Homefront: Making a Preschool Playroom for the Boys

I talked about kids room inspirations yesterday, so today, let me introduce you to what I am working with. I thought it best to have my blogging/computer station in the midst of the room, so that is where everything is centered around.

These are my cheap finds: $100~ish Craigslist hutch, two Walmart $25 bookcases, $10 garage sale chair, $10 garage sale student desk, $5 garage sale bookcase (we painted ivory), and a $5 goodwill toy chest. These black bookcases  are already scratched up and marred as soon as we got them out of the box, but I figured, they would be marked up quickly here anyways, and since they are black, nothing tragic should happen that a sharpie couldn't color over.

I was going to paint this hutch a shabby grayish white before I did the whole black bookcase flanking thing, so now I am thinking, paint it black to look like a wall unit. Or I could leave it natural... what would you do?

I still have some bulletin boards and artwork to set up on this big empty wall, maybe some pegs for superhero capes and such underneath those and then the train table to set up again. I'm still trying to decide about a playmat or area rug, for this large space that will be easy on the boys to play and learn.

Caleb even found the reading corner and got right at home fairly quickly.

This little den area meets with the breakfast nook and kitchen in an interesting way... like a triangle of roominess. That doorway leads to the 'formal dining room' that we won't use and the living room. Across from the dining table is the laundry room and hallway to the front door.

 An old Kick-n-vent vintage hood... anyone know anything about these? This home was built in the 60's

 More about that dresser piece, kitchen and table here... I hope you like our pipe cleaner fan extension pulls! Just one more thing on the to do list, get fan pulls. *post included in Censational Girl's Where Do You Blog Party.

Inspired Rooms~ Kids Playrooms

st. kilda's sanctuary ~ apt therapy

The project of the week (besides getting our shower ripped out due to rotting walls), is the boys playroom. Our breakfast nook is so huge, we decided that it would be a little preschool/playroom. I'll work reeeally hard on it today and then show you tomorrow what it needs, because I have some ideas that I need help with! Anyways, here are my two project questions below, and some more inspirational kids rooms that I will be using as a spring board, trying to save as much money as possible here.

1. This perfect blue world map tapestry would look perfect in here, but it's a little on the pricey side, so this scenic forest scene is super cute, and less expensive. Which would I use longer in my home? Price or beauty!?

urban outfitters ~ scenic tapestry $19.99

 urban outfitters ~ atlas tapestry (in blue) for $36

2.  The other thing I am trying to consider, is a foam playmat. Color in tan or charcoal gray ,or mixed colors? Or do I skip that and get a simple area rug? Or go with this awesome natural hardwook floor look foam playmat (though we wouldn't be able to afford the end pieces, so the ends would be the jaggedy puzzle look).

Hardwood look natural foam playmat

Foam Get Rung Playmat... but in charcoal or tan? though we would get the discounted 'factory seconds'

So, that's the end of my questions for now. So far, the colors are on the aqua, deep blue, yellow, and lime.

 land of nod

 

boys room ~truck picture making tutorial ~ all things thrifty

cookie mag ~ editors' kids rooms~ heather pudewa

cookie mag ~ elcectic rooms ~ drawn walls

cookie mag~ elcectic ~ rooms ~ ethnic tapestry

coastal living

hgtv via exquisite design

nursery~ alphabet~ wall letters

treehouse-bedroom-kidtropolis

yellow cabinet makeover ~ design sponge

  cookie mag ~ city~ kids rooms

Little Outdoor Rooms

outdoor retreat ~ house to home uk

Springtime is the ultimate outdoor time around here. It's not too hot, (in which Texas summers I practically hibernate), nor is it too cold.

treehouse ~ home sweet style

Seeing how a simple shed, garage, canopy tent, or even a tree house can be turned into a sweet little escape, gives me a glimmer of hope when we finally are able to move to a place with a backyard or patio of our own.

outdoor canapy draped boudior ~ hilary robertson

garage turned retreat ~ paul whicheloe photography

mediviel inspired outdoor canopy dining ~ mimicode

gorgeous pink india inspired outdoor patio with birdcage ~ domino

outdoor magical mad hatter wagon ~ a fanciful twist

 outdoor kid's playroom tips from ideal home uk:

*Decide on a theme for the play room: we've chosen 'cowboys' - a fake cowhide rug as a wall hanging is perfect for adding touches of the wild west.

*Keep the look rustic. You don't need to paint the walls. Just varnish the floor, adding a rug to prevent splinters.

*Choose a child-size table and chairs for craft activities. Pick ones that are light enough so they can easily be lifted out on the lawn.

*Set up a craft corner. Cover a table in a wipe-clean oilcloth and a wall organizer for brushes and paints.

*Include storage for toys. Provide tubs, boxes and shelving to store toys.

*Push furniture to the sides of the room to leave a play area in the middle.

*It's a good idea to damp-proof your summerhouse – to do this, build it on a concrete base, laying a damp-proof membrane between the summerhouse and the concrete.

Inspired Room: Bedroom at Tiffany's

Have you seen Enchantresses 3 bedroom reveal? The room is based off of a vinyl decal made in the Tiffany style logo, but altered to reflect the name and details of her little girl, Emmy. The white wall scones with black candles add that perfect touch.

The blue walls are a strong color, but perfect and balanced with the white and black painted furniture and the airy sheer white curtains to let in plenty of light. The black and white polka dot bedding is perfect in this space.

And don't you just love the little play corner, with the mirrors, vinyl wall sticker chandalier, chalk board and zebra print rug? The pink chairs and little white shutters add a nice amount of cheery color as well.

It's definitely charming, diva-lishious and super sweet all at the same time. What a lucky girl!

Modern Glamour in Black and White

 

The good thing about moving is packing. Not that it is fun, or uneventful, but it does allow you to see your space without all of the "stuff", so you can see the possibilities without all of those things that you are so artificially tied to. Moving into a new place, also gives one the opportunity to nest a bit. Different layouts, different windows, different flooring, can either stress you out, or give you a chance to be creative without spending too much.

So, I ordered my white Pottery Barn slipcovers (mine are white and no longer on pottery barn, I got them on ebay for way less, so I linked to the 'natural' color). As a brave soul ordering white with 2 toddler boys, I decided I will try it and bleach those babies if I need to. Especially after reading Holly's advice in living with an all white home in her Life in the Fun Lane blog. She has some great slipcover advice here and here. And This Stylish House has great advice as well.

With all of this white, I am thinking charcoal gray and black for the next place. So, when I came upon this home featured in Domino, of J.Crew's creative director, Jenna Lyons, it made me realize that a dark and elegant place with touches of stark white, can still have warmth and uniqueness.