Saw it. Loved it. Made it! Zero Dollar Room Re-do

I love our little house.   It's not a huge flashy house, but rather a 1950's farmhouse.   We have been here now for just a little more than 8 years, and we love it.  

From the moment we moved into this house, we have been on the run.   Work, kids, life...just seemed to swallow us up!   I did find time to repaint the whole house (the colors were disturbing when we moved in lol) and decorate the public areas of the house, but there never seemed to be enough time in my week to work on anything else.  So the master bedroom was put on the back burner.  I had told myself a million excuses....I don't know what I want, I might change the furniture, I was hoping for a different bed cover...we might renovate...just a whole lot of me telling myself it was okay to have a bedroom filled with leftover pieces and a mish mash of decor that was not thoughtfully placed...but rather set down and forgotten.  So when I finally decided it was time...it was actually LONG overdue.

I totally forgot to do a decent before photo.   So I dug around and found this one.   It is an old photo of the day I made the blanket that you see on that bed.  I had put it on the bed to test for size and had a little 'help'.   I had taken it because my 'helper' was just so in love with that blanket that he refused to leave.  Marty has since passed away so I am glad I took the photos of him that I did.   I never took any pictures in this room...because who wants to see a drab space? 

ANYWAYS...this is the gist of it.   Two enormous old schoolhouse windows shoved behind the bed...I tossed the headboard I had in the trash and had intended to build a new one but never had the time, so I used those...(what the heck was I thinking???? lol)

This bedroom was BLAND.   BORING.  BLAH.

This room needed help but I could not decide what I wanted to do.   I loved a lot of the different stuff I'd seen, and I just could not decide...I also have been burned by beautiful photos on the sales pages, but poor quality when the item arrives.   I wasn't in the mood to be disappointed.   So I just kept putting it off. 

One day, I was online in one of my favourite groups and I saw a challenge to redo a room on a $0 budget.   Just use what you have on hand...and see what you can create!  I got excited.   I was IN!

We have been in deep purge mode around here, getting rid of what we just don't want anymore, so I was excited to reclaim a few of my treasures that might have hit the chopping block. It was exciting to  FINALLY be inspired to do a little makeover on my bedroom. 

I did an assessment on the space and everything in it.   I decided what was staying and what needed to find a new home.

First I moved my beautiful old school house windows.   They are HUGE and they also hold a nice memory of my parents...so they stayed. I pushed them over to each side of the bed . 

 

I then hung some of my bird cages above the bed.   If you are a long time follower you know I love wire baskets, birdcages, old bikes....and well anything rusty, old, rustic and nostalgic feeling.   

I then went to the storage shed and pulled out an old headboard that I found a few years ago in the old house my Cowboy grew up in.   It is not in perfect condition, but it is perfect for my space.   I LOVE the distressed metal...so I cleaned it up, sealed it and with a little help- popped it into place. 

I decided that I wanted to layer the windows, so I hung some pictures on them.   

 

So far so good-  But that big heavy plaid fleece winter blanket that (I made a few years ago)  we love so much, needs to be covered up.   It is just not the look I want.  

I pulled out all of the bedding and curtains and tossed them into the wash.   I deep cleaned the entire space and then it was time to focus on that bedding.  

I searched the internet for ideas...and then I saw it.   The bedding style I wanted!  

I could have just ordered it...but I had committed to the Zero Dollar Challenge....and I knew I could do something similar.  

 I was INSPIRED!!  

YAY!!!

I am a girl who has taught herself to sew over the years, and actually had a little sewing business, I have bolts of all types of fabrics kicking around.    I went to my stash, and pulled out the bolts of unbleached heavy cotton  that I had on hand and went to work.  

FIRST- I washed and preshrunk the entire bolt of fabric, so that I would not encounter any nasty surprises in the future.   My fabric was extra wide but not wide enough so I sewed two long pieces together to make the base, and then cut and ruffled 4 different widths of the same fabric to create the layers of ruffles.  

 I even added a little row of lace to finish the top row.   I then used the same fabric to make some pillow covers.   The throw pillows are made from an old quilt and a couple scraps of fabric.   (I do think I will add a few more pillows, but haven't had time to do it just yet) 

It took over 10 meters of fabric and several days of trial and error- but I settled on my plan and got it done.    I then created some pretty pillows, made myself some little curtains and added a few accessories and I was done!  The first set of curtains I made for this room ended up being pulled out and set aside as it was just too much cotton...so I will be re-purposing them for another room.  I liked the lighter weight and complimentary pattern of the brown and cream sheer plaid.   I don't really need privacy curtains or black out curtains as we have a large cedar tree in front of the windows that offer privacy.

Guys- I just can't be happier with the finished project.  Even my Cowboy loves the new space.

This room is not a big huge room.   Every inch counts.   It is now pretty, functional, cozy and comfortable.  

I LOVE our master bedroom now and I am really quite pleased with how it all came together. 

This little makeover cost me ZERO dollars.   I used only what I had kicking around my house.   

I am lucky that I had the fabric for the bedding and curtains kicking around, but it would be quite easy and inexpensive to recreate this bedding if you wanted to.   The possibilies are endless...you could use a pretty quilt, and add ruffles made from coordinating bed sheets...you could dye the cotton to custom make a color scheme...use your imagination and make your perfect style!

I used bolts of cotton from a fabric shop, but as a girl who has a crush on canvas drop cloths, I think I could have used them to create this look as well!   

I have used drop cloths for a lot of different things...but that is a post for another day...

 

Until Next Time... anything is possible if you try!

 

 (¯`v´¯)
`*.¸.*´Glenda/Tootsie
¸.•´¸.•*¨) ¸.•*¨)
(¸.•´ (¸.•´ .•´ ¸¸.•¨¯`•.
www.tootsietime.com