Please help me redecorate a room and IKEA furniture

[Thisisthelaststraw]

Hi,

Dd is 19yo and doesn’t like the decor she chose at 16yo. I don’t like her room either, never have but it was what she wanted at the time.

It’s painted turquoise with white Malm ikea furniture and she’s looking for something cosier and warmer. I’m willing to repaint but I’m not replacing the furniture as it would cost too much and it’s not old. I would be willing to paint it and have looked at YouTube for ideas/hacks etc so I know it can be painted if done right. The problem is I don’t know what colour.

She likes the other rooms in the house. Light walls, dark wood furniture in one and yellow (I know that sounds rank but it’s lovely, honest) with oak furniture in the other.

Malm is laminate so I can’t sand and stain it. It’ll have to be paint and with that in mind I can’t really go dark can I?

Could I get a cosy, warm feeling room if we leave the furniture as is and pick a good colour for the walls? What colour?

One more thing - would it be hideous to do the drawer fronts and doors in a wood effect contact? (I can see the horrified faces already! )

Please share some tips or ideas to give me inspiration

What about a nice blush type shade on the walls? A pinkish mocha, rose gold type influence?

Go Scandi and make it feel cosy with nice bedding and curtains and cosy throws over he bed.

Might sound a bit twee but there’s a display in our local Ikea that works really well. Copper and grey in it as well, deep (faux) sheepskin rugs. Might date quickly, though.

Lots of good ideas here

m.facebook.com/groups/300056586848218

www.thepennydrawerblog.com/new-blog/2017/3/8/ikea-malm-makeover

How about using stencils on the drawer fronts?

Or cover the drawer fronts with patterned paper (the example in that link is a bit twee but gives you the gist)

You could fablon the furniture? Comes in lots of colours / designs.

Ooh lots of great ideas, thank you

I need to look at the links properly and look up fablon.

Oh so fablon is what I meant by ‘contact’. I’ll have a look a time some finishes.

I like the blush/rose gold tones and I think dd would love that idea too.

Thanks so much everyone

Def look into fablon for the malm. It's fiddly to begin with until you get the knack, but it's great for makeovers. I've recently done a small u it in grey and it's lols fab. They sell it online, eBay and Amazon, but they also sell it in Homebase and B&M

Yes, I've done it. Use chalk paint, then finish with a coat of matt varnish. You don't need to sand or anything, first coat looks shit, second coat is miraculous. So easy to do.

I'd go for a warm pale grey or griege colour. I used rustoleums. They have some fab colours.

Then you can paint thr room as you wish. A pale blush would be lovely.

I have painted Malm furniture and it looks great.

I also think that brickwork wallpaper looks good in teenagers’ bedrooms.

i think fablon will horrible and will peel at the corners.
I would paint it.

But curtains and bedding will go a long way to changing the moood of the room

I’ve recently painted Billy bookcases with Rust-oleum chalky furniture paint finished with a wax, and I’ve used grey/white wallpaper for the backing sealed with Modge Podge. It is wearing well so far and looks lovely I think.

I was going to suggest chalk paint.