My Latest Home Project

[Ovaltine]

Variations on this idea have been rolling around in my head for about 4 years. I wanted to wait 'till we could afford to put in hardwood flooring first, but could wit no more.

Here's my living room as it was:
http://img329.imageshack.us/img329/4263/livingroomda9.th.jpg (http://img329.imageshack.us/my.php?image=livingroomda9.jpg)

Here's the mural I painted on the TV wall:
http://img301.imageshack.us/img301/9228/wallmd3.th.jpg (http://img301.imageshack.us/my.php?image=wallmd3.jpg)

And here's the finished room with my custom built and painted desks/shelving/storage unit:
http://img301.imageshack.us/img301/9559/livingroomaccentwallsmhp2.th.jpg (http://img301.imageshack.us/my.php?image=livingroomaccentwallsmhp2.jpg)

Both my boys have their own computer/homework desks now, and all our DVDs, VHS, and video game stuffs have a home. And the whole family is enjoying having a clean, organized, and visually fun room to play in.

Took 2 months to do (though I had to quit for a couple weeks when I got the flu), and (because I took apart and repurposed furnituer we already had) cost all of $70 in paint and supplies. I don't have any of the proper wood-working equipment, and had to borrow a router for part of it. Ohhhh what I could do with more cash and proper tools!

[Callendale]

Congratulations on a job well done. The desk/tv area is a great way to use that space, and your mural is impressive- love the red!

[Red Kittie Kat]

Wow!! what a nice job .. I love that mural ... really nice work Oval :)

[WannaBrie]

wow! That is so cool! I love what you did with it, it makes the space look so much larger, so much more interesting! I just wish the shelving didn't cut the mural in half. Is there any way you could put the TV and shelves on another wall? The desks work cuz they are on either side, but I think you should showcase your talent more.

[budafist]

Awesome! You must be so proud.

I love looking at before and after projects.

[urstwile]

Very nice to be able to realize your dream, Ovaltine. :)

[frankster]

Very cool, and especially so for $70! One question though. Where is Peter Rabbit now? Did you have to paint him black like Adrian Mole did with his Noddy wallpaper?

[Ovaltine]

Glad you guys like it. It was a lot of work, wish I had thought to do some video of the process, but well worth it.

Peter Rabbit is on the other side of the room holding up my computer monitor.
The mural, well it was always intended to be behind the shelving, and was purposly done so that half would be angular lines and the other half would be soft flowy lines. One day I hope to add lighting to the shelves, since they have no back, to illuminate the mural better. The desks are attached to the side walls of the drawer chest, the bookshelf top is actually (mostly) "floating" above the chest (other wise it would be so heave the drawers wouldn't open), screwed into the studs of the wall (which annoyingly were not centered to the room).

Hubby wasn't sure about painting a B/W mural on the Chinese red wall. He always gets nervous when I do a project. He likes where it is half way through and gets scared that if I go further it will get messed up somehow. The other fun thing about the mural (impossible to photograph) is that the red and black are a Satin sheen and the white is flat primer paint, so I've got a Gloss Varnish/Matte Varnish thing going with it.

[Bladez]

wow, that looks fantastic. Wanna do my place next? ;)

[Ovaltine]

I'd love to, but you're so far away!
If I could do this sort of thing for a living, I would. I love problem-solving jobs. Guess that's why I love Graphic Design so much.