The New Kid in Town

by Lindsay on August 12, 2009

By now, you probably know that I spent six days repainting my son’s room last week. Six days. You must think I’m a terrible, terrible painter for it to take me six days to repaint a bedroom. I would totally think that about me, too.

You have also probably figured out that I was here in my house alone for all that time. My husband took our son for a week up to his family’s lake cabin in Minnesota. I don’t do cabins, cold weather, or creatures, so I decided to stay behind and work on a huge surprise for Zack. I didn’t want to advertise it on the Internet, because, well, people are crazy and I didn’t need some freaky person trying to break in while I was painting, drinking wine, and listening to Top 40 radio.

When I was finished with the room (exactly one hour before I had to leave to go pick up my boys from the airport, I might add), I calculated the hours it took me to pull off this transformation. The answer? Forty-eight. It took me a total of 48 hours to repaint the room. And no, it wasn’t because of the wine.

Here is the before picture so you can see where I started.


It was because I have a bad habit of taking a simple task and turning it into an extreme.

I decided to do something more dramatic than simply painting his four walls a color different than our builder’s beige. He’s a fun and highly energetic three year old, and his room needed to match his personality. I took the concept from his bedding collection (which is the Hit the Road collection found at Target) and just ran with it.

Inspired by the lampshade in the collection, I transformed Zack’s room from builder’s brown to his very own town.

Zack is absolutely over the moon with his new room. He was so surprised when he walked in that all he could say was, “WOW” as his jaw hit the floor. He absolutely loves it, which makes all the hours and sore muscles totally worth it.

I probably spent about $150 total (well, and 48 hours of my life) on the transformation:

1. The paint is from Sherwin Williams (Resolute Blue, Gecko Green, and Storm Cloud) and went on the walls like a dream. I think I paid about $80 or so for paint (I bought the Duration line when it was on sale). It was my first time using Sherwin Williams paint, and I will definitely use it again.

2. I bought two LACK end tables ($7 each) from Ikea and turned them into a little table in the corner of his room.

3. The sunshine ceiling lamp ($20) replaced the builder’s mushroom light that was in his room; I cannot get over the terrific “rays” of light it casts on the ceiling. I just love it.

4. The flashing stoplight was about $18 at Walmart and is the perfect touch to complete his little town.

5. I was even able to find a spot for the two ugly $3 lamps I bought on clearance at Walmart a while back. I bought them for their shades, and I’m so glad to have found a place to put them. The green bases are an exact match to the green paint. I did have to buy two new shades ($4 each at Ikea) to replace the ones I “stole” from them originally!

There are still a few things I want to do in there — new window treatment, add a rug, and put knobs on his dresser and nightstand drawers — but I’m so pleased with the transformation! What do you think?

P.S. A huge THANK YOU goes out to my friend Kristi who kept me company this weekend and painted with me for a few hours. Kristi, as always, you rock! I appreciate you keeping me from carrying on the one-way conversations with my dogs. I was starting to get irritated with them for not talking back.

P.P.S. I’m also adding this to Kimba’s DIY Day Linky party over at A Soft Place to Land. This was a DIY challenge like none that I have ever experienced!

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{ 99 comments… read them below or add one }

1 Lisalulu August 13, 2009 at 10:30 am

YOUR ARE SOME PAINTER. pretty cool,and 48 hours is a great time for preping and drawing and painting and not just up and down painting, you painted a town! your could start a business.

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2 Debbie August 13, 2009 at 10:45 am

LOOKS GREAT!! What a lucky guy!! ;0) It's such a fun room, I especially love the (sun) light fixture, so cool! ;0) Great job!

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3 L. Duncan August 13, 2009 at 11:40 am

I just let my boys see the room and my 3 year old said this "Oh MY GOODNESS" it was a little dramatic! I can't stop looking at this room. And thanks for the quick response I rarely get one from other bloggers! Please don't be a stranger to my blog.

http://www.home23duncanboys.blogspot.com

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4 Maggie August 13, 2009 at 12:26 pm

What a wonderful room. We love the Duration paint from Sherwin Williams as well, we've had it throughout most of our house for 4 years and it holds up wonderfully and cleans beautifully too.

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5 ursula August 13, 2009 at 12:27 pm

where, oh where, did you get that sun lamp? love it! the whole room is fantastic!

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6 Journey of the George's August 13, 2009 at 12:51 pm

That is a fantastic room! I am so impressed!

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7 ani @ kindness on her tongue August 13, 2009 at 2:50 pm

that's AMAZING!

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8 Craig, Blair and Turbo Skousen August 13, 2009 at 2:54 pm

HOLY COW. I despise painting because I have to tape stright lines. I need to stop complaining! You did a great job!

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9 GeraldineMander August 13, 2009 at 3:27 pm

This is so adorable!!!!

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10 Kimm at Reinvented August 13, 2009 at 3:54 pm

Holy cow, Lindsay that is FANTASTIC!!! I am continually in awe of you, girl.

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11 Linds@ THAT'S SO CUEGLY August 13, 2009 at 4:10 pm

SERIOUS? Yes I think you are. That's an amazing room!

HEY, I passed the SHARE YOUR FLAIR AWARD to you! CONGRATS! Love your Blog! Post about your award and then award 3 other blogs you think SHARE THEIR FLAIR WORTHILY!

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12 kelly August 13, 2009 at 5:02 pm

amazing! incredible job. i bet he is thrilled!

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13 Kim August 13, 2009 at 5:04 pm

OMG, that is amazing. You did a AWESOME job.

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14 Bubba August 13, 2009 at 7:39 pm

WOW! WOW! WOW! Great job!

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15 Beth@The Stories of A to Z August 13, 2009 at 7:48 pm

I have two little boys and they wold be over-the-moon to have a room like this! You should be proud of yourself momma :) . Nicely done.

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16 Scarlet August 13, 2009 at 7:56 pm

Can you come to my house?

I don't need a little boy's magical transformation, but I sure could use your creativity.

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17 Just say Julie August 13, 2009 at 8:27 pm

That is fantastic! Seriously, I thought I was doing good to get the hubs to paint the walls a solid color- I don't think I could get him to assist on a project like this though! Absolutely fabulous job!

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18 Carolyn August 13, 2009 at 9:56 pm

Wow, that is a great room. I'd say it was definitely worth all your work. Great job!

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19 Melissa @ The Inspired Room August 13, 2009 at 10:30 pm

Wow, you went all out on that room! I can see why your son loves it. It is adorable!!

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20 Embellished Bayou August 13, 2009 at 11:06 pm

OMG, girl, you did a fabulous job! People would pay a lot of money for something like that!

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21 Centsational Girl August 14, 2009 at 1:04 am

Love love love. I'm sure Zack is thrilled ! As long as the client's happy – the designer's happy. Well done !

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22 Traci August 14, 2009 at 7:47 am

Wow! I am speachless!!! That is just amazing!!!

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23 Sue @ Laundry for Six August 14, 2009 at 8:58 am

OH! MY! GOSH! That is the coolest room ever. I was thinking 48 hrs. was kind of a long time. Now I'm amazed that you could make THAT in just 48 hours.

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24 Vone August 14, 2009 at 1:44 pm

Love the room. I think large scale murals are so much fun. I did a Curious George inspired jungle room from my baby – http://howtodosomething.blogspot.com/2009/01/how-to-decorate-nursery.html

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25 Ruth August 14, 2009 at 2:35 pm

What an absolutely amazing job. I am sure your son is head over heels in love with this amazing room. What a special treat for him to come home to.

Ruth

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26 Becky August 14, 2009 at 3:59 pm

I fell in love with your bed when you did it a couple of weeks ago. And now … oh MY goodness it is so amazing. I just absolutely love it. I can't imagine every painting over something like that. You'll just have to keep having little baby boys to enjoy it :)

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27 Pamela August 14, 2009 at 8:39 pm

Wow! You go girl! Can I get ya to come do my boys room! HA! I am thinking dino prints.

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28 Brooke August 14, 2009 at 10:13 pm

That looks awesome. I'm pretty sure you win mom of the year for this one. I don't think I have the patience…..

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29 Denise August 15, 2009 at 6:57 am

WOWZIE! What an absolutely awesome room! Thanks so much for sharing it…sort of wishing my boy was back at an age I could do something like this:) (he is 14). I am headed to his room today while he is gone and do some 'shoveling out".
I am glad I found your blog!
Dancingly, Denise
watch me as I scrapbook, decluteer and knit my way through 2009 at
http://www.dancinglydenise.typepad.com

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30 Richella August 15, 2009 at 9:47 am

LIndsay, this tops them all. I mean, really–you have outdone even your wonderful self this time. What a smile it must bring to your heart to look into that room and see Zack loving it! Congratulations on a FANTASTIC job.

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31 Misti of Studio M Designs August 15, 2009 at 10:41 am

You are a machine! That room is super duper fabulous! I am so ready to redo all of my boy's rooms. They are growing so fast! I know you are proud of yourself. Big pats on the back and some major high-fives to you, woman!

~Misti

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32 MJ August 15, 2009 at 11:50 am

So cute! I love the table! I have walked by those tables in Ikea a hundred times but never thought of putting them together to make a children's table. Did you "attach" them somehow or just put them side by side? Thanks! :)

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33 Christina August 15, 2009 at 12:30 pm

If that is not a little boys dream room, I don't know what it. How fantastic. You did a wonderful job.

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34 Beki - TheRustedChain August 15, 2009 at 3:44 pm

Holy cow Lindsay! That is impressive!!

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35 Simply Delightful August 15, 2009 at 10:30 pm

Wow, that turned out great! That little boy must think he is in paradise.

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36 Susie Q August 15, 2009 at 10:57 pm

Absolutely amazing. Puts anything that I have ever done to shame….hanging head….I have several walls to paint over the next few days…we'll see how that goes as I am out of wine!

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37 jskell911 August 15, 2009 at 10:57 pm

That is absolutely amazing! I wish I had just a teeny fraction of your talent. Wonderful!

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38 Its So Very Cheri August 16, 2009 at 9:26 am

I hope you will come over to the Knock Off Knock Out party at my blog tomorrow to show off your masterpiece knock off from a pillow case.

Cheri

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39 RootsAndWingsCo August 16, 2009 at 11:03 am

You are amazingly talented! Your son is fortunate to have you as his mother. This is just the cutest thing. Awesome, awesome, awesome!!

Anjeanette

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40 Molly August 16, 2009 at 2:08 pm

Love your blog, love your creativity, CRAZY about this room! It's incredible! Well done :-) I just got the new IKEA catelog in the mail and saw this rug – it instantly made me think of this room. http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/70162598
Great job, Lindsay!

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41 MelanyTN August 16, 2009 at 2:16 pm

LOVE. LOVE. LOVE. You are amazing. And what a lucky boy you have!

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42 Our Hummus Is Homemade. August 17, 2009 at 2:39 am

Lindsay,

Wanted to stop by and say hi… and to say thank you for… well… ;)

The transformation of your sons bedroom walls is extraordinary! The time and imagination… well… rocks. I love home decor and am so thankful you shared your blog link. I'll be lurking for sure!

-Krista

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43 Kelsi August 19, 2009 at 11:30 am

wow. my son would extremely jealous. he has the bedding (although i was dumb and bought the comforter. big mistake…. it now has a hole in from the washing machine! HOW do they expect a mom to be able to potty train with a comforter that doesn't survive one wash!? lol.) you really did create a little town for him! i bet he was overwhelmingly excited about it!

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44 Anny August 21, 2009 at 9:30 am

My goodness, what a lucky little boy!

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45 C. Beth August 23, 2009 at 9:43 pm

That is ADORABLE, Lindsey! So cute!

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46 Drew August 30, 2009 at 12:12 pm

well no wonder it took you 48 hours…it looks AMAZING!!! you did an awesome job!! I am so jealous…i wish i had your talent!!

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47 Cynnamama's Cafe September 6, 2009 at 9:30 pm

You are an amazing, creative artist with only 48 hours to do this alone! You do better than the designers on Trading Spaces… just kidding!
It is darling and I bet your son couldn't sleep that night, for he must have been pinching and thinking to himself, is this really my room?!
Excellent job, mom!

http://cynnamamascafe.blogspot.com/

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48 Anonymous September 29, 2009 at 6:07 am

I love, love what you did with the room it's beautiful. yes you are amazing. I'm new to your blog and I'm enjoying it very much, thanks Lindsay for your inspiration, you're wonderful.:)

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49 Venessa January 16, 2010 at 2:20 pm

I am truly inspired. I am trying to figure out what to do for my son's new bedroom, and I love what you have done. Did you free hand the mural?

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