Kids Art Gallery Wall

My basement is one step closer to being the fun, cheerful space I want it to be. The addition of a gallery wall of my kids art adds color and whimsy, and brings a smile to my face every time I look at it.

For years I've been meaning to create a display of my kids' artwork. My recent road trip to IKEA kick started the project. I purchased several sizes of RIBBA frames.

I used my tried and true method for gallery wall installation…

First I arrange the pictures on the floor. Then I cut out old grocery bags the size of each frame and tape them to the wall. It's very scientific :)

Normally I would lose my mind measuring the exact location for each nail. But, my brilliant blogging friend Lisa told me to hang them with the 3M command strips.

Boy, am I glad I listened to her! It was the fastest, easiest gallery wall installation ever.

My only regret is that I didn't buy more frames. I could easily fill the entire wall.

This simple little wall makes me so happy! I love looking at my kids' creations. Especially the little handprints… they get me every time!

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Basement Update

It's been awhile since I've updated you on the basement progress. I quickly snapped a few pics to show you how things are shaping up.

Here is the view looking down from the stairs (sorry it's blurry!)...

The previously beige walls have been painted Benjamin Moore Mayonnaise, which is one of my favorite whites. (I used it in my family room, too.) Of course, the walls still look beige in these pics! The only natural light down here comes from the room behind the stairs. It poses quite the challenge for this amateur photographer :)

I picked up this rug on my IKEA road trip. It wasn't quite the screaming deal that I got on this one, but it was reasonable.

I also purchased a bunch of IKEA Ribba frames in various sizes to create a gallery wall of my kids' artwork.

The art is in the frames. Now I just need to get it on the wall!

We cleaned out our bar one day, and I found several old liquor bottles that were waaaaay past their prime. I believe we had inherited the alcohol years ago when my parents moved. And, who knows how long these bottles had been in their bar?! I'm fairly certain I have never had a drink of Cherry Heering in my life.

I like the look of the bottles though, so I cleaned them out and displayed them on a shelf.

The little boxes above came from Home Goods. I figured they'd be good for storing decks of cards and other small game pieces.


So, that's how things are looking down under. And, this is how I'm hoping it will look soon...

I still need to recover my chair cushions, add hardware to the built-ins, do the gallery wall, buy some colorful pillows and accessorize everything. Stay tuned…

My New Blue Ceiling

My painter was here yesterday, and it's nothing but blue sky (ahem, ceiling) in my sunroom from now on.

The paint colors I was considering were BM Palladian Blue, BM Palladian Blue (mixed at 50%), SW Sea Salt (my BFF), and SW Topsail.

And, the winner was…..  Topsail!

It is a pale blue/green color that is noticeable, but not overpowering.

The formerly yellow walls were painted BM White Dove. Painting the walls meant the hand painted mural, commissioned by the previous owners, had to go too...

That didn't bother me much, but I think it broke my mother's heart just a little bit. (Sorry, mom.)

I am loving the blue ceiling, and keep going into the sunroom to admire it. After the winter we've had, it's nice to look up and see blue :)



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Feeling Blue

I'm feeling blue.

I'm totally feeling blue on the ceiling.

apartmenttherapy.com

I've always loved blue on a porch ceiling.

bhg.com

southernliving.com

But, it looks great in other rooms as well.

southernliving.com

I LOVE this room….

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Since I'm really feeling blue right now, I've decided to paint my sunroom ceiling. I'm going for the "haint blue" look that's common on southern porch ceilings.


This is the sunroom before the addition of my pink rug...

The pale yellow walls (and floral mural -- sorry!) are going to be painted white, and the ceiling will be a blue-green color. I've got a swatch of BM Palladian Blue on the ceiling now, but it's a bit too strong. I'm thinking I'll try it mixed at 50%. I'm also going to get some samples of SW Topsail and Polar Sky.

I'll let you know how the colors work.

        

Have you got the blues … on your ceiling?