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Boy Room Makeover

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Boy Room Makeover and Tips for Painting Stripes

 A few weeks ago, I shared our plan to update our little guy’s bedroom. We knew we wanted to incorporate yellow, his favorite color, and wanted stripes on the wall.  But we weren’t sure if we wanted to go with blue or green. I was so happy to work with Glidden® paint and My Colortopia so we could really visualize the paint colors in the room. We decided to go with blue stripes, and our whole family just loves it, especially Max! So many of you weighed in and said that blue is a calming color, and you were so right! Paired with graphic stripes, and the pops of red and yellow, it is the perfect little boy room. We learned a lot about painting stripes along the way, so I thought I would share a few of those tips. We started with the plain tan walls. It’s a good neutral color, but the paint was flat and after two years in the house, it needed to be freshened up. Plus, Max has been asking for his walls to be painted a fun color! The good news was, flat paint is an easy surface to paint over.

Max's Room Before

We used Glidden Duo™ Paint + Primer in Swiss Coffee (white) and Rich Navy. The paint was wonderful to work with, and the Rich Navy is just such an absolutely gorgeous color. It really is just a deep and rich blue color, not blackish-blue or cobalt blue. One of the great things about Glidden paint is that they don’t confuse you with several shades of the same color. The Rich Navy is the perfect example. This is the ideal navy blue color, and I am seriously in love with it. We started by painting over the tan with two coats of Swiss Coffee. On the two walls with the stripes, we didn’t worry about cutting in at the ceiling and floor because the navy stripes would start there. Once we had the white base, we were ready to paint the stripes.

Boy Room Makeover and Tips for Painting Stripes

Tips for Painting Stripes

1. Measure the wall from floor to ceiling and divide that number by the number of stripes that you want on the wall. An odd number, like 7 or 9 is a good place to start. We have 8 ft walls, and wanted a total of 9 stripes. 96 inches divided by 9 = 10.667

2. Keep it simple and round off the number. We measured off 10 inch stripes and let the stripe at the bottom accommodate the extra inches. It’s a little wider than the rest, but since it so low, you can’t tell. The eye just goes to the pattern and assumes they are all the same width.

3. Use green painter’s tape. We used the blue painter’s tape for delicate (freshly painted surfaces) initially, and got crisper lines on the other wall when we used green tape.

4. Use a laser level and tape off all the stripes. Then mark the stripes you don’t want to paint with extra tape. That way,  you can stand back and look and make sure you haven’t made a measuring mistake.

5. Remove the tape while the paint is still wet, no need to let it dry. You risk peeling and damage to the first coat the longer the tape stays on the wall.

Boy Room Makeover

Painting the stripes was surprisingly quick, and it was so exciting to remove the tape and see the graphic bold stripes. They instantly transformed the room. My little guy’s room is not huge, and he only has one window. So it was in the back of my mind that it might be too dark in his room with the navy blue. I was happily surprised to see that it was not darker! In reality, we added more light by using the bright fresh white. We are so happy with how it turned out! Max is especially thrilled. He really loved how the blue stripes looked in the Glidden My Colortopia tool preview, and I was happy that the blue color made it easier to find affordable accessories. Plus, the navy stripes worked well with the red dresser and red arrow shelf we already had on hand.

Boy Room Makeover

The little side table was built by my stepdad. It’s galvanized pipes and a small piece of redwood. I spray painted the bottom a bright yellow. The red faux leather Moroccan pouf is from Land of Nod, and my son and daughter both love it! The size is perfect to use as an ottoman or as a a seat. It’s now a hot commodity at our house, so we are ordering a pink one for our little girl too. They love pulling it out into the living room to watch a movie or play restaurant. .

Boy Room Makeover

The vintage brown leather chair is from my parent’s house. Lucky for us, they don’t have room for it anymore. They recently had the leather straps replaced, and Max really wanted to use it in his room. It’s a Wassily style reproduction chair, and I think it makes a great cozy spot for a young reader. I wanted a fun lamp to go over the chair, so I spray painted this Target find bright yellow.

Boy Room Makeover

On the other side of the room, Max’s vintage school desk is the perfect space for homework and art work. I rescued it from the road side a few year ago, and didn’t do anything but clean it.

Boy Room Makeover

 We found the red arrow shelf last year at a small boutique shop. I kew I wanted to use it in Max’s room eventually!

Boy Room Makeover

The red vintage dresser is also from my stepdad. He painted it a glossy red and added the brass accents when he was a teenager. Max loves Star Wars, so I created a simple poster in Photoshop and had it printed in an hour at Walgreens. It’s 20×30, and make a great focal point on the simple white wall. The dog bust and the yellow wire basket are both HomeGoods finds.

Boy Room Makeover

The blue quilts on the bunk bed are from Target, and I sewed the yellow and white pillow covers to bring in more yellow. I ordered the chevron rug from Rugs USA and it is just what Max needed,  a cushy spot to set up his Legos!
Our whole family is thrilled with this fresh and fun space, especially Max. It’s the perfect little boy retreat, and he can’t wait to have a sleepover.
Here are a few links to the supplies and accessories.

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This post is sponsored by Glidden paint, but all thoughts and opinions are my own.

 

 

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  9. Shelly Baker

    August 19, 2013 at 6:43 pm

    I would love to redo my grandson’s room. We have been working on acquiring some of the stuff but lack the finishing touches. He is our miracle grandson and we are so blessed to have him.

    Reply

  12. Kathryn Drewry

    August 19, 2013 at 7:07 pm

    This is an Awesome makeover! We’ve been wanting to make over our kitchen – but are on a budget and want to do as much of it as we can on our own. So, I’d start with paint, then move on to counters and cabinets, and last appliances.

    Reply

  18. Amanda

    August 20, 2013 at 3:51 am

    This looks amazing! My little boys favorite color is yellow, too! I’ve been looking for a way to incorporate yellow into his room and I think I’ve found the perfect inspiration! Looks like Ill be buying some painters tape this weekend!

    Reply

  19. Nikki

    August 20, 2013 at 5:23 am

    What room DON’T I want to paint?! I would LOVE to redo Harper’s room like this one, bathrooms, living room, kitchen, and dining room! Hope I can win, even tho I don’t have Twitter.

    Reply

  24. Kelly @ View Along the Way

    August 20, 2013 at 5:02 pm

    WOW. I looooove this room so so much! The red accents add so much to the blue and yellow, and I am totally jealous of that amazing chair. My parents don’t have anything remotely as cool to pass down. 🙂 Awesome job, friend!! Love every detail!

    Reply

  27. Liz Fourez

    August 20, 2013 at 7:07 pm

    You did a fantastic job on this makeover! I absolutely love the stripes and all the little details in the room. My little guy’s favorite color is yellow too!

    Reply

  32. Susan Smith

    August 24, 2013 at 5:36 pm

    Looks Great! I want to paint my family room. It’s white now and I’d like to put some color on the walls.

    Reply

  44. Chase smith

    August 30, 2013 at 11:46 pm

    my girlfriend and i would love to repaint our bathroom, the last color we used came out aweful so the quicker i can get it redone the better

    Reply

  45. Lisa Brown

    August 31, 2013 at 3:52 am

    I need to paint the bathroom – it is burnt orange in color and that color makes the room dark.
    jslbrown_03 at yahoo dot com

    Reply

  48. Margaret Smith

    August 31, 2013 at 8:28 am

    I love the way your room turned out. Quite creative.
    I’d love to paint our familyroom. I was thinking a very pale soft green.
    Thanks so much.

    Reply

  55. Emily Morelli

    September 1, 2013 at 10:50 am

    There isn’t a room in my house that doesn’t need new paint. I’d love to do my daughter’s room and the kitchen/entry way too.

    Reply

  60. Anastasia

    September 2, 2013 at 9:50 am

    Love what you did with that room! It looks fun and great 🙂 I’d love to paint my bathroom! Make it a little more cheery and a little less plain 🙂

    Reply

  62. Becky Richied

    September 2, 2013 at 5:11 pm

    At our house we are currently turning the basement into an apartment for my daughter’s family….fun…fun…fun!!

    Reply

  75. Stephanie Foster

    September 6, 2013 at 8:40 pm

    Within the last year, we have repainted nearly every room in the house…except the master bedroom because we could not decide (or agree) on a color that we would both want to live with every single day. I change my bedspread often, so I am afraid of picking a wall color that would limit my options for bedspreads. Basically, I am too indecisive and I don’t know if I will ever settle on a color…so either my walls will remain white, or I will begin changing the wall color as often as I change my bedspread.

    Reply

  76. Madeline

    September 7, 2013 at 6:03 am

    I’d love to paint my daughter’s room next but it will be quite a chore because she has this bed with drawers that we’d probably have to take apart to move it!

    Reply

  82. tammigirl

    September 8, 2013 at 7:27 am

    Great job! I don’t think stripes are in my future, because I’d be terrified I would get them all wonky. So I’ll just admire yours.

    In our house I would like to pain the master bedroom and bathroom. But not the same color. Unless I find a color so perfect I just love it to bits.

    Reply

  89. Elizabeth Ryan

    September 11, 2013 at 3:40 am

    Um…All of them? Well my bedroom is probably the most in need.

    I love your stripes! I have always wanted to try that – maybe someday.

    Reply

  93. D SCHMIDT

    September 18, 2013 at 5:03 pm

    I would love to paint my downstairs bathroom, the previous owners painted it yellow. I am just struggling to decide what color because my Husband and I have very different ideas, I prefer pastels and he likes black!

    Reply

  105. Angela @ CreativeBlossoming.com

    September 23, 2013 at 6:56 pm

    Hello! I featured your bedroom makeover in my monthly blog series, Get Your Color On!. Each month I select a color, provide tips on how to decorate with it, and feature other bloggers with their projects that relate to this color.

    This month’s post is all about red, so I featured this bedroom because you did such a wonderful job coordinating the red, blue, and yellow. It’s a great example of how red looks great with other colors and perfect for a boy’s room! Feel free to grab a Get Your Color On! featured button and check out my post at
    Get Your Color On! Red . Thanks for sharing your amazing creativity!

    Reply

  110. Peter G

    September 25, 2013 at 10:12 am

    I would paint the living room. The chips on the wall and the uneven color done by the builder need to painted over.The color is not even a neutral color.

    Reply

  113. tina reynolds

    September 26, 2013 at 3:00 pm

    Wow that turned out amazing. I want to do my youngest son’s bedroom it need new paint bad it has old wallpaper right now.

    Reply

  116. Melinda

    September 27, 2013 at 12:08 pm

    I’d like to repaint the guest bedroom it’s basically white….and boring. I’m a color person, so this white has GOT TO GO!

    Reply

  120. ky2here

    September 28, 2013 at 6:02 am

    Ours is easier because we have a Victorian. We saw a similar house with warmer less ‘museum-esque’ colors and copied accordingly.

    ky2here at msn dot com

    Reply

  133. Ellie W

    September 30, 2013 at 7:06 am

    I would like to paint my bedroom. It’s all white and has not been repainted since we first moved in 21 years ago. A touch of color would really bring it to life.

    Reply

  148. Carmen

    September 30, 2013 at 1:49 pm

    I love the vertical stripes with the chevron rug. I want to paint our dining room – but we’ll wait a while since we just finished our daughter’s bedroom

    Reply

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