The boys room was very bland and needed some pop! I decided on a bold, teal accent wall with board and batten ($100). I added a fun detail to the ceiling by stamping it with a star in the same color ($5). I also found some affordable posters ($9) and hung them with cheap wooden dowels ($2.50) on the opposite wall. I’ve got all the tutorials for them right here!

Let’s start with the before photo:

You’re impressed with me as a home decor blogger right now, aren’t you? Dated, sagging fan, super disgusting carpet, Christmas lights for days and orange and green bedding. The things dreams are made of. I thought the bedding would be ok when I bought it, but it just ate away at me every time I looked at it. I’m an aesthetic junkie.

So I took down the string lights, put the comforters in some old duvet covers I saved and found some sheets on clearance at Target. The wall was very simple to do and really made all the difference in this room!
We also happened to be getting new floors in the bedrooms during this time. Hooray!









I found that chair at a consignment store for $25!







I made this Lord’s Prayer poster for the kids when they were little to help them learn it. You can get a free copy over in this post.

The boys’ Legos live in large bins under this Ikea coffee table. This is what has worked best for us so far.

I found this bedside organizer for the top bunk because my son doesn’t have a nightstand. He likes to stay up a little later than his younger brother and read, so this works great.


I use this wooden shelf with hooks for the boys to put their backpacks (sometimes they make it there). And the slot is for library books so they don’t get lost in the shuffle.
Here are the tutorials for the wall, ceiling stars and DIY poster hanging.

Paint color
I’ve been obsessed with this rich color ever since I saw it. Benjamin Moore Newburg Green a transformative peacock color that looks blue or green, depending on the light. I still find myself eyeing it, trying to determine which it is!
I thought the dark color would make the room look smaller, but just doing one accent wall actually gave the room more depth.

Wall
This is my third board and batten wall that I have done by myself. My first one was in the entryway and that post has a full tutorial. The second was in my dining room where I added a shelf on top.
This one is more simple, just vertical boards. I wanted the accent wall to have some depth and interest to it.
INSTAGRAM: By the way, I’m doing projects nearly every day on Instagram stories. Come follow along with me. Some don’t make it onto the blog! You can find the stories from this post under my “Board and Batten” saved story.

Tools
- 2×3 common boards
- tape measure
- hammer
- finishing nails
- level
- caulking gun
- liquid nails
- caulk
- paint
- roller
- paintbrush

I used common boards for the cheapest solution, but you have to make sure you get the straightest ones of the bunch. Some of them are crooked. (I’m sure that why all my boards are not perfectly straight, haha!)
I see lots of other DIYers using MDF board, which could be a great solution.

To say I did it all by myself is a bit of a fib. Clara helped me paint. She took angry selfies on my phone until I let her roll.

I used an artist’s brush (my usual trick) to get in those difficult spots around the boards at the top.



Ceiling stamp
I was so pleased with the bold wall, but I wanted one more touch — stars on the ceiling. It needed just a little bit of magic in here.
I sure as heck wasn’t going to wallpaper a tray ceiling (or any ceiling for that matter) so I looked and looked for the perfect large star stamp. And I found it!


I put a small amount of the same paint from the wall on a paper plate and carefully stuck it to the ceiling, gently pressing on all the edges and middle. I got three stamps out of each dip of the plate.

I eyeballed the spacing. I didn’t need that to be perfect — or the stamps. I like that they each look a little different.

DIY poster hanging kit
I balanced the wall opposite the accent wall with these vintage posters ($9). The boys picked their favorites and I narrowed it down to these.
I didn’t want to pay $17 for a poster kit to hang them, so I made my own for $3! Like this:


I like to hang art that will have exposed nails with upholstery nails instead of regular nails. Just a little bit prettier :)

So what do you think? Would you try any of these projects? What projects do you have going on at your house?
Sources
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Be sure to follow me on Pinterest and Instagram! I share a lot of ideas and all the details on current projects on Instagram stories. Come follow along with me. Some don’t make it onto the blog!
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Hello Kate, This is a “wow” project! I just love what you have accomplished. I so love all the “white” interiors I see on internet, alas, our home is a bit too small for all that, besides, I love color, from pastels to the warm Tuscan shades. The room has been totally transferred from bland to grand! I bet the boys are also loving it. Everything has turned out just great even the bed organizer is perfect especially for the late owl who enjoys a bit of a read. The stripe linen always works. When I was small we had candy broad stripe linen, it makes your sleep that bit more special, bed linen needs a bit of extra attention, you have really perfected that room, later just get that easy reading chair recovered, sorry, it would look great in a teal color as well – so I think. I love the flooring much easier to keep clean and Clara has left her stamp of approval. Thanks for sharing your projects, your home is becoming more like yourself! I really loved the read can’t wait for the next – God bless :)
Thanks, Elize! It’s fun to slowly add some color in the house. I’m trying to use a color palette now, unlike my previous houses, haha! And I agree, striped linen always works. Best to you!
Hi Kate,
I just discovered your blog through Laurenbernsinteriors, and I really like it. What you are doing with your home is beautiful. I read the story of how you found your home, and we have a similar story with our current home( things lined up in a miraculous manner for us to afford a home we needed). All glory to God.
Keep up your good work!
That’s amazing, Valerie! It makes the home so special when you know God put you there. Thanks for your kind words! Hope you’ll be back :)
Hi! My husband and I LOVE Newburg green and are planning to paint an accent wall in the living room. What neutral color did you paint the other walls in this room? Thank you! Also, you did an AMAZING job!
Thanks! I think it would go with any neutral. This is some kind of light beige that was already here when we moved in. It wouldn’t be my first pick, but I haven’t mustered up the energy to paint it!
Hi Kate! Where did you get the rug? I’m in love with this room! Thanks :)
It was from Ikea about 12 years ago! Sorry, that’s not very helpful