One of the many features about our Connecticut home that made us fall in love with it was the tiny study space off of the upstairs landing. My girls have always been crafty and I knew that I could turn it into a small craft room that they’d love!
Today I’m sharing the “before” and “after” of this space along with the small craft room ideas we used to transform it. Come on in and I’ll show you around… (post includes commissionable links; for more information, see my full disclosure statement {here})
In case you didn’t see what it looked like when we moved in, we’ll start by throwing it back to the “before”. It’s a TINY room that was honestly pretty dreary:
Here’s what that same spaced looks like after its transformation:
These are the small craft room ideas that I used to give this little space a glow-up…
1. Wallpaper or Paint an Accent Wall
One of the biggest changes to the feel of this space is the wallpaper! I hung {this blue and white leafy vine wallpaper} that adds a flowy, creative feel:
I’m pretty addicted to wallpaper and how much style you can add even by using just a single roll. Check out my post on Serena & Lily wallpaper for some of my other favorite wallpapers and get ideas for other ways you can use a small amount of wallpaper for a big impact in my post on wallpaper ideas.
Add Cabinetry (Or Freshen Up Existing Cabinets with Paint!)
The other thing that made a huge difference is that I painted the cabinetry white. I wasn’t sure how that would work out since it’s inexpensive laminate cabinetry but it turned out beautifully! I did it using the same step by step as I did with our painted bathroom vanity – using a primer that sticks to slick surfaces was key!
Change the Vibe with New Knobs
I dressed our new no-longer-puke-yellow cabinets up with some fun new dragonfly knobs too:
How cute are they?! It always amazes me what a difference a simple change in hardware can make!
Store Supplies in Glass Jars
I also added a few of {these glass storage jars} to hold the ribbons and threads that my daughters use the most:
Not only are they easy to access since they’re out on the desk, but since they’re clear it’s easy to see inside and find what you’re looking for.
Don’t Skimp on Lighting
You definitely need ample lighting in a craft room – a combination of overhead lighting and table or desk lamps is ideal. I added a pair of {these petite brass and acrylic lamps} and think they’re the cutest!
And do you want to see what our newly made-over landing looks like too? Here’s where that space started out:
Could it be any more boring? Umm….no! There was nothing wrong with the loveseat or the ottoman but this just didn’t exactly scream “fun place for two teenage girls to hang out” which is exactly what the purpose of this space is. After six weeks of working away, this is what our upstairs landing area looks like today:
Bonus Room Sources: Herringbone wallpaper (color: denim) | White quilted Euro shams (similar) | Blue & white block print pillow covers (similar) | White cozy pom pom throw | Brass sputnik flush mount light fixture (similar). | Roman shades with ribbon trim in Light Navy trim | White Moroccan leather poufs | Other finds are no longer available
Now THIS is a space that my girls will love hanging out in! The whole transformation started with this beautiful daybed and {this foam mattress} that so many of you recommended to me and slowly went from there. If you’ve been following along from the beginning you might remember that the wallpaper was one of the first things that I picked out but it unexpectedly went out of stock and I had to go to plan B and use {this herringbone wallpaper} instead. Well sometimes things happen for a reason because I think it’s a perfect fit for the space:
And speaking of perfect fits, can we talk about our new lighting?? Before we had only a dim, ugly overhead dome light that I replaced with this gorgeous flush mount brass sputnik. Honestly, I surprised even myself when I chose this brass beauty since it’s more modern that what I traditionally go with but I fell for it the second I saw it and now want to sputnik-ify every room of my house – I LOVE it!
And for someone like me who loves well lit rooms, this baby can light up a room like no other (I used a combination of {these 15 watt bulbs} and a few 25 watt bulbs I already had on hand to get the perfect amount of light for the room).
I also added a brass floor lamp next to the daybed for reading – such a great buy and I love that it ties in the brass at the other end of the room!
I shared the deets about {my new Roman shades with light navy ribbon trim} last week but had to mention once more how gorgeous and well made they are. Melissa does beautiful (and very reasonably priced!) work and I highly recommend her. I’m super glad that I decided to go with inside mount shades instead of outside mount which is what was there previously – the inside mounts are so clean, tailored, and fresh looking!
Other new additions are these two white leather Moroccan poufs:
I love that they’re so versatile and can be used for foot rests but also for extra seating when my kids have a bunch of friends over. I’ve seen similar ones for big bucks but spent a lot of time looking for reasonably priced options and reading reviews and ended up buying {these poufs} which actually come in white along with a bunch of other different colors. I’m really happy with how they look and excited that they were such a great deal.
Did you notice in my pouf pic that someone furry came along and joined us mid tour? Hope decided that this whole daybed thing is pretty boss and divides her time between cuddling into the super soft pom pom throw and cozy Euro shams that are mixed in with two block print pillows and a pair of striped tassel pillows.
And how about that kids’ art gallery wall over the daybed, let’s talk about that too – do you like how it turned out?
I used an eclectic mix of frames to frame artwork from both of my girls throughout the years, starting with drawings from when they were super little all of the way through to some current art pieces like the pencil sketch in the middle. I love being able to show off their creativity and get some of their older artwork that I truly cherish out of storage boxes and up on the wall where we can all enjoy it. I would guess that there will be a lot of art swapping going on in this little gallery wall over the next several years as new pieces get created!
If you struggle to arrange art in a gallery wall, see my post on gallery wall layouts that makes it easy!
Let’s take one more “before” and “after” peek before we go, ok? Here’s the entire bonus room space before:
and here it is now:
Thanks to all of you who followed along with this fun project!
Want to save this post?
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Angie Riley says
Wow!!! Not only is the room beautiful, it incorporates very affordable pieces to create a custom look. Thank you for always sharing your amazing style with us.
Kris Jarrett says
Thanks Angie! I definitely tried to keep this one within budget – so glad you like it!!
Jen @ Noting Grace says
Wow wow wow!!! I am in love with this reveal! That wallpaper in your craft room is gorgeous – and those inlay drawer pulls are stunners! Awesome job on this reveal – it’s amazing!
Kris Jarrett says
Thank you so much Jen!
Kristin @ Postbox Designs says
That’s it-that is my new favorite wallpaper, it makes your entire space. And those brass lights are simply gorgeous. You did an amazing ORC makeover!
Kris Jarrett says
Thank you Kristin! That wallpaper is one of my favorite things about the space!
Susan says
Kris, you did it again! What gorgeous spaces. Each area is alive with pattern and interest. You reused items, added details like the funky light and dragonfly knobs and gave each area personality. Your girls’ artwork was a thoughtful touch too. I love your designs and would love to relax or work in your spaces! Congratulations!
Kris Jarrett says
Thank you so much Susan!!!
Jenny says
Kris, once again you knocked it out of the park! I love how fresh and crisp this space looks! That wallpaper is just perfect for the space! You know how I love navy! 🙂 Great work as always!
Kris Jarrett says
Thank you Jenny! It’s so nice to be done isn’t it?!
Randi says
Kris this space is a totally stunner! I love all of the layers of blue and textures! The wall of art is darling! So well done my friend! xoxo
Kris Jarrett says
Thank you so much Randi!
JENNIFER PROCK says
Wow!!!! You did it again!! I bet your girls and all of their friends are in LOVE! I know I am! Both spaces are perfect in EVERY SINGLE WAY! Can you please adopt me so I can hang out here too? And can we talk about the sewing machine? Do you sew too? Your talents are limitless!
Kris Jarrett says
Jen, you can come hang out here WHENEVER you’d like!! And my sewing skills are pretty limited – I can pretty much just sew in a straight line but my youngest sews clothes without even having a pattern – she’s crazy good!
Debbie says
Kris, you nailed it! Beautiful spaces and great choices on everything. You truly have a wonderful eye for design. Can’t really pick a favorite because I love all of it!
Kris Jarrett says
Debbie, you’re too sweet! Thank you so much!
Vel says
Everything is just perfect Kris!!!!! I love everything and most especially your craft room! Mine is too jam packed already, I love how yours look so calming! The wallpapers are both fantastic too! Cheers to us for another room done!
Kris Jarrett says
Thank you so much Vel! Those craft rooms get cluttered up quickly right?! So glad to be done! Hope you get sometime to relax this weekend!
Sharon C says
Wow, what a difference you’ve made to these two spaces…….from blah to simply gorgeous! The blues are all so refreshing and just beautiful. Well done. Looking forward to your tutorial on how you painted the laminate cabinetry.
Kris Jarrett says
Thanks Sharon! I probably won’t get to it until January but I’ll definitely have a detailed tutorial. It was much easier than I expected – wish I had done it long ago!
June says
Love love love your color choices, your wall paper your light fixtures….great job!
Kris Jarrett says
Thank you June!!
Lauren says
Both spaces look great, and I’ve really enjoyed watching the transformation. I love that your fur baby is in some of the shots too. They just can’t resist a comfortable pillow or bed. I’m usually not too excited about wallpaper, but it really looks great. The furniture you selected coordinates beautifully. Great job!
Kris Jarrett says
Thank you so much Lauren!!
Angie says
As always, you did an outstanding job!!! I look forward to seeing your email every week!! What an inspiration!
Kris Jarrett says
Angie, thank you so much! I love hearing that!
Lauren@SimplyLKJ says
Kris, your one room challenge makeovers (and everything you do really) always amaze me. You are so talented my friend. The room is perfection. Love the mix of patterns. And the use of your daughters art is so special.
Kris Jarrett says
Lauren, you are so sweet and I appreciate it so much that you always take the time to stop by and leave a comment. Thank you!!
Tamara says
Kris!! What a perfect space this is for your girls! It’s actually a perfect space for me haha! I dream of having a bonus/craft room and you have hit the nail on the head with every single detail! You know how much I love blue and white, so this room just made my heart skip a beat! Both wallpapers are stunning and that gallery wall couldn’t be more perfect! If I ever get around to redoing our basement I am stealing that idea! You truly are so talented and I’m blown away, as usual! xoxo
Kris Jarrett says
Tam, thank you so much! I’m so glad that we were able to do this together! You can steal these ideas and then I’ll steal your bathroom ones when we get around to doing ours, okay?! 🙂
Sarah Sofia Knepp says
Kris, this room is absolutely stunning from the wallpaper, roman shades, hardware and lighting! Major blue & white crush! Love seeing Hope enjoy this space! Cheers my friend on another fab ORC in the books! Xoxo, Sarah
Kris Jarrett says
Thank you Sarah! I really appreciate your sweet words! I missed having you in this one with me!