The family room is slowly, like snail-speed, wrapping up. We have two projects in the works this week and then we just have to nail down our ideal ottoman and share hundreds of photos with you. Although, you haven’t seen this room progressing over the past couple weeks, there have been tweaks going on.
For instance, our DIY built-ins that we styled back in March (oh dear…has it really been that long?) have evolved over time from this:
To this:
Moving around some books and even subtracting items gives it a fresher, clutter-free look that we have lived with for the past two months and feel better about.
As for the smaller bookcase on the other side of the sliding door, it wasn’t forgotten in my tweak-session. Can you spot the difference in the before:
And now after:
Hint. Bottom shelf. … Gold Giraffe! Although, gold wasn’t his first coat of paint. With golds and turquoises splattered throughout the rest of the shelves, I actually first painted the not-at-all-ceramic-or-breakable-hence-hanging-out-on-the-bottom-shelf giraffe–a light greenish blue that I mixed up with thalo green and white acrylics and brushed on.
The result was, um, hmm…not what I was going for. I wanted to bring some sophistication to the otherwise kid-central shelf and the bright turquoise giraffe, although cute for a kid’s room, no doubt, had the opposite effect in the family room.
Oh no. Ooohhhh no. Luckily, I had some gold spray paint on hand from revamping our little mudroom nook (Valspars Metallic Gold. Delish.) and brought the giraffe outside to spray him down.
Once the first coat was on, I breathed a sigh of relief knowing that I didn’t just ruin the giraffe, but actually improved him (it suddenly feels more like a her, right?).
So, goal achieved–our still-kid-friendly-and-unbreakable giraffe looks a little more high-end.
Before:
After:
If you think this giraffe looks a little horse-ish without its spots, you’ve got company. Greta pointed to the same figure she has been identifying as a giraffe for 4 months and said, “horsey!” What are you spray-painting these days? Did you think I lost it when I went turquoise?
10 COMMENTS
Tanja Epners
8 years ago
I just completed my first spray paint project – some shelving brackets for the nursery which were black are now a bright green.
The only problem is they clad with the curtains … now I need new curtains.
Lexy @ The Proper Pinwheel
8 years ago
Gold makes everything better. You know me. I LIVE to spray paint anything gold. Loved the turquoise, but it wasn’t right for this room. And I love that Greta calls it a horsey! Cutest.
Janecmetcalf
8 years ago
GOOD call on the gold giraffe. gives a way cool factor.
joyce
8 years ago
The turquoise was cute…..but gold is definetely better!
lyndsay @ that 70s house
8 years ago
ooo i love the gold giraffe! it totally looks like a horsey now :) and i love your revised version of the built-ins, they feel so airy and purty now!
Tanya @ dans-le-townhouse.blog
8 years ago
Cute! Better gold, for sure. Sometimes I want to paint something and bright, fun colour and you’re so right: it can end up looking a bit kid’s-room-y. I loved the spot-the-difference game. Tell us how many changes and see if we spot that many, lol.
Sam
8 years ago
I am so stealing that! I love him (her?). She’ll go perfectly with my chrome dinosaur!
meaganbriggs3
8 years ago
Love that turquoise color, but not for the giraffe! lol Gold is totally her color! And mine now lately….loving me some gold accessories! That giraffe is adorable though. How is Greta with these bookshelves? Is she constantly touching things?? I swear, anything below the third shelf on our bookshelf is either empty or full of toys. yiiiiikes.
Chris loves Julia
8 years ago
For the most part, she does great and usually doesn’t even touch the shelves. Everything in her reach she can’t hurt, so it isn’t a big deal if she does touch. However, I will say, when she has a tantrum and takes it out on the national geographics (read: throws them all on the floor) it IS a paint to pick them all back up.
Ashley@AttemptsAtDomestication
8 years ago
Love your blinging giraffe! He looks great!