bedroom makeovers.

I've cried to you before about how small my house is, so I won't do that again...wait a minute....."WAAHHHHHHH sniffle sniffle".... okay it's out of my system.

The reality is, since we haven't sold our house yet, I'm bringing home yet another child (that makes three, for those of you that have lost count;) to my two-bedroom house (shoot me now). So the challenge was, to make the room that Maddie and Brody currently share (which hasn't been touched since B was born) into a gender neutral, yet attractive and functional place for three kids. I've been holding off showing pictures because there are a few more things that I want to do to each room... but... my time is running out. Soon it will be baby-blogging only. That's just the way it works.

This is what we started with. Kinda pathetic I know, but I lost ambition to do any decorating in there after in fact a boy and girl were sharing a pink room... know what I'm sayin'). Lets hope there are no long term effects; Poor Brody.

Then my Brent went to work, approximately four weeks ago...

doesn't he look thrilled...

and I started piecing together inspiration pieces for bedding, curtains and details...

and this is what we came up with! (sorry the lighting is really crappy)

I had the fabric shipped to my cousin Jess, and she made the lovely curtains (as the fabric was too expensive for me to screw up).

The crib bedding was bought from a decorator/blogger lady that I follow that was updating her baby room to a big-boy room. I ask her about it and surprisingly she sold it to me! I loved the gender neutral-ness of it, AND the linen bed skirt (every room needs linen). She had it custom made.

The art work was made in Photoshop. Some by my sister (thanks Andrea) and some by Brent.

I bought the ABC's on etsy.

Bunks beds are from an online company. I wanted something simple. Dresser and bookcase I actually bought new from Ikea. I don't usually go for new pieces, but the room had to be functional and hold A LOT of stuff. It was the only way to go in this case. There couldn't be any antique dressers with drawers that didn't push in well:(

that being said, a lot of the details are still from the Good Will:) like the metal yellow lamp.

The bookcase is pretty much a hodge podge of toys and books and junk, but like I said, functionality is key in this case. Because I took out the toy box, kitchen set and other toys, the kids have been forced to use the baskets on the bottoms for the favorite toys. They're allowed to change them out whenever they want, to whatever they want, but it has to fit in the baskets. It was the only way to make the room work for three people, and it actually eliminates a lot of the stuff they never played with from the space.

This is one of my favorite parts of the room; the little book nooks in each child's bunk area. They love them and I think they add a lot of character. The racks are actually spice racks from Ikea and were $3.99! The lamps are also from Ikea and were $14.00.

Brent likes a particular baby name (which has been blotted out to keep you in suspense;). He made this for me with the name on and framed it. Think he was trying seal the deal? hmmm.

This is Maddie's artwork, which will be hung above the crib with some other stuff she did just as soon as I get a chance.

This is what a closet looks like that three kids will share. So for all you divas out there with a walk-in closet in each child's bedroom...I officially hate you. Lets hope the baby never grows over 20- inches long.

I made these pillows, and in case you didn't know I'm not very handy with a sewing machine, so these happen to by my pride and joy of the room;)

On to our room. I'm almost embarrassed to show a "before". After I finished the kids room, I couldn't stand to look at ours. We started it last week and finished it last night. I was going for something casual yet elegant, with a bit of a hotel feel. My favorite part would have to be the color, a classy browish-gray...and the white bedding...oh oh oh, and the linen lamp shades, like I said, every room needs some linen. I haven't hung anything up yet, as far as pics or art, but otherwise I think I'm done. Just in time to crap it up with baby gear.

after:

I haven't gotten pillows yet for my Euro-shams, but I have three of them to put in the back of all the other pillows, in the white and espresso bedding.

Thanks for acting interested in the blow by blow;) it's sorta been consuming me lately, and I couldn't narrow down pics.

Now...onto baby business.