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Jun 23 2011
The Long Room
My mother-in-law designed the house where Marlboro Man and I now live with our children. It was built in the early seventies around a small house that sat on the property, and I love everything about it, not the least of which is the fact that it's the place where my mother-in-law and father-in-law built their lives together. My husband and his two brothers–one of whom is no longer living–grew up here. I love it here. It's a special place.
My mother-in-law's design–particularly of the upstairs bedroom area–reflects the fact that she raised three boys here. The upstairs is essentially one large, open room with three small "cubbyhole" bedrooms off to the side. Each of the bedrooms has a small closet and enough space for a twin bed and small dresser–but there are no doors; it's all just part of one big, open space.
This was great for Marlboro Man and his two brothers. It's also been great for our brood so far. During the past several years, our four kids have played musical rooms with the three cubbyholes, and we've gone from the two boys sharing one cubbyhole (we brought in some bunk beds for this purpose) and the girls both having their own, to the girls sharing the bunk bed room and the boys both having their own, to the three older kids each having their own cubbyhole and the youngest sleeping on a sofa in the big room, to the three younger ones having cubbyholes and my oldest child sleeping on the sofa.
Musical rooms, musical beds, musical sofas, musical closets. It has broken the monotony of country life, I'll tell you that. And as I said, it's been just fine.
At this point, though, our girls are not only entering the teen years, they're also both approximately seven feet tall. They need space. And while I've always favored the Ingalls Family approach to kids' accommodations as opposed to the mega kids' suite approach you see in some newer homes and on Real Housewives, I am starting to appreciate the fact that my girls need their own separate space away from their brothers, who are prone to wearing underwear on their heads instead of their bodies and who sometimes tuck bullfrogs into their beds at night. The girls, at thirteen and eleven, need a place to put their clothes. And their books.
And their legs.
Enter: The Long Room. That's what we call it. It's a separate room off the main, large room upstairs, and was built to be an attic/storage space. When the girls were younger, we tried here and there to shove a bed in there and call it their bedroom, but because of the boxes and junk, it never felt like the real thing. So that's what the long room has been for us through the years: attic space, storage space, junk space, old furniture space, a place-to-dump-things space…
That is, until this week, when we decided to completely clean it out.
This is the emptiest the long room has ever been.
The plan now is to turn the long room into a bedroom for the girls. They're very excited.
But we have a few things we need to do first.
Aside from storage, the long room has also been a crazy play space for the kids–despite the fact that they've always had the main room to play in. Here and there, the kids and their cousins have rooted around in the long room, building tents and forts, having sleepovers, rearranging boxes, and, occasionally, scribbling on the walls. Couple this with the years Marlboro Man and his brothers rooted around this room, and there are a few cosmetic things that need to be fixed.
And this. I've always loved this happy orange carpet–it still covers all the floors upstairs–but in the long room it's ripped in some areas, is loosening from the floor, and is over thirty years old.
So that's what needs to be done. And since most of the work is cosmetic, the girls and I are going fix the room ourselves. Ha ha ha ho ho ho hee hee hee hahahahahahahahahahaha. HA!
I'm sorry. I just pictured myself holding a tub of Spackle.
Oh, I've Spackled before. That's why I'm laughing. I don't Spackle well. I get impatient, I rush through it, and I skip steps.
But for the sake of my daughters, I'll try to hold it together.
I'll keep you posted on our progress on The Long Room. Basically, we're looking at:
* Repairing bunch of drywall holes and painting the room. But we want to really have fun with the paint, possibly using three or four different shades on different areas of the wall and trim. Any color suggestions? I've forbidden the use of lavender or pink.
* Replacing the carpet. We've been playing with the idea of using FLOR carpet tiles, and have found three different complementary colors we're in love with. But is FLOR, like, totally 2003? Have any of you used them? Any concerns? Horror stories? I'm obviously drawn to being able to install them ourselves.
* Repurposing/refinishing/painting furniture we already have. They're in the middle of the big room (on the other side of the door) now, but we've got mismatched headboards, dressers, and bedside tables that are just crying out to be refinished and mixed together in the girls' new room. This is another area in which I am not gifted, mostly because I lack the necessary patience to strip furniture the right way. But I vow to do my best.
* Installing a ceiling fan or two. Because of its position in the house, this room can collect heat in the summer (from the weather outside) and in the winter (from the heater). Ceiling fans might be a little tough because of the somewhat low ceilings, but we're going to try.
* Taking photos and posting about the process, consulting with you along the way. Maybe you can keep us from making a fatal design error or two.
We'll keep you posted!
595 Comments and 106 Replies
Rebecca On Thursday, June 23 at 9:26 am
How fun! Your girls will love being able to have ownership in the room! Enjoy!
Rebecca On Thursday, June 23 at 10:49 am
P.S. Check out this link https://www.saveourcountryfirst.com/Default.aspx for completely made in the USA things…even down to the glue. Heard about it on NPR yesterday!
Jen at Cabin Fever On Thursday, June 23 at 3:26 pm
Its awesome to have such a site that lists USA made things. The sad part is that we actually NEED a site like that, because other country's products are so prevalent.
Sandi On Thursday, June 23 at 7:53 pm
Thanks ……..I will check out that site…….yea. NPR…..and you for sharing it with us.
Bethany On Friday, June 24 at 4:10 pm
AWESOME! I'm always trying to find things made in the USA. SO VERY HARD TO DO!! Thanks!
IA cowgirl On Monday, June 27 at 9:11 am
Thank you Rebecca. I try to avoid things not made in the USA; very difficult when Walmarts and Targets are so powerful…..as a slight aside, I never know how to respond without sounding self-righteous to friends and family who tell me to "shop at Sam's Club – milk is the cheapest there…." I don't want to pay dues to belong to that "club". yuck.
Erica On Thursday, June 23 at 9:29 am
Flor tiles are the best! We have them in the dining room, living room. and kitchen. They're easy to install, and the best part? If they get dirty, you pull up just the dirty ones, take them to the shower or outside, and hose them off. Once they dry, you pop them back in and you're as good as new. Go for it!
Amanda On Friday, June 24 at 8:37 am
I second the FLOR fandom! We have them in my husband's office/music room and in our living room. They are wonderful and wear like iron! I'm about ready to do my first washing of some squares, so it's good to hear from Erica that they do wash well! (For the record, we have Toy Poodle)
Melissa On Friday, June 24 at 1:59 pm
I have also considered FLOR tiles for a rug in my living room, but I'm worried they won't feel good on the feet. They seem a little rough.
lauradodson On Friday, June 24 at 10:25 pm
since i've not used FLOR i can only say it sounds wonderful. i like the idea that if a square or two gets muffed, it can be changed. i would totally go FLOR and all the do it yourselfedness. for sure paint all furniture the same color–maybe more neutral–and have fun with the walls. when i turned 16, my gift was to redo my room. i splatter painted the walls (late 80s fad and LOVED flinging that paint). have FUN.
Anne On Monday, June 27 at 5:55 pm
I use FLOR tiles at home, too, and I LOVE them! Very cool, very versatile, and inexpensive. And I'm an architect, so I think I'm relatively "in the know".
Do it, you won't regret it.
(just FYI – I have espresso brown tiles – they're really good at showing things like dust and white cat hair).
MZ V On Thursday, June 23 at 9:30 am
Call Layla Palmer. TLC. I know you want to do it yourselves, but she'll put together a plan that will guide you and it will look better than you could EVER imagine it. And she knows about doing-it-yourself.
Or, is she too busy right now? She's going places, I just know it!
Good luck. Post lots of project pictures, please.
Doreen, Houston, MN On Thursday, June 23 at 11:48 am
Layla would be a great resource. She, and DH, have taken DIY a new level. The transformation will be awesome, I'm sure, but, more importantly, you can know you did it yourself! Enjoy!
Sharon On Thursday, June 23 at 12:59 pm
I agree call Layla!
Lisa On Thursday, June 23 at 4:31 pm
That was my thought as well.
Cindy On Thursday, June 23 at 7:10 pm
That was going to be my suggestion! Send your picture to Layla and ask her to do a "Pick My Presto" of your room. It would certainly be a great starting point.
Dawn On Thursday, June 23 at 10:08 pm
Layla was my absolute first though as well. She is brilliant and so fun! She actually turned me on to you (The Pioneer Woman) and I have been a follower of both of you since! She is super busy but give her a shout out any way!
My other suggestions would be accent walls and a painted the ceiling. There are also companies that make ceiling fans to fit EVERYTHING! Also I LOVE dormers…little dog house looking things on top of roofs with windows in them. It could create a perfect little cubbie/reading nook that would really open the space up a bit. Good luck! I'll be watching and cheering you on from here!
kristy On Saturday, June 25 at 9:16 am
Call Layla (The Lettered Cottage) and Kate (Centsational Girl) – those two gals are pals and they could hook a sister up! They are both excellent at room concepts and using what you've got. Oh how fun it would be to see a collaboration!
Sherry in Indiana On Monday, June 27 at 9:48 am
Layla and her hub's for sure! I love reusing and repurposing items, they have great ideas. Pick My Presto is awesome!
Angie On Thursday, June 23 at 9:31 am
You can do it, Ree!!! And most of all, HAVE FUN!!! Enjoy every second with those girls! They grow up and leave way too quickly and those are memories waiting to happen with their Mom, the Spackle Queen!
Nancy~The Wife of a Dairyman On Thursday, June 23 at 10:30 am
Yes, you and your girls will remember this adventure of creating their 'big girl's' room….what fun, even with the spackle:) That's a nice big space to work with. Can't wait to see what you girls come up with!
Bethany On Thursday, June 23 at 9:32 am
You need to check out Pinterest. You will be addicted to it and it's loaded with ideas just like what you're looking for, I promise!
Sandra Dee On Thursday, June 23 at 10:30 am
I recently discovered this and was going to suggest it also. It is a great site where you and the girls can 'pin' pictures to a 'board' and compare what you like. I love this site!
Lori On Thursday, June 23 at 11:31 am
This was on the front page when I went to pinterest: http://pinterest.com/pin/47392615/
Jennifer Bohrer On Thursday, June 23 at 4:15 pm
Yes, I was gonna suggest it too…it's like a huge stack of magazines, but doesn't take up any shelf space and you don't have to send them off to the recycle later!
Rae On Thursday, June 23 at 5:20 pm
You definitely need to do the built in beds like they show on Pinterest, those are awesome. The girls should have quilts on their beds, so comfy and warming and come in all colors. Lots and lots of throw pillows and definitely painted furniture and some decals on the walls. Have fun and go wild…..
Sandi On Thursday, June 23 at 7:59 pm
Oh my gosh……just checked that site. Great ideas…….Thanks for sharing it.
Jessica Brunette On Friday, June 24 at 7:00 am
Yes, LOVE those "built-in" beds. What a great idea.
Carla On Friday, June 24 at 8:41 am
or instead of built ins….put up the little walls, like in the picture, and then use whatever beds you have. Make them match by painting the headboards the same color the same. (all white or all black)
Each girl can paint her side of the wall the color of her choosing, maybe have bedding to match and then one color for the rest of the room that coordinates with their colors to tie it all together. Then they have their own space they can escape to in their collective room.
aziebazie66 On Friday, June 24 at 9:14 am
Thank you for sending me to the Pinterest web-site I am absolutely hooked at looking through all the ideas. It will take me a little bit to figure out how to participate (other than pinning ideas to my boards) but it's exactly what I have been looking for. It takes me years to decide what to do with a room until I settle on an idea and this site is perfect for a less than savvy internet searcher. Thank you.
Angela B On Friday, June 24 at 11:58 am
Be careful! Pintrest is Addicting!!
S. On Friday, June 24 at 12:23 pm
Carla….loue that idea. Use your own peds and install the half walls…..LOUE IT !!! (sorry pad computer as you can read….read my other posts.)
shelbie cano On Saturday, June 25 at 7:04 am
wow i just found my new addiction,, thanks ladies
Kat On Thursday, June 23 at 9:33 am
I'm incredibly impatient when it comes to furniture stripping/finishing. But, if you like the look of paint, it's much easier – lightly scuff the existing finish with sandpaper, coat with primer (you can get it in a spray can if that's easier), let it dry, coat with paint – 2 thin coats give a better finish than 1 thick (again, you can use a spray can if you want), let it dry at least over night. Then spray with a coat of urethane if you want a more solid finish. Done!
Mamadallama On Thursday, June 23 at 10:02 am
Thanks for the instructions, Kat. I've been wanting to redo my dining room furniture but it seemed too daunting since I'm clueless. That sounds like maybe I could do it after all!
Betsy Deak On Thursday, June 23 at 10:25 am
I recently spray-painted several outdoor pieces: a small metal cafe table and w/ 2 chairs plus a small wooden table for plants. After using my right forefinger to spray (I went through 4 cans of primer and 5 cans of paint), I had no feeling in it for 2 days — Yikes! nerve damage. I knew there had to be a better way so when I went back for more spray paint, I found this cool little attachment. You mount it to a regular spray paint can and it's like a spray bottle; you use your whole hand instead of that 1/4″ of tender fingertip with a regular spray can of paint. Buy the re-usable type — not the kind you throw away after each use.
Sandy On Thursday, June 23 at 10:40 am
I totally agree.
Dearest PW – After following your blog for a while, I doubt you have the patience to refinish intricate furniture. As an out-of-work mom who has spent this year refninishing furniture, be careful what you take on. Paint strippers can loosen the joints of your furniture so don't just slater it on. The flat surfaces (tops of bookcases, dressers, etc.) can be sanded and stained easily. It is the corners, curly feet and grooved details that are a pain. Just paint and seal them. Your furniture will be beautiful and you will be happy to have your life back. Best wishes on your project!
Fire Wife Katie On Thursday, June 23 at 11:26 am
Buy a sprayer!! You'll be so glad you did. It will save your fingers when painting the furniture, and your back when spraying the walls.
Julie On Thursday, June 23 at 9:36 am
FLOR = all kinds of awesome. Definitely go with it.
Samie On Thursday, June 23 at 12:22 pm
My best friend is an interior designer and loves FLOR. When she gets tired of the way the carpet looks, she picks up a few of the tiles and moves them to a new location creating a brand new look!
Colleen On Thursday, June 23 at 3:51 pm
I love my FLOR tiles. I've bought them for two different rooms as area rugs. I love that they can easily be removed and cleaned. I'd go with high traffic tiles rather than low or medium traffic. I did have some pilling on tiles that weren't high traffic.
EG On Thursday, June 23 at 6:33 pm
Colleen, I don't know why your b being broken is so funny to me, but I had a good laugh over it!
JenCobb On Thursday, June 23 at 8:43 pm
Agreed, FLOR is awesome. Sustainable product, you can literally pick up a tile and clean it if it gets dirty, or just toss it and buy another one if it really gets destroyed. Phenomenal choice!
Julie SGB On Monday, July 25 at 1:24 pm
How do FLOR tiles hold up to animal hair? I have 2 dogs and 2 cats.
S. On Thursday, June 23 at 9:36 am
We just finished redoing a 1978 home……doing all our own work. Fun….. A friend just used the carpet tiles in their pasement (my letter after a doesn't work) and think they were perfect for that and so easy to install……….Can't wait to watch your progress.
NG in NH On Thursday, June 23 at 12:55 pm
"pasement (my letter after a doesn't work)" — haha, that just cracked me up! Time for a new keyboard, maybe? ;o)
Mary On Thursday, June 23 at 2:21 pm
S. On Thursday, June 23 at 8:06 pm
Tried a new keypoard….Had to send it pack….It wasn't compataple…..It gets worse…my letter after u ALSO doesn't work. Actually I rather enjoy annoying eueryone with my quirky emails!….Twisted, I know! Glad eueryone is getting a good laugh……..
SCS On Thursday, June 23 at 9:13 pm
Hahaha! thanks for your creative and humorous approach to a remedy… Has anyone read the novel "Ella Minnow Pea" ? Her plight is similar. A lighthearted, charming story. You reminded me of her!
S. On Thursday, June 23 at 9:47 pm
Sounds like I might like "Ella Minnow Pea." I will haue to check that out. I was thinking maype P.W. would l haue a contest with a computer giueaway……That one I would enter!!!
Shane On Monday, June 27 at 10:46 pm
I love this. I so needed that laugh tonight.
Kristi D. On Thursday, June 23 at 9:36 am
My daughter has recently asked me to repaint her room periwinkle blue and neon green. (Well, as neon as I can get it.) At first I was "What??!!" But the more I think about it, it isn't so bad. And it's only paint. It can always be changed! We were thinking about doing something on one wall with picture frames. The wall will be one color, and inside the blank picture frames would be the other color. Or something along that same line but with circles. I haven't quite figured that one out yet. Have fun!
Julie On Thursday, June 23 at 9:52 am
I just read your post, after posting mine. Look down below for what my daughter came up with. I
Skuba On Thursday, June 23 at 2:31 pm
I think Periwinkle would be great with some green stencils sorry to have to throw in more to the mix. Also if you do circles use a pencil on a string to make circles of varying sizes and fill in either with a paint brush or sponge depending on the look you want. Sounds like it's a great project. We got brave in a room and painted to room Lemon Twist and boy is it yellow but we love it.
Larelle On Sunday, June 26 at 9:13 pm
I was thinking blue and green too! Though I tend to lean more to light aqua/ robins egg blues with cheery leaf greens.
My second idea was hot pink and orange. Very fun together- and hot pink isn't TOO girly
The picture frame idea is fantastic! I'll have to add that to my 'idea book'!
tami On Thursday, June 23 at 9:36 am
No Pink? As a mom of three boys, please just a little pink.
Melinda On Thursday, June 23 at 9:37 am
This will be fun to watch!!
Naomi On Thursday, June 23 at 9:38 am
I love projects. I also love pretty green walls and chocolate brown accents. Would make for a nice girls room without the usual lavenders and pinks.
Maryanne On Friday, June 24 at 7:57 am
I agree Naomi! My craft room is a celery green with brown accents…I got some beautiful brown vinyl stick on flowers that are placed here and there on the walls…a brown chair and white funiture from IKEA…it turned out so cool!
Janet On Thursday, June 23 at 9:38 am
Have fun!!! Let me know if you need a great Tiffany blue for the walls, I can send you the info. (we color matched the box!!)
karen On Thursday, June 23 at 10:35 am
We did the same thing
CarolAlaniz58 On Thursday, June 23 at 9:39 am
You can go for the ceiling fans if you want, but it looks to me like the ceiling is too low.
What I'd do instead (if possible) is put in a bunch of electrical outlets and then have lamps for light and you can plug in desk or floor fans when needed.
My son has eight double electrical outlets in his remodeled bedroom, giving him 16 plugs. This was supposed to be enough (we asked him before installing them) but we've found that even that isn't enough. For his computer, two monitors, a TV, video game systems, and a window fan and lamps from IKEA, we probably could have used 4-6 more outlets. For your girls, remember their hair dryers, as well as laptops and cell phones (if they don't have now, they will in the future) and any other electrical item they use.
Rebecca On Thursday, June 23 at 9:45 am
I just want to second this item on the need for TONS of electrical outlets. Every 2 feet. (Every 4 feet is standard, but then you end up with one outlet sprouting like some kind of electrical hedgehog and the other over in the corner….too far from everything). If you can, add extra breakers in your box too.
judyk On Thursday, June 23 at 12:54 pm
Today's skylights are really great and can be vented, too.
sooz On Thursday, June 23 at 7:58 pm
I agree with you guys. The ceiling is too low for hanging fans, especially with tall kids in the room. You can get attic fans that fit flush into the ceiling instead of hanging down. One that sucks hot air outside would be great too, as it would remove the hot air instead of just moving it around.
Sky lights or Solatubes would do wonders to lighten the room. My siblings and I had one put into my mom's house and she loves it.
Sandy On Friday, June 24 at 6:51 am
Skylight exhaust fans! A great idea and one I wouldn't have thought of. I googled it and found many suppliers. I agree: that room is going to be an oven with only two end windows and no cross ventilation. More light and air movement will become critical.
Kim W On Tuesday, June 28 at 9:19 pm
I recently saw a commercial for Dyson's new bladeless fans. A big one in a corner would help circulate the air, and it looks so cool!
Leslie On Thursday, June 23 at 9:39 am
That room would be perfect for built-in bunks!
Robin On Thursday, June 23 at 10:16 am
Those built-in bunks are too cute!!
Marie M.C. On Thursday, June 23 at 10:32 am
Love the bunks, too. Did you notice the little portholes between the beds. Cute. Also, when you build your own beds you can make sure they'll hold extra-long mattresses. I suggest you go with white. Maybe different shades of white. Then accessorise with color. Bed sheets, covers, pillows, furniture. If the room is warm I doubt ceiling fans will be that effective. Install some kind of air-conditioning. Jeez Louise, you live if Oklahoma. I've heard it gets hot in the summer. And take the advice of the person who suggested electric plugs, lots of them. Have fun!
lauren On Thursday, June 23 at 10:43 am
Just jumped to look at this site and the build in bunks. SO FREAKIN COOL! Too involved for a DIY though…
Paula in Tulsa On Thursday, June 23 at 11:18 am
OH, I agree! Love the height and the storage underneath. As the girls get older, having that division would also offer some privacy they might appreciate.
I don't know if it was the time of day the shots of the long room were taken, but the benefit of the white paint would add alot to brighten that room. You could then add splashes of color with the bed linens and pillows and change with the seasons or when the fancy strikes them.
SheilaE On Thursday, June 23 at 12:11 pm
Love those bunks. Perfect for the room. Come on, PW, splurge and build these bunks!
JetTroopsWife On Thursday, June 23 at 1:23 pm
bess On Thursday, June 23 at 1:36 pm
those are really cool bunks….and actually wouldn't be that hard DIY. No one says you can't do something similar by building a platform to support the bed itself and use ready made kitchen/bath/closet cabinets to get drawers and storage. You could use the "flat pack" stoarage units you can get a places like target too. I wouldn't try and use them to support the weight of the bed but you could build a platform and slide them underneath then add a piece of trim to cover the seam….. you could easily make an access door to get at the dead space behind the cabinets and use that for storage too
Betsy On Thursday, June 23 at 3:08 pm
I disagree with the bunk beds. Girls Ree's daughters ages may think they're cool now, but they're getting to that age where they want to seem (and be) more grown up…and bunk beds just won't cut it!! And remember, even tough they may get along wonderfully sharing a room, they each need to be able to have a little private space within the room. I do agree that the room just isn't suited for ceiling fans. Stand fans (to me) actually circulate the air much better.
Amy On Thursday, June 23 at 6:08 pm
Thanks for sharing this site! How cute! What a perfect use of space in the room Ree is going to work on!
Beth On Thursday, June 23 at 7:54 pm
For the bunks–if any of you(or the many people around you) are handy with wood, check out Ana White's site http://www.ana-white.com/ for furniture plans. That way you could just build exactly what you want/need, and you would be painting/staining from scratch. Super easy plans-I've built quite a few things from there. The girls might get into it themselves…
Katie in VA On Saturday, June 25 at 7:30 pm
Those bunks are awesome. I love it.
Mindee@ourfrontdoor On Thursday, June 23 at 9:40 am
I just got done with a week of spackling and painting myself (also documented on my blog) to turn our grubby playroom into a teen space.
My only suggestion is to go ahead and hire someone to come in and rip out the old carpet and put in new. It's a dirty, filthy, nasty job and by the time you finish spackling and painting, you'll be glad to have someone else do it.
Kathryn On Thursday, June 23 at 9:41 am
It seems you forgot to clear out the dead basset hound in the corner.
That picture actually brings back so many memories of my childhood with basset hounds!
Emily B. On Thursday, June 23 at 9:41 am
Shades of gray would be lovely- making whatever colors you choose to refinish your furniture with really POP. Also, what about 2 large fans that attach to the top of each wall corner?? That would move the air around, and they'd be tucked up in the corner out of the way, Have fun!
VegasGirl On Thursday, June 23 at 9:41 am
Fun Project… there are about a gazillion ideas on hgtv.com for decorating ideas (including the "rate my space" section which shows what people are doing in their homes, not just what the designers do on the shows). There are also several cute ideas to separate the space for more than one kid without putting up walls, just so they have some area that belongs to each kid!
Good luck to you, Ree… I love decorating and picking out colors and patterns and looking at home improvement magazines and sites, but there is nothing I hate more than painting. I hope it's a task you enjoy, since there looks to be a lot of wall real estate in that room!
Mary On Thursday, June 23 at 9:42 am
Wow, how fun is this gonna be!!!!!! Take lots of pics for your memory box!
I so wish I could come get that UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS LONGHORN BURNT ORANGE CARPET! HOOK'EM HORNS!!!
Darcy On Thursday, June 23 at 9:43 am
Ree, I just got really excited for you *and* your sweet girls in this lovely, sweet nest of a room. I think it will be perfect for the girls. I love this kind of thing and wished I lived closer just so I could come and help you guys work – just for the fun of it! (Yes, I think this stuff is fun. I'm warped.)
That said…and because you asked for suggestions…
What about a pale, creamy yellow for the walls? Not to overpowering, not frou frou…but still feminine and pretty? Then, dress it up with those rub on decals from Hobby Lobby (or the handy dandy internet) of trees with birds. I love bird decor right now. The girls may have their own ideas. I'd keep the angled ceiling an off white though. Just to make the room seem taller.
Flooring. What about a Pergo wood flooring – the snap & go kind? I know it's work…but even after the girls have moved out (whaaaa!) the room transitions into something else and still looks like you'd want to spend time there.
And finally…the headboards. I hate stripping furniture too. But…I found this great site about painting furniture. If the girls like that distressed, Shabby Chic look – I think this would be a great way to "unify" the mismatched headboards by the same paint & distressing techniques. I'm seeing a Jeffersonian white.
I used those techniques on a couple of nightstands and they came out great. I loved the results.
I can't wait to see what you guys choose and the results. Have fun! Oh, and play some good tunes while you work, that'll help.
Amy R On Thursday, June 23 at 10:15 am
We have pale creamy yellow in our living room and kitchen and I LOVE it! We don't own the house, so it was already yellow when we moved in. I wasn't sure about it at first, but now it's a different story. We have chocolate colored furniture and I've accented our living room with reds. Looking forward to seeing the progression of The Long Room.
Heather R. in Kansas On Thursday, June 23 at 10:29 am
I conncur with the Pergo flooring with a really awesome colorful rug in the middle. Love that idea!
Although, I will tell you I have two experiences with carpet tiles and both are mostly good.
1. if you get some with minor design on them, you can turn it different ways so that it creates a unique pattern. They are also great incase you get a really bad stain or something rather and can just pull up the one tile versus replacing all fo the carpent. I don't believe there is a need for stretching in this case either.
2. We have them at the hospital I work at and it seems that they are a tripping hazzard. Ha! Who knew. The seems do come up occassionaly. So that's a stinker of a deal. Other than that, go with what your little heart desires.
Both ideas are fabulous. Also, I'm pretty much obsessed with accent walls. Different colors in rooms are great.
Darcy On Thursday, June 23 at 2:43 pm
Oh, and I just thought…what about pale yellow and pale, dove gray? Those are lovely when paired together.
Larelle On Sunday, June 26 at 9:20 pm
The snap together laminate would be an awesome flooring! We have some in our house and we liked it so much that my brother and sister in law also put in their house. We got ours at Costco… great price and great product! Very easy to install ( I did most of my brothers) so I would totally recommend looking into it. I am assuming you have a Costco in OK
Linda Kneefel On Thursday, June 23 at 9:44 am
I'm still laughing at seven feet tall and underwear on the head. Thanks for all the joy.
Cindi On Thursday, June 23 at 9:45 am
I am definitely "decorator-challenged," but the best thing we did when we built our new house 5 years ago was to make sure that each of our sons got a queen size bed. Yes, when they left for college, they had to make some adjustments, but at least here at home they had enough room to spread out and sleep comfortably.
KarenK On Thursday, June 23 at 9:45 am
it's easy to unite differing headboards, dressers, night stands etc with paint. Easy to do, inexpensive and easy to change out in a couple of years if they want. English Cottage Garden would look terrific in that long room. Plenty of room for two separate bed/dressing areas and another area for 'foot puttin' time' with a couch or chairs and good reading lamps…I envy you this project!
rachel On Thursday, June 23 at 9:45 am
what a fun project! I can't wait to see what you do in there!
Jess On Thursday, June 23 at 9:46 am
I love Flor and think it's great – kids and pets can destroy parts and you can replace just the one tile instead of the whole floor.
What about an extractor fan installed? They keep houses very cool instead of just pushing warm air around.
Also, my husband built me a raised bed from your how to in the garden section and it's great!
Gale @ Ten Dollar Thoughts On Thursday, June 23 at 9:47 am
Is this not the perfect job for your friend Hyacinth? (Isn't she the one who redecorated her awesome living room a year or so ago?) I know nothing about these things, but I'd lure her over with a margarita and some nachos and get the creative juices flowing. As for colors, I'd go with a soft blue and bright spring green. Maybe some sunny yellow accents too. Have fun!
Toni On Thursday, June 23 at 9:48 am
I live in the mid-west and yet long for the feel of the ocean in my home… so recently, I've thought why the heck not? it's my house, right? We don't need to live by convention. I've started pulling aqua blues, and soft whites into my normal tans, reds, and taupes… and I love it. The reds and the aqua are great together.. and whites give everything a beachside cottage feel. I've even started shopping for old comfy beachy type decor- boat oars, old vintage fans. It's starting to feel a bit like being on vacation near the water. Maybe, your girls might enjoy the same? have fun!!
Heidi S On Thursday, June 23 at 9:49 am
I really love the aqua blue & red combination right now, with some white accents, such as the furniture. Brown & sage green would work too! I'd go to the home improvement store and grab a bunch of the color cards and see what you come up with! I saw on a show once, instead of using the test paint on the walls, paint poster board so you can move it around to the different walls and see how it looks at different times of the day and in different lighting. Good luck! Looking forward to seeing your progress!
lauren On Thursday, June 23 at 10:46 am
ooohhh! that sounds pretty!
Sandi On Thursday, June 23 at 6:30 pm
I second the aqua and red combination! With white, it's a fresh, youthful look that isn't childish or girly. Bonus points if you can work in polka dots. As for FLOR, they're quite durable. We use the at the restaurant where I work, and we just had to replace some tiles after five years of heavy traffic. We get the FLOR catalog and I look through it longingly every time. I just love catalogs…
Amy @ Living Locurto On Thursday, June 23 at 9:49 am
I can't wait to see it! Yes, those girls need a cool room of their own. That's the perfect spot. Have fun:-)
Leslie On Thursday, June 23 at 9:49 am
This room would be perfect for built in bunks!
Catie On Thursday, June 23 at 9:50 am
I use Interface (the commercial division of FLOR) at work (I work in an architecture firm) all the time! It's a great company and I still think that they look great on the floor in any home! You could even paint the wood floors white and then use the FLOR tiles as accent rugs. I love that look.
Hmmm…as far as color suggestions, I'd go with some bright fun colors like lime green, aqua and yellow! Oooh, and dark purple! Hopefully dark purple isn't against your no lavender rule!
Have fun! It's going to look so great!
LJM On Thursday, June 23 at 9:51 am
Have you thought about decoupaging old furniture? I needed a chest to put in my spare room for my grandbaby and I was given one by a friend. It was in great disrepair. I took brown paper sacks and ripped them into various sections, crumpled them, dipped them in a solution of Elmer's School glue and water and pieced them toghether on the chest and drawers. After it dried I covered it with a couple of coats of glossy polyurethane. I spray painted the handles hammered copper. It's adorable. I have pics if you're interested.
Rachel On Thursday, June 23 at 10:24 am
LJM, I would LOVE to see those pictures! I can't quite imagine it, but it sounds amazing.
Brenda M On Thursday, June 23 at 12:13 pm
You can also decoupage with old maps – check out Martha Stewart.
Also, check out Howard (brand name) Restor-A-Finish products (no stripping required). I haven't used it, but an antiques dealer told me about it.
Don't forget about This Old House's web site.
Since you have more than one person to please here as well as the homeowner, I would suggest doing a design board. Everyone can have an input and then agree on a plan before you get too far.
Colors – I really like a dark brown accent wall with light aqua accents (not too girlish that wouldn't be okay for the boys too).
Good Luck — we'll be waiting with bated breath to see the results.
LJM On Friday, June 24 at 3:58 pm
Rachel, it sort of looks like leather but with a glossy finish.
Julie On Thursday, June 23 at 9:51 am
Color – thank you for forbidding lavender and pink. So blase!
My daughter chose 3 colors for her room, bright green, dark green and purple. Two walls are bright green, one dark green and one purple.
The plan was to put up mirror squares on the one of the bright green walls so that it would reflect the opposite wall, which is painted purple.
I love my daughter! and her sense of creativity, and order within that creativity (the mirror/purple squares lined up on the green).
Sadly, we never got around to putting up the mirror squares, and actually returned them.
But she still has her colored walls, and is just fine with them.
Thank you for letting me share.
Elm On Thursday, June 23 at 9:51 am
FLOR is much more 2008 than 2003! At least that is when I bought mine…
I love my FLOR tiles. Easy to install, easy to pull up and clean, lots of fun colors and patterns.
Naturally Handy On Thursday, June 23 at 9:52 am
I think you're definitely on the right track with some sort of carpet. Hardwood or tile would take away from the warmth and coziness that is "The Long Room".
Kristin On Thursday, June 23 at 9:52 am
Looking forward to watching the progress! One source of great ideas is http://www.houzz.com. You'll get addicted to looking at all of the photos. Another great design resource is http://www.designsponge.com – which is especially great for the "before and after" furniture repurposing highlighted every Thursday. Have fun!
Tex On Thursday, June 23 at 9:53 am
Better be careful with the ceiling fans, Ree, since your girls are seven feet tall. I'll be looking forward to updates on the long room.
Rene' Foust On Thursday, June 23 at 9:53 am
They are going to be so happy!
Grace On Thursday, June 23 at 9:54 am
That's awesome! They'll have so much fun. I know I like my own room. I always shared until almost 5 or 6 years ago maybe. They'll love having their own room in say 6 months at the least. It was weird in the first stages.
Grace On Thursday, June 23 at 9:55 am
That's awesome! They'll have so much fun. I know I like my own room. I always shared until almost 5 or 6 years ago maybe.
Christi On Thursday, June 23 at 9:55 am
This is a great room and I love the shape! There are some good ideas for teen girls on PBTeen, http://www.pbteen.com/gift/thm/thmgrl/?page=viewall
For the floors, I would invest in wood floors and accent with rugs. First thoughts on colors would be turquoise and brown accents with all white wash furniture not to matchy, matchy!
Amy - Narrowboat Lucky Duck On Thursday, June 23 at 9:55 am
Wow! what a space. you could fit my whole home in it! (but I love on a 48ft, 7ft wide canal boat!)
Clayvessel On Thursday, June 23 at 9:56 am
Ha. We had a similar looking situation with the room where the two little boys are. The walls were so shell-pocked from their destructive ways. We put beadboard around the lower half of the walls like a wainscot rather than repair all the drywall, then painted two colors- one on the beadboard and one on the drywall above. I love it! Clean and fresh!
Celesta On Thursday, June 23 at 11:15 am
I think this room would look great with white beadboard and the top portion of the walls painted a pretty aqua. And peach and chocolate accents throughout the room!
Laura On Thursday, June 23 at 9:57 am
That so reminds me of the room I shared with 3 of my sisters many years ago. I remember painting it yellow.
Tracy L On Thursday, June 23 at 9:57 am
I have read about 'paintable' beadboard wallpaper that looks like the real thing! I think I would consider this – it sure would save a lot of spackle! Plus it gives that 'Layla' look!
Natalie V2 On Thursday, June 23 at 9:58 am
Sweet that the space is already available… and I bet you will get a flood of good ideas and suggestions. What fun! Well, once the Spackling is behind you!
Dana Beth On Thursday, June 23 at 9:58 am
Oh, you need ideas? This is right up my alley since I WAS your girls a long long long time ago, only there were 4 girls playing musical rooms in all of our farmhouses. To this day, I still find the need to rearrange the furniture and paint with new themes in mind. Right now, I'm in the middle of a Hawaiian flower theme for my room. I've started painting all kinds of orchids and blossoming tropical flowers on my white wooden furniture and vanity table. You can find the neatest rugs and such with citrus colors at Wal-Mart and online. Citrus makes me happy…lemon, orange sorbet, hot pink, lime…you get the idea. It makes you want to wake up in the morning. Warning: painting flowers is painstaking work! Just make sure the curtains make your girls smile. Too much white and cool colors can darken the mood in my opinion:)
Christy On Thursday, June 23 at 9:59 am
Whatever the colors, I suggest adding the vinyl wall stickers for accents. They come in many different varieties and are reasonably priced. My 11 year old daughter just did her room with white walls, multi-colored polka dot stickers and striped bedspread. It makes it really easy to change the look of the room as she gets older.
At Lowes, I have seen ceiling fans with the blades behind a grate (like regular fans but this one mounted on the ceiling).
I can't wait to watch the progress.
Rachel On Thursday, June 23 at 10:26 am
I was skeptical at first when my older teen daughter wanted to put vinyl wall stickers on her attic/bedroom wall above her bed. Large red poppies. But I have to tell you, done in moderation, it's adorable.
bess On Thursday, June 23 at 6:39 pm
both my kids have them and I love them…………quick and easy…..and easy to change when they outgrow the current theme. There are many many sellers and etsy that do them along with roommates.com
Bev Stephans On Thursday, June 23 at 9:59 am
Since cooling will be a problem, I would suggest a separate AC unit in the room. With your constant 90 degree days in the Summertime, I think that this would really be a necessity.
Liliana On Thursday, June 23 at 9:59 am
What a fun project! I will follow the progress eagerly.
I have three kids (25, 23 & 18) and understand the need for rearrangement of one's living space. We have done it in the past, and are still at it.
Currently, we have my sister and her family living with us. The rooms have assumed a whole new set or roles!
Best of luck,
Kelsey On Thursday, June 23 at 10:01 am
I think you should go with a green and grey paint combo, paint all the furniture a dark charcoal or black. It will be playful enough for their ages now but will be able to grow with them in the future! Good luck with all the updates.
Andie Reid On Thursday, June 23 at 10:01 am
With a long, narrow space and low ceilings, you might consider wall mounted fans positioned up in the corners to circulate air through and around the room. We found that it worked very well on a much smaller scale in our sailboat.
brooke On Thursday, June 23 at 10:02 am
So fun, bright colors like, lime, magenta, and plum would be great. I am thinking laminate flooring with some fun rugs. You could do that yourself. Some zebra like bedspreads, with pillows. I could go on and on. I love to make comforters and such. Good Luck, HOpe it turns out how you want.
Kathy Ayers On Thursday, June 23 at 10:02 am
Have you ever seen those long wall ductless cooler, heater, fan things? Not as cute as a ceiling fan, but it would fit flush against the flat part of the upper wall, and provide good cooling. We just got back from staying in a beautiful B and B in Bayfield WI that had it above our bed. You really didn't notice it and it worked really well. Also, something bright is really in. Like spring green which would totally change the room!
Paige On Thursday, June 23 at 10:02 am
Apple green, navy, and white-I'm a little partial to beach colors being from the south ALSO, don't totally discount pink-it looks REALLY great with brown Yet another beach thing…
Aimee On Thursday, June 23 at 10:10 am
Paige – I just encouraged Ree to not discount pink, too! We redecorated my oldest daughter's room using a pale pink and brown for a Cowgirl Room. Find my post to see pictures. I'm no professional, but I'm VERY pleased with the results! And I cannot say how much I love Hobby Lobby enough! lol
Andrea R. On Thursday, June 23 at 10:06 am
Love the idea! We redo rooms each time we move in to a new house and love it! And I love to repurpose rooms in the houses I am living in! I would go with a warm grey in 3 shades (all above or below each other), because then as the girls grow you don't have to repaint. FLOR is a good company still, if you like it go with it! As for the furniture, let the girls pick any great colors they want, do a light sanding and then choose a primer to specifically cover stain (if thats what your furniture is) and then a few coats of paint. If you really get going you can put a coat of poly overtop to "seal" it (like for a desktop or top of a dresser), just leave it outside covered for a week or so otherwise the fumes will get to ya!
Good Luck!
Larelle On Sunday, June 26 at 9:32 pm
I wouldn't paint the furniture all one color either. Maybe make the big pieces match and mix up the rest of them.
Also, I recommend MinWax furniture wax as a MUCH easier and quicker alternative to poly sealer on indoor furniture. I love refinishing furniture and I couldn't live without the stuff! I love that its not glossy either, which gives the piece a more 'comfortable' look
And I always just use interior latex paint in an eggshell finish. Durable, easy to use (and clean up) and NOT glossy!
Christy On Thursday, June 23 at 10:06 am
Think about using vinyl wall stickers for accents. They can be found in any color, theme, character, etc. They are easy to apply, move, and remove. My 11 year old daughter decorated her room in multi-colored polka dots on the walls with a striped bedspread. All the mismatched furniture is white to link it together. My other daughters share a room and all the furniture is different colors/finishes and it just looks thrown together (which is what was done).
lisa alvarado On Thursday, June 23 at 10:06 am
Re:stripping furniture. Look into the rustoleum cabinet restoration kits. Amazing product for wood, laminate or mdf
Aimee On Thursday, June 23 at 10:07 am
One great way to make all the mismatched pieces go together is to paint them. We did this when we redecorated my oldest daughter's room last summer. You don't really have to strip the furniture if you paint it. Just sand it until it's not shiny, then prime it and be sure to use a glossy finish. If you want to restain it, then you should strip it, but it's not bad. There is a product that is like an orange gell that you apply and let it sit for about 30 minutes, then scrape it off. If I can do it, ANYONE can do it!
We went with a cowgirl theme, and we painted all her furniture a dark brown, almost a fudge color. I got all of the cowgirl accessories at Hobby Lobby. We did use pink because we already had a pale pink comforter but the brown balances it out. So don't be afraid of pink.
Our finished product and the details are here:
Brown is really popular. People are pairing it with darker pinks (think fushia), turquoise, orange… you name it.
You're creative, so I'm sure you and the girls are going to come up with the perfect room for them. I can hardly wait to see the transormation. It was so fun seeing the Lodge come together, and it will be fun to see this, too. Have fun!
Shawna On Thursday, June 23 at 10:07 am
I have a great book on how to design rooms for kids, "Pottery Barn: Kids' Rooms"
Your daughters might be a bit older than the target, but there are some great colour schemes and tips in it.
I would personally paint a bunch of mis-matched furniture all white and maybe distress the edges. (Ha ha ha HA!!! I mean I'd get my husband to actually do this, while I pickily supervised from the sidelines.)
And I love built-in beds and periwinkle blue walls. I've also toyed with the idea of white trim and wainscotting, because you can go with a much more dramatic colour above wainscotting without overpowering a room.
Amanda On Thursday, June 23 at 10:07 am
I'm so excited about this! I love to refinish, repurpose, and reuse. It's the best way to get what you want without breaking the bank. I think the carpet tiles are a great idea because if something happens you don't have to replace the entire floor, just a piece or two. Since they're still young I would definitely go for a nice, soft, neutral color pallette with the walls, floors, and furniture and then they can add in all the colors they want with their bedding and art. I can't wait to see your progress pictures!
P.S. I'm a self-proclaimed professional with spackle and painting and refinishing so if you need help I'm literally only a couple of hours away! Good luck!
Casey M On Thursday, June 23 at 10:07 am
Flor tiles are SO not passe. First of all, when the boys go in there, sans permission with a dog they've just overfed mass amounts of peanut butter to see at what point he will chuck it all over the carpet and then he does so on one of the girl's brand new flor tiles, you will NOT have to lug the carpet shampooer up there, you can just pull the tile up, replace it, and its perfection once more. Second, Bless you for giving the girl's space. I grew up with boys and now I have two (plus a girl) of my own, and they smell dirty even when they are clean. They're loud when they're trying to be quiet. They're irritating when they're trying to be sweet. Your girls need some place for their own sanity. Good on you for allowing them that.
Sandy On Friday, June 24 at 2:30 pm
Thank you for saying that! I was feeling like a grinch because my first thought was a lock for the door ..
Amanda On Thursday, June 23 at 10:08 am
My daughters room is Tiffany blue. We took in the box and got it color matched at our Bejamin Moore paint store. Furniture is ivory (Benjamin Moore seashell) and black. Used black and ivory damask and lots of other natural textiles like jute rug with black border to bring it down a notch. We get tons of compliments on the color and design. It's the girliest you can get (Tiffany box ) without being pink or purple.
Diana On Thursday, June 23 at 1:41 pm
Sounds beautiful. Like that you used different textures – I think various textures and patterns are what take rooms from "Oh, thats really pretty" to "Oh My Gosh – This Is GORGEOUS".
Delaney On Thursday, June 23 at 10:10 am
Sounds fun! You can handle this…if you can handle cooking for a national TV show for a week, using all that butter, washing all those dishes…you got this, girl! Here is my opinion: I would paint horizontal stripes of varying widths down the wall that the beds will be up against. For colors, I would use four neutrals (think paint fan deck, pick a card of neutrals that you like and use shades/ tints of the same color from the same card so that they coordinate nicely) and then throw in one accent color – like a nice green (see Sherwin Williams "Wheat Grass"), a funky purple, vibrant or dark red (see Sherwin Williams "Crab Apple") or a navy or bright blue. You could incorporate this color on one or two of the stripes, but things are better in odd numbers. For the other three walls, I would pick a great neutral out of the colors you have and paint them the same color. For the floor, FLOR tiles are great. You could look at doing the majority of the tiles one color, but then incorporate your accent color into the floor with funky striped tiles, circle tiles, etc… The great thing about FLOR/ Interface is the way you install the tiles. No adhesive, just a small circle that sticks to the floor and carpet corners. I personally would look into buying some carpet for the whole room, but doing an accent rug out of the FLOR tiles. This way, you aren't re-doing the room years after…if the room becomes the boys room or if *tear* your girls move out and go to school! (I know…don't think about it!) GOOD LUCK! Can't wait to see progress pics!
Ruby On Thursday, June 23 at 10:10 am
Easiest way to strip wood is Easy Off Oven Spray, leave on on about 10-15 minutes, rinse off, let dry, then paint or stain!
lauren On Thursday, June 23 at 10:49 am
agreed. just don't inhale
Rebekah @ It Only Gets Better On Thursday, June 23 at 10:11 am
I was able to do this room by myself (both times – the Before and the After) without even a hint of help from anyone else. It's also a "long room" and I think the new vertical stripes help to keep it from looking TOO long. I don't have the foggiest idea how to "properly" paint furniture either but in the Before pics I had painted both the boys' beds and that dresser ($12 at Goodwill) and all 3 pieces still look great! I just bought plain old black paint in gloss and went at it with a brush in the garage. For Anna's room (the palest shade of pink – which is so versatile – goes with black & white, or green or pale turquoise blue or brown) I just measured the room and figured out how many colors I was going to use for the stripes (I just used leftover colors from other rooms in the house and they coincidentally and magically matched the colors I had in that fabric). Then I divided the room's measurements and taped off the wall with blue painter's tape using a bubble level to keep the tape lines straight. I decorated each room for less than $150!
elz On Thursday, June 23 at 10:13 am
How fun! My girls and I are in the process of redesigning their room and it has been such fun. Well, painting 4 coats over the entire room was not fun. But…anyhow, I saw this amazing rainbow colored room online and desperately wanted to do that. What if you painted one wall with a rainbow from top to bottom-literally stripes, with smooshed edges (more subtle than bright) on one wall, then a butter yellow on the rest. Nice and cool like.
Amy C. On Thursday, June 23 at 10:13 am
Why have I never heard of FLOR before??
elz On Thursday, June 23 at 10:14 am
Also, vinyl decals for sure. I just painted over a mural and it sucked. Paiting over it sucked; the mural was lovely.
Chrissy On Thursday, June 23 at 10:16 am
Why are ceiling fans needed? There are lots of really cool options for stand-up fans. The nice ones will work just as well, if not better. The Dyson ones are funky looking and i bet would look totally awesome in their rooms.
patricia On Saturday, June 25 at 9:45 pm
I agree with you Chrissy and they can move them around. And I have never heard of FLOR before either Amy and Ruby thanks for that tip…
Amy in StL On Thursday, June 23 at 10:17 am
Please tell me you're kidding about forbidding purple and pink. My mom painted my room yellow when I was little and I still hate it. I had a purple room and then an apple blossom pink room in later years and since I've had my own place I've had all kinds of browns and greys. Let them paint whatever they want. It's only paint. My favorite childhood memory is of my cousins (who were 15 year older than me) who had a fuschia room and a grape purple room. It was fantastic!
Bethe On Wednesday, June 29 at 9:37 pm
I agree with Amy in StL. It's only paint. I've always let my children pick their own room colors because it's not all that long before they're out of the house and then they are just "guest rooms". BTW – I have the same philosophy about hair color. It's just temporary. If you don't like it you can change it (later) but I say let the girls pick the colors. Good post, Amy.
Gail On Thursday, June 23 at 10:19 am
We have similar space we use for our classroom. I wanted it to look like a sunny day (especially since Minnesota winters are soooo long). So we painted the walls a cheerful yellow and the ceiling a pale sky blue. There are two skylights and we painted the side walls of the skylights a darker shade of the sky blue. It turned out bright and airy.
Have a wonderful time planning and making all you envision happen with your girls! What an exciting project!
Rebekah @ It Only Gets Better On Thursday, June 23 at 10:20 am
Of course I'm also partial to this pale robin's egg blue that I think works well with brown, black, red, spring green, white (of course) or grey. That might be a more "mature" color palette for your girls. I suggest starting out with a fabric or curtains or bed linens that they love and then find a color for the room instead of the other way 'round.
And here's a picture of Anna's room in process: http://sixgreggs.blogspot.com/2010/06/benar-benar-kacau.html
Troy On Thursday, June 23 at 10:20 am
There's a ceiling fan company called Fanimation. I haven't used any of their products, but they have some interesting looking wall mounted fans.
tinaehb3 On Thursday, June 23 at 10:20 am
sounds fun !! love those kids of projects !!
tiffany M On Thursday, June 23 at 10:21 am
This sounds like so much fun fire up the hgtv specially color spalsh and get some great ideas personally keeping orange in the mix sounds great and dont rule out the right pink just yet and maybe as only an accent
lauren On Thursday, June 23 at 10:21 am
If pink and purple are the colors they love then go for GREY on the walls. Its an awesome neutral. They can pink and purple up their beds or lampshades or wall art… and it hides grubby-ness.
also you might look at those vinyl wall adhesive filmy thingies in all sorts of different designs – ETSY has tons of them and they range from sweet to edgy but te concept is awesome
We have used and love FLOR tiles. although occasionally we have a 'lifting' issue. but we've had them now for about 6 years so that's to be expected with 3 kids under age 5 but mostly because of the activity that takes place indoors ( due to hot humid weather we have much -oustside type- fun indoors)
if the room 'gathers' heat you might be better off installing one of those 'room ac' units. we supplemented our HVAC with two of those in western facing rooms and could not believe the difference it made in the temperature of the rooms all over the house. energy bills went down too because main unit didn't run non-stop.
Sheereen On Thursday, June 23 at 10:23 am
Try several shades of Aqua, they are cooler colors and will make a warm room more comfortable. They age well with girls who tire of pink and lavender as they get older. There are like ten thousand shades to choose from and they are beautiful. Can't wait to see how it all turns out.
Christi On Thursday, June 23 at 11:37 am
Love the Aqua idea!
Christie McGetrick On Thursday, June 23 at 10:23 am
What about the color coral – it's a great color – goes through the seasons and is not pink or lavender. After I finish planting the last of 500 flowers for our garden – I am redoing my sun room – boy does it need it as well.
Good luck with your project.
Eyece On Thursday, June 23 at 10:24 am
I love the FLOR tiles – I have them in one section of the basement. Something spills, one tile comes up. They look great, wear great, come in a *huge* variety, you can order them and have them shipped to you.
I can't say enough about how much I love FLOR.
DawnE On Thursday, June 23 at 10:25 am
I was on a home rennovation TV show and they used FLOR tiles! It came out great.
The desinger picked them out and arranged them in that order. So I can't speak to how easy that part is (or not).
Only downside is that they slide. They are rubbery on the back and we have the no-slip stuff underneath, and for the most part it's fine. But we usually just use this room to sit and hang out. The one time we moved the furniture to practice a swing dance (long story) the tiles slid all over the place. Not hard to put back, just annoying. May be more likely to happen with kids. Just a heads up. Not anything to deter you from getting them.
Two Barking Dogs On Thursday, June 23 at 10:25 am
How about decorating with some white chippy painted furniture? a la Pottery Barn, but made by yourself?
Check out Sue's blog over at Vintage Rescue Squad? She has great ideas that the girls might like.
Rebekah @ It Only Gets Better On Thursday, June 23 at 10:26 am
Oh no! I think my first comment disappeared!
Anyhow, I was just saying that I don't know anything about painting furniture but I just used glossy finish to paint my boys' furniture and it turned out great. Here's a link to my boys' room Before that I turned into my girl's room After: http://sixgreggs.blogspot.com/2010/06/before-after-annas-room.html
Her room is a super pale shade of pink that looks great with brown, green, pale blue, black and white or even red if you find the right fabric!
Rachel On Thursday, June 23 at 10:28 am
Yay! A fun project!
I love the idea of using several colors of paint and creating thick horizontal stripes.
Also, I love that you are forbidding pink and lavender. They are so cliche! Blues and pinks are much more soothing and refreshing!
DiDi Leigh On Thursday, June 23 at 10:29 am
FLOR is great and easy to care for, which I'm sure is what you would need!
I think turquoise and brown would be a good color combo that would carry them through a few years!
Ruth B. On Thursday, June 23 at 10:30 am
It sounds like your girls are going to have an awesome room when it's finished!
I sympathize with the heat…I spent three years in a house without A/C in the St. Louis area. Would it make sense to install an attic fan instead of ceiling fans? I live in Michigan now and a lot of the houses here have that instead of A/C, just to pull the (to my mind) barely heated air out of the upper floor. I'm told they mount directly in the roof and have a cover to keep the rain, snow, etc. off them.
Jovian On Thursday, June 23 at 10:30 am
As far as color is concerned, there is a LOVELY robin's egg blue that PreservationNation makes (Preservationnation.org), called Betsy Ross House Blue
Lyndhurst Celestial Blue
anything from the 'Stately Elegance' collection
Personally, I love the Preservation Nation colors(for the most part), and they're usually very cheery!
denise On Thursday, June 23 at 6:47 pm
My daughter's room is painted Cincinnatian Hotel Abbey (#5004-9). It is the loveliest aqua blue color. I didn't even realize about the Historic Preservation collection but I'll be sure to look for them specifically now. They have lots of beautiful colors.
Christa D On Thursday, June 23 at 10:30 am
I'm really partial to these colors, but I think it would be fun to do a light blue, turquoise and lime green together. As far as the furniture, I've really loved the "distressed" look that I've been seeing on furniture. Take old furniture, strip it, paint it black and take a little sandpaper to the edges to make it look worn.
Sue On Thursday, June 23 at 10:30 am
What fun to watch the progress, I am sure you will be giving us photo updates! Those girls have to be so excited!!!!!!
NanaBread On Thursday, June 23 at 10:32 am
We painted my granddaughter's room two-toned. It's a lovely sky blue for the top 2/3 of the wall, with a mint green on the bottom third. They installed a white chair rail for separation and painted all the trim in the room white to match. Then we painted a cherry blossom tree on the wall and bought some cute rub-on bird decals. Something about light colors just brighten up a room. As for flooring, I'd avoid carpet all together and go for something that cleans up easily and doesn't stain. Our daughter's old beige bedroom carpet was COVERED in make-up, paint from art class homework, crafts, etc. It was disgusting. I'd suggest Pergo flooring or even the new laminates that look like wood. I'd even vote for white washed wood flooring that's well sealed over carpet for teen girls. Have them check out Pottery Barn Teen. They have really cute stuff. Can't wait to see the transformation!
Karen On Thursday, June 23 at 10:32 am
What a great space for a girls room. Looks like it is going to be alot of fun. We just re-did my youngest daughters bedroom, she is 14 and went from an orange/navy/maroon hawaiian lua room to a more grown up look. We painted her walls in Tiffany blue(more like a turquoise) and painted her furniture black-including an old wrought iron daybed and brought in white with accents. I must say not only does she love it, but I do too. It looks like perfect teen room. We threw beanbag chairs here and there, and we found some really neat wall clings for decoration, some are mirrored and some are just black flowers..The bedspread is black & white floral, piped in turquoise. With 2 girls it might be a little tougher because each has her own taste, but when my girls shared a room(they are 6 years apart) we separated the bed areas, and the middle of the room was where it all tied in together. Good Luck!!!
Karen Haney On Thursday, June 23 at 10:32 am
Maybe start with bedding…. Let them pick out spreads/comforters they like, and choose paint after that. ?? I made the mistake of painting a bedroom a beautiful periwinkel blue, but then could not find any bedding, so had to go pure white. Which looks great, and it's a guest room so it's ok, but in a teenage girls' room I don't think you'd want pure white bedding…. Just a thought! Have fun!
Patti Rabbit On Thursday, June 23 at 11:16 am
I totally agree. Let the girls pick out the bedding. If they can't agree on a printed set that coordinates with each other, then go solid colors that coordinate. Then the accessories for each can be their own taste. I think different headboards are terrific. It gives each their own identity. Ya'll are gonna have so much fun.
Southern Belle in Chicago On Thursday, June 23 at 10:32 am
You totally have to check out http://www.dalidecals.com. Check out their 8 foot tall trees, they're beautiful. I've used several of their decals in my home and they are fabulous. I would have used more, but I have four boys adn they could care less what their rooms look like!
I've even used the decals like a stencil. Paint the wall, put up the decal, paint the wall a different color (over the decal), peel off the decal. Looks so cool!
Good luck!
Barbara On Thursday, June 23 at 10:33 am
Ceiling fans that are huggers would work well. Carpet tiles would be good. Colors that are not too out there then you can accent with pillows, bed spreads etc. sand your furniture, prime it and paint it in different colors to spice up the room. You can even add applicays or paint flowers etc on the furniture. Good luck.
Kristen On Thursday, June 23 at 10:33 am
Totally Random thought, but this room would look sweet with the beds on opposite walls…you know, creating a space for each girl by having the room look like this |_|""|. it might be sweet..
An Island Mom On Thursday, June 23 at 10:35 am
It'll be a challenge, but boy will it be fun to decorate that space and completely transform it. It looks like some sections of the room have more light than others, so you may want something light and neutral on the walls and floors to avoid having the darker section get too dark. Although, light and neutral might not be as exciting as what your girls might want. I can't wait to see what you do with the space!
Celeste On Thursday, June 23 at 10:36 am
Brown & blue…tan + denim…sky blue 'n sand…robin's egg / chestnut….I'll stop now. It'll fit in good with the rest of the ranch, it's soothing, it can work later on for boys, and it'll be okay for a mix of cousins…not too girly.
Debbie On Thursday, June 23 at 10:44 am
I second this idea! I love brown & blue, with all its variations.
I also love greens, though.
And it's fun seeing wider angle pictures inside your house.
Faith Martin On Thursday, June 23 at 10:36 am
Sounds like fun for you and your girls.
I think the FLOR carpet tiles would fit nicely with the room.
Clare On Thursday, June 23 at 10:36 am
I know a woman who bought used stations from a beauty salon being remodelded. She gave each of her three teenage daughters a station with chair that included plug ins for hair dryers and curling irons. If you have the space in that long room for something like that it would cut down on the girl's time spent in the bathroom fixing their hair.
Tina On Thursday, June 23 at 12:05 pm
What a hoot! Thanks for the visual, Clare- very creative.
So looking forward to your updates on this superfun transformation, PW.
I know you'll encourage your daughters to make the space into something they love.
Shari B. On Friday, June 24 at 1:15 pm
What a fabulous idea!
JaneyBrainey On Friday, June 24 at 8:58 pm
Wow! What a fabulous idea is the beauty salon station!
As for your girls, I just flip to Sarah Richardson and look at her palette. I love the whites, the palest aqua, and the most durable surfaces for where it will get the most wear. I also love the beds from Pottery Barn that have the drawers underneath. Lots of pegs for clothes. Girls rooms are such fun!


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RUTLAND - The Vermont Economic Development Authority (VEDA) has approved $6.9 million in economic development financing to several businesses throughout the state.
This mini taxpayer-funded state stimulus effort has targeted several local businesses, and one college, in the region-Vermont Smoke and Cure of Hinesburg, the College of St. Joseph in Rutland, and Springfield Regional Development Corporation.
"These investments in our state's manufacturing, small business, and agricultural sectors will help stimulate economic activity in Vermont," said Jo Bradley, VEDA's chief executive officer.
The following business in the New Market Press newspaper circulation area will receive VEDA funds:
Vermont Smoke and Cure, LLC, of Hinesburg will receive $800,000 for a nearly $5 million project to purchase machinery and equipment and improve a 21,000 square foot manufacturing space in Hinesburg.
According to Bradley, the new facility, which formerly housed Saputo Cheese, will help Vermont Smoke and Cure reduce processing costs and increase services for Vermont farmers. The funds will be used to increase production, particularly for Vermont Smoke and Cure's single-serve natural snack sticks.
Community National Bank is also participating in the Hinesburg project, which within three years, is expected to help Vermont Smoke and Cure more than double employment at the plant from the current 14 positions to 37, Bradley said.
The College of St. Joseph in Rutland has been reissued $2.56 million in tax-exempt revenue bonds to help lower annual interest costs on the institution's remaining debt associated with a campus renovation project.
According to Bradley, by utilizing previously issued bond funds, the four-year private liberal arts college constructed new athletic center and student center buildings, and relocated the college library. Campus improvements were completed in 1999. Peoples United Bank funded the Project through the purchase of the VEDA bonds.
VEDA approved $885,000 as part of a $985,000 project to help the Springfield Regional Development Corporation build an 11,207 square foot building in the Windsor Industrial Park.
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Nia, 9, gives year's savings to charity
Posted: January 11, 2013|
While her peers spent their pocket money on sweets and treats, one thoughtful 9-year-old girl had other ideas.
Nia Bates, who goes to The Grove Primary School in King's Hedges, squirrelled her money away for an entire year before handing it all over to a charity that helps hard-up children.
Her school and the charity saluted her act of kindness, which will help some of Cambridge's most deprived families in Arbury and King's Hedges.
Christine O'Reilly, of the Red Hen Project, based in Northfield Avenue, said the £40 donation came at a time when they faced closure because a £30,000 annual grant from the county council was withdrawn.
She thanked Nia for her "unselfish act of kindness at a time when most of us are thinking about what we are going to receive for Christmas".
The charity, run by Christine and a part-time admin worker, supports about 20 families in north Cambridge.
Val Palmer, headteacher of The Grove, in Campkin Road, said: "It's one thing to give away your birthday money once, but to do this week in, week out, that is a huge commitment. To show that level of dedication shows she's an amazing little girl."
Christine said unless Red Hen's funding plea to the Big Lottery Fund succeeded, the charity could fold.
One service it provides is a breakfast club. Children from struggling households are picked up to go to school, and can have a healthy breakfast.
A 6-year-old leaves her cuddly toy in the home worker's car to make sure she comes back to take her to school the following day.
To support the charity, visit www.red-hen.org.


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110th Anniversary Issue
John Talbot Published: May 22, 2012
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James Washington Purviance began his life in Illinois and died in Selmer, Tennessee, but his life served as a bridge between old and new worlds and old and new orders. He was a prominent citizen of Purdy when it held the honor of being the county seat, and he became a prominent leader of the new county seat.
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Jabil Circuit this morning said it has agreed to buy Nypro, a privately held Clinton, Mass.-based provider of manufactured precision plastic products for customers in the healthcare, packaging and consumer electronics sector, for $665 million in cash. The company plans to fund the transaction with existing cash and credit facilities.
The company said Nypro has over $1 billion in annual revenue and about 12,000 employees, with manufacturing operations in 10 countries.
"The combination with Nypro will extend Jabil's materials manufacturing capabilities into the healthcare and consumer packaging markets as well as add depth to our consumer electronics business," Jabil CEO Timothy Main said in a statement. "We think this is an important strategic step in Jabil's development of engineering and capability intensive businesses. Combining Nypro's capabilities and market presence with Jabil's global scale and expertise should result in great things for customers, employees and investors."
Nypro is owned by chairman Gordon Lankton and an employee stock ownership plan.
The deal is subject to approval of participants in Nypro's ESOP and various regulatory agencies, among other conditions. The deal is expected to close in Jabil's fiscal third quarter ending in May 2013.
Jabil said the transaction is expected to be neutral to slightly accretive to Jabil's core earnings for the balance of fiscal 2013 and accretive in fiscal 2014.
Jabil is up 14 cents, or 0.7%, to $19.50.


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Yemenis march for independence in south on anniversary of coup
Thousands of separatist demonstrators in southern Yemen on Sunday rallied in Aden to mark the anniversary of the outbreak of civil war in South Yemen in 1986.
Supporters of the Southern Movement organized the demonstration in the port city, calling for "reconciliation and tolerance" and the separation of the south.
A series of demonstrations have been held in southern Yemeni cities in recent days.
The march began in the city of Ataq on Thursday in commemoration of a massacre that began the conflict following an armed coup (link in Arabic).
Tens of thousands of protesters on Friday reportedly gathered in Taiz, calling for the governor to leave office and alleging widespread corruption.
On Thursday, a car bomb exploded next to a school in Aden, in an attempted assassination of Republican Guard soldier Fadi Farouq al-Yabli (link in Arabic). No one was hurt in the blast.


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The kids came out in droves to see the house that dubstep built. Worshipping at the temple of Skrillex, this new generation of music lovers has a penchant for lacerating synth and skull crushing bass wobble. For more, check out Josh Levi's recap of Skrillex at the Pageant. Photos by Todd Owyoung.


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How to Create a Cool Job and Science for Change Speaker Series: Change the World. The Role of Science, Technology and Innovation in International Development
Tue, January 31, 2012 • 5:00 PM • Avaya Auditorium, ACES 2.302
Science, Technology and Innovation :: Solve, Transform, Impact
Joshua Mandell, Science, Technology and Innovation Program Officer at The World Bank
Joshua Mandell is currently the Science and Technology Program Officer at The World Bank working at the Global Practice for Innovation, Technology and Entrepreneurship (ITE). The ITE portfolio is focused on building innovation capacity in the public and private sector. This work includes building a knowledge workforce, promoting technology commercialization and entrepreneurship, strengthening science and innovation policy and supporting inclusive innovations for developing countries.
Mr. Mandell served as the Senior Fellow at the Institute on Science for Global Policy at the University of California and the Senior Science and Technology Adviser at the British Embassy in Washington, DC, where he was responsible for research collaboration between the UK and US, trade and investment opportunities in S&T, and international science policy. Before joining the UK Worldwide S&T Network in July 2003, Joshua worked as an environmental scientist and policy consultant in the private sector and for the U.S. Government where he specialized in areas of natural resource management, geographic information systems, remote sensing and environmental regulatory policy. He also served in the Office of the Vice President at the White House.
Tuesday, January 31st at 5pm, Avaya Auditorium, ACES 2.302.
Come early to get a seat and plan to stay and chat with the speaker at the reception to follow.
All semester, CNS will be bringing top minds from around the country to speak to you, our future leaders, about how scientists advance our social and economic future. It will give you concrete examples of people who started with a degree in science, but have made a difference in policy, government, international relations or the economy. They are people who are changing the world, and they want to share with you how to dream big and accomplish great things outside of (or alongside) a career in the lab or the hospital.
Details on all the semester's talks can be found at: http://cns.utexas.edu/community/lecture-series/science-for-change
- February 28th - Michael Holland, former lead staff for the House Science and Technology Committee, former Program Director in the Office of Management and Budget and in Office of Science and Technology Policy, now Staff Director for Undersecretary Koonin in Department of Energy.
- April 16th - Neal Lane, former Director of the National Science Foundation
- April 24th - Joye Purser, former Legislative Director for Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Jackson and now an Analyst in the Defense Department.
- Date TBA - Deborah Koolbeck, Legislative Director in Congresswoman Barbara Lee's office. Deborah is a physicist/astronomer and went to DC on a congressional fellowship from American Physical Society. Has been staff on several House Committees


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Your next money market fund could be an ETF.
This idea is an abomination.
It's an abomination to the mutual fund industry. It's an abomination to regulators. It's even an abomination to the corporations, financial institutions and governments that rely on money market funds.
But it could happen. Even some traditional fund managers are thinking the same thing.
The concept–that a money market fund could be a free-floating exchange-traded fund–is so abhorrent that Harvard Business School Professor Ken Froot claims that he received a chorus of boos when he suggested the idea at a 2009 U.S. Chamber of Commerce event. And, in light of the recent debate over money market mutual fund reform, Froot still believes that an ETF or ETF-like structure is a viable alternative for money market funds, save those exclusively holding U.S. Treasury securities.
In an e-mail, Froot said that the structure would "force the markets to generate better liquidity in the underlying short term debt instruments, and, if this is a costly thing, to make both types of spread — bid/ask and mid-point spreads over treasuries — wider."
Remember, ETFs have two prices: net asset value, where investors can only transact in large quantities called creation units; and the secondary market price. The ETF would force a realization of "liquidity, rollover and credit risk," says Froot.
As for Treasury funds, Froot believes they could continue operating as money market funds as long as the Treasury or Federal Reserve "were willing to commit to repurchase securities at amortized cost at 4pm prices, at least up to a certain amount." This, of course, would be a retread to a federal backstop of money market funds, a safety net that had been sworn off following the financial crisis.
At a recent Congressional hearing, representatives speaking on behalf of both corporate and state treasury organizations said that they could not imagine working capital management without money market funds. They expect to see exorbitant cost increases–for both borrowing and tax accounting–if money market fund net asset values are allowed to float, a proposal being considered by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Money market mutual funds, compliant with Rule 2a-7 , are supposed to maintain $1 per share net asset value. Moreover, some organizations are not even allowed to park operating funds in anything that doesn't maintain a stable net asset value. "What will we do without our money market funds?" they decry.
And, based on the 2a-7 rules, only funds that check the boxes and maintain a $1 NAV can call themselves "money market mutual funds." Just outside of these strictures are "enhanced cash" funds and ultra-short duration funds. But they are not money market funds. And you can not even approximate them as such in marketing material, in interviews or anywhere else.
Money market mutual funds are sacred.
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Ledningskollen API
Ledningskollen is an online service that allows anyone planning excavation work in Sweden to quickly and easily find out who has cables buried on a given site. Ledningskollen is available for use by private persons as well as by companies, public authorities, and the municipal government. Users need only highlight the relevant area on the map, and the service will identify the affected cable owners and send them an automatically generated query. The details of cable locations are not stored online for security reasons. If no underground cables are located in the selected area, the user will be informed immediately. The Ledningskollen website is provided solely in Swedish, but there is an informational page given in English.
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It was back in the fall of last year that I put myself on a team with the full intent of going to LV in May, and now after the dismal outlook of the economy, the looming unknown job market, having to borrow from Peter to pay Paul while at the same time thinking that Uncle Sam will surely see a "real" fix for us average shmoes' pocketbooks...well it came to be that a trip for this guy in May is on the back burner. I hated to have to back out on those players needing me there to fill a team roster, but the nonsense of going into more credit card debt while nibbling slowly away at a savings account each month just to make ends meet with the checking account just did not seem realistically smart for my situation. I didn't even put pencil to paper and calculate the expense of going, but with air fare, hotel, eats, 1$ each game of pool, practice and competition...dang it makes me wonder how much of a recovery I'd have to see in this current economy to go to the Nationals without a guilty feeling about the debt I was building.
Congrats to everyone with the income to do this...guess I'll see y'all in another year down the road...sid


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This vibrant Moroccan-style kilim boasts an all-over geometric design in a palette of rich, inviting hues.