Sydney's Room Makeover

Knowing the carpets were going to be replaced on the entire 2nd floor motivated me to tackle a couple of projects. First was our sleigh bed. Back when Brent and I were young and foolish, we used to drape our wet towels over the footboard. It wasn't until the varnish was ruined from all the moisture, we realized that was probably not the best idea. Moving from rental to rental, it always bugged me but I just didn't have the time or means to fix it. Now I did.

Initially I asked BJ for help in just moving the mattress and box spring. Being an avid DIYer himself, he stuck around to help me with the sanding, staining, and finishing. I think the whole thing took 30 minutes start to finish. It went from this:

To this:

And this:

To this:

It looks brand-new again! The spatters of stain on the carpet were actually leftover from the previous owners. Back when we bought the house and did our final walk-through, all the furniture was gone but there was a rug right in the middle of the room. Our savvy realtor rolled that up right away. On the one hand I was curious who would varnish over carpet, on the other I was thoroughly bothered they'd tried to hide it from us. Anyway, when our claim adjuster told me we'd be getting all new carpet upstairs, my mind went directly to the varnish stains under that ugly rug.

Painting Brigitta and Ireland's room was such an ordeal, I wasn't exactly chomping at the bit to pull out the paint brushes again. Don't get me wrong, I planned to repaint many a room, but I'd always assumed that could only happen once all the kids were in school full-time. Knowing I could paint and not have to worry about dripping on the carpet really motivated me to take on another room or two. Like Brigitta and Ireland's room, Sydney's room was color-blocked, but hers was in an awful blue and chocolate brown combination.

WHAT were they thinking? Although Sydney has the smallest bedroom in the house, it's still a decent size and was clearly built to be a nursery. Unfortunately, it was hard to appreciate the charm of the room with all the choppiness and soul-sucking darkness going on in there.

I believe it was the day we moved in that Brigitta got into my GlamGlow and spread it all over her legs... and the carpet. The carpet in Sydney's room was the nicest in the house and we could not get that stuff out. Over time the stains just deepened so again, I was elated to find out the whole upstairs was getting new carpet.

That's $69 worth of product folks (and a gift). If memory serves, I actually cried over that one because I'd only used it once and it was just gone. Brigitta's legs and hands were ultra-hydrated and silky smooth for days though!

As if the walls of the room weren't bad enough, the inside of the closet was the same horrid blue. Even the ceiling wasn't spared. Personally I think closet interiors should be pure white- it's the best way to clearly see what you have!

As luck would have it, Jim and Vanessa were in town for a visit. They insisted they just wanted to hang out; Jim had a business trip and Vanessa would be doing plenty of sight-seeing in the days to come, so they really had no agenda. Vanessa asked me what I wanted to do and I cringed when I told her I just wanted to get Sydney's room primed and painted. She didn't even hesitate- she just grabbed a brush and away we went.

Jim and Vanessa worked like galley slaves and in 1 day we accomplished what would have taken me 5 on my own. They didn't exactly bring work clothes, but didn't worry or complain that their regular clothes were getting splattered.  I'm forever grateful for Brent and Jim who had to get HIGH on that ladder to prime the vaulted ceiling. With brothers on either side, they had it done lickety split. It was hard to see because of the chocolate brown on the walls, but the ceiling was actually a pretty dark tan. 

I had to laugh when I saw the message Vanessa left on our chalkboard. For the record, I didn't make her paint, she volunteered. She'd been struggling with serious back pain and there she was, painting any part of the wall she could reach from her spot on the floor. It almost became her project too and she wanted to see it finished, but we needed to leave some drying time. She kept me company while I braved that ladder to paint the ceiling. Every time I look at that ceiling I'll remember how she chatted away, held the ladder steady, and encouraged me while I worked. Sometimes you just need someone to be there, ya know?

By the time Jim and Vanessa headed out, I was confident I could finish by Friday, which is when the carpet guys were coming. On Tuesday afternoon I received a call from our Project Manager and--SURPRISE-- they wanted to start laying carpet at 8 AM the next morning. Wasn't it great they were ready to go early? Aye de mi! I called Brent at work and begged him to come home early. Then I contacted my counselors and asked them to handle Mutual without me. Brent and I worked like fiends until midnight.

I was so exhausted, achy, and bruised from climbing up and down that ladder, I just wanted to quit. But the most important part of the whole room simply had to be painted last- the baseboards. I'd learned from doing Brigitta and Sydney's room how it would be nigh impossible to do a good job on the baseboards without ruining new carpet. Brent and I continued working and our conversation turned into that nonsensical kind when you are operating beyond exhaustion. We finally ran out of painter's tape, and had to quit for the night.

The next morning I was that crazy lady fogging up the glass on the front doors of Home Depot at 6 AM. I bought the last of the painter's tape we needed and raced home to finish. Brent went in to work a tad later so he could help with the girls, and I finished up just as the carpet guys arrived. We shut the door, turned on the fan and hung a sign instructing them to carpet Sydney's room last. I still can't believe we did it- and it never would have happened if Jim and Vanessa hadn't been there.

Sydney's room went from this:

To this:

The closet went from this:

To this:

As with Brigitta and Ireland's room, it looks bigger, happier, and the color (Benjamin Moore's Just Peachy) absolutely glows any time of the day or night. It coordinates beautifully with either a blue-based pink or a yellow-based pink. When the girls saw the new color, they oohed and aahed. Logically I know a pink room is not the best for resale, but having 4 daughters gives me the right to one pink room! The fresh, white ceiling makes a huge difference as the room suddenly feels clean and light.

We threw open the windows to air everything out but there's still a hint of fresh paint and that new carpet smell. It has gone from the room Sydney sleeps in, to the room I don't mind spending some time in, because it's so pretty and inviting. Initially I'd hoped to finish Sydney's room mid-week and quickly paint the hallway, but I was out of time and out of energy. Someday I'll take care of that- probably when all the kids are in school full-time!