Under the Stairs, But Make It Magical: A Bold Striped Play Nook on a $200 Budget
It Was Always Theirs… But Never Special
For years, this under the stairs nook has been their space. But if we’re being honest… it felt more like a toy drop zone than a dream hideaway. My only regret is not appealing to their imagination sooner. Though perfect for suitcases and holiday bins, it was better suited for my girls while they can still fit. It felt dark and completely uninspiring for play. It was not at all functional, though they have an actual playroom, currently taking over my Florida room (sun room). This space just felt like a cherry on top.
The Budget (A Love Story Between Me and TJ)
You know when you have a chronically late friend, and you tell them where to be an hour ahead of time? This is kind of like Tj and I when I receive a budget. I am quite sure he is of the understanding that I WILL go over it but he calculates that wiggle room in with the initial number. But with the starting line finish line of $200, I had to get creative. I saved a bit, using a paint color that I used in my home office space that was similar to the stripes in the inspo picture. I searched and searched for a canopy that didn’t break the bank and other items that had good reviews and were cost effective.
The Pinterest Spiral + The Stripes Redemption
Via Pinterest
I was sure the idea of stripes would never again cross my mind after the bathroom saga. BUT Pinterest does it again! I swooned over this striped ceiling that I couldn’t resist taking another stab at it. I knew choosing this design would not only look really cool but also create the illusion of a taller ceiling. I learned from my past mistakes in the bathroom and got up the confidence to try again. If you recall my last attempt, my stripes bled through something awful and it took an incredible amount of time and perseverance to clean them up. Here are the things I’ve learned: having textured walls is not ideal for stripes. It doesn’t allow for a very good seal with the tape, so using a small damp roller is best for getting the best seal (during your first coat of the base coat). With my first stripe project, I used a brush and it did not produce the best result. While this stripe design had its own unique challenges because of the angles, taking off the tape and seeing a crisp line made it all worth it.
Going Bold
There was no need to play it safe with this space. I wanted the girls to feel transported inside their own home. I wanted it to be whimsical. I let the girls choose their favorite pink and help me decide on the mural I would paint on the walls. I wanted them to feel like they were getting to dream this space up as much as I was. I pulled the color Behr Turmeric from my upstairs office ceiling — partly to save on paint, partly because I loved the idea of this little nook secretly tying into the rest of our home. Noble Blush on the walls gave it that soft but bold girl dream feel I couldn’t resist.
Designing With Restraint
I believe that I have the urge to place something in every corner of a room to make feel like it is truly complete. I knew that the girls had plans to bring in lots of their baby dolls and accessories so I was careful to leave enough room for just that. I wanted for them to have a space to chill and read a book and a space to play school which they often come home and do. By keeping a lot of the floor space open and not cluttering it with decor, they could still do the things they loved doing in here.
Their Reaction
I think we hit the jackpot!! The girls screamed and laughed and told me how much they loved it. The white board was immediately put into use and they began filling it with dolls as I knew they would. Though we have 3 girls, we knew our oldest had aged out of this space. That made me a little sad but I with we will get years of use from it in all of it’s new glory.
What’s next?
This might be Phase One… because I’m already dreaming about turning the outside of this nook into a full accent moment. This space isn’t huge. It isn’t grand. But it’s theirs. And sometimes the smallest corners of a home hold the most imagination.
