!!!!!

  14. Sara says

    I’m absolutely in love with this room! I will be pinning just about every picture:)

    I have a question for Katy – you mentioned that your son was not quite two when you updated this room and got the bed – how has been doing with not falling out? Just curious as my son will be two in January, and we are making the transition from crib to bed, but we were looking at just a twin bed with a boxspring so it was close to the floor (your bed is much cuter haha).

    Reply

    • Katy says

      Thanks so much Sara! So Gabe will be 4 on Sunday and so far hasn’t fallen out of this bed! I have a pool noodle under the fitted sheet to give a little barrier. He used to have one of those mesh bed sides, but we didn’t use it long. I found it annoying for making the bed and stuff. When we visit other people’s houses, we just roll up a towel and put that under the sheet (he’s only fallen out of a bed (twice) when we’ve skipped that step at another person’s house. Oops!) And we skipped the boxspring so ithe bed would be closer to the ground. You can buy boards at mattress shops to use instead of a boxspring (to support the mattress). Hope that helps. Thanks again!

    • Katy says

      I should also have said- he stayed in his crib until he was 3… He loved it so we didn’t rush the switch :)

  20. Kathryn says

    We’re expecting our second baby in June, so I’m way into baby/kid rooms right now. I love those book pages! I may have a slight case of decor ADD so taping something to the wall (while still looking fabulous and polished because of the grid pattern) is right up my ally.

    Reply

  23. Crystal says

    Missed you guys yesterday! I know you said you would hopefully have an update Monday but I can’t wait! Maybe you could answer one question to hold me over until then. Are you using your paint sprayer for the cabinets, hand painting them, or both?

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      We’re spraying the doors out of the house, but everything that’s fixed in the room (the frames) is getting hand primed and painted since spraying in the room feels like it could be really messy and take forever to tape off.

      xo
      s

  27. Kim R says

    I love the blue. It’s kind of a magical blue, not a cartoony blue. And I love the Shel Silverstein pages. Those used to be my favorite books, read over and over. DD is not into those, but maybe my son will be.

    Reply

  29. Erica says

    I adore his room! The bed is my favorite. I cannot believe it was only $80! It looks like the awesome Swedish beds on Layla Grayce that I have admired. I have wanted to refinish my children’s table with chalk paint and now I know what color I will use.

    Reply

  30. Erica says

    This is such a charming room! And to do it within that budget just blows me away. My favorite parts have to be a tie between that amazing bed and the book pages. What an awesome art installation on a budget!

    Reply

  32. Jennifer R. says

    The room is cute but I would really prefer to see full room shots. It is hard to see how it all came together. These little pictures of maybe 10 square feet from different angles don’t really help with real world decorating. Just my two cents!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Thanks for the suggestion! We just share whatever comes in, so sometimes we get a bunch of full room shots and other times we get closer shots that highlight specific ideas/projects. We don’t want to hold back on either of those types of submissions – so our criteria is usually just “if it’s inspiring, we love passing it along.” For example, in this space we thought the book page art, that upcycled bed, the photo mobile, the wall tapestry, and many other elements were awesome ideas that people might enjoy :)

      xo,
      s

    • Jennifer R. says

      Yes, I’m glad you guys shared it! It’s really a cute room with several inspiring ideas even if we can’t tell exactly how it all pulls together. :)

      I can’t wait to see some updates on the design dilemmas, some of the suggestions were so good. I am interested to see what ever came of these projects.

      Have a great weekend!

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Thanks Jennifer! I was just thinking how I’d love to see some updated photos on those reader dilemmas as well! Hopefully in the New Year those will roll in (fingers crossed). Have a great weekend yourself!

      xo
      s

  34. Sarah says

    This has nothing to do with anything…
    But…!
    I’m really excited/curious about what everyone in the Petersik house got for Christmas!!! :)

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Wahoo! We usually get our acts together and share that the week after Christmas (we have about 1000 photos to upload, haha!), so here’s hoping we have those written up for you next week.

      xo
      s

    • YoungHouseLove says

      We’re usually so last minute with that (as in it’s drying at midnight on the 24th) so we blog about it after Christmas – and this year was no exception! But the fun thing about that is that we get to include photos of her getting her gift, which are so sweet to look back on :)

      xo
      s

  37. Mindy G. says

    I’m so in love with the book pages on the wall. I can’t decide if I love them more because they’re so adorable or because they are encouraging her little guy’s reading skills! You can let the Kindergarten teacher off on Christmas break, but you can’t break the Kindergarten out of her, I guess! :)

    Reply

  39. Cindie says

    I am going to paint an old, Ikea dresser with Annie Sloan French Linen tomorrow! Thrilled to see how great the bed came out and that I love the color! Perfect timing!

    Reply

  43. Ellen says

    When you write “Jenny Lind bed” – do you actually mean the Swedish singer Jenny Lind? What does she have to do with furniture?
    (Don’t mind the stupid question. In Sweden she’s famous for being “the Swedish Nightingale” and an amazing opera singer. But honestly she’s mostly famous by kids and those who don’t love music as the woman on our 50 crowns bills…)
    So, anyone know how to explain what Jenny Lind furniture looks like?

    Reply

  44. Crystal@TheFastFitRunner says

    Please keep sharing reader redesigns. It is one of my favorite blog categories. I love seeing homes takes shape, whether yours or other peoples. So in that vein…keep moving every few years…you know, just as you start to finish every nook and cranny of your current home. =)

    Reply

  46. Erin says

    I have two young boys, the eldest just moving into a big boy room of his home a few months ago so this post melts my heart! LOVE the bedding and the mix match yet coordinated look of it. Also the stars on the wall in a not so perfect shape. The bed is pretty fabulous too. She did a great job!

    Reply

  49. Aurelie says

    love that paint color! your old guest room wall color also inspired us to paint our daughter’s nursery (though we didn’t know it was a she when we did it!) a similar color. but here’s my question for you: we got fancy no voc paint that we didn’t realize didn’t have primer in it. the walls were going from very light to very dark, which i thought would be ok but after it was all said and done we didn’t get as great coverage as i would like (and went through a TON of paint for a tiny room). now i realize we should have primed with tinted primer. but if we decide to paint over it to fix it, do we need to prime then paint, or just paint over with paint that has primer already in it? (sorry so wordy – hope that makes sense!)

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      I think one more coat of paint (no primer) should hopefully give you the coverage you’re looking for. At this point going back to primer might take more paint than just doing another coat. Hope it helps!

      xo
      s

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