Finally, I can share with you my boy’s African Safari themed budget bedroom makeover. It’s been 6 months in the making. It’s taken a while to hold out from buying new and finding just the right things I needed but it was worth the wait. If I would’ve had to buy a lot of these things new, it would’ve cost me a fortune. He is extremely pleased with the results so that’s the main thing.

His sister’s bedroom got a makeover last year so it was only fair he got the same. When I first asked him what he wanted he said a ‘zebra’ themed room. I thought “great”. Black and white, that would be easy. But it wasn’t as easy as I thought. I had such a hard time finding black bedding, especially for a reasonable price and then, just like that, I had the opportunity to review the bedding range at Just Bedding (not sponsored) and when I saw they had a plain black comforter, I grabbed it. By then, I had accumulated a lot of African bric-a-brac and found a lot of things already in my collection, that it evolved into an African themed room.

The Details

The first thing I found was this framed cheetah print from my local op shop. It basically set the theme that followed. I also had a ‘broken’ branch of quite a large artificial plant that I have in my living room. (“No one” in the house knew how it got broken.) So I grabbed a pot from the shed, filled it with mulch from the garden and found a cheap plant stand to pop it in. If I had to buy something new in the makeover, it was under protest.

I really took my time to search for secondhand items or items I already owned and most of the time I was lucky. I could’ve gone without but with the money I saved sourcing the items cheaply, I didn’t think it was too bad to splurge on a couple of cheap purchases. If and when my boy tires of the African theme, these items can be used for something else. The stuffed tiger was already in his collection. (My kids are so attached to their stuffed toys.)

1. Framed cheetah print – $6

2. Faux potted plant in stand – $6 for the stand from here

3. Stuffed tiger toy – already in collection

The clock was an op shop purchase. I was looking for that ‘just right’ clock. Something that looked a little rustic and antique and this already had that finish. Someone had painted it and the paint was starting to chip and crack so it fits perfectly. I only had to insert a new battery. The faux zebra skin wall art was a little more than I would’ve liked to have paid but I bought the fabric myself and covered a print that I picked up cheaply.

I picked up quite a few cushion covers that were priced at anywhere from 50 cents to a dollar, gave them a good wash and used inserts I already had. The only new cushion was the one above of the giraffe. (I figured I’d bought my daughter a brand new cushion cover so it was only fair I bought my son one too. You know, sibling rivalry and all that!)

4. Battery operated wall clock from op shop – $2

5. Faux zebra skin wall art – $25

6. New and second hand cushion covers – Priced from 50 cents to $2 including a brand new cover priced at $5

Repurposed Items

This bookcase has been ‘in the family’ since forever. It has been used in so many places, in so many rooms. I can’t even tell you when or where I bought it from. It was one of those ‘put it together yourself’ types and it was always in it’s raw form of unfinished pine timber. I decided to paint it black (eeek!) because I don’t like painting furniture because I figure that it’s hard to reuse in another room if I have to but I’m sure a plain black bookcase will be used again, for sure.

The African object d’art has been picked up from the op shops over the last 6 months. I haven’t been looking for it, rather just in there having a browse or looking for something else in particular and these items just popped up. The mini stereo system is a very simple one we picked up from our local tip shop for $2 and it plays CDs and the radio.

The rocks my son collects (or rather, they just so happen to be in his pockets and I find them just before that item of clothing is going into the washing machine). The globe has been around since the kids were born and the globe bookend was something that belonged to the ex-husband a long time ago. 

 

7. (My counting isn’t too good.)

8. Bric-a-brac from collection and op shops – $10

9. Painted bookcase – from collection

I spotted this leopard photo on canvas in the op shop and it was brand new and sealed in plastic. It was perfect for filling this narrow space on one of the walls.

10. Leopard photograph on canvas (new) from op shop – $2

This bedside table, again, has been in the family since forever. It was previously painted in “Dinoco” blue, “Lightning McQueen” red and blackboard paint on the drawers but I decided to cover it up with a small tin of black gloss. I replaced the door knobs with raw pine knobs and lined the drawers with wrapping paper I already had.

11. Bedside table already in collection – $10 for paint and new knobs

Bedding

The black comforter was received for free in return for a review on Just Bedding, the online bedding store. The zebra canvas was picked up from an online garage sale. I had in mind some motivatonal ‘adventure’ themed prints which I’d frame in photo frames I already had but when I started googling for prints, these two banners came up for sale from one of the local discount variety stores. By the time I printed them I figured, for the price, these would suit just fine.

As much as I hate the thought of buying new, if the price is right and it can be used for something else, I’ll buy it. I figured these will last my son for at least the next few years no matter what theme his bedroom is.

12. Black comforter from Just Bedding – gifted

13. Zebra canvas – $5

14. Two printed hanging banners – $7 from KMart

When googling ‘animal prints’ one day, I stumbled across these cute animal foot prints so I printed that out and put it in a frame already had. I searched and searched for a suitable lamp for makeover and I was going to glue the plastic animals on it and spray paint it but I just couldn’t find one. I stumbled across this LED battery operated lantern which I thought fit in well with the theme and it was reasonably priced. No need to worry about electricity. The plastic animals were in my son’s collection.

15. Framed animal prints – free

16. LED Battery Operated Lantern – $10 from KMart

17. Plastic African animals – in collection

Curtains

You won’t believe how long I searched for curtains. (Well, about 6 months!) Even brand new, I couldn’t justify the price. The window is quite wide and I would’ve needed at least 3 ready made or metres and metres of fabric. I just didn’t want to spend that kind of money and I wasn’t having much luck at the op shops. I had in mind a ‘palm tree’ type print and I seemed to be having flashbacks that I’d seen something like that before. Then it dawned on me. These actual curtains, believe it or not, were curtains I made back when I was about 18 years old (some 34 years ago) in a new room Mum and Dad had built for me.

I must’ve bought metres and metres of the fabric because I remember lining a large cane chest as well for winter clothes. I asked my sister (who still lives in the family home) if she still had them and she did. The thermal lining was still intact. They were still hanging in the downstairs space that was once my room. Can you believe it? They were absolutely perfect. I gave them a good soak and gentle wash and they came out like brand new. Thirty four year old curtains! Who would’ve thought? It pays never to throw away curtains. You never know when you might need them again.

18. Palm print thermal lined curtains – in collection

I had all sorts of ideas for a mat. I had a few old carpet pieces I was going to hand paint in either leopard or giraffe print and then one day when I was out and about, I spotted this plush bath mat for $2. It was the perfect colouring and no need to paint mats that would probably no longer be used if they were in animal print.

19. Second hand plush bath mat – $2

Toy Storage

The Lego & Toy storage was made from a trolley that we had scored for free at my husband’s last place of residence. Someone was just going to throw it out. It’s come in handy for so many things. I had struggled to find suitable containers to fill it for some of my son’s Lego and his toys until I spotted some kitty litter trays, of all things, which fit perfectly. You can read about that makeover here.

The striped chair was already in my collection and it has a handy storage section underneath for all sorts of things. When the kids were babies, I bought two string bags for about $3 each which keeps all their soft toys in one spot, something my kids can’t seem to part with. I think they inherited the sentimental hoarding streak from me. Oh well, they don’t take up much room.

20. Lego & Toy Storage Unit – $10

21. Striped storage chair – already in collection

22. String bags for soft toy storage – already in collection

So there you have it, finally. I do have one more project I’d like to do, to really finish the makeover but I thought I’d better post what I’ve already done or you could be waiting another 6 months for the post. The total cost was just over $100. That amount spread over time didn’t put a dent in the budget but if I would’ve gone out and bought all new, it would’ve cost a lot more than that. I did get the comforter for free as well but I did have another one for back up which only cost $6 I could’ve used if the bedding review hadn’t have come along.

Beware of the wild animal in the bottom right corner.

 

As much as I could probably afford to just go out and buy all new things when I get a theme in mind, I find it quite challenging to make do with what I already have and buy second hand or makeover where I can. I get a real kick out of it. The next challenge is the main bedroom. It’s quite okay but I’d like just a quick makeover using what I’ve already got. 

 

Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post. I was gifted a comforter from Just Bedding and all photos, thoughts and opinions are my own. The items purchased from KMart are also not sponsored.