Remember when this odd little 6′ x 6′ space…
…became our reading room?
Well, it needs to act as our guest room now, so a couple weeks back, we started clearing it out…
…and patching the walls…
…and talking about how to build a bed with a little more storage, and create walls with a little more character, and a little less stuff on ’em. I started having crazy visions of a sunburst mirrors landing on my Mom’s head in the middle of the night, so it was time for them (and the shelves) to say buh-bye!
After the room was completely clear, we loaded the car up with a bunch of wood from the home improvement store…
…and (spontaneously) decided to take a 2-hour road trip to Cullman, Alabama for some old gymnasium flooring from this place…
It’s called Southern Accents and they carry all kinds of awesome architectural salvage.
What a fun day that turned out to be!
Back at home, and after some hardcore rub-a-dub scrubbin’ with mineral spirits and soap & water, we started attaching the old floor boards to the back wall in the room…
Here’s what we eventually came up with…
(Note: We’ve still gotta add some trim molding below the baseboards.)
Simple, Moonlight White-painted board and batten on the side walls, a rustic gym floor back wall, a Moonlight White-painted plywood floor, and little cheery pops of color and texture here, there and everywhere!
The daybed we built was inspired by Pottery Barn’s $749 Stratton Daybed…
I think we spent around $75 to build, caulk and paint ours. If you’d like info on how to build one too, click HERE to visit Ana-White.com.
(Note: Because Kev and I each have the attention span of a gnat when it comes to directions, we didn’t actually use any plans to build our bed- but if you’re lookin’ for some rock solid instructions, and wanna cut out all the guesswork, definitely check out Ana’s plan!)
On the left side of the room, we used our leaning ladder / magazine & book rack. We haven’t secured it to the wall yet, but we do plan to do that in the near future…
For the board and batten on the side walls, we just used pre-primed MDF 1×2’s from Home Depot. They were super simple to put up with our nail gun, and because our baseboard and crown molding are flat, everything finished out nice and neat. (After a couple of tubes of caulk!)
I got the little green and yellow bucket from Ashley and Myra during our trip to Nashville this past January…
I’m such a sucker for brightly-colored vintage metal! I got the red, white and blue Bingo tin on Etsy a while back…
I’m SO gonna hide surprises in that sucker every time my Mom comes up for a visit!
We got the Pottery Barn Stratford wall sconce on eBay…
I camouflaged part of the cord by hanging one of our framed quotes on top of it…
The light has a dimmer switch- which I love. It looks so warm and cozy in there at night!
The rest of the frames hanging on that wall were also swiped from our old guest bedroom…
(My Mom’s birthday is June 13th!)
We decided to go with a more random arrangement than usual this time, and we’re really diggin’ the way they play with the board and batten.
It was such a fun little redo to work on together!
Just gotta add that trim below the baseboards, and attach a curtain rod and some curtains on the inside of the doorway for privacy, and we’ll be done!
I think.
Source List:
Paint on ceiling: Sea Salt – Sherwin Williams
Paint on side walls: Moonlight White – Benjamin Moore
Paint on floor: Moonlight White – Behr Premium Plus Porch & Floor Paint (Home Depot)
Pottery Barn Stratford Wall Sconce: eBay
Rug: TJ Maxx
White Pick-Stitch Quilt and Euro Shams: Pottery Barn
Floral Pillow: Ikea
Red Stripe Euro Pillow Cover: Ikea
Natural and Red Stripe Lumbar Pillow Cover: eBay
Ceiling Light: Ikea
White “Ribba” Picture Frames: Ikea
Wood Picture Frames: Walmart
Large Seagrass Baskets: HomeGoods
Blue Step Stool: J&G Flea Market, Prattville, AL
Ivory Throw Blanket: gift from our realtor
White Storage Containers: Ikea
Side Table: HomeGoods
Ladder: Nashville Flea Market
Green & Yellow Bucket: The Rare Bird Antiques, Goodlettsville, TN
Red Bingo Tin: Etsy.com
Blue Button Tin Photo: Etsy.com
Red Door Photo: LetteredCottageArt.com
You never cease to amazing me!! Truly amazing! Love the floor board on the wall idea!
Thanks Estela!
And if I have it my way, we’ll soon have ceiling on our floor. There’s wood planks underneath the sheetrock on the ceiling in the kids room!
😀
I swear y’all are creative geniuses!
I think the use of that small space is really great! and Im totally in love with the Day bed.
What a lovely space. I love how white and fresh it is with little pops of color all around 🙂
I am in love with the new wall! It totally adds an element of spunk!
I love me a spunky room!
😀
WOW! An amazing transformation. Love it!
What a cute little room! Yall work way too well together!! =) Love the gym floor on the walls and that sconce is fantastic!
Thanks Holly!
That sconce is my favorite! 🙂
F A B U L O U S!!!!
I love it… and your creativity! I love how you made, what some people would consider an awkward sized space, so useful. I wish I had a 6 x 6 room 🙂
Wowzers…da’gum…yall have it going on. It is gorgeous and so unique! Love it!
“Da’gum” LOL…Kevin says that sometimes too! Too funny!
ADORE. Adore. Adore. Seriously, Lay and Kev…ya’ll are AMAZING!!! It’s so pretty I want to cry. Isn’t that silly? I’m in love with the gym flooring on the wall and just everything. Southern Accents is the bomb…next time you’re up that way let me know! 🙂 xo
Awww, Myra. Thank you for the super sweet comment! I will definitely let you know when we’re back in your neck of the world. Shaunna and I may be up very soon actually!
I love the way your room turned out! I really love the reclaimed wood on the walls and leaning ladder. You turned a small space into an inviting beautiful room! Great job!
dreaming-n-color.blogspot.com
Love it!! Will you be putting some light/privacy shade/curtain on the window? Looks wonderful as-is, but just thinking Mom may not want peeping-toms!
Hey Lisa!
It’s actually a second story room, and our house backs up to woods, so probably not. Plus, my Mom was a teenager in the 70s, if ya know what I mean. 😉
That’s awesome. Sounds like my Mom’s kind of room, too! 😉
well, you know i LOVE it! 😀
xoxo
shaunna
Layla, you and Kevin may have even out done yourselves.
You both have the most amazing ideas, creativeness
and confidence to try them out.
Any mom and guest will feel so very welcome.
It’s a room that “hugs”.
Love the wall of floor boards just as they are which is
so surprising to me who paints everything that doesn’t move.
Happy Monday. geri.
Wow! You guys really know how to work your magic, this room looks amazing! Can I come stay with you?? 🙂
Wow! This room is the perfect example of what two creative people can accomplish without spending a lot of money! Love it all!
I love this, especially since I have plans to put wood around our new fireplace. Now I *know* I will love it. Great job!
WOW! It looks amazing. Only you two could do something so unique and stunning in such a small space. I recently found a wallpaper that looks like reclaimed flooring and love this look so much. When I win the lottery I’m flying you both over to Wales to re-do my entire house!
~Sam
I’ve seen that wallpaper Sam- it’s awesome!
Would LOVE to visit you over there sometime…got a guest room we can redo/crash in? 😉
As much as I really liked the ‘before’ reading room, I’m really liking the ‘after!’ So much!! Just wondering what it would take to entice you up to Virginia to redo my room over the garage!! Tickets to Busch Gardens and Water Country??? Lots of home cooking??? Flea marking shopping??? Just wondering!
Hmmm…that all sounds amazing Beth! We’ll definitely let you know when we’re in the area again! 🙂
AMAZING! You both are so talented and creative! Your blog is one of my favorites I follow! Such beauty you create in your home!
It’s gorgeous! Love, love, love the room and my son, kevin, was born june 13 so I love the # 13, too
LOVE! LOVE! LOVE!! Isn’t Southern Accents great?! I have an iron fence from there – with a beautiful green *chipping* finish 🙂 Your room is purely fantastic, and your mother is going to know she’s loved by all the personal touches…especially the 13…thanks for sharing your home with us – it is truly inspirational!!
Cute, Layla! I love Southern Accents. I blogged about it a couple of weeks ago! What a great resource we have here in Alabama!
Your little demi-lune table is adorable and perfect in the space!
(((hugs))),
Ricki Jill
This is why your blog is my favorite of all the designer blogs. Every time I turn around, you’re leaving me speechless with your amazing and beautiful creativity! Wowza… really.
AAHHHMMAAZING!! I want that room in my house! What a fantastic idea for floorboards! And I love the texture it gives the walls…perfect-o!
http://www.deannablogs.blogspot.com
Wow, just when I thought that room couldn’t get anymore beautiful!!! Amazing!!
I absolutely adore the flooring on the wall. I love that the room is still light and airy looking!
oh wow Layla!! I was a bit apprehensive going in to this post … because I loved the reading nook SOOOO much I wasn’t sure anything could compete, but wow!! the gym floor wall is amazing 🙂 You truly have a gift
I love love love this! The lighting, the bed, the walls. Can’t wait to see what you do next.
I love it! Loved it before, but I really love the gym floor paneling on the wall. Ya’ll are awesome!
For the love of do-overs!! I loved it before and I’m in love all over again!! Fantastic- We have a vacation barn (I know- sounds funny- why yes we live in a barn!) with a boys room- now 19-20 in desperate need of a do-over- if you ever get bored- give me a shout!
Oh WOW…we’d LOVE to live in a barn! Where do y’all live? We may have to come check that out! 😀
Amazing job! Congratulations to both of you!. Love the result!
Hard to improve on perfection but you did! Didn’t realize this room was so tiny – it always seemed bigger because of the way you used the space. Way to flip it – painted floors and wood on the walls!
Absolutely Lovely! Would make any guest feel welcome!
LOVE IT! Seriously, you guys never cease to amaze me with your awesomeness. Keep it up!
you guys are so clever/creative ! I LOVE it!! The wood warms it up and makes it cozy – you’ve done such a marvelous job with such a small odd space! Well done!!!
~h
That is absolutely amazing! nice work and thanks for sharing 🙂
Amazing!!! Home run! How do you do it? Y’all never cease to amaze me. The creative juices between the two of you is super cool.
I am in awe of this room. I have go to make these beds for my girls!
I loved the room before and I love it now. You two are amazing!!!
Wow! Just when I thought that reading room couldn’t get any cuter!!
I love that you chose to put the old flooring on the window wall. It really makes the bedding pop!
By the way, I definitely had to scroll back up to the top of this post to make sure you didn’t say you did that all this weekend, because we just redid a bathroom (about the same size as this room) with board and batten and it took WAAAAY longer than 2 days! 🙂
Your new guest room looks incredible though. Way to go! 🙂
You SLAY me. Truly. I so want to bunk down in that guestie.
xo
ps – Tonight is the night. I can feel it. 🙂
i am super impressed! what the room lack in space is made up for in style many times over. i love the wooden wall! i was so sad to see the stripes but once i saw your end results i did not miss them as much (still love the stripes though)!
Oh my word! When I first started reading this I thought, no way…what are they doing? I didn’t think you could possibly improve the reading room. Shame on me for ever doubting!! That room is so awesome! I’m can’t decide what my favorite element is it’s all so perfect and putting the gym floor on the wall was pure genius. I can’t wait to show hubs when he gets home tonight…he loves what you guys do as much as I do.
Sooooo amazing!!! WOW! Great job!
This room is AMAZING! Love the wood wall. What a surprise element! All the details came together to make such a unique room. Magazine worthy for sure!
You simply amaze me. Thank you for your continued inspiration and miles of smiles!
Your Friend,
Deborah
Wow, I absolutely loved the room before and didn’t think it could get any better, but I am loving the wood on the wall and the storage under the bed. You guys amaze and inspire me.
The room looks awesome! You guys are so talented! 🙂
OMG, I LOVE that! The gym floor is sooooo cool! You are such an inspiration!
Wow. Who thinks of putting gym flooring on the walls?! You guys! And boy, did it come up a treat. Love the pops of red and the frames on the wall. I bet your mum has sweet dreams in that room!
Awesome work you guys 🙂