You know when you are brainstorming ideas for your new business with your friend and she mentions that you could use her bedroom as your first project, and then you both erupt into joyful cheers? That was how this bedroom transformation began! My friend Anna-Lisa’s bedroom was fine the way it was. It was a generic bedroom that just needed an update and a dose of my fine friends’ personalities. It looked like this:
Not bad, right? However, does it show off the facts that my dear Anna-Lisa LOVES reading and cats and colour, and that her husband Scott is a brilliant carpenter who has every Tolkien book ever written, and who also happens to be willing and able to do any project his wife asks of him? No it doesn’t. Anna-Lisa had dreams of a peaceful space to “just be”. Her words. I also wanted to create a space that reflects them both. This room redecorating really blossomed into something special because of Scott’s amazing talent. I found some free MDF, and Scott had access to some free lumber. I dreamed of board and batten, a built-in bookcase, and some beams with lots of doses of the Ptolemys thrown in. Here is the after!
This is the same space as the picture with the air conditioning unit.
The total cost of this bedroom transformation was only $402.50, including all the renovations. Here is the breakdown:
- Mirror $15
- Beams $15
- Chair $30
- Throws $20
- Throw pillows $20
- Book page art $42
- Duvet cover $7
- Bed pillows $30
- Duvet $50
- Book page wreath $0.50
- Board and batten $26
- Paint $100
- Light fixture $15
- Lamps $30
I always tell my clients that it is amazing what you can find for free or almost free. Kijiji is one of my favourite places to find great deals. The lamps, which were in perfect condition, only cost $30.00 for both! Brand new they would each have cost over $100.00. The chair in the reading nook was also from Kijiji, and it only cost $30.00. That isn’t to say that Kijiji is the most efficient tool: I actually bought three other chairs that didn’t quite work out like we wanted. However, I only buy things from Kijiji that I know I can sell for the same amount I paid (or more) if they don’t work out. Most people don’t have the time for this, but that is one of the reasons it is wise to hire me!
One of my favourite parts of the room is the mirror. I found a free frameless mirror on Kijiji along with some beautiful old barn wood. I purchased some hardware and stain (I found a can of brand new stain at Habitat for Humanity Restore for $4.00) to put the mirror together, and in the end, it cost a total of $15.00. This mirror would easily cost a couple of hundred dollars from HomeSense. Scott cut the wood for me and said it was like cutting through concrete! It is going to last for a long time.
The cheapest addition to this bedroom transformation is this book page wreath. I made it out of pages from a book at that I purchased at a garage sale for 50 cents. Art comes in all shapes and sizes, and isn’t always what you traditionally think of as art! It is also so personal. You don’t have to spend tons of money to hang things that you love on your walls. Thinking outside the box can help surround you with things that you love that cost almost nothing. I have found vintage maps, oil paintings, signs, and antique mouldings second hand that look amazing up on the wall.
The next significant aspect of the change in the room is the ceiling. If you check out the before shot you will notice that the ceiling had a popcorn finish when we began. We decided that we wanted beams, and when I say we I mean me and Anna-Lisa. In order for the beams to become reality, the popcorn had to be scraped off. This was an easy thing to do, although it was labour intensive.
Scott then used some leftover lumber he had on hand for the ceiling, but even if he hadn’t, I see free lumber all the time on Kijiji. Another great resource is garage sales! There is nowhere else that you can find things for less, unless it is for free off Kijiji. The chandelier we used was $5.00 at a garage sale. It was originally a shiny brass colour. I spray painted it white with paint I got for free from the eco station. We needed to add some new parts to make it work properly, so the total for the chandelier was $15.00. I think all the hard work on the ceiling was totally worth it.
Normally new bedding costs a lot. I sometimes drop into Bibles For Missions, which is a great thrift store. On this occasion, they were having a 50 percent off sale, which included all of their linens. They had this beautiful duvet cover for only $7.00. It is white with lovely cream lace detailing. After a run-through in the washing machine, it was as good as new.
I kept an eye out for a new duvet for a few months. I knew that if we caught the right sale we could save a lot of money. One day I was in Simon’s and found their king duvets on sale for $50.00. By waiting and researching I was able to save Scott and Anna-Lisa $100.00 on the duvet alone! At the same sale I found king pillows for $8.00 each and pillow cases on sale for 2/$14.00. Every time I went in to take pictures of the room I wanted to crawl into that bed!
Throughout the room, I added touches of things that feel like Scott and Anna-Lisa, including some of their favourite books, a beautiful toolbox that Scott built, and little touches of cats. One truly personalized piece was the art in the reading nook. Anna-Lisa chose a page from her favourite book and we blew it up.
I think Anna-Lisa will definitely feel peace in this room, as long as she can keep all the small children she lives with from invading. Shakespeare certainly thinks it is peaceful.
Are you in need of a bedroom transformation? I can help you with a little refresh or a total overhaul. Visit my services page to learn more.
