The girls' room finished (And a boy's room too!)

March 25, 2010

We've lived in our home for almost 5 years. But as I mentioned in other places we are building a family not a house so the renovations we planned so eagerly when we moved in have taken years to realize.

I am so thankful for my father, who has helped moved these upgrades along by coming to visit at various times to paint, install windows, patch plaster and paint some more. Thanks Dad!  Now that my parents live within driving distance Dad is able to pack their little car with painting rollers and his favorite tools (he's a builder and has many, most of which he doesn't bring), come for a few days and make huge progress on projects that have waited a long time for his TLC (talented loving care).

We do our best with the limited time we designate for house projects but we just can't compete with his skill, expertise and tool selection when it comes to home renovations. He is a professional afterall.

The latest project to complete in our home was the girls' room. This is a before photo. What it looked like the summer we bought the house. Look how teeny Brienne is, sigh.

A year or so after we moved in I sewed floral bedcovers to cover the navy blue and red blankets I had used when all three kids (aged 5, 3 & 1) shared one room in our previous rental.  I wrote about that project way back when this blog was a family journal. I used 2 king sheets to make 2 twin duvet covers.  The girls still use those but in winter they throw other blankets on for more warmth, which is what you see in the recent photos. 

The quilt you see on Celine's bed below was made by my mother for me when I was a tween/teenager, can't remember exactly. I love that my girls use it to this day.  I just love, love, love family quilts. (Oh, I almost forgot... the rug next to Celine's bed was made by my paternal grandmother for me when I was a young adult moving into my first apartment).

Anyway, where was I? Ah yes, so I made the bedcovers and sewed up some curtains with old sheets and then the room sat... for another 3 years before I finally stripped the wallpaper, which thankfully was an easy job. Not all wallpaper removal in our house has been so easy!

Last fall sometime Dad offered to come and help us with a project and I immediately choose the girls' room. For a time we thought Celine might be able to tackle the room herself, with physical help from us of course, but she lost steam before that even started and instead invested time in a more doable decorating project.

I digress. Again.  Last month my dad came. He patched, primed and painted. Built little shelves to hold the girls' trinkets and when he left the room was spotless... and my room was a mess.

Part of the process of finishing the girls' room was a thorough go-through of every girly possession and major de-cluttering.  

This is the pile of stuff being sold, donated and trashed after that process.

Phew! Cleaning through the girls' room this way has been so wonderful. We've been doing a lot of simplifying and de-cluttering this winter but the completion of this project is a major weight off my mind.  Not to mention Celine and Brienne are so happy to have their room painted and pretty (after 4 years) and I'm so happy to be able to give that to them.  What girl doesn't want a pretty room?

So the girls room is done. Right down to the little details. 

But an unexpected blessing in doing the girls' room is that Laurent was bored while the girls spent time each day going through their possessions so he decided (with a bit of parental prompting) to de-clutter his room too. Two for the price of one! I was not expecting this.

To celebrate that fact I thought I'd include a couple before and after pics of his room also.  Here's the original blog post from that project. Also posted back in the day this blog was read only by family.

Thanks for taking this walk down household renovation lane with me. Maybe someday our dining room will finally be done and I can post before and after pictures of that project also.  We are currently mid-way through that renovation process so it could be a...while.