Buddy and Sport’s bedroom has always been a temporary space, something thrown together in a rush to be finished later. The room started as a playroom, a place for two small children to spend four hours every Wednesday. There was a futon, an old door that I converted to a desk, a book shelf, and a ton of toys, stuffed animals and books. I tossed a few kid friendly pictures on the wall and that was it.

Once the boys were placed with me not too much changed. The County wouldn't allow them to sleep in there because I slept upstairs so they had to as well. I took out the desk and sold the futon. A smaller book shelf came in and a dresser. The toys came and went as the boys got older and their art work was added to the walls. Eventually I put their cribs in the room and never got around to telling the County.

After almost three years the room still felt temporary, it always had that unfinished feel. It’s been a continuous little reminder of our time with foster care and the unpredictability of it all. Because of that it never seemed to fit with the rest of the house.

Our house has a feel of Home to me and has from the first minute I walked in. My realtor opened the door, I took in the awful mint carpet, the dirty white walls, the chipped and peeling paint, and said ‘I’m buying this house.’ Despite what I saw I felt my whole body relax as I walked in the door. I was home.

The boys room has never felt like that, quite the opposite. More and more I'd feel tense and irritated when I’d go in. Their room was screaming out to be part of our Home and not just a temporary space. Not the feeling you want when in your child’s bedroom.

Well, we’ve finally made it into a child’s bedroom and I am so happy that it is finished. Not only do I love the way it turned out but it feels real now and part of the house. I love it.

Here is the before, you can see the paint colors on the wall we were deciding on:

Yes, my children were sleeping on mattresses on the floor because I am a mean mommy. There didn’t seem to be any other way to keep Sport from scaling the sides of their toddler beds and standing on the top with one foot on each bed. Buddy was very upset when we took the beds apart. Sport had a look on his face that clearly read ‘Whatever, I’ll just climb the dresser.’



The black stripe below the window is magnetic paint. Did you know you could buy that? It doesn't work, buy you can buy it.

For the grand makeover we were able to drop the boys with my mom for a couple days so we could get it all done and have it be a complete surprise to them. I’m so happy with the way it turned out and the boys flipped out.







I found the beds on Craigslist for $65 including the mattresses, yippee. The boys love having big boy beds and Buddy is for some reason especially excited about the top sheet. I don’t know, but it makes perfect sense to him.

The dresser was a Goodwill find on half price furniture day. It was still in the box, a Target donation and was $20. It was the first piece of furniture I bought while preparing for the boys. The little chest of drawers was in Jay's closet at his place so I swiped it. The white bookshelf was given to me by my mom.

The paint turned out just the way I wanted and looks so much like a boys room now. The chair rail is wonderful and was surprisingly easy to do except for one wall that is made out of a funhouse mirror. I’m not sure yet how we are going to fix this:



The book shelf turned out better than I'd hoped it would. It’s amazing how a little paint on the back can really make it pop.



We also put their names above the beds with wood letters we painted green. I split two while nailing them up so I'll have to fix that. Then onto shelving and organization in their closet.

I love, love, love the room and it finally feels like a permanent part of the house. The boys really love it and stayed in there almost all of yesterday. They even played nicely together most of the time.

We spent about $120 to makeover the room. New beds, paint, and chair rail. Okay, plus the day off work I took and the tank of gas to go back and forth to my mom's. So worth every penny and more.

Edit: For some reason this post is very attractive to spammers. So, if you are here to leave a comment with a bunch of links to the crap you are selling then piss off.

Edit again:The Nester posted a Price My Space party and I'm just figuring that out. Go check her out, she has fantastic ideas and I love, love, love her mantra, 'It doesn't have to be perfect to be beautiful.' Reading her blog gave me a ton of motivation to jump in and get this room done.