FIRST EVERS: Our Giveaway and Tutorial!!

Don't forget about our FIRST EVER giveaway...! Check it out here.

Also, check back tomorrow for ANOTHER FIRST EVER: a very cool tutorial! It's definately a unique way to add some personalization to your home!

Wood Wall Feature? I think YES!!

Ahhhhhh... Funky Friday is FINALLY upon us!! I like to take inspiration from anyplace that I can get it, and this segment is specifically devoted to that. The last couple of weeks I have been looking very heavily at wood. Antonio (the Design Star winner on season 4) was my main inspiration for trying to bring some wood into any room possible in my house.

Wood can excite all of the senses at once, which is PERFECT for little boys that are active and want to see, do, and create everything! When seeing a wood installation in a room it immediately creates a visual interest, it makes you want to touch it, it can also create a wonderfully soft aroma (I'll be using cedar), and it makes ME think of home. Having grown up in Washington state has given me a special appreciation for the richness, warmth, and glow that wood can bring to a room. These two funky wood installations are my inspirations this week:

 Photo courtesy of HGTV.com

 Photo courtesy of Craft1945

Curious to see where I take these inspirations?? I have decided to take the warmth, lighting, and life from these inspirations into my sons room. He has an alcove in his room that I will be turning into a reading nook with a cedar wall feature. I will free up some much needed floor and room space by doing away with his large bulky bookcase and bringing the shelving RIGHT into the cedar wall. Here is what his current room configuration looks like:

Keeping the following layout in mind let me show you a few REAL LIFE pictures from his room... YES, I could have cleaned everything up and had it looking so nice and pretty for my little blog post, but then you wouldn't see the REAL LIFE of how his room really is!! Don't get your judgment hat out too quickly: WE JUST CLEANED IT 3 DAYS AGO!!

His room is very cramped and uninviting!!

At least he's been using the sanitizing wipes!!

His desk is way too bulky for this room!!

 

 

 

 

So, here's the game plan:

I'm going to eliminate the bookcase AND desk, move the bed to a large blank wall which will make his bed run parallel to the window, remove window treatments, install cedar wood planks in the window alcove and the small wall within the alcove, install built-in shelves within the new planking on the small wall in the alcove, run 95" drapes along entire alcove so that it creates a nice little reading nook, add lots of visual interest with paint, and cut down, paint, and install this ugly table top as a desk (the flip out "wing" will be perfect for adding working space when it's needed, but then putting it away when it's not):

As you can see, it's just been gathering dust: I'm going to put it to good use!!

Recessed lighting will eventually be installed in the alcove to highlight this awesome feature, but that's a few months away. I'm just not wanting to climb in the attic any time soon!! It's going to be a lot of work, but it will be well worth it!! You have to be curious about how it's all going to work out... I know I am!!