Planning and creating a mood board for a makeover allows me to imagine what the room will look like, how my theme will come together and whether pieces will fit in their intended spots before I get stuck in. I find it gives me confidence as I know exactly where I am going. A plan also helps keep focus, it works for me like a food recipe, I gather my ingredients and start mixing.
Working on a shoe-string budget, I had to be resourceful. I scoured junk shops, skips and recycling websites, and I upcycled pieces I had lying around. I am a proud mum to give credit to my eight-year-old for choosing the colour scheme... We have two deep grey and two dark olive walls, giving the room a calming feel, and pops of bright yellow to cheer things up.
I got a wooden bed frame from Freecycle that I cleaned and refinished with coats of oil and wax. I kept my boy's previous mattress, made a couple of cushions - see Camo Cushion, and together with grey bed linen and my dad's old service blanket, I created a bunk fit for a brave little soldier. The wall shelf and Zak's toddler chair-come-night-stand were painted with the same yellow Dulux Eggshell I used for the bedroom door.
I painted a hand-me-down brown wood wardrobe in ASCP Paris Grey - read Little Soldier's Locker here. I hacked a cheap and cheerful chest of drawers from IKEA - see how here. Zak is an avid reader, and a few lights define reading areas as well as create a cosy mood in this north-facing room.
I made this floor cushion with a grain sack found in my dad's barn. It looks super cool with its stencilled lettering. And this small side table is made from a crate found in the attic. I intended it for the kitchen but it found its way in here, fitting with the industrial vibe.
Every boy needs a study area and I nestled this one near the natural light of the window. I refinished a vintage school desk above which I wall-mounted a couple of shelves made out of upcycled floorboards to store stationery and small treasures. On the left, workshop metal shelves host a fair amount of books. To avoid the library looking overwhelming and messy, I arranged the books by size, displayed a few face on, and injected a few toys. An ivy will trickle downwards in time.
I love the way the yellow door pops on the grey wall.
A mix of shop bought and handmade art dresses an empty wall. I painted the skirting boards and radiator with the same paint I used for the walls as the room is already framed by the yellow accents. This also gives an impression of greater ceiling height.
Get the look for your boy's room with this handmade coat hanger
