Boys' room remodel

The boys' room is finally done.

Check that. It's been done for a while.

Several weeks, to be exact.

But, I haven't blogged about it. Obviously.

When I do a post about a remodel, I like to include tons and tons of pictures. I think that accurately portrays all of the steps involved--and there are so many steps involved when you are doing home improvement!

But, for some reason, I haven't had a lot of time to upload photos lately. *grin*

I finally did it though....so, finally finally finally: Our boys' finished room!

You may remember what it looked like before....

Very dark, with old outdated brown paneling and a very teeeeeeeny closet..

Panelling ripped off, down to bare studs. Ready for drywall!

Drywall up!

Taped and mudded! (This, in and of itself, is a three-day project!)
Don't mind my pirates, playing 'swords' on the 'plank'.

Sanded.
By the 'Sand Man'.
Better known as Shane. *grin*
And, I still think he looks hot, for the record.

When thinking about how to 'decorate' the boys' room, we came to the
conclusion that we were going to have to do something a bit different.

Starting on wall #1

The boys are, of course, in all different age groups--and they like different things. Ethan, for example, loves Thomas the Train--but Colin would much prefer Transformers or GI Joe to adorn his walls. Cameron would go for CARS. So, rather than going with a "theme" in their room, we decided to just stick with color.

Lots of it.

Starting on wall #2

The boys got in on the action, and enjoyed their closet painting project!

Behold: their masterpiece!

Daddy, finishing up wall #2

Lots of color--remember?
Starting wall #3....

....and then wall #4!!

Oh, did you know? My carpenter also doubles as an electrician. *grin*

How on earth, you may be wondering, are they going to tie in those four colors?
(whispered:) They don't even look good together.

Stripes, my friend. Stripes.

I have to give Shane major, major props for this one.

These stripes took a lot of time, and a LOT of patience.

Let's just get this right out in the open--I would have never been able to do this.
Not necessarily for lack of skill--but for complete and utter lack of patience.

Oh, yeah...and for complete and utter lack of skill.

First striped wall: done!

And, yes....that means he did more than one striped wall!

(We interrupt this very complex part of the post for
a project Mommy actually could do:
painting the heating vent.
Oh, yes--Ethan also helped.
We're at roughly the same skill level, painting-wise.)

This second wall was even more difficult--so I'm told--than the first wall. Shane had to line the stripes up from the first wall and tape them the entire length of the second wall exactly the same width apart. And, he had to paint them differently: what was red on wall #1 had to be green for wall #2, and vice-versa, for the color blocking effect.

I'm worn out just thinking about that process.

Wall #2: done!

There was much staining and polying (pollying? poly-ing?) of trim.

We decided to go with primed closet doors, rather than wooden ones, so that they would blend in after being painted the wall color. The boys each took their turn with a bit more painting.

After Cameron's smear job paint job, Colin gave it a whirl....

....and then, it was the boss' turn again.

The closet: painted, and shelves and organizers in!

Time to get that opening trimmed out and those closet doors on.

Ha! I had to include this one...me, taking a very minuscule paint brush and doing touch-ups.
Awww...Lola was still baby Peanut in this picture! *sniff*
And before anyone asks...that is my birthmark on the back of my neck, not a hickie.
*Ahem.*

Putting up the door trim....

....and window trim.
Before....

....after.
*sigh*
The prettiest window there ever was.


Installing the light

Now...it was time to build the bunk bed.

Shane built Colin a bed when Cameron was born, and he decided just to simply add to it--add a top bunk to the bottom bed he had already built!

The headboard

(You can see in this picture, it matches Col's bed exactly!)

The new portion of the bed: done!

Now to stain it....

....and install it.

Pretty cool, huh? Though it looks like it is only sitting on top--I can promise you it is attached, and attached very well! (Being the semi-paranoid Mom that I am, I *ahem* made sure of it.)

Shane built and stained a ladder....

....and a guard rail so Col wouldn't fall out.

And now....the end result of all Shane's hard work!

Love love love how this corner turned out!

We surprised the boys with new down comforters and new sheets:
Thomas for Ethan, CARS for Cameron, and Spiderman for Colin.
They were more than thrilled!

The trundle bed still fits under the bottom bunk, and the boys sleep from top to bottom in birth order: Col on top, Cam in the middle, and E Ry on the bottom!
Trundle in....

....trundle out.

It is so incredibly nice to have this project done. Shane, as usual, did such a great job (I heart that man!) The boys--and their Mommy--LOVE this new room!