I gave my girls’ room a glamorous new look for zero $$$

Hello everyone! I’m so excited about this reveal today, because it’s been a long time coming. My precious girls, who shared this room, are all grown up and have moved out, and this room had become a catch all for everything that had no place. I still needed it to function as their room when they are here, or for guests, and also as a sewing room for me. That’s a lot for a small room, but I’m so happy with how it turned out.

Back in 2014 I gave the girls’ room a French-inspired makeover per their request. Since they shared a room, they needed to agree on a style, and this worked well. Obviously, they added their own personal touches after the reveal photos, and it went through several more changes as the older one moved out first, and my youngest gave it her own style:-)

I have a new youtube video linked below that shows some of the in between before I got started, and it was definitely a challenge! I didn’t want to change the color because I love the cool, light gray, (Persian Seed Pearl Colorplace Paint at Walmart), and this room gets amazing light – especially in the winter, which is wonderful for sewing. As for furniture, though, I was left with one twin bed and didn’t really want to get another one so I decided to go with a full size bed.

My parents gave me an antique iron bed that had belonged to my grandmother. I gave it a fresh coat of Rustoleum “Smokey Beige” paint then hand painted the gold accents using a combination of black, green, gold and bronze craft paints. I show some of that process in the video.

To finish up, I lightly applied the Smokey Beige spray paint over the gold and quickly wiped it off with a wet cloth. This really gave it the antique look I was hoping for.

After setting up the bed in the room, I felt the blank wall looked too boring, so I decided to add these portieres from the ceiling, and that was really what pulled everything together.

For bedding, I used some nice quality floral sheets from Walmart a few years ago, a vintage chenille bedspread, ticking pillow shams I made, pink trellis pattern pillows from Walmart a few years ago, and yellow velvet pillow covers from amazon a few years ago. I think I found the round pillow at Kmart about 10 years ago. An antique feedsack quilt ties in all the colors.

I added a favorite antique framed needlepoint from a family friend and some old family photos in gold frames to really add the warm tones to the cool gray wall and whites.

I went back over the other painted furniture and added gold/bronze to the silver, which really made everything work so well together. I am absolutely loving the cool gray mixed with the warm gold/bronzes. And I couldn’t love more how all this warm works against the cool gray walls.

The mirror is one I refinished back in the fall from the old house, and it works perfectly here. This is where I will normally have my sewing machines. This little desk was a $40 Marketplace find last summer my husband picked up for me.

I freshened up the old chair with the Smokey Beige spray paint as well and added a seat cover I made about 10 years ago.

The jewelry box is from my childhood, and I added my favorite childhood books on this adorable bookcase my daddy made for me when I was about nine. I had tried, at that young age, to make a bookcase from pieces of wood he had, and did not fare too well so he made this one for me:-)

My grandmother’s washstand had been through many different shades of paint, and I painted it silver when I redid this room in 2014. Maybe I’ll strip the paint off in the future, but there was not time for that now, and it adds a bit of glamour in its silver color.

This armoire was a craigslist find about ten years ago and was painted in 2014 for the first makeover. It’s not antique nor is it a very well made piece so I didn’t harm a piece of good furniture by painting it. Cause y’all know how I feel about painting furniture!

My grandmother’s dresser was always white with gold accents, and I painstakingly stripped all that off about 1997. Yes, yes I did paint it back in 2014 because it just didn’t work in the room, and she had always had it painted so it reminded me of her more this way. I might strip it back some day unless one of my daughters wants it like this.

She also painted the “lady’ lamp that had been white, and most of these accessories here were hers. Her father is pictured at his Hypoluxo, Fla., home and the baby is my youngest daughter.

My grandmother’s hatboxes, that she covered, are displayed on top of the armoire, and I’ve layered vintage Persian, Turkish and Indian rugs on the floor.

I have to say most of all I’m missing my little girls being here. No one prepared me for how fast they grow up and that I’d be facing an empty room. Many of you remember them as little girls when I first started blogging, which seems like yesterday. The “baby” will turn 16 on Tuesday, so I’m trying to savor every moment with him at home.

I do love how the room turned out, and I didn’t spend any money but used what I already had. I still have trim from the old house to install in here, and I need one more five-panel door for the closet, but I love how the room has come together so far. It’s definitely a wonderful place to sew with the light, and my girls or any guests will be comfortable here as well.

There’s a new video with some behind the scenes and a tour of the room, so be sure to check that out and subscribe so you  don’t miss any new content.

Thanks for stopping by friends, and I hope I have inspired you to use what you have – and make it special:-)

 

 

17 Comments

  1. Laura
    April 25, 2022 / 7:16 am

    Hi Anita!
    What a wonderful room with so many vintage pieces; that just makes it extra special. You have inspired me to do a little shopping at home. So often, I am given something and put it away in a closet or cupboard. Time to get those things out and enjoy them!

    • anitaknightdiaz
      Author
      April 26, 2022 / 3:51 am

      Yes yes yes Laura!! that’s exactly what I think when I discover something I had forgotten I had tucked in a closet! I do try to rotate things around so I get to enjoy them, and I’m sooooo happy to hear you’re inspired to get some of yours out as well☺️☺️

  2. April 25, 2022 / 9:52 am

    All of these colors come together so well! But the gold drapes over the bed just are so dreamy and steal the show for me! This room is so beautiful and I love all the “Grandmillennial” style that is so on trend from the needlepoint to the beautiful quilt. You are so on trend!!

    • anitaknightdiaz
      Author
      April 26, 2022 / 3:50 am

      Thank you so much Alda!! I was soooo happy to figure out the portieres would bring the drama I wanted, and they were stored in a closet, so I’m happy they’re being used☺️☺️☺️

  3. Carol
    April 25, 2022 / 2:38 pm

    Hi Anita, I always, always enjoy your blog posts and videos! You have created an absolutely lovely space! So beautiful. It inspires me every time! Thank You for sharing the girls bedroom makeover.

    @sunnydaycabin☺️

    • anitaknightdiaz
      Author
      April 26, 2022 / 3:48 am

      Thank you so much Carol!! That’s exactly what I hope to do – inspire people to do their own thing❤️❤️❤️

  4. maria
    April 25, 2022 / 3:24 pm

    Anita Style needs to be a thing. In a world where everything appears to be gray, white, herringbone and purchased at a big box store…..you swoop in with your magic of vintage, sentimental, warm, calm, cozy, home and make me believe in all that is beautiful again. Because it is when you put your touch on it. You imbibe layers of love, tattered lace, faded quilts, homespun curtains….and it all just comes together to touch the heart. Your world is a beautiful work of art. I love this.

    • anitaknightdiaz
      Author
      April 26, 2022 / 3:46 am

      Maria, those kind words really resonated with me and touched my heart in a big way☺️☺️ Thank you so very much🙏🙏❤️

  5. Linda Scott
    April 25, 2022 / 5:19 pm

    WOW, what a sweet cozy country room! Please don’t change the wash stand, I was going to ask about the finish bc in the pictures it looks like a pearl finish. It’s beautiful! Bet your daughters want their room back as much as you want them back in it!! Yes, they grow way too fast!!

    • anitaknightdiaz
      Author
      April 26, 2022 / 3:45 am

      Thank you Linda!! Yes they loved it, and that makes me happy☺️ I do love the wash stand that way, and my grandmother never had it with the natural wood, so I appreciate your vote for leaving it painted☺️☺️

  6. April 25, 2022 / 7:45 pm

    What a successful and lovely transformation. I too, love the gold accents, which really warm the whole room up! I love how you kept all the vintage and antiques in this room, I’m sure it will be a great sewing room and your girls will love coming home to it!. Sandi

    • anitaknightdiaz
      Author
      April 26, 2022 / 3:42 am

      Thank you Sandra☺️☺️ The girls loved the makeover, and I’m loving sewing in such a light-filled room for sure☺️

  7. Mary Ann
    April 26, 2022 / 11:27 am

    Beautiful room. I always love how you “shop” your home and stay true to your own style. My “baby” will be 40 this next year and it seems like yesterday I brought him home from the hospital. Time does indeed fly by so enjoy every day no matter how ordinary!

  8. Dama
    April 27, 2022 / 3:47 pm

    So inspiring, Anita! I’m redoing my daughter’s room too — she is 22 and will probably be moving out eventually and I feel terrible that she is living with awful 1980’s wallpaper for the last 9 years! I love that you have not spent a dime on this room and its so gorgeous! Thank you for sharing (And they do grow up way too fast!)

    • anitaknightdiaz
      Author
      April 28, 2022 / 3:30 am

      Thank you so much!! I know that feeling for sure, and the years sure go too quickly😢😭☺️☺️

  9. April 28, 2022 / 8:33 am

    Two words, Anita!!
    SIMPLY STUNNING!!!
    Hugs,
    Deb

    • anitaknightdiaz
      Author
      April 29, 2022 / 4:27 pm

      Thank you so much Deb!!