Jayna’s Project

Jayna’s Room – Ballerina Theme

Jayna wanted a ballerina theme; she even takes ballet lessons. Jayna wanted mirrors, a night table and a place to put her American Girl Doll collection. Jayna’s mom describes her as, ‘7 going on 17’ so she wanted the room to be girly but yet a room that she could grow into for several years. She also needed storage for her clothes because there was no closet in the room. Lastly, the room needed to be warm, as it was not insulated.

The Solution:

I changed the palate of the room to soft pinks and whites, to go with the ballerina colors of a leotard or toe shoes. She had a great brass bed that was her grandmothers which worked perfectly with the shabby chic bedding that I found; the sheets were pre-washed and 100% cotton, as we were sensitive to her respiratory condition. I found a great wardrobe at Ikea that had a full length mirror built right into the door. This answered the need for both storage and a mirror; it also reflected the beautiful bed. For warmth we added polka dot drapes that were both light in color, but heavy for warmth and insulation. Kendra Weldon, from Simply Windows, made a custom valance to match the drapes for the smaller window. A thick shaggy rug added to the warmth and was inviting to sit and play. I found a low dresser, and placed it next to her bed with a lamp to act as a night stand as well as storage. We found the perfect ballerina print by Degas, which was classic and something that she will have as she grows up. Finally, an American Girl Doll closet was custom made and all the volunteers signed the back of it.

When Jayna came home to see her room she was all dressed up and excited to see what we did. I put a sheer netting between her doorway and the kitchen, and as she entered she was so happy. I think she went to the American Girl Doll closet first, not before checking herself in the full length mirror.

Tyler’s Room – Super Hero Theme

Tyler wanted a Batman/Super Hero theme for his room. He has a ton of energy and was very enthusiastic about getting his own room. The only other thing he really wanted was a couch. His mother wanted furniture that would last into his teen years, and he also needed storage.

The Solution:

We painted the walls a steel grey and added black furniture. This way he could easily change the room as he got older. Kendra Weldon, from Simply Windows, made a custom valance out of Batman pillow shams for the large window and painted the casing black to give it a Gotham feel. I placed the bed along a wall and added a long body pillow covered in fuzzy grey fabric which gave a couch-like quality to the bed. We added a cool light on the wall above the bed. We selected two of the many posters that were donated to us from a comic book company and had them framed and hung on the walls. The large chiseled mirror over the dresser added to the super hero theme, mimicking Spider Man’s web. When Tyler walked into his room, the first thing he did was find the new super hero figures that were on his dresser (also donated) then, after taking it all in, he jumped on the bed and asked his mom if he could have a play date. Mission accomplished!

Special Thanks

We would like to thank all of the volunteers as well as the donors below for being a part of this Dream Team!