July 18, 2008

The Underwater School Room

teal-roomcollage_sm

I'm swimming in color and loving our new space. Everyone added a little idea to create a patchwork masterpiece. Remember what it used to look like? It is a far cry from boring now!

From top to bottom, left to right - what I heart about our new room:

1. A close up of my quilted cork-board strip with memorabilia hanging from pins... and the fishing line with some favorite things clipped in a row across my desk. The fishing line is anchored on each side by two rusty iron stars that have been living in my garage for far too long!

2. The path to the master bedroom is now clear of obstacles and the quilted artwork on the wall brings the teal paint and red filing cabinets to the unpainted side of the room. It really pulls the whole decorative theme together.

3. The fabrics we picked were in many of my favorite colors; bright and lively. The best part about them is that they were gifts from a good friend. Our family and hers enjoyed staying up together until wee morning hours arranging them to find the perfect layout.

4. Our state quarter map now has a themed room to surround it. Maps and quilts are very much alike. Colorful spots all blending together to make a unique creation. Colorful people make them great.

5. The laminated maps won't fall off the walls any more! Now they are glued and nailed on - and have their own crown-molding frames. I had to erase Easter Island, though... some things (like electricity) are more important than unsolved mysteries of the past.

6. My new desktop reflects the colorful mood I'm in. Apple blossoms from my visit to Indiana last April fill the monitor now. There are plenty of things in my little office lagoon to smile about.

7. The maps are easy to get to - just under the half wall that leads from the stairs to our bedroom. The blue walls are a lovely canvass for my school room favorites.

8. My desk is anchored by the neglected file cabinets that have been in our garage for a year (and in storage for two years prior to that). I don't know what to do with myself now that I'll have all that filing space again! My piles are the next project on my plate. Check out that blogging station! I'm swimming in glee.

9. Minga likes her new perch atop one of my favorite IKEA blankets. The maps, my love of quilts, and the bold colors of this soft woven throw were the inspiration behind our paint color and quilt swatches. You can see the tan couch behind kitty dearest - a gift from a super friend, also. Now we have a place to relax and read, play x-box, watch movies or educational videos, do school work, or sleep!

This room serves many purposes, and now we can all enjoy it as a work of art. I am totally beat after our three full days of hard labor, but it was a labor of love. I hope to do it again some time in the future. The rest of the house is jealous.

Sprittibee's Decorating Advice:

1. Don't wait until you are about to move out. Do it now so you can enjoy it. Don't make the mistake I made with our last paint job (that we only got to enjoy for a week or so before selling our house).

2. Find an inspiration piece (a map, a quilt, a blanket, some artwork, etc.) and look through home decor magazines and books to find an idea to build on.

3. Allow your kids to share ideas. We were considering painting my desk white until I decided on using a greenish throw blanket to cover my white desk table and Morgan suggested using one of the antique brown and red dining chairs. Even kids can help bring the room together. Her chair idea made the entire corner look natural.

4. Ask friends to help (or better yet - offer to help THEM). The fun when you do it together is worth every bit of the back ache.

5. Stick with colors and things that you love.

6. Let your own style show through.

7. Ammie (my gifted, quilting decorator pal) says, "be willing to edit" - sometimes more is too much. I was really going crazy towards the end - letting my enthusiasm get the best of me.

Have a great weekend... and be sure to link your project here in my comments section if you are so inspired that you start one after seeing this!


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16 comments:

Anonymous said...

Whoa... is that just as you go upstairs? Some things look familiar, other things don't. In any case it looks AWESOME!

Sprittibee said...

:) Yes - It is the game room/school room/blog room! Glad you like it! ;) Would love to have you over so you could see it!

KarenW said...

Wow! So beautiful! I'd love to know how you made the quilted cork-boards.

Anonymous said...

OK, I had my doubt after looking at yesterday's post, but it looks great!

Nothing says permanent like GLUING the map to the wall! :-O

Sprittibee said...

The cork boards were my friend Ammie's idea. She took a mental image of a cork-board out of a Pottery Barn catalog and used her quilting fabrics and some thin batting to cover 1' X 1' squares of cork that were meant to be mounted on a wall. We arranged them all to look like a work of art and used double-stick Velcro to stick them to the wall.

Christy - If you knew how many times I have woken up in the nights with my cats playing with those noisy plastic maps... or picked them up and re-nailed or pinned them to the wall, you might understand why glue was not scary! I can't really use that wall for anything else anyway since it is 1. the path from the stairs to my room and Kaden's room, and 2. a half wall. I'm thinking this room will remain like this as long as we live here at this house.

Dianne - Bunny Trails said...

Love, love, love it!! What a beautiful, inspiring, and FUN room! When we move, I want a room like that. :D

Jacque Dixon said...

OK. I am showing Matt. detail by detail. I already had decided I am refinishing the ugly painted wood floors upstairs and repainting the bedrooms. You have RE-inspired me sister!!!

I loved figuring out just where it all is in your home!! What a beautiful shade of water! I love it!!

I totally agree with not finishing and re-doing rooms right before you move! OI! But, that is where we are, and I have to do something!
We bought a set of Home Interiors Cowboy/Western stuff from my sister Jen, when we were at her house. I am going to frame Caleb's cowboy pics, make some for Eric and Ike, and hang up the darling cowboy hats. What can I say> The theme fits all three of them!! We will be sure to hang plenty of stars too!

Thanks for sharing! I love the quilted boards. So bold. Beautiful! I will be copying you there.

Love and HUGS!
Oh, and by the way.... Ike's comment was "THAT'S THE MEAN CAT FROM THE CLOSET!!!" ROFL!!
We all remember the special times at your house! Can't wait to visit again. and again. and again!

SuperAngel said...

WOW! that is so bright and beautiful, just like you! I love it!
You did a great job on it! Hopefully we can see it in person soon! :P

I love the quilted board. Those are so neat. I may make one one of these days.

Great job. I really love it!
Love,
Amanda
http://superangelsblog.com

Anonymous said...

Can you come help me? Please? It's beautiful!

Anonymous said...

That looks great! Nice Job!
I don't have any new decorating projects, but I did get an awesome storage bin for $5!
http://bargainshopperlady.com/2008/07/19/my-bargain-bag/

Anonymous said...

The link got cut off, but here's my site:
http://www.bargainshopperlady.com

Elena LaVictoire said...

I love the color! How fresh!!

Brenda said...

It is awesome!! All of you did a great job! :)

And, enjoyed the decorating tips.

Your blog is so cool!~(Can I still say that word? LOL!)

Anonymous said...

It's GORGEOUS!!!

If you're not inspired in that room, I don't know what will.

I love the teal and how everything came together. :)

Anonymous said...

Wow, how lovely! That is so inspiring. I'll be homeschooling my five year old "part-time" and those photos just get me dreaming. =)

Anonymous said...

Wow, how lovely! That is so inspiring. I'll be homeschooling my five year old "part-time" and those photos just get me dreaming. =)

 

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