The Nook

 The nook is finished! And the staircase too. 
For anyone new to this story, we decided to remove the closet at the top of the stairs and replace it with a dresser instead. I have always loved the old-fashioned approach to storage.
This is what we used to see at the top of the stairs:

 And this is what we see now!

I could not ask for a more enthusiastic and hard working man than my husband. He is so supportive of all my ideas, even if they mean a lot of extra work for him. He tore out the old ceiling tiles and the closet and then he built the plank walls and ceiling all by himself. 
Here are the old ceiling tiles. 

We painted the ceiling a light blue to add some color and prettiness to the space. It matches the blue in our bedroom which is to the right of the stairs.


Reducing our storage forced me to further evaluate the things I needed, and to donate the extras. I think that extra storage can often lead to keeping unnecessary items.

The old pine dresser is from a farmhouse near where we were married. I found it on Kijiji of course:) We are going to make a white barnboard frame to go above the flea market chair.

Here is our family photo gallery. I love this wall! I really wanted a classic look to the photos and I think using all black frames helps achieve that.
We could not afford to change the carpet, but it is in good condition and is neutral. I think that a lot of people avoid renovating and decorating spaces until they can make them absolutely perfect. However, it is so rewarding to look at a space and think of all the things that you can do now with a little effort (or a lot of effort from my husband as in this case!) Cedar plank paneling like this is very affordable and added character to a space that had none previously.

I found this simple vintage-inspired light at Lowes for $30.

The view going downstairs is much nicer too!
Our approach to doing any room in our house is to first concentrate on the "backdrop." Generally, for us this means adding beadboard, painting, replacing ceiling tiles and flooring. When you have a textured backdrop it makes everything in front look prettier. We could have invested hundreds of dollars in a brand new dresser or armoire, but instead we chose to spend the money changing the architecture and buy used furniture instead. I really don't think the furniture is as important as what is behind it and how it is  displayed.

I hope you enjoyed this little tour of our nook. Today is hot, with a sweaty baby and without a working air conditioner I am very glad someone invented fans!
Have a wonderful day:)
I'm linking this to the Shabby Chic Cottage Transformation Thursday
and Funky Junk Interiors Saturday Night Special