in which we all paint (interior, eggshell).

Kaatje's room was the first bedroom we completed, years ago.  I was pregnant a year after we moved in, or so, and we needed a lead-paint free room for the baby...  along the years she's made it her own, of course.

(my mom made the quilt for me when I was growing up, 

the dresser is goodwill, rug from IKEA.  

recently Kaatje gave all the butterfly things to Greta, as they're not her style anymore.)

Kaatje decided it was time for a change.

after a trip to Big Box Home Improvement Store for no less than 3 colors of paint, and noting that we only had a few open weekends before all the spring weekend events began, we bit the bullet.

removing everything from the walls really showed us how much the room did need a new coat of paint (or two).

her other big request was a loft.  with under 8' ceilings in the upstairs, we're not sure Kaatje's idea of a loft matched the actuality of a loft she'll have to duck under in a year, but it did open up more floor space - and is certainly more fun!

we found a no-longer-made IKEA loft on craigslist for cheaper (and much faster!) than Jeff could have built, borrowed a trailer, and in a week of layering paint and arranging furniture, the 10-year-old has a room of her own design.

(the cubby-hole shelf we found while we were walking the dog.  

a few whacks with a hammer to remove the bottom, a couple coats of poly on the top, which had been the side, and Kaatje had a new shelf, perfect for "collections.")

it was a nice short (relatively inexpensive) project, perfect to finish in this short spring we're having.  a feeling of accomplishment for all!