Progress Report 2.0: Guest Room (and Stairs)

“Progress Reports” on the “Guest Room” feel sorta like misnomers, I’ll admit, because other than paint and lighting, the only thing I am doing in the guest room is building a barn wood headboard. I don’t have any big plans for artwork or other furniture in the room (for now), so don’t get too excited! (As soon as I wrote that my mind bulged with ideas for artwork and pillows… thanks a lot!)

You are allowed to get excited for the headboard. It excites me. It excites all of us.(Actually, it doesn’t excite all of us, I am pretending that it does to make myself feel better about all the time I have put into it and all of the huge holes I have drilled into my walls.)

I am soooo close to being done with the headboard, peeps! The wood is all installed and the wiring for the light is complete. (THANKS TO WENDY, TAWNY, STEPHANIE, AND DORI who each beckoned my call for help and have pitched in on the project!) I have painted the lamp YELLOW (because I like to make things different and difficult), but I don’t like the bright finish of the paint and my mission today is to tone it down. Sanding? A wipe-on stain? A product called “rub ‘n buff”?

I hang my lamps from trees to paint them. Don’t you?

Look at this chandelier that Melissa from 320 Sycamore refinished for her daughter’s room:


I like that the paint is chippy and has a patina to it. I want mine to be more mustard colored when done, but this is the look I am “scratching” for.

Other than that, I am only going to show you a little sneak peek of the head board. I don’t want to reveal the whole thing until I have the light installed on a dimmer. That shall be our big reveal moment and we shall exhale in a grand ‘siiighhhh’ together. (Wednesday?)

Are you feelin’ it too?

Other than that… guess what! The Manchild and I spent all day Saturday sanding down our stairs and prepping them for stain and paint! THEY ARE READY! 


Unfortunately, as I picked up the can of stain I had purchased and began to read the application instructions yesterday I saw LOUD AND CLEAR at the very top: “This product not recommended for floors.”

And that’s the way things go for me. So, back to home depot to return it. I think I’ll stop by Benjamin Moore today to look for a gel stain. Speaking of, I want you to know that I am following Kate @ CentsationalGirl’s tips on how she re-did her stairs. Look at this before and after shot:


Now look at this sample test she did of various stains. I want my stairs to be stained black, like on the far right, but I want to use a gel stain like the second from the left. Help?


Anyway, what a successful week we had last week! Now if only I could finish up these projects (Despite the fact that my kids have no school today and a half day on Wednesday) and dust THE ENTIRE HOUSE (thanks to the fantastic sanding job of one certain Manchild) then we will be ready for company! (T-minus 4 days until they arrive?!) We ain’t gonna make it, Marge!)

Have fun, stay warm, cover your mouth when you sneeze! {mwah!}

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