DIY! Those three letters can be the root of good and evil in my world. If you know me, you know I have big ideas and making the situation worse is my obsession with Pinterest. I could literally makeover every square inch of my house with a pinned idea on one of my 200+ boards. Yes, I’m a Pinterest DIY makeover addict and I admit it fully. I think I have pinned things while sleeping with the phone in my hand. It’s that bad??? Those who know me have spent countless hours trying to intervene with no such luck. Eventually, they all succumb to one of my makeover projects and love it. Ok, maybe not all of the projects are loved. Probably, more so loathed, but who cares. Knowing me, I’ll find something that will tickle their fancy…EVENTUALLY.
When I first set out to accomplish one of my many Pinterest makeover DIY projects, I’m all in. I’m raring to go. All cylinders are a go. Is that the saying??? I know nothing about cylinders, but you know what I mean; I’m getting all the parts, ingredients, or whatever I need for weeks in advance. During lunch or after work, you’ll find me running all over town looking for some special hole saw, screws, giant hole punch, mirror spray paint, stain, or just the right fabric. Of course, Amazon drops off something almost every hour now and I have friends searching for stuff at all the Micheal’s and Joann stores near and far. It’s more like DIY with family and friends!
Once I’ve assembled all my necessary items, it’s time to get to work. This is when hardly any of the projects go as planned. The stain doesn’t turn out like the one in the picture, or I’ve managed to super glue a piece of something to the table by accident, or when it takes me 2 months to do something that claims only to take 45 mins., or when they tell you that it can be made for $5, but somehow I spent $200. Pinterest is not for the weak at heart. It can defeat many, but not me. I’m going to make these fabulous finds work for me, somehow….by any means necessary.
By any means necessary usually includes my favorite guy, my DAD. I’m a single gal and believe that I’m pretty self sufficient in some areas. However, most of my Pinterest projects don’t involve those areas. One of my positive qualities is that I know when I’m over my head. A negative quality is that I’m still willing to take it on with the hopes that I can get someone to help me even if I have to hound them to high heaven. Usually, dad is the only one that can stand it most times without wanting to pound my face in. I think.
Even though I’ve tried a few projects, I’ve always loved those whole room makeover renovations on Pinterest. Dear Lillie has some amazing before and after room makeovers that make me want to tear my whole house apart.
You see the not-so-pretty room before and then POOF, the new room after. It’s amazing!!! The decor flows perfectly, all the furniture is positioned just so, the lighting is perfect and it looks like you could accomplish the same…no problem, right? Or is that just me? In my mind, I think that I could do that. I have hideous rooms that could look like they belong in Architectural Digest, too! All I have to do is paint a little, add some trim, throw down a new floor and move my furniture around. EASY PEASY!!!
That premise brings me to my first major project inspired by many different ideas that I have pinned over the years. This renovation project entails the “Bonus Room”, the oddly shaped large room above the garage many of us have, which has had many incarnations in my home. It was my daughter’s bedroom, it was my bedroom, an office, a guest room, a media room and then it didn’t get used much at all for a few years. The paint was supposed to be a neutral beige, but ended up being a murky tan with mauve undertones. Yuck!!!! It probably would have been easy enough to change, but I didn’t care until I met PINTEREST.
The carpet was 15 year old berber that was originally white, but now looks in need of a blow torch. The trim was builders grade blah baseboards and nothing else. At some point I did swap the door knobs to brushed nickel, but that’s about the only update for the last 15 years. It’s a bit embarrassing….really. Hence the need for a Pinterest make over. You feel me???
Now It begins! Here’s what I think this room needs to feel pretty:
- New paint. Probably Gray
- New trim. The thicker the better.
- New floors. Some type of laminate.
- New lighting. Cans.
It sounds like I’m going to need some help because I’m sure I can only accomplish painting on my own. So, time to convince Dad of my vision. He’s going to give me the, “Are you crazy?” look and say, “What?” then he’ll say, “Oh, no!.” He doesn’t curse, but if he did I’m thinking about now would be the ideal time. That’s okay folks because I’m clearly a daddy’s girl, even in my 40’s. Yes, I own that as well. So, he’ll go on to tell me that I’m already too busy with work and other things. He’ll say that I’m pushing myself too hard and I should rest a little. He’ll say that I need to save money, the room looks fine, it doesn’t need a makeover. He’ll add that I’m always coming up with stuff for him to do. He’ll remind me that he’s retired and doesn’t work on a schedule anymore. Then, I’ll give my sad, sad, sad face and he’ll start to feel bad. We’ll repeat this cycle for a few days until he finally says, “OKAAAYYYY!” That’s when I get the list of what it’s going to take and we head off to Home Depot or Lowe’s. Now is when I know that I’ve succeeded using my Jedi Daddy’s Girl mind control. Tah-Dah!!! Presto Magic! That kind of persuasion can’t be taught. Sorry!!! Only us girls are born with that skill.
Check back with the progress of my Pinterest inspired bonus room makeover in the days, weeks months to come. I’m still coming to terms with the actual length of the project. I was guessing a week or two, Dad just snickered and walked away. Does that mean 3 weeks at the most????? Dad???? Dad??? You there??? LOL! I guess NOT.
