Remember that Long Room at Ree’s house that I blogged about a while back? Well, some fun folks from HGTV recently visited the ranch, and gave it a major makeover. Here’s the room before…
And here’s what Cortney and Bob Novogratz whipped up for Ree’s daughters in just under a week…
What a dramatic difference, huh? Ree said her daughters are LOVING it, and joked that she keeps “thinking they’ll come downstairs to eat, but so far there’s been no sign of them“. LOL!
One of my favorite things in the room is the “knitting station” at the end of the long desk…
And speaking of the long desk, that sucker spans almost the entire length of the room! Holy Creative-Stuff-Is-Definitely-About-To-Go-Down-On-That-Thing, Batman!
I love that they used paint-by-number wallpaper, too…
And if the girls decide they don’t want to fill it all in with paint pens, it looks great just the way it is, too! Bonus!
Now that the girls’ room is all gussied up, Ree’s ready to redo the rest of the upstairs. Soooooo, over the next however-many-months (I don’t think there’s any rush and Lord knows she’s a busy lady!) she and I are going to put our heads together to see if we can come up with a plan for all the other areas up there, too!
But since we live 800 miles apart…
We’ll be doing all of our brainstorming via phone and computer. I’m super excited about the opportunity, and I look forward to blogging about the experience along the way, too!
Ree said there’s a bunch of different areas upstairs that need updating, but I thought I’d start by giving her some inspiration in the area they pass through before they reach the top step.
Move your cursor on and off of the photo below to see what I had fun dreaming up for her stairwell this weekend…
(PS- Google Readers will have to click over to our site to view this one in action!)
(Note: My drawing is for inspirational purposes only, and the ideas shown in it are just that. Spontaneous, totally flexible, just-for-fun, ideas. And since this is a just-for-fun photo consultation, and not an actual-and-perfectly-to-scale virtual consultation, I have no idea if any of the ideas or accessories I popped in my drawing would actually work in this space. Or if Marlboro Man even likes the color red. Oh, wait. Of course he likes the color red!)
*wink*
Here are the still images in case you weren’t able to view the interactive ones above…
I thought it might be kind of neat to use some kind of rope handrail on the left wall. Something extra chunky like this would be really ranch-y:
I love that runner in the photo above, too. Reminds me of an old grain sack!
Here’s some more rope/runner inspiration I found online…
I love the idea of some kind of dark rope-holders brackets, kind of like (but more simple than) the ones in the photo above. Again, seems like they’d fit right in at the ranch.
The runner in the presto change-o pic I put together is from Dash & Albert, but like I said, Ree wouldn’t have to use that exact runner. I just like the idea of a using one because of the softness it would add amongst all those hard surfaces.
I popped in some reclaimed wood steps under the runner in my drawing, because I thought some kind of dark rustic wood would look pretty spiffy. I’m not sure how easy/inexpensive that would be to recreate in real life though. (?) Maybe it would be easier to just do the treads? I’ll have to talk to someone about that if Ree digs the idea. But again, they don’t have to be rustic wood steps. I’m sure those stairs would look absolutely loverly with a fresh coat of stain or paint on them, too!
As for the walls, Ree told me she was open to painting them, so I thought I’d show her what they would look like if they were painted with a color like (but tad warmer than) the one the Novogratz’s used in the girls’ room. But before I put pen to paper cursor to computer, I asked Ree if she was surrrrre she was okay with painting over the existing wood walls. A) because of the whole “paint it vs. don’t paint” debate that always seems to pop up when someone suggests painting natural wood on a public forum (note: design debates give me hives), and B) because I knew those wood walls had been there since Marlboro Man’s parents designed the house back in the 70’s, and I can certainly understand if he’d like to leave them just the way they are.
But Ree said, “No, I think they’re starting to look really tired, and I think paint would help eliminate the splinter factor. (ack!)”
And because she’s always posting such beautiful photography on her site, I thought it might be neat to take advantage of that empty wall space above the handrail by grouping a bunch of Ree’s photos there.
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I sent my initial ideas and my presto change-o drawing to Ree on Saturday night, and got two responses back from her yesterday morning…
The first response read, “OH. MY. GOSH. I ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
And the second one (which came in a few minutes later) read: “Okay, I’ve recovered now. Wow! I love the light paint—totally transformed it. How fun is this?”
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Funny how sometimes just a few sweet little sentences can make you exhale SO BIG, isn’t it!?
In other Pioneer Woman related news- Ree’s got a Christmas card-themed Edit THIS! contest going on right now. In a nutshell, to enter the contest you have to do something creative to this photo…
…using Photoshop or some other photo editing software…
I had waaaay too much fun creating this for the contest yesterday…
…and I’m just going to go on record and say that Ree has officially created a kooky-Christmas-card-creatin’ monster. My
Layla
Wow – the room came out so great! Love those hanging beds and that long desk. And I really hope she does paint that wood – it would lighten it up so much!
I LOVE the rope as a handrail and using a boat cleat to tie it off with . I just may borrow that ideal!
Your christmas card photo with Charlie as the reindeer is absolutely hysterical!
I know the rope looks great as a handrail, but please be aware that it is not safe. My husband is a home inspector, and would flag such a railing as a “life safety hazard.” Railings on stairs should be “graspable and stable.” Please check your local building code before using such a non-standard material!
Good to know! Thanks for the tip! 🙂
What about getting a wood rail that has been carved to look like twisted rope? I LOVE the rope look, but agree with the safety factor, especially for the young and elderly (and accident prone)
Do not use a rope on a staircase! Please! Rope is used on boats for grabbing because wood when wet becomes slippery. Used in the house is a very bad idea. You’re get rope burns, rope splinters. Just unsafe. Sorry. Looks cute BUT . . . You are a wonderful designer, wonderful. Know you can find an alternate solution — just as clever. Love the rest of the design. Love your house!
But … but … there are NO railings on the stairs at the moment! How is that less safe than a rope rail? Frankly, I’m surprised Drummonds and Bassett Hounds aren’t falling down the stairs every day on top of each other, like Keystone Kops or Stooges! It seems to me that the girls could macrame a railing out of their knitting wool and it would still be less hazardous than nothing at all.
I love the rope look since I am a sailor, but how about a compromise – the rope on one side and a wood one on the other. You could use the same brackets as shown on the last pic on both sides.
While codes may require “hard rails”, a combo may be the best. If I needed it, I would hold onto the hard rail, but if I was falling, I would grab towards the soft rail (with a good amount of give) to break my fall and avoid falling all the way down the stairs. Just an idea – I’m not sure if it would work.
Also a low level group of lights would be great along the base of the steps to show the way.
The makeover looks amazing- would have LOVED a room like that when my sister and I were growing up. Shoot, I’d love it now. Your presto change-o is great, love the lighter walls and the runner. As for the picture edit, even if I had photoshop, I couldn’t top yours- perfect! 🙂
What?! I won?! That’s crazy. I actually plan to give the rug to a friend because she’s the one who alerted me to your giveaway and she played around with where she’d put the rug in her house if she won all weekend. How could I deny her of that?!
By the way, I love the rope! I love what you did with it and also the inspiration photos.
Happy Thanksgiving and thanks again!!
Oh, how fun, Layla!! I love what you did to her stairs and I can imagine that she is over the moon about the new look. What a fun project to take on. Ya’ll will have a blast. Love the photoshopped Charlie & Ree too. Hope you and Kev have a great Thanksgiving, friend! xoxo
Wow… this is like A-may-zing – my two fav blogs teaming it up! I love Pioneer Woman and also played with that photo this weekend – mine was super “punny” Love your ideas — I love the rope and the burlap stair runner… but I am just curious as to how likely those stair runners stay in place?!
So happy for you! Painting those wood paneled walls is like getting new windows! You’ve totally brought more light and beauty into a staircase. You are going to do an amazing job. Look forward to new ideas you can share. p.s. just painted my golden oak dinning room table in my dinky kitchen
creamy white.
I choked on my coffee when I scrolled down and saw your Christmas Card edit. haha! Thanks for making me laugh out loud! LOVE IT.
….but seriously! Layla! That Presto is unbelievable!!! I think I’m going to have to clean out my partially re-done basement and send it over to you and keep my fingers crossed that it’s selected. The previous owners paneled the upper half of the walls with really wide planked boards. I’m afraid to paint them, but their knotty pine redness just isn’t doing it for me…. especially with the red terra cotta tile and red ceiling. Gasp. Yes. Red ceiling. I couldn’t handle that so I’ve primered it with Kilz… just debating on what to do now. Eeeek.
Thanks for all you do! …and for making me spit out my coffee. 🙂
D
I love your ideas. The rope railing is perfect. I especially love the dark wood planking on the stairs with the runner. Your changes give the small space such big character.
Oh my goodness. I LOVE the girls room – that crafting area is amazing – what a table! The hanging beds – the colors – and of course that wallpaper – too adorable!!!
SHUT THE FRONT DOOR that is so awesome!!! I love it!
a.) Love the rope handrail! b.) Love Danielle’s response, “What?! I won?!” LOL – Awesome! and c.) My fave part of the presto (I’m not sure anyone else noticed) is the basset hound pillow on the chair! So cute and so Charlie/Walter! ;D
Ok Tracey…you should definitely win some type of prize for spotting that! Drop me a line and tell me your mailing address!!!!!!!!!! 😀
i love your ideas, girl! looks grrrrrrrreat! 🙂
the pic of Ree in the sleigh isn’t too bad, either! 😉
Love the christmas card! It’s adorable. The painted walls in the stairwell look great too!
YES YES YES to the white with the red striped runner. Only thing – can you use a good scrubbable paint? With kids going up and down, there is sure to be smudgies and handprints traveling up the staircase!
Layla, come to my house. I need so much help, LOL!
Great idea on the scrubbable paint, Linda! 😀
painting the stairway walls…BRILLIANT! So much brighter, homier, and welcoming! Good choice!
Layla, I love that Christmas Card with Ree and the dogs. I think it is just precious. Who but you could come up with that idea. Have a Happy Thanksgiving with your Mom and we will see Kevin and you on Friday.
so much fun!!!
love your stairway transformation!!
your Christmas card creation is awesome!
Thanks, Emily! I had fun with it! 😀
” … Or if Marlboro Man even likes the color red. Oh, wait. Of course he likes the color red!)”
That caricature of MM and Ree is THE cutest!
Thanks, Lynn. 😉 I have waaay too much fun with those kinds of things!
Wow, tons of good stuff today, Layla!! Love the girls’ room transformation and your presto? Mar.Vel.Ous. Just sayin’… glad Ree loved it, ‘cuz I would’ve questioned her sanity if not! Happy Monday!
Hi Heidi! Thanks for the kind comment, and happy Monday to you, too! 😀
A.M.A.Z.I.N.G. transformation Layla. Can’t wait to see it in reality (I know it probably won’t be identical, and that makes for another surprise later on!).
Also love your take on the Charlie pic. Nicely done.
You are one seriously gifted woman! I’m glad God made people like you 🙂
Hey Tiff! You are SO sweet to leave such a kind comment for me! I’m sending you a great big e-hug through the computer right now! 😀
Yep, I love-love-love it, too. 🙂 You’re so dang good, El.
Ess! I always smile so big when I see that you’ve stopped by our little wedge of the web! Thank you for the sweet words…I appreciate them so much! 😀
(PS- Sitting in the reading room right now typing this, and I’ve got the tricycle card you gave me hanging from the ladder next to me.) 😉
One word…GORGEOUS!
Thank you, Ginger! 🙂
I LOVE the creative desk space! Our dining room is a make-shift craft space for the kids, and it’s used DAILY! We have 2 children currently and are expecting 1 or 2 children (0-4 years old) through adoption from Ehiopia, so I spend a lot of time staring at rooms trying to figure out how best to arrange and organize things. I’m hoping to create calm, but fun craft and play spaces! Thanks for all the ideas!
Yay for Ethiopian adoption! And yay for space planning for maximum creativity too! 😀
Love the redone room, especially the hanging beds. I hope my teenager doesn’t see it, or we’ll be redoing her room. Again.
Will you share the source for the paint by number wallpaper? I searched a bit but found more borders than full rolls. Thanks!
Hey Janita! I’m not sure of the wallpaper source, but I bet if you tweet the Novogratz’s they’d be able to tell you! 😀
wow–i love the stairs area–especailly love the rope idea!!! your so super talented!!! cant wait to c what you and ree come up with for the rest of the upstairs!!! woohoo!!
Thanks, WenDee! I appreciate your kind comment so much! 😀
LOVE the ranch redo!!! Holy cow!! And that is my favorite pic of Charlie, BTW!! You guys are amazing!!
Thank you Jennifer! 😀 I loved working with that pic and I’m having to resist the urge to put another one together today- LOL! 😀
I think the rope needs to be stiffer to be ranchy…like maybe rawhide. What you show is more nautical. And although I like the iron rope holders a.k.a brackets…I think it would be more ranchy to use hondas (pronounced hon-du’s) which are the loops used to feed the rope back through in order to make the loop in the rope. Now THAT would be “ranchy”!
Hi Laura!
Yeah, that’s why I put the disclaimer below each one of my presto change-o pics. None of the ideas are set-in-stone, they’re just there to (hopefully!) get those creative gears a’turnin! 😀 But I do think a “regular style” (yet super chunky) rope would look sort of like a lasso though! 😉
Seriously LOVE the new look though…just thought you were trying for a bit more western… I saw the Charlie pillow and love the white walls and red with the distressed wood, both the stairs and the banister. 🙂
I’m not sure how “western” Ree wants to go, to be honest. I’ll have to ask her about that the next time we speak! 🙂
Contrary to the idea that OK is a dry state (well, some counties are still “dry”, liquor-wise”) – we do have great lakes for sailing and boating and some really great wind for sailing…so a nautical theme is ok by me…
For me, it would be more of a feel thing – how the rope feels as a handrail. You show a brown, rough rope. Sailors use a different line – smoother, white with color strands to tell the crew what’s the purpose of the line (halyard, sheet, etc). I would go with the white soft line vs. the harder, rougher brown rope.
oh BTW…I love the painted wall stairway you have dreamed up as well as the room! Love the long desk and the chain beds! Heaven!
Thanks! I think painting that stairwell will really help freshen it up, too! And the Novogratz’s sure did rock that girls room for Ree’s daughters, didn’t they? 😀
For sure!
I love, love, love it! You and Kevin are amazing, Layla! AMAZING! I really love the lighter paint color in the staircase- it just really opens up the space and makes it feel modern and up-to-date! 🙂
Well thank you, Kim! 🙂 And I agree with you about the paint color…so fresh and so clean, clean! 😀
I really love the runner. It brings some much needed color to the stairwell, and the whole design lightens and brightens it right up. Great job. And your Christmas card was hilarious! (Annnnnd… the girls’ room by the Novogratz clan.. totally amazing. I love how they styled the desk!)
Wow that bedroom is amazing! WHAooo!!! Love what you did with the stairway, very cool 🙂 Wicked cute cards 2!
We have a rope railing on our back steps which are narrower than normal steps and it’s a great space saver. My big question is: how do I get Courtney and Bob to do my house? :).
I’m So thrilled to hear that you are on board for the rest of PW’s redo projects as I’m sorry, but I liked your plan for the girl’s room so very much better than what the nice hgtv people came up with. You are wonderful, Layla – have so much fun!
Should be a real good time, Cailan! I look forward to sharing the process here on the ol’ blog, too! 😀
bahaha I love the card you made for Ree! 🙂
Thanks, Natalie! 😀
Hey Layla,
Just wanted to offer any help for your “Ree” project. I’m only about 1 1/2 hours from her, and would be happy to help from this neck of the woods. Totally non-gratis, just offering. Love all your ideas…can wait to see it all come together. Happy Thanksgiving!
Well thank you, Lorinda!
I will definitely keep you posted…I’m hoping to make a trip out there to get my hands dirty before this whole series is over too! 😀
Striped runners send me to my happy place!!!
: )
Julie M.
Me too, Julie! 😀
Wow! Love it! Just beautiful! The rope idea is brilliant and the lighter white paint on the paneling is divine. How much fun you must be having!
That is EXACTLY how I’ve been imagining my stairs in my head but I had never seen them done like that….until a few weeks ago when I saw the ones in your pic on Pinterest….boom! A little sanding, a little hammer/chain banging, a little steel wool & vinegar distressing…ta da!! (At least I hope ‘ta da’)
Not sure when I’ll tackle that project but I’ll let you know how it turns out when I do!
Amazing what you can do with a can (or two) of white paint and a length of rope! Very nice, indeed, Layla!
You are amazing!
Susie
I love their wood desk!
I am a Ree fan to the nth degree! I love your idea of lightening up the staircase. One concern is how to clean the rope after months or a year of hands going up and down the steps. There are some parts of the girls’ room that I like, but some… not so much. While the swinging beds are different, my first thought was “what if the child is sick?”. One little movement on the bed and being sick can put a whole different spin on the illness. I also questioned the storage space in the room. There is only one closet in the picture. Granted they are farm-living and maybe might not be clothes loving teens, but I think more storage would have been a concern. Maybe there are lots of drawers for storage under the desk, but did show.
Have fun with the decorating. I know Ree will be so much fun to work with.
Wow, what an amaing re-do! Love the rope accents and painting the walls white! If you need some help when you’re out at the ranch, let me know, I’d be glad to come help!
You are so graceful to post this redo!
Honestly, the Novogratz’ design is awesome — I love their creativity — but I really liked what you had originally suggested. Especially the bunk cubbies that would have given each girl her own private space in a shared room.
oh how i love these computer views of what could be! you are so talented.
Wow! Amazing! I love what you did with that staircase. I think it will be perfect.
And you get to work with Ree? Even more amazing! Have fun! 🙂