Bedroom Makeovers (and an Ode to Lisa)

Brian and I have spent a ridiculous amount of time redoing the kids' bedrooms.  I know for certain that I would never survive a kitchen redo (like my poor sister Mandy who's been living in a construction zone for about 5 months) unless I won a contest and some fabulous design team came in and completed the project in about three days.  I detest having piles of stuff laying around and rooms feeling unfinished. 

Anyway, here are some "before" shots of Thomas's room:

The general theme of his room was "old stuff shoved in a white room".  Not horrible, but not very compelling.  Thomas never complained and since the furniture was mine when I was his age, it didn't really cost anything. But two boys needed two beds and so we needed to get to work.

Here are some "before" shots of Meredith's room:

This room was a little better.  We did it up great in 2000 when it was the nursery and just morphed it into a little girl room when we were done with the crib.  I loved the bright green headboard and Grandpa Bricker painted a shadow box they had at their house that Meredith loved and gave it to her for her treasures.  But clearly we needed to change things up for two little girls. 

Here is an "after" shot of the boys' room:

We love how this room turned out!  My Sis Mandy and SiL Kristin were design consultants.  It's a little hard to tell in the photo but the walls are gray and the trim is white.  My mom and dad spent two days helping me paint.  My amazingly generous good friend and Mommy Mentor, Lisa, gave us the cool bunk beds from her daughter's room.  One mattress came from our sainted friends the Browns (who also show us daily that raising four kids between the ages of 6 and 10 can be done!).  The other came from my work buddy Dave Browne, awesome teacher and kind soul.  Thomas picked out the red bedding from Target.  We spray painted the old crappy bookshelf and it's cooler than ever.  Director's chair from my college dorm room!  New valance and blinds and a dresser from Ikea (not in the shot).  Total cost of this room (thanks to all the gifts and donations):  around $350.

Here is an "after" shot of the girls' room:

Again, mom and dad were the painting muscle.  They also gave us the bunk beds as a gift!  In addition, they came to our house one day and spent the whole day putting together both Ikea dressers and installing the blinds in both rooms while we were at work.  Mom said, "we're like the Good Fairies!" and they truly are, if the Good Fairies leave 40 lbs of boxes and packing debris all over the garage floor.  Just kidding, we were so grateful for their help!  We had one of these mattresses already and the other one came from Brian's parents.  All the bedding came from Mommy Mentor Lisa as well as the cool beads on the curtains, all the decorative pillows, six sets of sheets, a bunch of cool fabric butterflies to hang on the walls (not up yet) and believe it or not, the pink carpet!  Yes, Brian and Thomas actually tore the carpet out of Lisa's daughter's bedroom and put it in here!  Meredith thinks she has died and gone to heaven to have pink carpet.  Total cost of this room (thanks to Lisa*):  around $250. 

Thomas and Meredith are so happy, and I can't even wait to see Solomon and Tinsaye's reaction.  Every single time I go in these rooms now I am reminded of how much love we are surrounded by and how blessed and blessed and blessed we are to have family and friends who are so generous.  

*Side note about Lisa:  she has always been there for me when I needed her most.  Lisa took me to Babies R Us to register when I was pg with Thomas.  When I was waffling about how expensive everything was and feeling like I didn't want to register for the totally cool bedding I REALLY wanted, she yanked the scanner out of my hand and said, "Give me that scanner!  You want this bedding and someone wants to get it for you.  I'm scanning it and it's going on your registry!"  And she was RIGHT!  And when I came home from the hospital with my tiny, jaundiced, starving baby boy and he wouldn't nurse and I was a hormonal mess, Lisa called me just as I was about to completely lose it and said to me, "Don't move.  I'm coming over and I'm bringing my breast pump!"  And she DID!   And since I teach with Lisa, I can't even count the number of times she has helped me out at work, solving problems with kids, parents, and other staff.  I hope I can repay her in some way for all her kindness to me, somehow, someday.  Thank you Lisa!  I love you!