One Step at a Time

It's been exactly 2 years, 3 weeks, and 4 days since 

I made the fateful decision to tear apart the bedroom formerly

known as the Sweet Sixteen room.

I've finally got one corner of the room finished!

It may not look like much
 until you see where it all began.

This is how the room looked
 when we moved into our house 8 1/2 years ago.

You can see the rest of the loveliness here.

We installed plantation shutters, but everything else came out. 

 Wallpaper.  Gone.  The cracked plaster walls were not unexpected,

 since just about every wall and ceiling in the house was in the same

miserable condition as documented here.  We pulled out the carpeting
 and have since had all the floors upstairs refinished.

 The dated lace valances?  Out the window!

We've repaired the walls and ceiling (the BIG hold-up) and everything got a coat, 

well actually four coats of fresh white paint.  You know, the 

paint-with-primer-that-promises-to-cover-in-one-coat?

Yeah, that's the stuff.

I simply painted the dresser with the same creamy white
latex semi-gloss paint used on the wood trim in the room.

There was plenty of texture under the paint from many coats of shellac,

so I rubbed on a light coat of Johnson Paste Wax mixed with burnt umber oil paint

 to add a slightly aged look to the dresser and highlight the details.
(Instructions can be found here.)

The lamp and old tin are pieces I've picked

up for the room over the past 2 years.

I bought 2 old farm prints for the room, 

and I think this one will remain in its current position.

If not, something's got to be hung in its place to cover

the 3 new holes in the wall if I decide to moove it elsewhere!

Since our grandchildren will sleep in this room, it seemed like

the perfect place to park this old barn.  I added wood knobs

so little hands can easily open the doors.

I brought this chippy stool into the room so the

short people can reach the barn.

What's inside the barn?

The farm animals are quite captivated with the 

couple dancing before them.

Left, two, three.  Right, two, three.

They're concentrating so hard on the steps they've learned!

As in many older homes, the room lists slightly to the left,
so I had to level out the dresser to keep them from
dancing out of my viewfinder.

Just like the happy? couple dancing in the barn,

I'm slowly finishing this room....

One step at a time.

 Coming soon (I hope), corner number two.

Thanks for stopping by This Old House.

Vickie

*I'm joining the parties at:
Common Ground Be Inspired Friday
The Country Farm Home Country Whites Weekend
Cozy Little House Tweak it Tuesday
The Farmhouse Porch Cowgirl Up