Alright. Here’s the deal. I’ll fess up to being so completely thrilled with Matt being home that I forgot to take pictures last week of the playroom. I’ll fess up to waiting to hang my wall groupings and light fixture in the “new” guest room….so my big strong guy could do it for me (a.k.a. I hate hanging anything).
Both rooms were inspired somewhat by Pottery Barn, so when I saw that the CSI challenge was just that, I got really excited. BUT…when you wait to take pictures the morning of the “deadline,” you don’t give yourself much wiggle room.
(don’t you just love to say that–“wiggle room?”)
It’s also a good time to tell you I’ve got no business shooting without my big flash. I mean really–no business. I’ve gotten used to its perfectly balanced bounced light…oh, the light.
Since I’m writing the e-book, it’s gotta be done. I’ve got to bite the bullet and get a new one.
You’ll see why. Let’s just pretend I made the pictures all fuzzy with photoshop.
Okay, just like the writing room bath, I want to show you where this room was in February.
It wasn’t even a room. We did hire out for the bones construction, but we got to do all the fun stuff, beams, flooring, building storage, and all the pretty stuff.
Speaking of pretty…
This can’t be good, right???
I showed you all my inspiration photos a while back…these all came from Pottery Barn. I was going for coastal, clean, cottage, and colorful. Whew. That’s a lot of c’s.
I fell in love with this cameron storage system when I started looking at units to buy. We then realized how expensive these things are. I know this one was well over $1500 total.
For my toddlers.
So, as my sweet husband frequently does, he just said, “I can build that. And I’ll make it better. That’s too short anyway.” I will say I doubted him at first, but then I saw the unit in person…it was totally particle board….and very short. I wanted our unit to grow with our kids, so I hesitantly agreed to give Matt one more project to tackle.
It’s funny that I’m still learning to trust his abilities…he’s amazing! I’m sorry when I doubt you, honey….you’ve earned all my respect!
It’s one thing to find inspiration in photos, but it’s another entirely when you find those first pieces for your space. I’ve shown you my inspiration for our room,
and I have shown you the reading nook we added at the last minute…
Here’s the whole thing….fuzzy pictures and all:
Now, we might be waiting on a canvas to hang on the wall you see over there. And we might not have built the middle drawer to the storage and we might be waiting for the beadboard doors to the two outside cabinets. And…we might still have some lanterns to hang from some rope somewhere in the room, but, other than that…
I LOVE IT! This space will give our children room to play with each other…it seems to encourage wonderful, quiet play. They have less distractions than they do downstairs. We do limit TV and just seeing it is hard for my little guy. I know he could watch Dinosaur Train all the live long day if I’d let him.
And sometimes I’m tempted.
Didn’t he do such a great job on the storage system?? It’s all separate pieces, which is great because we can move it around easier and if one day we need a different system altogether, we’ll just mix and match. It’s SO sturdy, and I love that he added another 20 inches or so to the cabinets to give us more storage room than if we had bought the PB version.
Plus, it only cost about 200 bucks, including the shelf brackets and $20 in paint (It didn’t take a whole gallon). And it’s solid pine with birch overlays. I’ve got him busy writing plans for you guys….cuts, angles, type of wood, list of materials, etc. Would you like some? I hate to put him through it if you guys have all already done this and I’m just last to jump on the train. 🙂
There is plenty of opportunity for art up there…I love that. Lots of painting, puzzles, reading, and pretend play. We have quite the gourmet kitchen going on up there. Minus the kitchen….but Christmas is just around the corner. 🙂
I mean, you can’t tell at all about the pictures, right? (Insert obnoxious eye roll) Anyway, other side of the room…I loved creating all the art and accessories for this room. That’s the window from my window turned pic frame tutorial…a very early post. You can check it out here if you’re interested. I found the oars on ebay for $15 and painted them. I think now they’ll be receiving a bit of crackle and chipped paint treatment. Maybe by then I’ll have a flash and you’ll be able to tell. The sign was just painted on a scrap piece of wood, but I love the grouping and how it fills up the space and pulls the eye upward.
I love the lofted ceilings, the beadboard, and those beams up top. It feels like such an escape and such a colorful place to foster creativity.
The furniture painter sometimes tries being an artist; it’s not the same. I do love what it reminds us of, though. 🙂
The reading nook is where Grayson and I do his reading lessons 3 times a week. You can see the big book poking out of the bottom of his pile. I’ll let you know how it goes….so far, so good. It’s so rewarding to see him learning!
Speaking of that, we’ve left room to add to our playroom for that very purpose. We’re about 95 % (or more) positive that we’ll be homeschooling, and we would love to add desks and a white board, and I’m sure my nerdy hubby will have us some kind of computer genius up there. Love you honey, but you are kind of nerdy…and handy.
One my favorite parts of the entire room is these drawers. Seriously, there are probably 20 puzzles in there…plus other odd-shaped games and activity (have you gotten a latches board for your little ones? they’re great! teaches them how to be a pro at b & e, but hey, all in the name of learning, right?) 😉
I tried to think ahead of the game and leave these galvanized containers ($1 at Target) for miscellaneous pieces that get left out or misplaced. You know how you just have to find the system that works for you? This is saving me tons of time. Having these containers (and more) and a large basket just for random toys helps me contain the clutter in one place and when it’s time to re-organize, I’m able to do it quickly.
You’ll see more about these containers in the video, but I enjoyed making them and using the metallic and natural accents help ground the space for me–not too cartoon-y.
Recognize this? It’s just a standard train table. I couldn’t stand one more pattern in the room, so I just flipped the pieces of the top over and painted them with chalkboard paint. Functional and a clean slate…literally.
My goal was to spend very little on containers, and this was no exception. I think maybe $4 at Hobby Lobby, unfinished. How about I just compile a post on all the storage I painted/created for this room? That will be much simpler. It was great to take my time the last 6 months and fill the room with functional, pretty containers that are not breaking the bank.
Love these mod podged books I did for the room…and that the tag on the bottom one says, “grow in grace.”
I’m anxious to add maybe one more thing to that wall and I love those oars! I’m sure they’ll receive several makeovers as my mood changes.
What do you think?? If you’re not too bored, take a look at the video…it’ll give you a much better picture and plus, you get to see the writing room.
**edited to add: apparently only uploaded half of video. I’ll get it fixed after supper. :)**
*linking to the fabulous parties under “friends and inspiration.”*
Wow, girl! Your huband's awesome! The room looks terrific (fuzzy and all). I love the floor! Terrifcly fantabulous job!!!
What a sweet little play space!!! I love those floors. Boy do those toys bring back memories.
Just seriously beautiful!! I love it, and I wish wish wish I had one just like it! Your kids must love it in there! I especially love the little cozy reading nook.
What a fantastic room to spend time getting creative. Your kids are very lucky to have this special space. You might just start missing them so much you'll have to join them up there. Better find a nice comfy armchair to pop in the corner;o)
WOW, you did an amazing job! You AND your husband!
It's stunning girl! Your hubby rocks and your decorating is so perfect. I think the pics look great.
I so want to be a kid again so I can play in that room! It is fabulous and any child would be blessed to play there! Best of luck on homeschooling! It takes a very special person!
love it! when can we come play? it looks like such a soothing and relaxing playroom!
perfectly PERFECT! -denise
What an awesome room. I am ready to come and play. It is such a soothing room. I love everything about it. The kids should be so happy with their new room. Hubby did an amazing job! Love & blessings from NC!
this is a great space!! I love all the colors and cozy places for the kids to play!
Your playroom is amazing! Totally looks like something out of a PB catalogue! Great job to you and your hubby!
http://mommatobug.blogspot.com/2010/06/our-girly-playroom.html
it looks amazing! Great job! I know you all will enjoy:)
Wow! I can't believe you did all of that since February! That storage unit is fantastic. I can't wait for your e-book! Lisa~
That room is SO sweet and gorgeous, Shaunna! You've outdone yourself AGAIN (and your hubby, too)! I love this space. Eat that Pottery Barn kids.
Wow, what a remarkable job! The hubs did a great job on the storage unit! What an awesome room, can I come over and play?? Sue
Is it weird that at a few months from 30, I want to play in there?? Your kids will use imagination and creativity so much in there. It's a beautiful job, and the storage unit is great. Awesome job!
Shaunna,
Hi Shaunna. I found you through the Finding Fabulous linky party! :)
What a fun room. Great job!
The room is adorable. You both did a GREAT job!
Beautiful room! I love the beams on the ceiling and the oars. I would be inspired to play in there.
Turned out even better than your inspiration! Great job!
Wow Shaunna that playroom is wonderful! I am jealous! We have a big upstairs rooms (that is basically storage right now!) and we really need to refinish it and put in central heat and air conditioning. Because I am wanting to homeschool my Grayson too, and we could really start using it sooner as a playroom – – just like you are doing! Thanks for sharing and I love everything you've done!
WOW, this is insanely beautiful and functional!!
Hello Shaunna,
Hi Shaunna, what a fabulous job you and Matt have done. It looks like such a fun room to be in. You have decorated it so beautifully… That cabinet is perfect. I hope your kids enjoy it. 😉
It really is beautiful – the floors are beautiful! Great job! I love all the organization, too – I'm kind of big into that!! I'm visiting from remodelaholic!
Absolutley AMAZING job you guys did! I love your blog, I'm your newest follower!
This is a perfectly beautiful space for your little ones! Great job!
This room is simply awesome! Brilliant job! I have a globe almost identical to the one you have. *random*
Love it!!! What a WONDERFUL ROOM!!!!! I am new to your blog and am LOVING it!!! kel
This looks great! I tagged those same pictures in my Pottery Barn magazine – such calming, cool colors. The room is beautiful!
What a wonderful space! It certainly helps to have a handy hubby. I love your inspiration pictures too, the green girls room is completely making me reconsider my plan to paint my girls room purple. Hmm!
Wow!! That is awesome. What a wonderful hubby you have. Your kids will love it for many years. Thanks for sharing.
The room looks awesome–Great job! I would love the plans for the storage unit. I've been looking for something like that for Brock's playroom and all I can find is cheap, tacky units that will be destroyed in 3 years or less
This is incredible! You should think about hire out your husband's handy skills. Love the paint color!
Beautiful job! Thanks for sharing such detail! Fun romp! The kids will have hours of fun in there!
Super fun room. Hoping you'd share the paint color of walls, that color just might work for my daughter's room. Thanks Kim
Oh my I love this room! It's absolutely gorgeous! It looks like it could be an "inspiration picture"! I'd love more on all the little details and the containers : )
Really , REALLY beautiful! I ADORE IT! I am so completely covetous of those ceilings. I kind of want to come over and play myself. I could really do some art damage at that easel. And I'd never thought to use those Galvanized bins. Now that's just brilliant. I might need some of those this very day! Congrats to you on an AMAZING job!
LOVE it. I want my own attic playroom now!!! Your is gorgeous. TFS!
Holy moly this is the most fantastic space! I am so impressed with the transformation from rafters to amazing playroom, bravo !!!
This is adorable!! Great job!
What an amazing job!!! I wouldn't want to leave it myself!!! Both you and your husband should be so proud! oh and I would love the plans if you could convince the poor man to recreate them!
What a beautiful playroom! I had so much fun "touring" it! =)
So beautiful! I would love the plans (as I also love the look, but not the quality, of PB stuff). We are just about to move my son over to a big boy room, or at least start working on his big boy room.
I came over from Remodelaholic to say WOW!!!! This is FANTASTIC! I think you hit your inspiration PERFECTLY and I ADORE the reading nook. Seriously, way to go!
Oh my goodness…I LOVE this!! What fantastic parents you guys are to allow such creativity and growth by building a separate play room. So fun, so inviting!! Great job!
Great job! Not sure if someone already commented on this, but your hubby can save himself the time developing the plans for the storage pieces as a fabulously talented lady, Ana White, at Knock-offwood.com has already done that!
anonymous mentioned it: here's the link http://ana-white.com/category/plans/plancollections/cubby-wall-system-for-kids It might save your hubby some time in drawing up his plans. I like his taller version!
This is an amazing space and I love every detail! Fabulous job! I'm sure you'll enjoy it for years to come. I'm your newest follower.
I love this! Huge PB fan here too. Our playroom was modeled on things I saw in the catalog as well. Nice job!
Oh me oh my what a fantastic space for kids! And your husband! Man, what a fella. I love what you did – the oars, the nook, the train table, every bit of it is perfect. Job well done!
you should check out this blog. if you love that style of furniture…its got free plans. i just love ana…
I love the beams on the ceiling and the fan! Your coastal/cottage feel is amazing. Nice work!
This is amazing! Great job to you and your hubby. I love the airy, light feeling and the color scheme you chose.
I just found your blog and I am so in love with this playroom! I have a son, Dax, who will be two in October, and I am in the process of transforming his 'nursery' into a 'big boy' room. You have given me much inspiration =) May I ask what color paint was used in this room? I love it! xoxo Violet
Love love love the room and would love love love instructions on making the BEAUTIFUL storage unit! WOW!
We are in the process or finishing our basement. I was looking into beadboard for the walls yesterday. Where did you get yours? Thought maybe you found a good deal on yours, thanks!
Oh, please tell! What color/brand is that you used on the walls? It's lovely!
wow, wow, wow!!!!! I really and truly thought that your "after" pictures were more inspiration pictures from PB. Looks like it came straight from their catalog!
I absolutely love this playroom and have used it as inspiration for ours! My husband I and I recently (today) finished building Ana-white's version of the Cameron system after reading about your husbands creation here (which is gorgeous by the way). I have two questions for you regarding the piece he built (1) where did you get cup pulls (2) what size are they? Are they 3" or 4" across?
I LOVED your Pottery Barn Knock Off cabinet so much that I was inspried to challenge my own Hubby with the task of building one for our little ones. It's slowing coming to life and we're using your vision. Thanks for sharing.
FANTASTIC!!!!!!!!! You and your hubby are soo talented! I would love the measurements for the PB cabinet! This is the first time I have seen your site, and I think I could be an addict!
wow! that looks amazing!! i would love the plans to the storage system! I would love to build that!
Hey Esra, thanks so much!! We actually have been lazy and haven’t written up the plans yet, but when we do, I’ll get them posted asap. Thank you again for your sweet words.
🙂
shaunna
that would be awesome, thanks shaunna!!
I totally want to copy your shelving unit. I know there are other plans around but I love yours. Also you should do a whole post on just what storage containers you used! I’d love to get ideas!
I’d love to pass those plans along to my own DIY-amazing husband…Our own playroom is in the works and we need those plans! 🙂 Thanks so much – you did a fantastic job!
Absolutely beautiful playroom! Would love to have those measurements for passing along to my husband 🙂
What a great space for the kids! I love how you created a playroom that is not focused around primary colours. I love your style! I’m a new follower for sure!
Loven this playroom! What paint color did you use?
I also would love to know the paint color!
Hey Carmen! It’s Valspar’s Sea Breath.
🙂
shaunna
I LOVE the cabinet storage unit and am going to convince my husband to make it for our living room which we are now turning into a playroom. I looked at the plans on other sites but really like yours best. I would greatly appreciate if you could write up the plans your husband used. Thanks!!!
Hi,
Love the playroom cabinet! You mentioned in your playroom reveal post that you would be posting the plans…did you ever do that?
Thanks!!!
Hey Gwen,
We haven’t yet because Ana-White.com has some plans almost exactly like ours. We modeled ours after PB’s Cameron storage unit–only making it a little deeper and taller. If you go to Ana’s site and search for bookcases, you should find it. If not, let me know!
🙂
shaunna
Your playroom is just too cute… and now that I’ve looked around, your entire house is to die for! I’m always looking at Pottery Barn playrooms for inspiration and you did a fantastic job. I’m so glad I found you so I can follow along.
Hi Shaunna! I’ve linked your famous playroom to my post today – I still love that space, you’ve done an amazing job!
Thank you bunches, Heather!!!
🙂
shaunna
what a transformation. I am desperately looking for white stained flooring. Can you tell me if this is pickled by you or laminated. Can you share your resource. Many thanks!
Love the room!!! Do you remember the name of the paint color you used in the playroom and the paint brand?? Love the color 🙂
LOVE the room!! We are in the process of buying a new home and we’ll be converting the formal living room into a playroom. Do you remember the name of the paint color you used and the paint brand?? Love the color!
Could you please tell me where you got the bright colorful rug that you have right before going into the reading nook? I love your room and just painted our kids play room the same color. Thank you
Hey Amanda! The rug came from Target–It was a couple of years ago when we got it, so I’m not sure if it’s still in stock. Maybe they’ll still have it!
🙂
shaunna
So adorable! i love it
Just saw you had 87 comments to read, but had to write something down…This room is lovely, the colors, the comfort..everything. Well done!
Pls tell me about the flooring!!!! Love it!!
I am obsessed with this floor! Did you buy it or stain it yourself?
Hey Rebecca!
We bought it at a local liquidation store…I’m pretty sure it’s discontinued now. But…we also just bought our laminate floor for our shop from Lumber Liquidator’s in Driftwood Dunes Bay & it’s almost identical! You can see it here…
https://www.perfectlyimperfectblog.com/2013/02/perfectly-imperfect-shop-photos.html
Thanks!
Hi Shaunna. I stumbled upon your blog whilst perusing Pinterest and I fell in love with your incredible designer’s eye. Do you offer design services? I’m in dire need of some help with designing my children’s playroom and organizing their study space.
Sincerely,
Feeling Overwhelmed 🙁
Hey Helen!
We do! You can email me at shaunna@perfectlyimperfectblog.com. I’m also about to do a post on our new playroom updates. If you have any more specific questions, ask them here and I’ll be sure to address them in that post!
🙂
shaunna
Did you ever post the dimensions/specifics of the storage unit your hubby built? We love yours more than Pottery Barns!
So interesting ideas here! I hope that this year me and my husband, we will complete our plan playroom project. My daughter needs a place where she could play while the whether outside is cold. We cleaned up the garage and now we should buy furniture and the playroom is ready!
I ran across your blog in my obsessive and continued search for the Cameron flat boxes and know that people will often times redecorate and wasn’t sure if and when you would be willing to sell the pink polka dot flat Cameron box from pottery barn?
I LOVE THIS PLAYROOM. Did you ever post the plans for storage?
please! where is the castle from?!?!