Three years ago, the boys’ room looked like this:
But typical us, we decided to shake things up and move rooms around. First they moved into our large bonus room, and then into the back bedroom {still upstairs}. Don’t ask me why we feel so compelled to move entire rooms so frequently. It makes life more interesting, I guess.
Anyway, for the last year or so the boys’ room has looked like this:
Lovely, isn’t it? This bedroom is a little bit bigger than the striped room {now the playroom – update coming someday}, but I just have not taken the time to fix things up properly. My boys are 9, 7 & 5 years old – which are not exactly the ages where tidiness is valued. But we all enjoy being in spaces that are interesting, put together, personal and have unique touches specific to the occupants and so I figure it’s time to give the boys a grown-up-ish room that reflects their interests {but still keeps in line with my style}. Hopefully having a finished room will have the same effect on them as redoing the laundry room did for me: it makes me want to be in there and keep it looking nice. We’ll see if that works on school-aged boys.
Here’s where we’re going with it:
{sources to come}
It’s a mix of vintage/outdoorsy/camp/adventure with a few whimsical touches {like the bright red floor lamp and the cardboard diy antlers}.
We’re working with what we already have: navy bunk beds {from costco five-ish years ago}, a beat-up white dresser, gray striped duvets {west elm}, sisal rug {ikea}, wicker laundry hamper {super old from potterybarn} and awesome Lindsay Letters be brave canvas {see it here}.
Then we’ll add in a few purchased things and a handful of diy projects.
I’m hoping to get the boys to help as much as they can and keep it a fun, boyish and organized space for them to dwell.
Of course I’ll keep you updated as we make progress. Hoping to have this one done before they head back to school in September. Maybe having a deadline will keep me on task!
Stay tuned for lots more to come in the boys’ room …
If you have not already, would you answer a few questions to help make this blog even more fun to read?
Thanks a bunch!
What a HOOT!
That’s my grain sack pillow with the stenciled number 5 on it.
(Perfect for a boy’s room because “Red 5” was Luke Skywalker’s call number in A New Hope)
Glad that I could lend some inspiration to your son’s room.
Hi Emily! I love this room! Where did you find the arrow pillow, blue fan and rugs pictured in your inspiration pic? Thanks!
ive been on vacation this week so i’m just now seeing this post. i absolutely adore your board! i started on my sons room last year but then just kind of stalled out. i have the west elm striped bedding, a nautical looking light, that arrow pillow from target, a JDC print, and the plumbing pipe curtain rod already planned so i feel like i made some great choices! :) now i just need to get back on it! im really looking forward to seeing you pull this together!
I am really looking forward to seeing the up-dates on the boys room. My boys ages are 10, 7, and 5. We are moving into a new home and I’m trying to figure out the arrangements for their room and to help make it fit for their different ages. Thank you for sharing your talents and ideas.
Love the inspiration & can’t wait to see it come together. Are those Hardy Boys books I see? I am buying those here & there for Landon to enjoy when he’s a bit older.
Oh, I enjoyed getting to know some new bloggers, but its soooo good to have you back. It’s like an old friend has come home. ;)
Love it! And I LOVE that canvas. Can’t wait to see it all come together!
I also was going to ask for the source of the God is good print but see I am not the only curious one, so I’ll check out Dayspring. My 9-yr old boy just broke his leg, so we could use a big bold reminder like that now! I love what you’re doing with your boys’ room. Thanks for sharing your great ideas!
Emily, hon, as a mom to 3 teenage boys (19,17, & 14… well the 19 yr old just joined the Army so he is no longer at home) I hate to tell you this but the concept of a clean and tidy room is pretty foreign! Ok, I will admit my 17 year old does like order and his room is “typically” neat and tidy (although he does have his moments, like now at the end of summer vacation… however i know it will be clean and tidy later this week because he will need the order just prior to starting his senior year on thursday.)
Love all the design ideas you have! Too bad you didn’t live near central Indiana because I know where you could get some school lockers at a good price…. I’m trying to figure out how we can incorporate them into a couple of rooms as I simply love them!!
Hi Peggy. I AM in Central IN. ( or a little North of there ) and I would love your source for lockers…. Please share!!! Thanks :-)
Amanda
Super love this theme. Can’t wait to see what you come up with.
Love it! This is perfect timing for me – my 2 year old is just about ready for a big boy room, so I am in need of inspiration! I hate all the overly-themey rooms I seem to find. Love your style and I’m excited to see what you do!
I LOVE the artwork in their current room and I LOVE your mood board! It’s absolutely adorable and totally all boy!! Can’t wait to see you complete it! I also love that you used 2 sets of bunk beds…perfect fix for putting everyone in one room and allowing them to still have a friend over or guest.
I love the God is Good print! Do you mind sharing where you got it?
Also, I have a bedding question. We have a very similar duvet cover from Serena & Lily. I love the color but hate how it looks on the bed because of the comforter inside. It’s a standard down comforter with sewn pockets so that the stuffing doesn’t move around. However, since the duvet is so thin (basically the thickness of a sheet), the bed never has that smooth, crisp, just-made look to it. My other son has a Tommy Hilfiger comforter that is the perfect weight–not too heavy but heavy enough that he doesn’t need extra blankets in the winter and it always looks smooth and crisp when the bed is made. The duvet and Down comforter has a floppy, in-properly filled pillow look to it, and it drives me absolutely crazy. The bed is always lumpy-looking. I’ve looked for other inserts, but since the duvet has white stripes and is so thin I really need a white insert inside. The only white comforters out there are Down (or synthetic) comforters. I haven’t come across just a plain white comforter that I could use to get that smooth, crisp look to it. What are your plans for an insert to the striped duvet?
The god is good print is from Dayspring.
As for the comforter, we use down inserts. They seem to lay pretty flat, but I’ll probably fold them at the end of the bed.
Anyone else have any tips?
Thank you to you and Peggy for the replies! :)
Precious room. I must ask… where are the dressers for clothes and storage for toys? My boys share a room, with bunk beds. Just harder to decorate when I have to make room for clothes and toys and books… and legos. ;)
There is a dresser with their shirts & underwear, and their pants and pj’s are in the closet. We have a playroom where most of the toys are. I’ll show more up close photos of how we store things.
Rebecca,
Are you anywhere near an Ikea? We purchase plain white duvets (commonly called comforters here in states) made specifically for the use with duvet covers. They are white and work great with thin duvet covers. Another place to check would be Bed, Bath, and Beyond. Yes we do own quite a few duvets/duvet covers as we lived in Alaska and found them to be ideal plus you never have to mess with a top sheet again!!
Looks so fun! I was so wondering what program you use to do your design boards? I tried polyvore but wasn’t too thrilled with it… Thanks!
I just use illustrator with a bit of help from photoshop. I’m planning on showing a tutorial for how I do it sometime in the near future.
I love the God is Good print!!! Where can I get one??? Thanks!
Love this plan! This is my ideal aesthetic for a boy’s room, too. And there’s so little inspiration for boys’ rooms out there, always fun to see what you’re thinking!
The art print with all the camping-related items is fantastic! Would you mind sharing the source?
I’ll post the sources soon!
They have those stripe duvets at Target, we bought a king version of it last year.
Oh Emily…I am in the middle of doing a “man’s room” (general hang out room and office) AND a boys’ room (for 20ish year olds) and can use any kind of inspiration you find! Please keep ’em coming. All my guys are campers and kayakers. What is the source of the green locker cabinet and the whatever-it-is with the red knot tying on it? Love your board.
Sources are coming!