Wallpapered Formal Living Room Becomes a Playful Toy Room

Sara Bates
by Sara Bates
When we purchased our home three yeas ago almost every room on the main level was covered with wallpaper. I don't have anything against wallpaper, but THIS wallpaper was all very mid-90s. The house looked really dated as a result. Little by little, we've torn down walls full of paper and applied fresh coats of paint to match our style!
This is a photo of the formal living room when we toured the home.
And this is the hodgepodge of furniture we placed in the room after our son was born. My idea was I needed another space where I could put his toys and he could safely play during the day. We decided to move everything into this unused space so the other living space on our main floor could be a toy-free zone!
After a lot of sweat and sore shoulders, I removed all the wallpaper and painted the walls with Covington Blue by Benjamin Moore.
A flatscreen TV makes this room a place where the whole family can enjoy sports on the weekends or movie nights! I store my son's puzzles upright in a metal dish rack for easy clean up and access.
Blue storage cubbies from Badger Baskets makes organizing and cleaning up toys a breeze!
A graphic black and white rug from Rugs USA adds a bold punch to the space, while handmade curtains from Richloom fabrics on Fabric.com add a coastal vibe that ties the space in with the rest of the home.
A storage unit from IKEA serves to hold more toys as a table for drinks. The green activity table, also from IKEA, is a place for my son to color or play with his train set. This is a space that will continue to evolve with our growing family, and I love spending time in here, which I think is really important since I'm spending a majority of my son's waking hours in here!
Sara Bates
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
Go
Frequently asked questions
Have a question about this project?
Comments
Join the conversation
3 of 27 comments
  • Ardi Redig Johnson Ardi Redig Johnson on Jul 31, 2015
    Taking down wallpaper is one of the worst jobs in the world. I have been through it enough to know if I walk into a house for sale, if there is any wallpaper on the walls, I turn right around and walk out the door. I never want to do that again. All your hard work paid off and you have a very lovely, warm home. I know how much work that was.
    • Sara Bates Sara Bates on Jul 31, 2015
      Thank you, Ardi! My arms got a good workout!! Two more rooms to go!
  • Vickiemac Vickiemac on Jul 31, 2015
    Awesome job! I love this! Beautiful colors!
Next