Locker Labor of Love.

One thing my client wanted in her little Aiden's new sports room was a locker for both fun decor and good storage. Welp here's how I made that happen for her...

FIRST. Get your parents to hi-jack a couple lockers from a local high school locker room...

But really. New lockers can be pretty pricey and I was going for a more vintage look...and was on a budget. So having a local HS that just remodeled their athletic facility was a giant plus! Getting them detached was a feat but it was well worth the money saved! You can also check for your local school district's surplus warehouses...they often only open to the public occasionally but can have some great finds too!

SECOND. Scrub a Dub.
Cleaning was a bit of a pain as there was some rust, some bends, and lots and lots of dust. But in order to get a good cover, a well executed scrub down is crucial! An air compressor is really handy at this stage! Use some pliers to bend back any misshapen areas as sheet metal is pretty malleable!

THIRD. Take it all apart.
Not really...okay but kinda...since we detached the lockers from a string of others, I needed to re construct a couple areas. By that I mean turning the side panels inside out and upside down to have a more finished look and no jagged edges...

FOURTH. Paint the town red!
...or the locker blue. Whatever floats your boat. I used a Rustoleum paint as it is great for most surfaces, especially metal and has good coverage. Drying between coats is big for even cover so you can actually see where more is needed. This took about 2-3 coats in most areas. Be sure to cover hardware or remove hooks or anything you may not want painted. And don't forget the nooks and crannies! ...but seriously. No one likes an unpainted cranny.

FIFTH. the sunshine phase.
Let the sun do its work...let this thing dry and come back to it the next day or at least a few hours later for that final coat of evenness. If you have globs or drips anywhere, use a razor very lightly to get em off and then touch up that spot with a couple sprays. I used about 4 cans of paint on this piece.

SIXTH. Do your thing Honey!
Install Install Install! Although it's simple to put a big locker in a room, something that is really important is safety! They may not be overly heavy but they are sharp, metal and pretty large. Use the holes at the back of the lockers to anchor this into the wall. Find a stud and put a screw nail through there. Even just one is enough to prevent anyone from yankin this sucker down on them. If you can't find a stud, be sure to put an anchor in because just nailing it to the wall will NOT do the trick!

And VOILA! A fun and inexpensive project, made with love...and some elbow grease.

A Home Run Room.

A bit over a month ago, I started working with a new client! For a girl startin off her freelance design career, this was and IS a huge deal and great joy for me! Little Aiden just turned 3 and is transitioning from baby to toddler to his little boy years so his room was ready for a complete revamp! After expressing her wants for a chalkboard wall, some lockers and a sports theme, I presented some concept ideas to Natalie (Mom) for a playful vintage sports inspired room!

After hours of work and DIY and internet research and bargain hunting and contractor's quotes and feeding of my new found Etsy addiction, I have completed Aiden's room! My first full room project for a referred client, I am overjoyed to see that the process they taught us all about in school....WORKS!

Concept to completion and this space is for sure a room for champs!

Here's a peak into some of the little moments created throughout this little guys room...

Storage is a challenge for all parents. I turned this once vertical shelving unit horizontally to create a organized storage system with an upholstered top for seating and chalkboard fronts for personalized organizing!

This business is all about networking, and luckily my network of friends works in my favor! One of my best friends, Lyndi (creator of Sew Bee It from an earlier post) created this perfect pennant valance for the small window.

Can't find what you want? Create it yourself. I painted this baseball clock in an effort to get just what I wanted with a wooden plate and a clock kit. Easy. Shout out to my grandpa who makes these awesome wooden names and happened to have an "Aiden".

Natalie first fell for this Pottery Barn bedding in the catalog and there really just wasn't any beating it. It's fun, energetic, a lil vintage and has a ton of great texture.

Some refinished lockers hijacked from an old high school locker room make for great storage and fun decor. Obviously.

The green wall color (Melange Green from Sherwin Williams) was pulled from the PB quilt and the chalkboard paint is "So Stone" from Hudson Paints where you can find any color chalkboard paint you could ever want!

A hand-painted mural by yours truly completes and compliments the little guys fun and energetic new sporty space. What a fun project this has been.

Details on some "How-To" elements coming soon!

Only a Bill on Capitol Hill.

Anyone else been keeping up with all the action the profession of Interior Design is gettin down in that peninsula state of Florida? Well they've been hit hard by people who just don't get it. Not understanding a profession is one thing but ignorance by choice and arrogance is a ridiculous game for grown adults to be playing.

House passed a bill called "Deregulation of Professions and Occupations" or House Bill 5005 and ASID members of Florida and many other states have been fighting tooth and neck to ensure this bill did NOT pass Senate. With interior design being one of the professions to be deregulated in the state of Florida, they assumed this would be beneficial...giving more people a chance to explore the world of design and make that leap from merely a decorator to a designer without laws and restrictions.

Pssshtt. What this would really do is actually detrimental and had it passed, could have affected the careers of designers in many more states. Regulation allows designers to practice commercial design and work on projects with building codes, LEED potential and really get their hands on some of those big markets in hospitality, health, education facilities and other spaces. These designers able to practice are licensed professionals who have worked hard, taken exams and achieved and maintained this status themselves, meaning no one should be able to take it away from them.

Last Friday, the bill for deregulation in Florida was defeated by an incredible 32-6 Senate vote. While this is a celebrated victory, that does not mean the profession won't continue to be a target for those wishing to simplify professions they may simply not understand.

Just because I don't understand medicine, does not mean I plan to take your MD away. Licensing is a great honor and show of commitment to a field that these people are passionate about. Hopeful to become a licensed designer and even a LEED AP myself, I plan to support the continued efforts to push away opposition and encourage understanding of the importance of regulation. The profession of Interior Design depends on it.

Get BLEEPin.

Yes. Our 3rd issue of BLEEP was just released as the clock struck midnight into this first day of May. This May/June issue is chalk full of EVERYTHING.

From food reviews and suggestions...

to a Travel feature on the places you won't wanna miss out on...
to my own behind the scenes take on the design masters of Mardi Gras...
to interviews with professionals in the theater and performance careers, incredible photography and graphic editing features and even a photo essay of readers' cell-phone-captured moments...

if there isn't something to get your creative and cultural juices flowing...well then something's wrong with your juices...OR...you need to become a contributor and have your own work seen in the next BLEEPmag!

Seriously. Get BLEEPin.