Friday

Under the Stairs Playroom



We have a small storage room under the stairs that we did not know what to do with.  Originally we put a small desk in there with a computer for the kids but they never really used the computer so the room pretty much went unused.  Then we used it for storage for a few months but we have such a large storage room in the basement that we decided to give the small room under the stairs a makeover since we have baby #3 due in a few weeks.

We decided to create a playroom under the stairs for the kids!  They picked the theme, which is Under the Sea, and they helped paint and decorate it.  It was a fun family project that only took a couple days.

First we cleared out the room.



Because the room was used for storage the paint was scratched off in many places but that wasn't a big deal because we were painting it anyways. 

I used a darker color paint to touch up the bottom part of the room.  Since the bottom will look like sand the different colors of tan and beige will look just fine after we use sponge brushes on it.


 I put Press n Seal on the carpet along the walls so that any paint drips wouldn't get on the carpet.  Considering my kids were going to help paint I knew this was important and once the painting was done and I saw all the drips on the Press n Seal I was glad I didn't forget this step.


The kids used sponge brushes and a lighter paint color to make the bottom look like sand.  They just dabbed the sponge brushes in the paint and then dabbed the wall.  It was pretty easy for them.


Next we painted about half way up the wall with blue paint.


The next step was to mix the same blue paint with white paint to paint the upper half of the wall a lighter color.  This idea was my daughter's.  She thought it would look better for the blue to be lighter as it went up.  It really adds some depth to the room.



 As you can see the kids got some paint on the trim but because I kept checking on their progress with the painting I was able to just wipe it off before it dried.


The sand at the bottom looks great and the change in blue looks great too.  The kids did such an amazing job painting.  I barely had to help at all.


On one side of the wall I hung picture ledges from IKEA so that the kids could put books or toys on them.


On the other side of the wall I put stackable IKEA shoe cabinets so that they can put toys in them.



Next was the fun part for the kids.  I bought 4 packs of ocean themed wall stickers for the kids to decorate the walls.  Once again they did a great job picking where to place the stickers to make the whole room look pretty neat.




The kids put books on the shelves and toys in the cabinets.  I had some old throw pillows that I let them put on the floor so they can lay on them when they read or play.

Overall the whole remodel cost less than $150.  I already had all the paint from other projects.  The wall stickers cost about $60 and the IKEA shelves and cabinets cost about $80.

This was an easy family project and because the kids were involved in almost every step I think they appreciate it even more.  They really enjoy the space and I know when baby #3 gets old enough it will be a great little play room she can enjoy as well.

Bathroom Remodel - Before and After


When we bought our home about a year ago we knew that we would be remodeling the bathroom upstairs at some point.  When we found out I was pregnant we decided to get it done before baby #3 arrived.  

The bathroom is mainly used by the kids so pardon how messy the before pictures are.  Since it is their bathroom they are the ones who clean it and because they are only 12 and 8 years old their idea of clean is a bit different than mine.










There are so many things about the bathroom that I did not like but my least favorite thing was that because the toilet was across from the vanity whenever you sat on the toilet your knees pretty much touched the vanity.  The vanity was just too big for the bathroom and it felt so cramped.  My solution for this was to move the vanity to the other side of the wall, next to the toilet.  

As you can see from the pictures the walls were tiled and the drywall above the tile was cracked in many places so we knew we needed to gut the room.  We were originally going to gut the entire room however we realized the bathtub and surround were in great condition and we decided to keep them to save money.  

After gutting most of the room my husband moved the vent from the wall to the floor and we had plumbers come in and move pipes so that we could put the vanity next to the toilet.  

After that the drywall went up then the tile floors that look like wood planks.  Paint, trim and lots of caulk later the bathroom was almost done.  Light fixtures, outlets, switches and then decorations completed the bathroom remodel.




I found these free bathroom printables on Pinterest and put them in IKEA frames.



The vanity is a slim design which fits so much better in the space.


This shoe cabinet is from IKEA and is perfect for this space.  It adds much needed storage space while having a slim design that does not take up much room.



My favorite part about this toilet is not the elongated bowl, although I do prefer that over a regular bowl, but I like the sleek and smooth design around the side and back.  


The bathroom looks so much better than it did before.  The kids really like it and it was completed with only a $2000 budget.  Luckily my other half was able to do much of the work himself so that saved us a ton of money.  


I love to hear from you!  Comment below to share any ideas you may have on budget friendly bathroom remodeling ideas.

Thursday

Why I Will Never Paint Without Glade Paint Additive Again



I am SO excited to share this product with you!  It really is amazing!!

Just an FYI...I am not getting paid to sponsor this product and it was not sent to me for free to sample.  I just so happened to see it while I was getting a gallon of paint mixed and thought to myself, "heck it's less than $5, I'll give it a try".  Boy am I glad I did!

We recently gutted and remodeled the kids' bathroom upstairs (see that post here).  While I was at Menards getting paint I saw a little rack with lots of these Glade Paint Additives on it.  Since it takes about 10 minutes to mix paint my husband and I stood there smelling each one.  Our favorite was the Crisp Waters.  I didn't really think I as going to buy one but since it smelled so good I figured I would give it a chance.  I am 8 months pregnant and knew I would be the one painting the bathroom so why not splurge a little and see if this product actually works.

And work it did!  I spent several hours in the bathroom painting then putting on a second coat and then doing touch up paint and not once did I notice the paint smell.  All I could smell was the Glade scent.  Even the next day my husband walked in and said that it still smelled like the Glade additive.  

It is so easy to use.  All you do is pour it into a gallon of paint and mix it well.  It completely masked the paint smell and just smelled so fresh!


So this is the paint I bought and you can see the Glade Paint Additive isn't very big.



I just poured the additive right on top of the paint then I mixed it for about a minute with a paint stirrer.  It was really that easy!


I cannot express to you enough how amazing this paint smelled.  Usually painting makes me light headed and being pregnant I was sure it would be worse but I am so glad that I gave this product a chance!  I will never paint again without using Glade Paint Additive!

I love to hear from you!  Please comment below about your thoughts on this product or any other similar products!