We bought our new home 2 years ago. It’s cozy (small-ish by western US standards), and we spent the first year here finishing the basement. I never knew choosing paint could be so traumatic. The major work is done, now it’s time for prettying things up outside and in, like with our toddler’s room. I was aiming for comfortable, cheerful, boyish, but not babyish or too grown up. On a very very snug budget. I’m pleased with it so far, though it probably will not be featured in any design magazines soon. We did our best to make use of existing items, hand-me-downs, and sentimental pieces plus a few bargain buys. I’d love your feedback.
- headboard: homemade. not perfect, but suitable for now
- bedding: vintage cowboy sheets from Potter Barn Kids (they were a clearance item) and IKEA duvet. $10. M calls it his windmill blanket.
- quilt: made by my sister for M as a newborn. more cowboys
- bedskirt: leftover from my single years
- shelf: $14 from Roberts Craft, painted by me, treasures include a pair of cowboy boots that belonged to my husband and a silver train “bank” gifted from a dear friend.
- dresser: IKEA. notice the knobs are removed from the bottom. did you know that 2-year olds know how to use them as toe-holds, rock-climbing style?
- lamp: pottery barn, from our newlywed days. I’m just so-so about it.
- baskets: gifts from my mother that I wasn’t using elsewhere
- a canvas hamper full of soft toys in the corner
- artwork: a vintage reproduction rodeo poster from Red Mesa, near the childhood homes of both my parents. It was free, found folded inside a cookbook I purchased. IKEA frame.
More plans: I’d love to replace the lampshade, if not the whole lamp. And the dresser will need some tlc after all of the abuse it’s taken–perhaps repainting it white?
I’m struggling with the big wall above the bed. It’s blank, but rather a focal point and I have no idea what to put there. There are a few cowboy elements in the room that just sort of happened, but I’m not fond of making everything “match” or thematic.
Suggestions, dear clever readers? I could really use the help!
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Kimberly
...by day, making a home where the buffalo roam. By night, pretty much the same thing, punctuated by the occasional fantasies of sunny beaches, italian movies and sparkling lemonade.
In keeping with the rodeo theme, here is a cheap idea. Get some "twiney" rustic rope (you know, the kind that scratches your hands) and staple or nail it to the wall. Start in one corner, make it drape up and down a bit and end in a lasso over his bed. I really need to draw this to explain it better. Alas. Good luck with whatever you do.
I like Marianne's idea! You've started a "look" to this room…it's has a very 50's sort of vintage boys room feel to it. I'd take it further with that…the reds, blues, the big posters, the sort of "howdy doody" thing. You could probably find an old school looking bookcase to stand up on a wall and paint it the blue or red (to add a big swath of color) and put his belongings on the shelves. Finally, as far as wall art, I like Gecko for wall stickers:
http://www.geckostickers.com.br/english/
For your room, I like the kite boy sticker…it has the wholesome style about it. Just my two cents! :)
what a great start! I love the theme! I would say, why not leave the dresser all distressed? more character, I think. wall stickers are great and you can get the for a great deal at etsy.com (just type in wall decals). Oh you can find some cheap letters at a craft store and 'mod podge' them with a bandana and hang the letters over his bed.
Check out garage sales and antique stores for ideas.
Don't worry, we are doing the same thing at our house…changing the 'baby room' to her offical toddler room (my daughter turned two this month). I have thought of the theme 'backyard'. I will paint a large, funky tree with three little birds in the branchs. also include a pickett fence (like a downscaled real one) with wall sitcker flowers. I think its so fun to re-do their bedrooms and you can do it pretty inexpensivily.
Vinyl lettering can always fill a space well. Even a cute quote about a boy…"A boy is a noise with dirt on it."
Author: Unknown
i adore your blog by the way! the room is so cute! just gave my sister some of those old rusty barn stars (1 big, 2 smaller ones) for her son's western style room. looks adorable. and i love the dresser…don't paint it unless it bugs you…it's charming. :)
could add a wooden shelf or pick up an old corkboard and distress it and put some rodeo embellishments on it – like horse shoe – or make a chalkboard out of an old distressed mirror.
ok, i'll shut up now…lol! i love decorating! this is sooo cute as it is.
My friend Brit re-did her little boy's room and I love what she did over his bed. You could find (or paint yourself) a cool piece of art and put up a big letter like this maybe?
http://jackattack06.blogspot.com/2009/06/dwell-love.html
I would definitely NOT paint the dresser white. If you need to paint it I'd keep it the same color.
I saw this today, and the wall art reminded me of your boy's room and thought it was the style that would work well:
http://www.ohdeedoh.com/ohdeedoh/blogging/a-modern-familyfriendly-new-york-apartmentmartha-stewart-living-093570
Very cute room so far. I agree with the other readers, keep the dresser red. It looks great. This room reminds me a bit of an etsy friend Mee A Bee in Japan. She asked me to make her a triangle pennant banner for her little guys cowboy themed room. Her photo is the last in this listing in my shop:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=25624590 I also sell banners that say "howdy" if you wanted to go that far. But I think flags of any kind are universal and add a lot of depth to a room.