It took me awhile to work up the courage to do this project. For some reason, I have absolutely no problem spray painting a piece of furniture that I buy on Craigslist, or at the thrift shop, or from a yard sale, but I freeze up when it’s time to redo a piece that’s been in my family for years. I wonder why? If it takes a coat of paint for me to love a piece more–and it’s not a valuable antique–then why not just go for it? After all, paint is cheap, and I can always change it up again down the road!
This twin-sized iron headboard was mine when I was a girl, so it is NOT an antique–it’s just a little bit old (like me)! It’s been in my daughter’s room since she moved out of her crib, and here’s what it looked like BEFORE:
The creamy white was perfectly fine when my daughter’s room was pink and green (sigh), but now that she’s embracing a different color scheme, the headboard didn’t work. I figured that instead of tucking it away in the attic for my grandkids–this could be decades away, mind you–that I’d just paint it a jarring shade of watermelon pink. Here’s the AFTER (put on your sunglasses!):
At first, I taped off the marble medallion and left it unpainted, but it just looked wrong. I wound up painting it and the decorative brass balls. Honestly, my daughter loves it and that’s the most important thing.
We played around with the pillows on her bed a bit. Here’s another shot:
I never thought of aqua blue and hot watermelon pink as a color combination, but leave it to my daughter! The whole room reveal should be coming up next week…we’re just putting the finishing touches on it. You can read about her new table HERE…
…And her new tray HERE.
While the color palette and design choices aren’t what I would have picked, it’s not my room, after all, and I like that she’s fearless about using bright and happy colors. She may only be nine, but she sure knows what she likes!
Thanks for stopping by!
Love the color scheme! Looks great! Could you ever tell me where you got the letter “A from? I am looking for something similar for my daughters room.
Thanks
The “A” is from an antique fair in North Carolina. The girl selling them there cut them from a jig saw. I’m sorry that’s not more helpful. 🙁
it looks so great! those are my two favorite colors 🙂
Thanks, Heather!
Her room looks darling! I just love the bed. The tray is so cute too. I love the idea of putting it in a girl’s room.
Thank you, Debra. She loves it, too, and that’s the most important thing!
Love, love, love the update of this room. Fun colors, textures and fabrics!
Thank you, Terry. So glad you stopped by!
Perfect example of how a great curves and lines can be updated with a new finish! Absolutely stunning!
Thanks, Rachel. I do love my spray paint!
It turned out adorable! I love the colors…that striped side table is so cute too!!
So glad you like it, Sally!
Gorgeous redo I love the color!
Thanks so much, Comeca!
What a difference the pink makes! I love the impact it brings to the room. Great job with this makeover.
Thank you, Sarah. It needed a pop of color, and I guess it got one!
I love the colors! What a transformation! I just came across this blog! You are all so talented!
Thanks for your kind words, Haley. I’m glad you stopped by!
Love how the room turned out! I just painted a spare bedroom a similar color this past weekend and am now on a hunt for a comforter. Would you mind sharing where you got the aqua and white one that is on the bed? Your blog is great!
Hi, Julie–I don’t mind at all. It’s from Target, believe it or not. We bought it last year. It was with the adult bedding, not the kids’. Hope that helps!
While I know you said this isn’t the color palette you would have chosen, you did such a wonderful job bringing it all together! I love the monogram A as well as the mix of patterns throughout the room. How adorable. My little girl is only 2, but she already knows what she likes as well 🙂
Thanks, Erin! Sounds like your girl has a mind of her own, too!
Love the transformation and the colors! I’m trying to update my daughter’s room too and she has very different ideas than me:). We’ll see how it goes. stoppin over from Miss Mustard Seed.
Good luck, Kim. Glad you stopped by!
What a difference! That little paint job worked wonders! I also have a 9-year-old girl, and her color choices are not always what I would choose, so I hear you on that! But isn’t it great when we step back and allow them to choose, and it’s awesome!? ‘Cause the bed, the bedding, and everything else look great! I can’t wait to see the whole room reveal!
Thanks, Laura. I’m hoping to do the reveal this week, although I’m having a hard time getting her to clean up enough to show the world!!
I’d say it’s an AWESOME color combination! Just right for a girl’s room. Aren’t you glad you worked up the courage to paint that special piece? It looks great!
I am so glad I painted it, Richella. Thanks for stopping by (and for the feature on your blog!).
I love the room, especially the headboard. Did you prime the headboard before painting?
Nope. It was a creamy off-white, so I just sprayed right over it. When I gave it the second coat (antiqued bronze) later one, I just painted right over the hot pink, too. Good luck!
My 9 yo has decided she wants pink and blue as well. At first I cringed over the hot pink, but you’ve made it totally work! It’s classy and cute! Do you mind sharing the wall color and if you know the name of the floral fabric? Is it waverly? Thanks so much! Just found you searching Pinterest.
Thanks, Jennifer–I’m glad you found us! The wall color is Behr’s Ionic Sky (although we have moved since and have Glidden’s Almost Aqua on the walls now–I’d check them both out if I was you). The hot pink is Krylon’s Watermelon spray paint, and the fabric is Amy Butler’s Love Bliss in Teal. You can see the new paint color here (we’ve changed up her room AGAIN): https://www.11magnolialane.com/2014/01/31/our-new-home-my-daughters-bedroom-in-aqua/
Hope that helps!