Room To Grow

THE PERSON: Pilates teacher and studio owner desperately seeks space that accommodates staff, clients, children, and the occasional pet.

THE SPACE: Vertical storage systems allow clients and instructors to organize their things, while simultaneously creating room for other tasks. A comfy bench and a hospitality area offer the perfect spots for breaks between classes. The soft blue palette inspires a feeling of tranquility.



Zones Create Flow

1 Separating the room into zones helps create better traffic flow. Easy-to-clean jute rugs help define the spaces. At this end of the room, there’s a place for the baby’s crib and a small seating area. The floor pillow was made from drapery panels cut in half crosswise. Then, the two pieces were hemmed, wrapped around a foam insert, and secured with grommets and rope.

2 A desk fills the space at the opposite end of the room. For the desktop, grass-cloth wallpaper was attached to plywood using wallpaper paste. The board is attached to two stackable shelving units and topped with a sheet of acrylic. To create the bulletin boards, cork was mounted to fiberboard squares using spray adhesive and edged with duct tape. The boards are attached to the wall with self-fastening strips.



STORAGE UNITS
shelving (ClosetMaid, maple; 9-cube organizer, #163256; 25-cube stackable shoe organizer, #103250; 30-inch vertical shelf stackers, #59969; 24-inch horizontal shelf stacker, #66417; cube door, #163273)
wire baskets (ClosetMaid, #85799)
small taper bins†
track shelving (#107717) with
maple shelves†

HOSPITALITY CENTER
compact refrigerator (Frigidaire, Silver Mist, #235882)
countertop microwave (GE, stainless, #88833)
coffeemaker (Cuisinart, #119479)

LIGHTING
lamps (Portfolio, brushed nickel; floor, #168721; desk, #33105)

PAINT
walls (Valspar Ultra Premium, Blanched Pine 7005-15, satin)
walls (Valspar Signature Colors, Waverly Home Classics, Sky WV32007, satin)

DESK PROJECT
vertical shelf stacker (30-inch, ClosetMaid, maple, #59969)
grass-cloth wallpaper (#29148)
1 (48- x 96-inch) sheet of 15/32-inch plywood††
1 (36- x 72-inch) sheet of acrylic (#11289)
wallpaper paste (#52892)
1 package of 2d nails

CORKBOARD WALL PROJECT
2 (48- x 96-inch) pieces of 1/2-inch fiberboard
cork liner (#34744††)
white duct tape
spray adhesive
self-fastening strips (#20026)
white spray paint

BENCH PROJECT
3 (24- x 48-inch) sheets of 3/4-inch birch plywood††
3 (8-foot-long) pieces of 1/4- x 3/4-inch screen-bead moulding
6 (4-inch) rounded taper table legs (#842)
6 straight-top mounting plates (#838)
1 box (#18 x 3/4-inch) brads
1 box (#17 x 11/4-inch) brads
1 box (11/4-inch) Kreg pocket hole screws, coarse thread
paintable wood filler
wood glue (Titebond II, #41217)
primer (Kilz, #45553)
paint (Valspar Ultra Premium, Dark Kettle Black 4011-2, semi-gloss)

ACCESSORIES
rugs (5- x 8-foot, jute with border, #206171)
blinds (Ambria, Fruitwood, #21337)
drapery panels used to make pillows (Aspen Twill; linen, #170152; khaki, #170153; black, #170170)
fabric shower curtain used to make pillows (white waffle, #126548)
grommets used for floor pillow (#45326)

* Does not include labor costs or applicable taxes, which vary by market, or the cost of tools.

**Does not include lead time for special-order materials.
† Selection varies by market.
††Availability varies by market.

Close At Hand

Reinterpret a stair railing by turning it into a smart linen rack.


1. Select a 4-foot length of iron railing (#14153*). If desired, spray-paint the
railing, and allow to dry.

2. To protect your floor, cut gripper pads (#54359) to fit the bottoms of the vertical rails. Then attach the pads.

3. Lean the railing against the wall. Apply black spray paint to brass cup hooks (#61015), and let dry. Attach the hooks to the wall using plastic anchors (#43792) corresponding to the height of the top rail. Secure the rail on the hooks.

4. Drape bath linens over the balusters of the railing.

* Availability varies by market.

Measuring Up

Track your child’s growth with this painted board.


1. Sand and wipe clean a (6-foot-long) 1 x 6. Apply two coats of paint using a small roller. Allow each coat to dry.

2. Using a pencil and a tape measure, lightly mark each foot and the half and quarter points. Paint the marks using a small brush and black paint in a flat finish. Allow to dry.

3. Secure a number stencil (#106943) next to each foot mark, and stencil using black paint. Remove the stencil, and touch up as needed. When dry, seal the entire board with clear Polycrylic spray (#164683).

4. Hang the growth chart on your wall by attaching a self-leveling picture hanger (#52716) to the back.

5. Prime with spray primer (#165953), and then spraypaint mending plates (found in the hardware department). Allow to dry.

6. Write the date or the child’s age on each plate using a permanent marker. Secure each plate to the board using upholstery nails (#58201).

Sit and Stow

This window seat fulfills two needs—more efficient storage and a comfy place to relax.

Earthy tweed-look drapery panels add warm color and texture to the space. Two extra panels with a tapestry design were used to upholster a seat cushion for the project. Any leftover material can be used to make pillows or curtain tiebacks.

A window seat can be the perfect spot to curl up with a good book; it also can add functional storage space. Sometimes, a room’s existing architecture begs for such a project. In this bedroom, the open area between two closets was a catchall for items such as clothes, blankets, extra chairs, and gear. The new built-in window seat provides concealed and organized storage. It also gives the space a substantial focal point and makes the bedroom not just a place for sleeping, but for relaxing too.



LUMBER AND MILLWORK
3 (8-foot-long) 1 x 3s**
1 (8-foot-long) 1 x 8**
3 (48- x 96-inch) sheets of 3/4-inch birch plywood**
1 (8-foot-long) piece of 3/4-inch shelf edging**
2 (7-foot-long) pieces of 3/8- x 11/4- inch primed pine stop moulding†

HARDWARE AND SUPPLIES
1 box (21/2-inch) wood screws
1 box 6d finishing nails
1 (1/2- x 72-inch) continuous
hinge (brass, #196296)
wood glue (Titebond II, #41217)
paintable wood filler
paintable latex caulk
primer (Kilz, #45546)
paint (Valspar Ultra Premium,
Statuesque 7002-5, semi-gloss)

DECORATIVE ACCESSORIES
curtain rod (#169456)
drapery panels (Designables,
Caspari, Curry, #245171)
drapery panels used for seat
cushion (Designables, Raja,
Paprika, #245153)

* Does not include labor costs or applicable taxes, which vary by market, or the cost of tools.
**Availability varies by market.
† Available by special order in some stores.

Curtains 1O1

Do you want window treatments that wow, but need a bit of inspiration? Consider these helpful hints to spark your own creative approach.


How can I get a custom look?

There are many ways to do this without the high cost or hassle:

• Mix patterns and fabrics, as shown here.
• Paint a design on cotton panels, as shown on the opposite page.
• Create a pretty and functional tieback out of ribbon, rope, or a piece of fabric.
• Hem panels to the length of café curtains, which only cover the lower half of the window.
• Add decorative trim to the edges of panels.

For a romantic touch, this dreamy sheer (#241565) adds softness and volume to a striped panel (#213443). The two panels hang on a decorative rod (#169309) and are swept to one side with a strip of drop cloth material serving as a tieback.



How high do I hang the rod?

Consider these pointers when choosing rod height:

• Hang a rod as high as possible to make a low ceiling seem higher.
• Position a rod just above the window, as shown here, to make a room with high ceilings feel more intimate.
• Raise the eye a bit by hanging the rod halfway between the window and the ceiling.

Tab-top panels (#170175) are embellished with a leaf design using a stencil and fabric paint. The panels hang on a wooden rod (#42772) with finials (#27969*) and overlay a shade (#120398) made of sustainable bamboo.


Why would I use a cornice?

Think about how a cornice, which crowns a window and imparts horizontal dimension, could help you:

• add an architectural element to a plain wall.
• create a slightly more formal appearance.
• hide a basic rod that holds the curtains.

This playful look is perfect for a child’s bedroom. The lightweight white plastic cornice (#87589*) was first coated with plastic primer (#57601) and then painted brilliant blue (#244148) to complement a pair of striped curtains (#242109) on a wooden rod.


How can I add subtle pattern?

If you want to add interest using patterns, but you don’t want them to be overpowering, try these options:

• Choose a patterned valance or café curtain (shorter pieces of fabric instead of long panels).
• Paint a simple shade with stripes, as shown here, or any other design.
• Add a patterned ribbon for trim on a plain panel.

A Country French toile valance (#25944) tops a white roller shade (#43231) painted with black stripes.