Monday, January 05, 2009

Ambitious painting project #243

I really wanted to do some accent painting in Emma's room. The boring blue was kind of, well, boring me. Having done some pretty ambitious painting in this old house, I know that I tend to think a bit more grandiose that my time, budget, and abilities can handle (think plaid wall mistake of 2002). My idea was a simple flower on Emma's blue wall with a few curlicues here and there, maybe in white -- not much contrast, just a little feminine touch. But then I thought maybe I should have some contrast since I was going to all the work and didn't want it to blend in making the result less than dramatic. So I procured an over-head projector, made a transparency (.75c at the copy shop) from a couple of pretty clip art pieces I found on Microsoft Office online, and set to work sketching my design on the wall. It looked so cool in the dark room on the over-head projector that I sketched and sketches away until there was art on all 4 walls of her room. I used left over dark blue paint from the stairs and the results are anything but subtle. More grandious, in my opinion.




Emma's room is also the guest room, so she has a double bed. (She gets booted out into the little bed upstairs when we have company and she doesn't mind one bit -- the guests sleeping in a little girl's room have more of an issue). The quilt is a wedding gift from Jeff's aunts. Don't tell anyone, but it doesn't have a single blue dot in the whole thing. I'm no decorating genius, so don't ask me why it works. It just does. Jeff made the head board for me from a picture I found in a magazine. I like it for the cutsie, country theme of her room.



It took a lot of time to fill in the lines I had made on the wall with the dark blue paint. I spent about 8 hours all together, sketching, painting, and touching up. If I were to give any suggestions for other would-be artists, I would say to keep the design even simpler with less area to fill in. I might even do the whole design with a just a sharpie next time and skip filling in the lines. It would be much faster. Next time? Who am I kidding? Give me a week or two.



(Cross stitch art by Hillary. Isn't is beautiful? This is one of my favorite things I've ever received as a gift -- very thoughtful and meaningful).



Here's a good shot of Emma's kitchen. I am so happy that my dad painted it to match Emma's room. Pottery Barn Kids has nothing compared to this. Both Emma and Mandy love playing with the kitchen. For some reason, Mandy microwaves the heck out of everything before she eats it. Nothing like a home cooked meal.




Emma's room is as eclectic as she is. From boots and cow figurines, to elephants and princess dresses, we've got it all covered.



16 comments:

Lindsay said...

That turned out REALLY COOL!

Hmmm, I'm thinking Anna's room may need some art on the walls..... :)

simplykersh said...

Very nice, I am inspired. But first i just need to get all of my walls normal colors in each room - I can now see all of the lime green walls in our spare room! Luckily the "matching" purple closet is filled to the top so I only have to look at one terrible color at a time as I blog from my new location.

Andee said...

I hate you so very much.

Shawna said...

And we can purchase our very own Paradise Kitchen on Ebay under what user name? HA

I just LOVE what you did! How does Emma like it?

Cooking with Big E said...

I like the flowers! Very cute! I thought about doing some freehand painting in the kids' room but ran out of wall space. I really like the bed headboard!

Stacy said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Stacy said...

I've wanted to do something to #1's walls but I'd first have to correct the two-tone-try-to-match-a-Lowe's-color-at-Walmart mistake I made 2 years ago. Hum. That's a project that never got finished that now just needs started over.

Good job! I hope Emma loves it!

Cathy said...

Wow...once again, you made it work!

Grace said...

Bravo!! I'm so not gifted with creativity that it is pretty amazing so I am completely impressed!!!

Leah said...

The walls look really stylish and cute!

Grandma Sherri said...

The finished product is even cuter than imagined and we don't mind sleeping in her room at all , now we will have even sweeter dreams

Linds and Manda said...

I LOVE IT! Can you come paint Libby's room? Come to think of it, I would something like that in our on-suite as a smaller border. You are amazing!!

Kari said...

love it love it love it. When we get the new house, I will remember the overhead projector idea. Thanks!

Dan & Hillary said...

Yup... the home reno's/painting is still one of my favorite entries... Great job, truly!!

Sara said...

You are so creative and talented! Where do you find the time?!? I'm also curious how Emma liked the finished product...

Maybe one day all your posts showing your gorgeous painting projects will inspire me to finally paint one of my many walls something other than their very boring and blah white. Nothing as ambitious as your big blue flowers of course, but maybe beige or tan? =)

Tawny said...

Move over Martha Stewart. It would really help my self esteem if you would screw something up every once in awhile.