It’s been a while since I shared a room makeover with you from within my own home, so I wanted to show you how I got on with recently redecorating our playroom.
Now that my three are a little older, the playroom has become more of a hang out ‘den’ for them, however it’s still a great space for the two younger ones to play with their larger toy sets, such as the lego. (And I can close the door on it come evening time which is an added bonus!) I also have my office corner in this room, where I mainly work during the week, its bright sunny aspect allowing me the ideal light to work in, especially if I’m comparing paint or fabric samples for clients.
All in all it’s been a great room, however it has never felt completely finished to me and has inevitably fallen to the bottom of the priority list, after the kitchen, hall, bedrooms, etc. So, I thought it was about time I gave the room a little makeover, not only to smarten it up, but make it work more effectively as a multifunctional space in our home.
Before I let you know how I got on with the project, let me show you how the playroom looked just after we moved in two years ago when it was our general dumping ground…
As you can see, the room has lovely original features and an original 1930s fireplace, but the brown tiles and heavy surround weren’t doing anything for me, so in an effort to refresh the room, I painted the fireplace surround white (I used Farrow & Ball’s All White), however the tiles I couldn’t decide what to do with, and so they remained untouched for quite a while!
Here is how it looked with the surround painted white… but the carpet and tiles just look a bit ‘meh’.
Finally, this year, I decided it was time to finish (start!) decorating the room, to bring it more into line with the look and feel of the rest of the house. So, I set to work removing all the existing old wallpaper in preparation for painting the walls. Here is an ‘in-progress’ shot… argh, how I HATED this process!!
Once the wallpaper was all stripped off and the walls sanded, prepped and cleaned, I gave them a lick of paint. After much deliberation, I chose Farrow & Ball’s ‘Pigeon’ in the end, for its slightly darker, cosy feel, and because it tied in well with the colours in our hallway rug, thus helping the two spaces to better connect and flow.
I then pulled up the rather grubby beige carpet, only to reveal a beautiful dark stained oak floor in pretty perfect condition… I felt this was my reward for all my hard graft!
Here’s how the room looks with everything in place – I think the dark floorboards sit really nicely alongside the Pigeon walls, don’t you?
Working to a tight budget, I made a trip to Ikea to source some new pieces for my office corner. I picked up the YPPERLIG wall unit (finally in stock!), which is ideal for slotting my paint colour charts etc onto. I also bought a desk, choosing a combination of the LINNMON desk top and the ALEX drawer unit. The grey rug just seen above I picked up in the good old Bargain Corner, spotted by my friend and shopping partner’s keen eye!! It acts as a great surface for the kids to build lego and play on, as this room works hard for a multitude of functions.
Before giving the fireplace surround a refresher coat of paint, I scrubbed clean the tiles and made sure there was no dirt or grease left behind on them, then I coated them with a water-based multi-surface primer sealer. (I used Johnstone’s but you could equally use Zinsser 123). Being water-based has the bonus of being quick to dry, easy to clean up after, and there’s no risk of fumes should you ever decide to light the fire… this is an important point!
Once the primer was fully dry, I applied two coats of Farrow & Ball’s ‘Off Black’, a softer alternative to a jet black, with a lovely blue-grey tint. Again, I had a water-based satin mixed by Johnstone’s. I used a brush for the first coat to ensure I got into all the corners, then a roller for the second coat for a smooth finish. It looks like a new fireplace now and it really lifts the room!
Then for my favourite part – adding some bits and bobs to the mantelpiece, including this Alice in Wonderland poster print from Posterlounge, little metallic cage lights from Flying Tiger and some dried seedheads and branches from a recent forest walk. I always think a little touch of nature, be it a potted plant, fresh flowers or simply bare foliage, goes a long way in adding interesting texture to a room, as well as a relaxed ambience.
I’ve been enjoying having this renewed space to work in, that the rest of the family can also enjoy in the evenings and at weekends. I moved some bookcases to one of the walls (not seen in these pictures) for the kids’ books and games and in the corner opposite my desk is a dark red sofa that we’ve had for donkeys of years! It surprisingly complements the wall colour really well, so as you will have seen, that’s why I dotted some other red accents around the room to tie it all together.
The marble and gold desk lamp is one I picked up in TK Maxx over a year ago, however I have since spotted the same one here.
So there you have it! I hope you’ve enjoyed having a little look around. Completing a project like this definitely spurs me on to do some other decor jobs, so keep your eyes posted for more in the coming months. Will I ever learn to sit back and feel like the house is finished? No, probably not…
K xx
![Hello! I just wanted to pop on here to say that although we’re living in incredibly strange times and for that reason many people will decide to take a little time away from social media, for me this is an important community who I want to keep chatting to (and I hope will still want to listen!) I know it appears very trivial talking about interiors and home decor when there is a much much bigger, more serious thing compounding people’s lives out there, but life needs to carry on as normally as we can manage and we need to surround ourselves with positive vibes, so if home decor is what makes you tick, then I’ll be here talking about it 😊
[And if you’d rather scroll on by for a bit, then that’s ok too!] I also want to give a virtual hug to all my chums in these little squares who I’ve talked about getting a coffee with and now have to accept that’s not gonna happen any time soon! I have tagged you all (and I hope anyone who has had the patience and kindness to read this far will hop over and give you a follow - we all need new accounts to enjoy when we’re socially distancing!) So let’s keep spreading the love (but not the virus)! Stay sensible, step away from the stock piling and think of those more vulnerable than you xx](http://scontent-lhr8-1.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.2885-15/sh0.08/e35/c0.180.1440.1440a/s640x640/90094204_1457940234392218_4179655085700449160_n.jpg?_nc_ht=scontent-lhr8-1.cdninstagram.com&_nc_cat=110&_nc_ohc=Am5OiZBxLREAX93uBfR&oh=6e46900af0847e57eef5a5fb0d2997f6&oe=5EB00AF5 "Hello! I just wanted to pop on here to say that although we’re living in incredibly strange times and for that reason many people will decide to take a little time away from social media, for me this is an important community who I want to keep chatting to (and I hope will still want to listen!) I know it appears very trivial talking about interiors and home decor when there is a much much bigger, more serious thing compounding people’s lives out there, but life needs to carry on as normally as we can manage and we need to surround ourselves with positive vibes, so if home decor is what makes you tick, then I’ll be here talking about it 😊
[And if you’d rather scroll on by for a bit, then that’s ok too!] I also want to give a virtual hug to all my chums in these little squares who I’ve talked about getting a coffee with and now have to accept that’s not gonna happen any time soon! I have tagged you all (and I hope anyone who has had the patience and kindness to read this far will hop over and give you a follow - we all need new accounts to enjoy when we’re socially distancing!) So let’s keep spreading the love (but not the virus)! Stay sensible, step away from the stock piling and think of those more vulnerable than you xx")
It’s looks amazing!!! Blimey, what a transformation. Worth all the hard work. Oh, and that floor!! What a find. Definitely a reward for wallpaper stripping.
thanks Rachael! Amazing what paint and patience can do isn’t it??!
Looks lovely – great transformation xx
Aw thank you!
It’s hard to believe that is the same tile on the fireplace! It looks very cozy and neat now. I hope you enjoy your new workspace.
I know it has totally transformed it, feels like new now!
Lovely makeover – definitely hit al the warm and cosy den cues. Love how calm and comforting it is.
thank you so much Tamsin, I’m finding it lovely to work in xx
Looks fantastic Keira! V impressed by all your hard work. I’m now seriously thinking of painting our fireplace!
Yes you should go for it!! Such a straightforward way to update it. Thanks for stopping by Emma x
So interested about you painting the tiles. Have been wondering how to go about it. Ours is an open fire though
Well because the paint is water based the paint supplier said I could light the fire… only the oil based paint is a no-no due to the fumes
It looks like such a cosy space now. The fireplace is a triumph though. I hope its a lovely productive work space for you
Thank you, I’m loving working in there x
What a great outcome. The fireplace is unrecognisable. I bet it’s a much nicer place to spend time now.
Yes it’s the fireplace that’s made it into a pleasant space to be in now!
What a transformation!! Love the Alice in Wonderland print too x
Thanks so much! X
Gorgeous! What a transformation! Bet you can’t wait to spend time in there. Hope it helps you be super productive and successful!
Thanks Donna, I certainly hope so!
Wow! What a beautiful space! I love how you styled your corner. But my favourite pics has to be that Alice in wonderland poster. I might actually get one for my daughter, she would love that 😉
Thanks Anne-Marie! I love the poster too, it describes our family perfectly :)
Excellent transformation and I bet the whole space gets some proper use now! I love how you tucked your workspace there, so every corner is used! Repainting the fireplace was a good move too. Would love to have seen the red sofa in there, as I bet it looks great against the grey!
Hi Jenny! Yes I plan to show the rest of the room soon but some details need finished off!!!
Oh WOW it looks so gorgeous, I love the colours and furniture you’ve chosen. And the fireplace looks perfect in the off black. Love it. #homeetc
Thanks Becky! I’m really enjoying this newly revived space now :) #homeetc
Wow, what a transformation! I love this space and I want your wooden memo display board now! I love the fireplace and the paint colour. Thanks for linking up to #BLOGGERSHOMES xx
Thanks Pamela, great to link up!
It looks just incredible so stylish, the floor looks amazing and I love how the fireplace turned out x
Thank you for your kind comments! X
Oh my goodness, the grey and pink is so cosy and homely yet fresh and modern!! What an amazing transformation! xx
Thank you! Xx
You MUST be kidding??! Keira!!!! Ohmyword, that FLOOR?! I can’t believe it was hidden under that old carpet!!? What a fabulous transformation.
I bet you’re thrilled with it — it looks fabulous!! Love the wall colour against the floor — it all looks amazing!! Well done lovely! xx #HomeEtc
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I know, it was a great find, I was delighted!! Can’t believe it was hidden under that carpet all this time.. lovely to link up with you all again!
Keira it’s absolutely stunning, I love seeing before and afters and you’ve done such an amazing job! How wonderful to find a floor like that in such good condition too! We’ve got a 1930s house with original floorboards but unfortunately we haven’t found any in good enough condition to maintain :( Thanks so much for linking up to #HomeEtc X
thanks Lins, really pleased with it! I love the warmth of the wood now the carpet is gone!
Oh Keira, you have done a fabulous job on this room. How lucky that the floor was just like that under the carpet! Definitely a reward for all that wallpaper stripping. You have chosen beautiful colours and the fireplace has come up really well. #homeetc
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Thank you Fionnu, you’re very kind to say so! Really chuffed with it now that the hard work is done :)
Kiera,
Would the paint you used on the fireplace work on a marble surround and hearth?
Àine
Hi Aine! Yes, you can use the primer/sealer on pretty much any clean surface, though you might want to give the marble a light sanding before the primer just to make sure. Then just 2 coats of water based satin should do the trick!