The Tiniest Play Nook Gets a Zero Dollar Refresh
There is something very satisfying about executing a room makeover on a small scale. Maybe it’s the fact that it’s achievable in a short period (this took about four days to complete); maybe it’s the low-stakes nature- if you don’t like something it’s a quick fix; or to could be the satisfaction of playing Tetris with the space, carefully considering and utilizing every square inch just so.
Whatever it is, it’s one of my favorite types of projects to tackle. One of the benefits of any small space is that small changes can have a big impact. A little wallpaper can make a bold statement; a touch of moody paint completely shifts the vibe from overly sweet to slightly more sophisticated; even a scrap of fabric can be the cherry on top as a dip-dyed tea towel.
tea towels dyed with hibiscus tea
My goals at the outset of this project were to makeover this tiny space by repurposing items that I already had on hand, and to do it in under a week. To be fair- the items that I have on hand are probably not typical as I have a pretty decent decor stash that I’ve built up over the years working as a blogger and photographer… but you’ll be surprised at what you can come up with.
The paper lantern was leftover from my wedding (six years ago last week!), which makes me smile when I look at it. The “doorknob” is actually the finale off the curtain rod in the nursery of our old apartment; we used the rod and the brackets to create a little clothing rack for her collection of princess dresses by cutting it to size. I snagged the display wallpaper from a store closing sale for free and have been waiting on the perfect place to use it! The blue paint is leftover from the living room, the wall planters are from our old bedroom, and I grabbed an existing Ikea frame to upgrade the magnet board.
The before
The play kitchen was an Ikea hack from about three years back (and one of my very first posts on Design Confetti!) and has held up well. I gave just the hardware a quick refresh with some metallic gold spray paint, and my husband built a toe-kick/hidden storage drawer out of scrap wood, which we then painted to match. I also gave the play appliances a coat of mint green paint to match my own.
All in all, it was a fun little makeover (especially after the intense eight-week haul that was our full guest suite reno), and I had a lot of fun involving my daughter in the process. She picked the wallpaper, helped with the painting, and we arranged the little planters together. I think involving kids with their own spaces big and small gives them a sense of pride… and they often end up pointing things out to you that you may not have otherwise considered. After everything that went into this pint sized project the real MVP turned out to be the doorknob. They love taking turns pulling the door closed behind them them “answering” when the other one knocks.
I hope you enjoy this mini “reveal” as much as I enjoyed creating it!
Resources: Wall Planters: Target , Faux Peonies + Succulent, Target Dollar Spot, Faux Succulents: Amazon, Hape Mighty Mixer (painted): Amazon, Hape Pop Up Toaster (painted): Amazon, Joie Des Fleurs Wallpaper, Caitlin Wilson, Duktig Play Kitchen: Ikea, DeNimes Wall Paint: Farrow and Ball, Spray Paint Shock Blue Light (kitchen), Montana Gold, Pots and Pans, Amazon, Prism Finial Drapery Rods, World Market
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