Retro Art Studio

Design on a Dime : Episode DOD-509 -- More Projects »
Kati Prescott is ready for a new look in her cluttered bedroom and also wants to make room for an organized art studio.
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Before
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Before
The Dilemma

Host Lee Snijders visits with Kati in her room to get a handle on the design issues. He notices that she needs more storage space for all of her art supplies, the windows need to be decorated with something other than the existing broken window blinds and tacked up sheets, and her bed needs to be raised to create some extra space in the room. Since Kati loves retro styles from the '40s and '50s, Snijders decides to focus on a vintage look that reflects those eras.

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After
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After
The Solution

The color red is the impetus for creating a bold, daring design. Here's how Kati's room is transformed on the $1,000 budget:

  • A ruby red paint color livens up the white walls. The upper half of one wall is left white for a special cork wall treatment (details below).
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  • Since Kati's closet doors are broken and there's not enough money in the budget to replace them, design coordinator Charles Burbridge hides the clutter with a soft storage solution made out of white cotton curtain panels, colored felt and clear plastic. He cuts the felt and plastic into same-size squares and stitches them together on three sides to create pockets. The squares are then hot-glued to the panels with the clear plastic facing out.
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  • The lighting is dramatically improved with a new ceiling fixture reminiscent of 1950s-style car headlights and two new lamps. Snijders customizes the shades with 1940s-era pin-up girl cutouts attached with white glue. He also frames two of the cutouts in black picture frames and secures them to the lamp bases with plastic clamps and screws.
  • Resources
    decorative project materials
    Office Depot
    Website:
    www.officedepot.com

    decorative project materials
    Ikea
    Website: www.ikea.com

    paint
    Benjamin Moore
    Website: www.benjaminmoore.com

    fabric
    Michael Levine, Inc.
    Website: www.mlfabric.com

    decorative project materials
    Jo-Ann Fabrics & Crafts / Jo-Ann Etc.
    Website: www.joann.com

    decorative project materials
    Linoleum City
    Website: www.linoleumcity.com

    decorative project materials
    Anna's Linens
    Website: www.annaslinens.com
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