DRESSUP & BOOK NOOK

I couldn't decide. I knew I wanted to do something with one of the closets in my daughters room. She loves to hide so I thought a quiet spot with books might be nice. But she also loves to play dress up so where to put all of those things without making her room look junky? It was a project that my husband and I worked on together. There are two closets in her room so I reorganized to make everything she really needed fit into one, then we took off the closet doors and painted the interior of the other closet. My husband installed some track lighting and I started planning out the scene.

What I REALLY wanted was a sky scene with hot air balloons, blue skies and clouds. I also wanted a small dresser painted bright yellow, like the sun. So I started looking for wallpaper. I couldn't find anything that was fitting these ideas. I thought about painting it blue but I didn't like that with the existing coral wall color in her room so I left the walls white. Clearly, from the get go, I could see that this project wouldn't be complete right off. I made two hot air balloons and purchased one other (see "Hodgepodge"). I found a cloud shelf, and some cute flower hooks at Urban Outfitters. I had a cushion made and purchased a small nightstand and painted it yellow. I made a pillow with some Dandelions fabric by heidikenney that I had been admiring for a while on Spoonflower I found a used tin mirror and hot glued lots of colorful shiny bits all over it, (found around the house and at dollar stores). I purchased a ruffle curtain at Target and used a bathroom shower curtain rod to hang it. I got four bins from IKEA for storage.

My mother-in-law made a nurse hat and vest, and two superhero capes. I found construction vests at IKEA and lots of costume items on sale after the Halloween season at Target and Savers.

Things left to accomplish: I still want to find a wallpaper or do something to the back wall, and possibly the left wall behind the cloud shelf so that it's not white on white. I also would like to get a flokati rug for under the cushion and add some fringe to the pillow. 

Although I have things in mind to make this closet better, for now it's a huge success with my kids and their friends that come over to play. It's also really easy to put everything away so it doesn't get overly messy. That was important to me. That's also why I like having a few baskets high up and a dresser with an area for hats, shoes and a drawer for jewelry. It all worked out somehow.