I've been meaning to write up a post about the (not so) recent changes we made in Riley's room, but I was waiting to put the finishing touches in her room before I posted. Yeah, that hasn't happened yet and may not for awhile. I've been painting this tree scene for above her bed, but sort of want to wait until it's warmer since I plan to splash some paint on the canvas - something better done outside. So I decided it was time to share her 'big girl' room for fear that it will never happen at all.
Let's start at the beginning. Many years ago when I was little this with my brother's room. We moved out of the house, but my dad kept the house and rented it out. Eventually, I was one of those renters and this room was home to several different people while my room was just across the hall. More time passed, and I had the entire upstairs to myself. I turned this room into my office and picked this beautiful slatey blue (which the picture doesn't do justice).
When Jesse and I bought the house from my dad, this room became the catch all for extra stuff, but we knew that one day it would be the nursery (Some people need a junk drawer, I like to have a junk room apparently). So when Riley came along I struggled with changing the color of the paint, but at the same time, I really felt like I wanted something completely fresh and new. I had ideas about how this room was going to look, but it didn't really turn out that way. I was so over being pregnant while trying to bring the room together that I didn't really care.
I decided to paint the room neutral as I was going to accent with color... and I did - just not the colors I originally envisioned. Actually, Riley received a green monkey from her grandparents which led to us buying a green lamp and curtains and from there we ended up with the following.
I loved that sticker art on the wall, but as Riley grew older I was itching to change things up. She was less a baby and more a little girl and I wanted her room to reflect that. We had some colorful hanging Japanese lantern ball thingys that I liked the color of and one day Riley made a rocket out of toilet paper rolls that she wanted to hang in her room. Suddenly, those colorful balls looked like planets next to the rocket. Not long after Riley asked for glow in the dark stars for her ceiling since her friend had them.
And things just started to come together from there. We agreed that stars on one wall would be cool. I looked at a lot of options (painting, stickers, random patterns, measured out across the wall) and decided on painting them since I wanted them to be specific colors to match her "planets". I put more at the top and less towards the bottom to provide a trickle down look to it. Oh, and I added glitter to the paint so they sparkle a bit. It took me about 4 hours from start to finish - I basically traced stars all over the wall, started painting, stepped back and realized I traced too many stars, and then erased the extra stars. They certainly look hand painted and you can see the pencil on the orange ones, but I really love that about them. I love that they look like someone put a lot of heart into them and I would totally do it again.
We already had the rug which I felt had some of the same colors and could stretch into this theme. I planned to take pictures of some of her toys and showcase them on the wall, but struggled with finding something that fit in color wise and theme wise so I scrapped the idea (after taking some pictures of the Octonauts...
The pictures I did decide on were sort of chosen rashly, but I feel they fit in quite well with the room as the theme became less "space" and more "nature". We had guests visiting from out of town so I quickly printed out some flower pictures I took at the Arboretum and hung them on the wall. Riley loves them so I decided to keep them as is.
I thought about making a duvet cover for her bed and then realized that sounded crazy. I'm guessing I could have accomplished a task like that, but there are times when it's better for me to not overload myself with projects and I knew this was one of those times. I don't love this duvet, but it matches close enough so it works for me.
The bed and nightstand were mine from when I was a kid and I've always wanted to change out the handles, but that just hasn't happened. Actually, I'd love to paint the whole thing white, but yeah... also not going to happen. The dresser is an antique and has been in our family for a long time. It's one of those things that I would love to refinish, but also worry about tampering with something so old.
I picked up a few canvases and did some test paint ideas which ended up as finished room items on the small shelves above her book shelf. On the larger canvas (which went into a nook in the wall next to the original room inspiration monkey), I had a cool (now lost to me) quote picked out, but it was far too many words so I went with "you are my sunshine" since that's a song I sang many times to my girl when she was small... and she sometimes even requests that I sing it to her now.
There are a few other details in the room such as the play highchair (from my youth), the small chair (also mine from when I was a kid), a glow in the dark star and moon mobile (that we randomly found at my dad's house), a metal 'R' Riley insisted on when we went to Michael's, a light up star (also from Michael's), and some clay animals that we made with these kits that our Luxembourg family brought back from Europe.
On the wall behind her door I have the following. These were remnants of her 'baby' room that I couldn't quite part with and didn't want to just stick in storage.
Her room wouldn't be complete without her bookshelf. She loves reading and it's her entertainment at bedtime when she gets to read on her own before she falls asleep.
We love it, and most importantly, so does Riley.
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