{a budget bedroom make-over!}

Hi everyone!!
I've been busy changing up my son Matthew's bedroom. Matt hasn't lived at home for 3 years. He graduated from college in May, got a fab job(!!), and moved to north country a few weeks ago. Last week-end, he was home to visit friends and he slept in the basement. Green light!!! ;) ;)
My 17 yo niece Emmalee is coming to stay next week. I would normally have her sleep in Matt's room, but this year, she gets to stay in what we're now calling the guest room. {The hub's said this... "be careful how nice you make it...Emmalee may never want to leave." haha, right?} I adore Emm and cannot wait to see her next week - we only get to visit once a year. Each visit, I work on her to attend college up north. :) :)
{the before...}
Please keep the laughter to a minimum roar.
I know, I know...1990 called and wanted their white verticle blinds back. They're so gone!!! LOL!!!!

The first thing I did was to remove the wallpaper border that went around the entire room. Next, I primed the walls (the bottom was a dark green, top portion of wall and ceiling were light green). Then I chose a soft white for the walls. I wanted to keep the wall color neutral, so that I can change out the bedding and wall coverings easily.

I saw this quilt on clearance at JCPenney and for the price, ordered two...thinking I could cut one up for pillows, table cloth, etc. I ended up using the second quilt to add length to the drapes. The brown portion of the drapes was originally one panel that I cut length wise to make into two panels. (One panel purchased on clearance @Walmart for $15.00.) Chocolate brown grosgrain ribbon tops the seam of each drapery panel. I have the hardware pull backs for the hubs to install this week-end. They're white and match the white wood rod, all purchased @Walmart.

The maple bed was my hub's when he was a kid...and then it was Matt's when he was a kid. :) I went back and forth...should I paint it brown, or should I paint it white? I decided on white, but really think that brown would've been pretty too. I went for a girly feel for the room since I was totally thinking of Emmalee (and my other nieces as well, plus any girlfriends who come for a visit).

The old wood chair was left behind last year at our rental house. I spent ten bucks on a quart of semi-gloss paint and voila! It looks cute in this room, right?

See that tall floor lamp by the bed? I bought that years ago...used it in my livingroom. Years later, moved it to my bedroom. Didn't need it in the bedroom, so I repurposed it. I spray painted it brown and bought a new drum shade. I added some chocolate brown & white printed grosgrain ribbon to the top & bottom of the shade. Total cost to punch up this oldie but goodie = $17.00, including new shade. :) :)

The wall art placement is strategic. HA!!!!!

In the "before" photo, you may notice Matt's golf ball display. Well, the hub's put that up there using some sort of freakin' screw that I could not get out of the wall, no matter what. I ended up doing a number to the sheetrock, and yes, I mudded it, sanded it and made it as good as I could. Then.......I ended up painting right over those stupid screws. So, the ribbon art hangs from those very screws today. :)

I had the frame for the ribbon art floating around my craft room - it came with a matt for 4 photos. I removed that, covered the back of the frame with the ribbon (simply wove it up/down, using mostly American Crafts, Offray ribbon and a bit of Strano).

I found this oval embroidery hoop at Hobby Lobby ($5.99). Using some kona cream cotton that I had at home, along with a piece of dark brown felt and a bit of coral cotton (the coral cotton was from the packaging of the top sheet on the bed), I cut a square and a heart, zig zag stitched them both onto the cotton, and placed inside the hoop. I then cut the fabric close to the hoop and gently pulled it around to the back hoop piece and glued it down. I think this piece looks like applique. :)

I have ordered this corner shelving unit (from Walmart) and it will go in the corner on the other side of the bed. I want to get a brushed nickel clock, but not sure if I want to hang a clock, or put one on the shelf.
So, I guess that's it from the budget bedroom make-over!
We are supposed to set a new heat record today (breaking record from 1933). Temps will be in the high 90s and humidity is insane. Still...it's better than an upstate NY winter!!! We don't have air conditioning in our house, so I just closed all the windows because it's already 85 degrees at 8 AM. We are people who can handle the cold, but we're not made for this kind of heat. :) :)
Hope you enjoyed this post today and that maybe something from my bedroom project will inspire you.
hugs, patti