I’ve been planning to redo our girls’ room for a while now. I knew that after we moved would be about the right time to put our 2 1/2 yr old in a twin bed, and that was a good excuse to switch things up with the decor. I liked their old nursery, but I was bored of the muted colors and wanted to try something vibrant for at least our year in Delaware.
The sad, sad former state of the girls room in our new house.
While we were still in Boston, I found two upholstered headboards on Craigslist. This insanely rich woman who lived in an amazing Comm Ave. flat sold them both to me for $20. Isn’t the yellow plaid unfortunate? The quality is surprising on these though – I’m sure she paid several hundred a piece back in the day.
Reupholstering the headboards was SO easy. I had to cut off the large welting so that the new fabric would lay flat, but that was honestly the hardest part.
I cut my 3+ yard remnant of Chiang Mai in half and that was all the cutting I did.
I like the idea of being able to pull the fabric pieces off later if I get sick of the headboards, but still want to use the Chiang Mai fabric for pillows or chair seats or other small projects.
The backs of the headboards look a little funny though because I didn’t cut away the extra fabric.
You can’t tell from the front though…
Cute, right?
Next project was to make some cheap (read “free”) artwork for above the bed to replace the old Maurice Sendak prints:
I drew pictures of flowers from the Chiang Mai pattern and colored them with my trusty AD Chartpak markers while I watched Rachel Zoe suffer through Oscars week. (sidenote: After about the 50th time Rachel called Anne Hathoway “Annie”, I threw said trusty Chartpak marker at the tv… so obnoxious)
I used some navy blue linen I had laying around as the make-shift matting for the new “botanical” prints. And while it’s not real art by any stretch of the imagination, it sort of works for the room and my girls think the flowers are “SOoooOO pretty!!” Good enough for me.
Wow, this post is getting long. Okay, last project to share today –
I love the look of a pair of sunburst mirrors above twin beds. We all know how expensive sunburst mirrors are though. So, when I found these round floral tole mirrors at HomeGoods a couple months ago, I snatched up two as fast as I could. They were only $8.99 a piece and I think they look a lot like sunburst mirrors, but are maybe a little more juvenile (a good thing in a kids room, right?)
I almost painted them gold, but I had purple paint already, and I love how it plays off the purple in the Chiang Mai fabric.
Come back tomorrow for Part II. You’re going to love how this room comes together…
Dear Jenny,
I thoroughly enjoy reading your blog and do a lot of similar stuff here in Melbourne Australia. I think I enjoy a good auction purchase just as much as you. Unfortunately I don't have the access to the amount of gorgeous fabric houses as you (you always have to buy minimum yard quantities from the American fabric houses) but it nice just looking!! I'm also an interior designer and thinking of starting up my own blog, I will keep you posted as you will definitely get a mention!! Looking forward to your next installment. If you need anything from Melbourne or Australia let me know!! plumbid@bigpond.com
That looks amazing! You are so crafty- I love the pictures you drew!
Hi Jenny, I've been reading your blog for awhile now but I believe this is my first comment!
I just wanted to say I LOVE your little girls' room and especially love what you did with the Chiang Mai fabric on their headboards. I'm so inspired! For some reason, I've always collected fabric from different places I've been to but I have yet to make ANY use of any of it! Such a waste, I know, but now I think I'll put it to good use! Thanks!
-Jane @ brunchatthebeach.blogspot.com
I love it already! You are an amazing (and super crafty) designer!
I'm just SO amazed by your diy talent! I want a upholstered headboard too! Now! :) LOVE how the Chiang Mai Dragon-fabric turned out – fabulous! And you're awesome with those markers!!! Thanks for sharing, and I'm definitely coming back tomorrow!
I'm not sure if I've ever commented before, but this is so great!! What a fabulous job with your botanicals!!!
Love it! My daughter is eight and has had ENOUGH of the pink in her room.She's all about horse-ridding and Animals now. Seeing your post has inspired me to get on with it too!
Love all of it! Love Chiang Mai!
Oh, I cannot wait to see the rest of the photos! I confess that a lot of us would be happy with the "before" look in the girls' room – what a steal on those headboards! FYI there is a HomeGoods exactly 5 minutes from our place in RI – loving it!!
I love the room–the colors are so bright and vibrant. Very fun for 2 little girls!
And I agree about Rachel Zoe–I was cringing about "Annie" the whole time!!! ;-)
so much to say… love, love the headboards, love the art (great work), and the mirrors are perfect. Can't wait for part two.
That is so cute! I love the headboards, and what you did with the mirrors and the artwork is great! I made a really simple headboard for my bed and it really is easy considering how great it looked after! I can't wait to see the rest!
in the words of rachel zoe…BUH nanas!!!
I love the headboard project. You make everything seem so simple. Thanks!
WoW!!!! I love your projects!!! And your inexpensive finds! Can't wait to see part II!!
Fabulous! I love that fabric still; not sure it will ever get old. Great job on the pictures also!
Wow, what a beautiful room for your girls! I LOVE how the headboards came out, they are just perfect!! I cant wait for tomorrow now :)
That looks great! What an awesome find on craigslist- I love that place! And, I definitely think those flowers are art- they're perfect!
oh, yeah… and "annie" and "bananas" she says that soo much too. and am I the only one who doesn't like how the word gorgeous became "gorg"?
looks fantastic!
um….I couldn't finish reading your post, as I had to dash off to ebay and pray I could find some Chiang Mai for $10. Do the God's always smile on you like that or what? You're the luckiest person on the planet.
My dd is 8 and I'm trying desperately to move away from the pinkpinkpinkpink theme. I offered to redo her room this year and you know what she chose? The Barbie anniversary bedding from Pottery Barn :( Haven't ordered it yet. I wonder if Chaing Mai comes in a sparkly pink colorway? ;)
Beautiful Jenny! I love it already!!!!!
I will never tire of Chiang Mai Dragon so keep on using it! I know I still am!!!
Can't wait to see more tomorrow.
Totally agree with you on Rachel Zoe if I had a marker in my hand it totally would have gotten thrown at her.
Jenny,
I hope tomorrow will hurry and come so that we can see more pictures. I love it…every bit of it…again a high dollar look @ a fraction of the price. Now that takes talent & creativity my friend.
You've done some amazing work…once again, I'm floored!
The fabric is stunning, but I really love those sweet, delicate mirrors! The paint color really brings them to life and makes them shine!
Looks adorable! Good idea on keeping the Schumacher fabric re-usable!
You've done an incredible job! The fabric is gorgeous and I love your artwork with the blue linen backing. You are so creative while making everything look so easy- this is why I love your blog! :-)
Love the fabric! Who cares if some judge it to be too trendy — it's your home. :-)
Funny that you moved from Boston to Delaware… I was born and lived in Delaware, but now live in Boston! My 'rents had a hard time meeting young fun people there, but I'm sure with the help of your lovely blog you're having no issues.
I have also been reading this blog for a while and am so impressed with every posting. I love the headboards!!! Every addition to this room is prefect!
Love it..can't wait until tomorrow!! If you ever get tired of projects in your own home feel free to come over to my house!!
love, love, love! I wish I'd had as crafty a mom as you growing up! (:
ps- I definitely laughed out loud at your reaction to the Rachel Zoe ridiculousness, totally agreed!! d:
♥~L
I LOVE tha chaing mai fabric and what did you did with the headboard looked amazing…
darling! love the mirrors!
uh…..
when's the book coming out lady?
your talent is truly inspiring!
that room is great….fun and chic!
Hi, lovely post ! I really like your blog, thank you so much for sharing it ! Best wishes and lovely to meet you
It's looking gorgeous! Cannot wait for Part II!
You're so inspiring!
Looks great! I love a sophisticated kids room that still looks like children live there. And that you sat and painstakingly painted all those little flowers on the mirrors… totally something I would do that everyone around me would use as proof that I'm completely nuts! Very pretty.
Those headboards are fabulous! I always think that I need to learn how to sew to be able to do stuff like that, but as you've shown, it just takes some clever tricks…who sees the back of them anyways? I can't wait to see more pictures of the room tomorrow!
you single-handedly make me want to use a lot of color in my house. :) I Heart your blog so much!!
Beautiful! I love you blog.
I love the fabric on the headboards!Also, great job on teh art! I need to get some of those markers..
I love matching twin beds! Looks great!
So amazingly cute!
Wonderful so far! I love your homemade art – it looks great! It's a more grown-up room but still fun for little girls. Looking forward to seeing the finished product!
So many awesome projects!! I love the result!
The girls room is looking so fantastic. I will never tire of your chiang mai! I'm running to homegoods to see if they still have those mirrors for my girls!
I accidentally got sucked in to Rachel Zoe the other night too. What's with her? Doesn't she always sound like she's doing an impression of Madonna!?
Oh so beautiful! I can't wait to see the rest:) You are inspiring me to go ahead and redo my daughter's room! It is definitely still stuck in the pastel nursery color scheme!
You did such a fabulous job! I can't wait to see more.
adorable! there is something so sweet about girls sharing a room.
Your girls' room looks great. So grown up but still pretty and fun. Can I also tell you it drove me nuts to hear Rachel Zoe call Anne Hathaway Annie too! Haha. What's she trying to prove?! :)
Great transformation- that's one of my favorite fabrics too, and a very clever idea with the art. Couldn't agree more on Rachel Zoe– she and Madonna sound like they have the same dialect coach!
I love everything so far and can't wait to see what else you have up your sleeve. Great job with the drawings, by the way. They turned out fantastic!