Changing a Spare Room into a Diva Den

This week, we’re transforming a dull dining room into a diva den.

Homeowner Robin Stafford hasn’t used this room for dining since she moved into her home, so we’re going to turn it into a unique space for her to relax and unwind with her daughter. 

Paint Accent Wall

To create a focal point for the room, we paint a vertical striped accent wall. The vertical stripes draw your eyes up the wall and call attention to the tall ceiling.

First, we remove the chair rail so the room looks as big as it feels.

Next, we patch the nail holes with drywall mud.

After all the holes are filled, we put a fresh coat of paint on the wall.

Next, we measure out the width of our stripes and mark the lines with a pencil. Then, we use a level to create straight vertical lines for the tape to go over. we tape our vertical stripes on the wall. 

For the stripe colors, we’re going with tan and white. To make painting easier, we mark the slats for the tan stripes with an “x.” 

We use painter’s tape to mark off the stripes on the wall. After the tape is in place, we use the wall color to seal off the tape so none of our stripe color gets underneath.

We then apply two coats of our stripe color and remove the painter’s tape. 

Convert Dresser to Bar

Robin has a dresser she inherited from her mother that we’re able to reuse and reconfigure for a bar.

We remove the bottom two drawers to create a large bottom shelf for bottles. Then, we take out the large top middle drawer and convert that space into a wine rack. 

We keep the top side drawers for storage space. 

We remove the bottom rails that dived of the old bottom drawers with an oscillating saw.

Next, we reuse the wood on what used to be the back of this dresser as the finished inside of our bottom cabinet.

To keep it in place without using a bunch of nails, we use Titebond Original Wood Glue. 

After we reconfigure the dresser into a bar, we prime and paint it a new fun color.

Install Ceiling Drape and LED Lights

To give this diva den a relaxing lounge feel, we’re draping some sheer chiffon curtains at the top of this tall ceiling for a cabana feel. 

To get this effect, we used three curtains and nailed the panels to the ceiling.

For some fun lighting, we installed LED light tape along the ceiling. These lights change color with the click of a button. 

We also:

• Built a day bed
• Added shelves
• Spray-painted planter gold
• Spray-painted wall plates

Post-Production Thoughts

Robin’s formal dining room had great natural light, tall ceilings and plenty of space, but it had no real purpose. So, it became a catch-all for furniture that had no other home. Because it was right next to the front door, it was the very first thing her guests saw.

But now, the room has a purpose and personality.

The bold stripes on the accent walls draw you in and accentuate the height of the ceiling, which makes a statement of its own with the soft LED lights filtering through the sheer drapes. This ceiling makes it clear this room is designed for relaxation.

Of course, the custom day bed fits in perfectly with that scheme. It’s simple, comfortable, and complements the striped wall behind it. The dresser-turned-bar adds a pop of color to the room and pays homage to Robin’s mother while it serves a very practical purpose.  

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