The kapow factor

Every superhero needs a right-hand-guy. For three-and-a-half-year-old Kohl Naylor, it’s his cute seven-month-old brother Chace, who arrived on Christmas Day. And everyone knows that superheroes (and growing boys) need space to practise their moves, so mum Rachel and dad Kevin kindly gave up their main bedroom for the cause – all it needed was a makeover fit for two young caped crusaders.

Bam! In a fantastic plot twist, Rachel found out she was a winner of the Resene Dream Room competition, meaning she had $750 of Resene products and $750 cash to put towards redecorating the room.

“It was incredible. We needed to redo this room for the boys and were due to have Chace one month after we found out we won, so the prize came at the right time,” the Paraparaumu mum says.

Rachel wanted to create a room that was bright and adventurous but also personalised to her sons. She also wanted to reflect the theme of ‘brotherly love’, saying, “My boys adore each other and that’s a quality I want to nurture.”

The theme was inspired by Kohl’s love of superhero toys and his favourite pastime of donning Batman or Incredibles costumes with his two-and-a-half-year-old sister Paige to playfight their dad.

It was a team effort, this room makeover. Kevin and a heavily pregnant Rachel stripped wallpaper off the walls, Rachel’s dad plastered, then Kevin took charge of the sanding, painting and floor varnishing.

Rachel chose to paint the room in a bold blue that Superman would be proud of: Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss waterborne enamel in Resene Splish Splash, and the wardrobe in the aptly named Resene Wham (also a Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss waterborne enamel – ideal for surfaces that may come into contact with sticky little hands). She chose to use Resene Magnetic Magic Paint on the wardrobe, so the doors can do double duty as a place to display the kids’ art. Floors were stripped back and coated in Resene Qristal Clearfloor 1K flooring urethane.

The striking black drawers were a $25 Salvation Army score. They were actually an old run-down workbench – Kevin cut part of it off so it would fit in the space between the boys’ beds, then Rachel painted it in Resene Black and varnished it using Resene Aquaclear waterborne urethane varnish. She then added drawer knobs she’d painted blue and adorned with Superman’s logo.

The look was finished off with cityscape wall stickers bought online. The room pops with personality – there’s no doubt two super brothers live here. Above the window are artworks depicting the boys as superheroes, painted by Rachel using a palette of Resene testpots. She also painted the bedheads using Resene Broom, Resene Hero, Resene Havoc, Resene Sea World and Resene Curious Blue.

On one wall hangs a die-cut Superman-style B. It stands for ‘Brothers’ and hangs above three framed photos of Kohl and Chace dressed in Superman outfits.

But it was a $1.50 purchase that made the biggest impact. Rachel bought a printer off TradeMe, which meant she could print the framed photos herself. Then she found a packet of iron-on transfer paper at the Salvation Army for $2 which gave her the idea to print photos of Kohl’s best superhero moments and iron them on to his duvet cover. “That printer is the best thing I have ever bought! I love creating things with it,” she exclaims.

Rachel is more than pleased with the final result. “I love keeping mementos from the kids’ childhood and this is something we can look back on and say, ‘Wow, we were in a national magazine and look what we achieved!’ When I told a friend that it was going to be in Little Treasures she asked if I thought the room would end up looking like a ‘magazine room’. I can honestly say I think it does. I’m really happy with it.”

And so is Kohl. Rachel reports that he’s particularly proud of his name on the wall, spelling it out every time he goes in there, as well as the photos of him on the duvet cover. But Kohl may have competition for the space...

“I think our daughter actually likes the room the most. Every time I tell her to go to bed she tucks herself into Kohl’s bed,” Rachel laughs.

Soon enough, Paige will have her own gorgeous space to retreat to – Rachel and Kevin have been so inspired by the boys’ room that they’ve started work on Paige’s, which will have a butterfly and owl theme.

Resene colours used

• Walls: Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss waterborne enamel in Resene Splish Splash.
• Ceiling and trim: Resene Lustacryl in Resene White.
• Wardrobe: Resene Magnetic Magic then Resene Lustacryl in Resene Wham.
• Artworks and bedheads: Resene Broom, Resene Hero, Resene Havoc, Resene Sea World and Resene Curious Blue.
• Drawers: Resene Black and Resene Aquaclear waterborne urethane varnish.

Tricks & Tips

• “Be creative and add your own personal flair. Kids love seeing themselves reflected in their room,” Rachel suggests.
• “Be realistic about what you want to create – you can achieve some really great things on a limited budget.”
• Rachel used Resene Broadwall Wallboard Sealer to coat the walls first, to get a better paint job finish.
• After painting the drawers black, Rachel varnished them using Resene Aquaclear waterborne urethane varnish – this not only adds gloss, it also makes them hard-wearing, to withstand knocks and flying kicks from little crime fighters.

Kid's Bedroom Decorating Ideas
View more decorating ideas for kids from Little Treasures magazine in the Resene kid's bedroom inspiration gallery.

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