Girls room reveal: purple grid wall

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I did this!

And all for so cheap. I first got the idea of using something off the beaten path for the grid when Young House Love used wood underlayment sheets for their planked faux shiplap. Since this is a a low traffic area, I went even cheaper and got a 4'x8' hardboard tempered panel for $11.46. I now have plans to use this in the master (faux shiplap) and the kids bathroom (board and batten - I soaked it in water to see how it will do with moisture. I forgot about it and it's been in a cup for 2 days and no warping or swelling. It did dye the water, so I'll be sure to do a good priming coat). An added plus of doing this thin material, is that it lined up with the already existing baseboards.

I got the hardboard panel at Home Depot (along with some plants) and they cut them down to 12" strips. I then enlisted about 15 minutes of my brother in laws help to cut them to the needed size on his table saw. I went 2" for the strips. Then I sanded them all with an electric sander - this took care of any tear-ups from the saw + roughed up the finish for paint to adhere to better.

I put the vertical lines in first (I have 8' walls, so had to cut a few inches off from the baseboards) and then put in the horizontal pieces, cut with a chop saw. I chose the dimensions of the rectangles based on the size of the butterfly art. Even the placement of the horizontal lines were based on the placement of the art. So glad it turned out looking good! 

Everywhere I read that I needed to caulk the edges and gaps (and I definitely had gaps between the boards. I am not the most exact measurer), but I finished getting all the strips up at 9:00 pm and everything was closed (COVID = no late night trips for supplies), and I was antsy, so I used spackling compound to fill in the gaps. Worked so well. I didn't caulk or spackle the edges either - the strips hugged close to the wall + dark paint = you can't see any gaps. I know this isn't the "right way," but isn't that what DIY is partially about? Figuring out how to make it work within your budget and time restraints. And I am pleased with the results, and that, my friends, is what it's all about! You can see the tightness of the boards + the mistakes of my quickness. 

Since the hardboard is dark and my paint is dark, I only needed one coat. Should've done more touch-up, but my girls were so ready to get in here (and their brother was so ready for them not to sleep in his room another night). I didn't notice this until I was putting the beds in place, and my honest thought was "Jac will probably draw on here soon, so when I get the paint out again I'll fix this." Ha, ha. My motto is: done is better than perfect. You really can't see this unless you wedge between one of the bed and the window. 

I whipped this project out in about 48 hours. Been dreaming about it for over a year. I even put a purple grid wall in the girls dollhouse to match their would-be room. 

Calling their room done. For now. I really want to put in a window seat/dresser (found somethings that was perfect for $50 on Facebook Marketplace today and the lady told me I had it, then sold it. So frustrating). Here's the break down cost of my projects. I really want to prove that you can create beautiful spaces for cheap. Like really cheap. It is one of my biggest frustrations when bloggers say something is "budget" and it's not. Just no. So, here is my truly budget, whimsical twin girls bedroom reveal. You can read about my thrifting tips here. 

Purple grid wall: 

• $11.46 for tempered hardboard 
• $25 for a gallon of paint. It was discontinued for 40% off

Butterfly picture:

• $2 engineer print of clip art. I colored it in with my kids Crayola colored pencils. 

Beds: 

• $20 of Facebook Marketplace. One needed to be repaired. I still wouldn't jump on that one. 
• $30 spray paint. Should've painted it with a brush. This added up quickly. 

Painted rug: 

• Repurposed from stuff I already owned. Originally $20 from a yard sale.
• Used white paint I already had. 
• $4 paint sample for stripes

Vanity: 

• $20 of Facebook Marketplace (it was in rough shape). 
• $15 for stain + conditioning oil + wood filler
• $16 for pulls from Hobby Lobby (my favorite place to get pulls. So cheap. Go 50% off often). One broke. Still need to replace it.

All the other decor was clearance or second hand. IKEA twin duvets were clear-out = $6 each. The tassel garland, flower garland, and metal flower were Target season end clearance. The lamp was thrifted. The hanging doodle wall is currently (May 2020) in the Target dollar spot for $3. The side table I got off Facebook Marketplace for $5. The sheets are the only thing I bought new - fell in love with them and couldn't get second hand or wait for clearance. I got these for when they shared queen bed, and made two twin fitted sheets out of the original set. Oh! I also made the hexagon shelf. 

I should add, I slowly collected these items as I found them. Worked on projects bit by bit. I had a grand plan in mind and pieced it together - this grid wall is just the culmination of about two years of work and effort.