New Project - Before

new project I am hoping to finish before the end of the month (Q: Why am I doing it in the middle of December!? A: I don't know, because I'm nuts like that). So this is a pretty large bedroom (it was the original master in the house) - it was a shared bedroom for the boys, then it was Brennan's, then it was Holden's, now it's Brennan's again. Anyway in some moment of insanity when it was Holden's bedroom I allowed him to chose the color he wanted for the walls. He chose the most horrible blue ever created. I don't even really know why I allowed it. I should have narrowed it down to blues I liked and THEN let him chose. Instead, stupidly, I just let him look at paint swatches in the store and decide on one. When he showed me, I remember I kept saying "Are you SURE that's the one you want?". He was insistent. It's kind of like an electric blue? Anyway it's pretty awful. So it's been that color for about 6 years I guess. And I also put blue carpet in there because the original carpet was pretty worn out - and what do you do in a very blue room? I figured I sort of had to go with blue carpet (but I more normal blue...but then, really? Should you ever get blue carpet? The answer is no, not really...but I digress)

So...

This room is now my new project. I'm not changing the carpet just yet, so I thought about what color I could do that work in there - and also how the room would work better, etc. Here are the before photos of what I'm working with here:


I know it's kind of awful right now. Anyway at first I thought of changing it to a blue I liked more. I even thought about white or off white just because...well, with blue carpet, there's only so much I can do here. But I've decided to try black. Insane? Maybe. I've also decided to re-plaster one wall and sand it smooth because the texture in that room is very bumpy and I really want to one wall in chalkboard paint. I'm very enamored of that idea and the kids think it would be really cool to have some of those around the house (I'm also entertaining the thought of doing that in another bedroom and in the new office, but thought I would try it here first). I just think they are functional but also make a room look really cool. Here are a few photos of cool chalkboard walls:
I also want to change the bed to a platform I think. Ikea actually has quite a few beds that I really like for in here:
The other problem I have in this room is the closet is not very functional. It's more like a storage closet than a regular closet and it's full of containers of my oldest son's personal belongings. (which I really don't have anywhere to move right now). I also remember it was horrible to paint. And the hanging bar is so high I can't even reach it when I stand on my tip toes and try to hang something up. So I am seriously considering covering the front of it with a fabric from Ikea or Marimekko and buying a rack for the clothes like this:

Or a rolling rack...because the only things he really ever hangs up anyway are his suits and dress shirts, everything else ends up in a drawer. I hoping to make it look urbane and hip. I always feel though that you can't plan every last detail, as you get in there and start working it just starts to come together. Sometimes you can just feel what's working and what isn't. My recent room remodel was like that. And I still love that room by the way. Everytime I am in my room I just feel like it's the perfect bedroom and I tend to stare at that wall color a lot and it really makes me happy, it really is the perfect green - maybe not for someone else, but I adore it.
I'll take photos of the new project and post them when I'm finished, but if you have any thoughts feel free to share them before I start.