Libby's Bedroom & Dining Room Updates

Disclaimer: Blogger has done some updates...and for some reason things are looking right.  I'm going to look into it today and try to fix.  Sorry! 

 For my COVID coping strategy, I've chosen home projects.  I've basically been dabbling with something in almost every room in the house.  (We even got a new sink for the laundry room last night.)  So while my hope was/is to create an orderly, functional place where we can all do school here at home, right now it is pretty chaotic.  And spray paint fumes are keeping us all  little cray cray...(that is stuff for Sarah's room--which I'm hoping to finish this next weekend.)  

Anyway, this week Emma and Kaj brought their paint expertise again to help with lightening up the dining room and giving Libby's room a debubblegumming.  (I know that's not a word--but we were going for a less bubble gum pink.)

Current state of the laundry room.  Costco had this amazing sink--faucet included for a really reasonable price.  Our old sink was a disaster.  We bought it online and it looked good, but it was a cheap piece of junk.  Wouldn't stay closed (I had to kick it closed at least once a day--as the spring loaded hinges were terrible), sink permanently stained, felt like it was going to all apart when you turned it on...Derek actually took this project on...he'll finish on Monday after work I guess? 

Here is the bubble gum room, 3 years ago.  Ouch.  It's so so pink. Last summer I added lots of gold accents for Libby's bedroom makeover.  But I didn't have time/energy to repaint.  

Here is the new color.  Hawaiian Shell.  I bought 5 samples before we found the right color.  A nice light pink that was warmer and would still go with the gold accents.  Then I constructed a desk/vanity (it was her greatest desire to have a place to do her makeup--the stand up makeup corner I gave her last year wasn't good enough) out of the shelves in the corner.  

I got Ben all set up for remote learning by borrowing a desk from my classroom, and getting two new shelves that take up less room than his old one and offer more book storage.  He really wanted to move his bed (actually he really wants a new bed, but I'm putting him off until he goes away for his first camp--whenever that might be).  Under the window was too scary for me (I could just see a kid tumbling out).  So we were moving it back against the original wall, with Ben really upset that he didn't get a bedroom change when we paused right here.  YES!  He said.  Right here.  So his bed comes out at a diagonal.  It makes the underneath area feel more accessible--and fort making has abounded.  

Here is the dining room before...It was SO dark.  I liked the wall colors.  But I needed more light. Since this pic, I've added shelves and a new buffet..this week was just paint.  But it feels SO GOOD.  Hello sunshine!    

Oh yeah, and did I mention that I had to fix the dishwasher this week?  But I called our appliance guy and he let me call his parts guy directly.  I installed the new spray arm myself (see the old one duct taped?  It somehow got all chewed up (kids putting plates that were too tall?)