We finished another round of musical rooms, putting the girls together in a shared room and transforming Lainey’s old room for Dash. The room was originally a dining room that we hardly used, so we closed it off to create another bedroom and filled it with furniture that had been given to us. It worked great for Lainey for a while, but the room felt very cramped with large furniture and a wall-hogging daybed. My goal in using this space for Dash was to pare down the furniture, leaving open space for play and to make a room that could easily be kept clean with a place for everything (and if there’s not a place for it–we don’t need it). And, of course, I wanted a room that felt happy and playful with interesting and meaningful details. Since the room lacks shelves to highlight keepsakes, we utilized the walls for art and interest.
I love freshening kids’ spaces, and whether our kid room makeovers have been to welcome a baby (“We’re not putting any more walls up in our house, lest you get any ideas,” Brett has warned me.) or to switch things up, we’ve used a lot of things we already have when doing room makeovers, adding inexpensive changes with thrift shop finds and elbow grease when possible.
The old room:
Freshened up:
The biggest change to the room came from the brick wallpaper we added, a thick textured wallpaper we found from Total Wall Covering after a lot of research on brick wallpaper. I love what it did to the room.
A little Northern Michigan love–M22 sign from M22.com
I found the table in Dash’s room at Goodwill, but it was a kids’ patio table with slats on the top and an open umbrella hole. I bought a spruce board from Lowe’s, big enough to cover the table top, and Brett cut it down and sanded the edges and corners. It’s white on one side if we want to flip it over, and I painted a road scene on the facing side to create a play table for cars. We started a Plan Toys City collection for him when he was tiny and are slowly adding to it with birthdays and holidays. I love the quality, size and selection of these road toys.
All the cars and street toys store nicely in a crate for easy clean-up.
Pillow, Passive Juice Motel
Wood bird: Little Alouette, Knit Fox: Sweet Bauer Knits, Floating Bookshelf: Land of Nod
We already had most of the wall art above his dresser, pulled from his old room, but I love the new Honey Eater print in his room, a gift from Michael McConnell, artist behind Pooping Rabbit. I’ve admired his work and family for a while now and am so happy to have a bit of his talent on our walls.
Personalized Family Mobile: The amazing Pink Cheek Studios
Polka Dot Sheets, Land of Nod. And pediatricians and dentists: bottle in crib, I know. Forgive me this once. But look! Cute fox, eh?
He likes his new digs, and we love the happy new space too. There’s plenty of room on his carpet for the entire family–we’ve tested it out.
I’ll share the girls’ new space soon.
Wally says
Love what you did! What a fun room..
Jennifer says
(and if there’s not a place for it–we don’t need it)…well said!! I need to remember this. Such an adorable space
Shellie says
so, so cute!! And the room looks good too!
pegRX says
Aww – great new room for Dash! Looks so boyish and fun. That table you painted is such a great idea and so cute.
Martina says
It’s beautiful!!!
Erin Bettis says
Beautiful room, Kelle. I love your little gallery areas that house all your little nick-nack wall decor.
Sara says
I love this so much, Kelle – the wallpaper makes the room!
Argyrie says
The room looks so inviting and ready for exploration for growing minds. You and Brett did a wonderful job!
Shannon {ava_caitlyn} says
Love the makeover! He is a cutie pie. Great job, Mama!
Jennifer Ketterhagen - Finding Joy and Sharing Beauty says
Beautiful Kelle! Love the brick wall. I’m falling back in love with wallpaper all over again. After removing – so. much. wallpaper. 🙂
Angela Olsen says
Such a beautiful space! And I’m in love with that wall paper. We’re moving in two weeks & this is making me super excited to do some decorating!
Jennifer says
That room is awesome. Feel free to help me think up something cool for my sons room!!! I’m having such a hard time coming up with something he can grow into. I need to take just go for it.
MEJ says
I’ve never seen brick wallpaper. Love it! Love the room!
nathalie m. says
You are so talented on so many levels Kelle. Dash’s room is so cool you’ve got me thinking of surprising my 16 yr old with some of that brickwork. Then again, maybe surprises and teens are not to be mixed!?! For all it’s worth I have to let you know, that your ‘voice’ has been as good a friend as any, even though we’re one very big ocean apart. I thank you for all the shaking up and balancing you’ve put me through….my soul needed the ride! Love to you and yours, Nathalie from Athens/Greece
Candy Duell says
Kelle,
Your new room (or should I say your son’s) is really cute. I love it, and by the looks of your pictures so does he and his sister!
I do have a question for you, is that book holder on the wall made from pallets? I really liked it and believe I saw one made out of pallets that looks just like it.
Thanks!
Jen says
He is looking so big these days!! Great space!!
Becky says
Dude. Third child, bottle in crib. Totally necessary. Our house, too. Love & hugs from California.
You+Me=Family says
It’s a great space Kelle! I love how intentional you are with your kids’ toys and decorations. It’s something I would like to work on : )
And that boy of your’s is pretty darn cute too.
tracey robinson says
where did you find the mailbox? My son has a little foam mailbox outside his room (on a lego post) and loves getting mail and delivering mail. I spent a few days making mail for all our pets and assorted stuffed animals for him to deliver to.
Maria says
Awesome decorating. I love how you can change things around in your house. I feel stuck with the same old layout I’ve had since I moved in four years ago. Putting my creative thinking cap on, thanks to you!
Unknown says
I always love seeing your interior creations. Thanks for sharing! Dash’s room turned out amazing – great mix of sentiment & storage.
Susie says
Dash’s new room looks awesome! I especially love the brick wallpaper and the Dashel Motors sign.
Ashleigh Wilder says
Hold the phone! Can we talk about the chandelier?! Did you paint the original? Can we get some
Details because it looks pretty amazing!
Alicia Hutchinson says
So SOOO adorable, Kelle! Taking notes! 🙂
Owlhaven says
What neat wallpaper!! Little children’s rooms are so much fun.
Jeanie says
He looks so happy in his new room. That brick wallpaper is awesome!
Sarah Gatling says
Can I just tell you how much I love your blog? I’ve been reading for years. 🙂 I feel like we’re kindred spirits, and I love looking to you for inspiration!
Thank you for all your amazing posts!
maybabe says
Hello
Room looks like he will enjoy many hours there.
Any chance of a Rwanda Update? Many of your readers have been anxiously waiting.
LYLAS!!!
Olivia Sanders says
Kelle, I’m a paeds nurse and bottles in cots are so vital sometimes! Love this beautiful room and all the things you do to make everything so special for your amazing kids.
Kim Hollenback says
Very cute room and I love all the MI references (as an out-of-state Michigander myself)!
Haley says
The room looks great! I love the table top you made for him.
greenapples says
I’d also like to hear about the paint you used on the chandelier, and the method? It looks like you painted the metal parts, and that’s what I’d like to do…and have it come out with such vibrancy.
Staci Gorski says
Kellee- the room looks fantastic! Can you tell me where you got the antlers wrapped in the colored strip?
Tisha says
Woo Hoo!!! I LOVE the play table!!
Reenie says
What an adorable/cozy room. How cute!! And Dash looks so grown up. 😮
Can’t wait to see the girls room. 🙂
Kelle says
@greenapples
Yes–the chandelier was painted metal before, so I just painted over it with acrylics. Took well and has lasted a couple of years.
Kelle says
@Stacy Gorski–
The antlers are from Yarn Bombed Antlers–a beautiful shop with lots of yarn bombed goods.
http://www.yarnbombed.com/
Danielle Huddleston says
That is such a cute space!
Jenna Richards says
Oh, it’s stunning – I love it. Dash looks like he does too! 🙂
Jenna at Tinyfootsteps xx
Amanda says
Looooving his room! Where did you find that rug?! It looks so soft! My 2nd son’s nursery is barely in the works bc I can’t find a rug I like! But that one I love!
Amanda Saltzman says
That room is amazing! How did you get the inspiration for it? I would have never thought of hanging brick wallpaper in a kid’s room (usually see that in more loft style places) but it surprisingly worked. Kudos for thinking outside the box.
Sabrina Steyling says
Dash’s new digs are AWESOME! I adore that brick wallpaper, it’s so totally cool. And the furniture…o.m.g.!! I’m just in love. I wish I had a room as cool as that. Really.
Angela says
love it!!! especially M22, prettiest road in Michigan!
Kelleyn Rothaermel says
What a perfect room!
Jennifer says
Love it…especially the brick wallpaper! What a great idea!
bec bennett says
I am an artist and I am going to send a Fox drawing for Dash’s collection all the way from Australia :). Watch out for it, I hope I can find where to send it!
Leah says
Precious room for a precious boy!!! 🙂
trish says
tracy–i believe the mailbox is a melissa & doug one (http://www.amazon.com/Melissa-Doug-Stamp-Sort-Mailbox/dp/B002IPGXVA/ref=sr_1_1?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=undefined&sr=1-1&keywords=mail+box+toy). i’d love to find that stuffed fox for my son’s upcoming first birthday. anyone know where it came from (the one in the crib photo with dash)?
Miss Mary says
Beautiful Room! May I ask where you got the Dashel Motor sign!? We’re naming our soon Dashel in that exact same spelling and thought it would be great to find a sign to put in his room.
Kimmy says
Dash’s room looks great. Dash is adorable.
Stacey says
SO well done, Kelle!!! And oh my gosh, the “owl clock”, I haven’t seen that since I was a little girl!
Laura says
Hi! Just wondering if you could share where the curtains are from that are shown in this post? If you’ve already shared and I’ve just overlooked I’m sorry!
Thanks!
Kelle says
Hi Laura,
The curtains are from Ikea. They are a few years old, but they should have similar ones still. And they are a great price too! Hope that helps.
Lauren says
Super cute room! Don’t forget about childproofing doors with finger protectors for young children!
Lily and the Wall says
Wow, this is a very cute thing for kids. we can say that this is the perfect room for kids