Before and After: Joshua’s Baby Room Transformation

August 13, 2018

Baby Blues

Little Joshua’s baby room transformation was not only visually dramatic, but we were able to spend relatively little money for a huge payoff. The original room felt incredibly dark especially with the blue walls and heavy window treatments. The high floating shelf also made the room feel a little claustrophobic. At first glance, the bamboo flooring appeared ok. But upon closer inspection I discovered there were multiple gaps revealing another layer of flooring underneath. Like the rest of the house, there were layers of flooring from years of lazy installation.

Bright on a Budget

Luckily, this room didn’t require too many new furniture purchases. We laid down a new gray carpet with a thick pile, installed new baseboard and painted the walls Behr Polar Bear. Jess and Jon already owned the crib and changing dresser along with the glider chair. Cordless woven wood shades now offer an elegant solution for an awkward window size. We used the IKEA Kallax shelving unit with baskets for toy storage. There happened to be a vent underneath it so I had Jon install tapered legs from Lowes to lift the unit off the ground.

Above the crib, Jon and Jess purchased digital prints on Etsy and printed them out. 6 white frames complete the look. We also painted the lower part of the wall a light gray to break up some of the white on the walls and frame the crib.

Cozy Corners

Jess told me she wanted a reading nook/play area for Joshua. I came up with this idea for a clock tower bookshelf as a way to add whimsy without being too kitschy. With some inexpensive wall shelves and minimalist clock from IKEA, I drew out a simple clock tower and had it painted in Behr Statuesque. A schoolhouse lamp from Target and a fun rug from H&M added the perfect finishing touch.

In order to maximize space in the room, Jess wanted to use the closet as a changing station. I was hesitant about losing the closet, but sometimes you have to do what your client wants and make the best of it. The only thing we purchased for the closet was the Ekby shelf from IKEA. All the staging items and accessories were things I found in their house. Later on when Joshua gets older, they can easily convert the changing station back into a closet.

For around around $500 we were able to make this baby room into a fun and restful space for Joshua. He loves his new room!