Thursday, July 17, 2008

Room makeover, a before & after: Maybe I just want to hide...

I seem to have this thing about tents, like maybe I'm really supposed to run off and join the circus.

Case in point: Check out these two room re-designs that I did for a client. In both cases, I used curtain panels to create little fortresses in the girls' rooms.

Here, using a canopy frame that the family already had: Before:

and After:

And here hanging the curtain panels from the bump-out in the ceiling (I've explained this one in more detail in the past.)

Here's the before:

And the after (although if that wasn't obvious, perhaps I really do need to consider circus work for my next career...):

But, what to do in a boy's room? Good question.

Here's what I did for my son. I used two twin bed sheets and clipped them to a rope (do this only after your kid is past the pulling on the rope relentlessly until it comes out of the wall, and then hurting himself with it stage...) . I screwed heavy-duty closed hooks into the wall and tied the rope to them.

It's a fort when the drapes are closed, stage curtains when they are open. Pass the peanuts, please.

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16 comments:

Free Art Printables said...

Mary, I LOVE the grren curtains!!! What a difference! Jen R

Anonymous said...

My 4 year old daughter is sitting here with me. We're in the process of making over her room and we both just fell in love with the green curtains against the pink walls. I am stealing the idea if I can figure out how to do it. She has a canopy bed. Time for me to get creative.

Unknown said...

It really does make a dramatic change! The pink room is a great combination of sweet and growing-up.

Jennifer P. said...

I would just love to close the curtains and pretend I'm sleeping in my own little cocoon. So cute! And I love your rope idea--that turned out really neat!

Ann Marie said...

Great ideas! I agree with everyone else, the green curtains are fabulous.

Michelle said...

I love the last two...that's a great idea...was the little girls room a day bed...my 2 year old is getting ready to lose her crib and I have her a black day bed...not sue about the black yet, but it was really pretty. Her room is a green color, the ceilings are a very pale pink and her curtains are pink and green..what do you think

Linda said...

Thanks for coming by my blog. I love the canopy/tent-fort. I have three boys and I am sure they would love something like you did in your son's room.
Blessings,
Linda

Darlene said...

You absolutely do fabulous re-makes on the rooms. We just found a bed my daughter wants. It is a black bunk style with a twin on the top and a futon on the bottom, so she will have a couch on the bottom...seems kind of grown up. It will also be good for sleep-overs as now we drag a twin matress from another room into hers. We are going to do it in black and white (which are also her school colors) with hot pink accents. It will be a project as we need to paint and everything but it is definately time.

Laura @ the shorehouse. said...

I would have bartered all my Barbie's for a bed like that as a little girl! :-) What a great look!!

Natasha Burns said...

Those are fantastic re-dos you've re-done! I am right there with you on the tents and canopies, they look fantastic and what kid doesn't love to play where they can also hide! I think it allows them to let their imagination run free!

I bet, like me, that you as a child LOVED playing in cubby houses or tree houses! I used to have a tent permanently pitched in the front yard at one stage, and I made cubby houses wherever I could!

Thanks for the fun post!
Natasha : )

Porchlight Interiors said...

Thanks for your lovely comments on our blog. I love what you have done in your little boys room. I'm sure my three sons would love a room like this one. Tracey

Elaine said...

Love the idea of tacking a rope to hang the sheets. I have been trying to figure out a way to hang some camoflouge material in my boys
room, like a tent. This could work!!! Thanks for the great tips!

The Summer Kitchen Girls said...

darling - especially love the umbrella hanging in the center!!
Karla & Karrie

Jen - Balancing Beauty and Bedlam said...

hi Kim...welcome to the blogging world. I am new myself, and just love seeing all the fun things that you have been redoing. Congrats on the special feature...you were worth it.

Mary said...

Hi Chelle's Winks:

It was actually just a twin bed, but a day bed would work fine too. I like black mixed with pink and green, so I think your plan sounds great!

Be sure to show us when it's done!

Calise said...

These are fabulous! I've always loved canopies. What clever and unexpected ways to set them up! Like others said, LOVE the green and pink!