Got Game?

Shortly after finishing my own son’s teen bedroom, I was messaged by his good friend’s mama to do the same thing for her son. These boys are just about to enter high school so it was time to get rid of all those elementary items in order to make way for more mature spaces.

Well, for the most part. We don’t want them growing up too fast. ;)

At the consultation I snapped some before pics to document where we started:

As most of us parents know, our kiddos tend to collect a lot of stuff over the years. They go through different phases and stages to say the very least. I know I get really sentimental over certain items and the memories attached to them. To part with these items is hard, but also necessary in order to move forward. Sniff.

However, having a teen doesn’t necessarily mean you have to part with ALL of their youth. Some pieces can and need to stay. They add character without “babying” the room. I’ll show you exactly what I mean when revealing this redesigned space.

After talking with “J,” it was evident he wanted black paint on his walls—something his parents weren’t too keen on. But as we know with teenagers, it’s all about compromise, right? So, one black accent wall got the green light and so did this vision board:

Necessary elements included: 1.) A gaming media center that would be small enough to not get in the way, but large enough to hold his TV and gaming components neatly. 2.) New bedding. I chose a deep green comforter to play off of that back wall and wood elements I planned to add. 3. Long shelving units. four feet long to be exact in order to display some cool decor and a number of his collectibles. 4.) Fun decor pieces to include his love of gaming and Oswald (love Oswald!) 5.) A hat storage pegboard unit his Dad would build. 6.) new drapes, seating, and lighting.

We started with the paint. My “go-to” for black paint is always Valspar’s Dark Kettle Black. However, I switched it up a bit this time when it came to the perfect greige and went with Sherwin William’s Wintersweet Grey. A smidge darker than SW’s Agreeable Grey to add a hint more warmth into this already cool-colored room.

“J” was obviously deep in thought when it came to his gaming, but I grabbed this shot anyways in an effort to show the drastic difference that black accent wall really makes.

Ok, ready for the after pics?

Tracy Haifley of HSB Woodworks constructed and stained the beautiful four foot long shelving to display some of the old mixed with some of the new. Some cool new signs, a caricature, a monogram, as well as a number of other fun pieces which can’t help but pop against that cool black wall.

And remember when I mentioned implementing of those items from days of old? Oswald is “J’s” favorite and earned a special spot on these shelves.

With teenage rooms especially, I like to introduce geometric patterns in a number of different ways. Whether it’s the round magnetic dartboard up against the wall, the pattern on a throw pillow or two, or the really fun “dot”ted plush rug underneath “J’s” bed, shapes create interest in a room. I also think they’re pretty bold and masculine to boot. Win-win!

Next up? The gaming/media unit. This was a little bit of a beast to assemble but look at the finished product! Tons of storage for games and controllers, not to mention extra seating underneath, and a super sleek/modern finish on top of it all.

This kiddo also needed a storage area for his hats as well so his dad built this great unit using a tutorial found on Pinterest. “J” hung his hats and this piece works in his room perfectly.

This room was so much fun to put together. Wanna see the before and after pics again?

The Details:

Paint: provided by AFC in Sherwin William’s Wintersweet Grey and Valspar’s Dark Kettle Black

Rug: Bed, Bath & Beyond (5x7)

Jersey Comforter: Amazon

Sheets: JCP

Drapes: Pottery Barn (84”)

No Waking Sign: Pottery Barn Teen

Magnetic Dartboard: Pottery Barn Teen

Gaming Unit: AllModern.com

Throw Pillows: Zazzle & Etsy

Drapery Rod: Amazon

Printable Art: Etsy

Clock: Amazon

Stools: Wal Mart

Love, J

Cactus Crush

This was a fun project for sure!

“D’s” room was in need of an update. On the cusp of high school, this teenager needed a space that not only matched his fun personality (he loves cacti and cats—not sure in which order), but one that was geared more towards his age. After setting up a consultation, ideas of implementing a wood accent/feature wall, new shelving, and basically a total room overhaul were all discussed.

Here is where we started:

All room components (furniture) needed to stay for storage purposes, and even though this room was a bit on the smaller side, I knew we could make it work. Further, after noticing the camo bedspread, as well as the cacti decorations (not pictured), I knew this room needed a deep gray/green wall color throughout. Not too dark, not too light…and masculine to boot.

Here is the approved vision board:

1. A rustic wood feature wall with varying shades of stain, 2. A rustic wood and metal awning in lieu of traditional drapery, 3. Rich, textured bedding with geometric linens, 4. Fun cacti art and understated decor, followed by 5. Metal shelving.

Sherwin Williams Green Earth ultimately won in the sample contest, however, when using a darker color, I actually like to lighten them by 25%. Other decorators may do the exact opposite but I like to play it on the safe side. Oftentimes, and especially in smaller rooms (with limited natural light), colors appear darker on the wall. Therefore, the entire room looks darker…and smaller. In order to avoid this, I lighten these hues and it works every time!

Once the room was painted, it was time to tackle the wood wall. Nate (the amazing carpenter), got me some sweet 1x8 pine lumber and I got to work using and mixing a slew of stains. The variation in stain colors would add more interest to the wall and truly make it the focal point of the room. Plus, with the rich oak furniture “D” already had in place, I wanted to pick up that color to make the overall look of his space more cohesive.

P.S. I love getting creative with stain! And I love Minwax!

Photo courtesy of Melissa Perry Photography

A wood feature wall adds so much warmth to a space—especially when the selected shade of paint on the adjoining walls is a “cool” color (think color wheel here). Lots of texture and warmth going on in this room now! Love it (and I think “D” does too. Pictured below.).

Photo courtesy of Melissa Perry Photography

With the paint and rustic wood wall completed, it was time to introduce some new decor. Simple and bold would be the two words I wanted to describe the remaining elements of the room. Since “D” loves cacti, I located a number of prints off of Etsy that I thought would look amazing on those walls. Some were enlarged while the other was placed on canvas.

That rich blue canvas with pops of green Saguaro really stands out. Mixed with a fun Yuma map, AZ piece, and rustic Route 66 sign and this metal shelf is complete.

We were almost done…almost.

However, we needed to address the bedding. While the camo was cool, I thought this amazing comforter set (because let’s face it, boys and duvets do not mix), from Pottery Barn Teen would really take the room to the next level:

Black and white ticking stripe sheets combined with a deep green and camel (it’s reversible) comforter lightens, brightens, and looks way cool.

But before showing the before and after pics, I forgot about the drapes. Reason being? There aren’t any! Instead, Nate Koogle resurrected this sweet design (used in another teen boy bedroom AFC completed) to create a custom look that again, makes the elements of this room cohesive.

Fun, right? Ok, now for the before and after. This is always my favorite part.

“D” is all ready to tackle high school. Loved this project and I love my clients!

The Details:

Paint: Sherwin Williams Green Earth (-25%)

Paint Labor: A Fresh Coat

Shelving: Pottery Barn Teen

Decor: Amazon, Dandy Home & Ranch, Etsy, Hobby Lobby

Bedding: Pottery Barn Teen, Dandy Home & Ranch

Carpentry Work: Nate Koogle

Love, J

Seeing Stripes: Teen Boy Room Makeover

Some projects seem like they take forever to finish and this room was no exception. Sometimes you’re just waiting on one last detail to “make” the space, and for me and my middle son’s room, it was these amazing metal-looking negative space oversized letters above his bed. But before I gush on those awesome things, let’s start from the beginning of this room reno.

We moved into our home almost ten months ago and as I’ve mentioned in previous posts, there’s a LOT to do. A. Lot. But the first area(s) I wanted to focus my attention on were my kiddos’ bedrooms. By no means does this indicate they are actually finished but we’re getting closer and closer with each passing day. So close, that I decided to post the before and after pics of this room for you all.

Here’s where we started:

The tan walls and matching carpet were fine and all but I like to add personality and character into my rooms and this was missing a whole bunch of both. Besides, prior to moving into this home I created Pinterest boards for each of my kid’s rooms and consulted with them on colors and the overall look they wanted to achieve. My boys were the easiest to work with (go figure), and here is where we’re at with “K’s” digs today:

The first step was to paint the walls a cool blue-grey and he selected Valspar’s Stormcloud (with a 25% reduction) followed up with Valspar’s Drizzling Mist (same color reduction) for the large and small striping up top (courtesy of AFC).

Next was the layout of the room. With a double bed, it created a bit of a problem with how the room was initially designed—so I opted to frame in the not-so-centered bed with shelving and nightstands to make it all work a bit better and yet still provide him enough space to perfect his Fortnite moves…seriously. ;)

Most people have a tendency to shove a bed up against the wall but if a room is large enough, placing the bed in the middle or even off-center as I did here, could be an option. It all depends on the size of the furniture you have and the amount of room you have to work with.

When it came to syling this space, decor was super easy with this son o’ mine. He’s got a lot of personality and spunk so the pieces selected had to reflect who he is. I think we got it right.

Even better? Most were on clearance. As it turns out, not a ton of people are interested in buying banana bookends, ghetto blaster art pieces, or even framed bicycle prints. But me? I will take them and love them even more since they were crazy cheap. Sometimes, the weirder, the better.

And how about those letters? Originally I wanted oversized steel letters (we’re talking 39” each) to create a really bold look above his bed. Simple but bold. However, the only place I could find such a thing was through Restoration Hardware Teen. Even though I loved (like, love-loved) these letters, the price tag of $149 each was a dealbreaker. I just couldn’t justify it. But aren’t they pretty?!!

Instead, I found Jillian Van Horn of Lazy J Signs here in Yuma, AZ. Rather than use the actual letter, I asked for the negative space instead. This gave me the height and width I needed inbetween the shelving units pictured below. I asked her to create a rustic metal look on top of these wood cut-outs and she rocked it. These actually look like metal and I love how it completes the space.

Last but not least were the small finishing touches which included a set of old lockers (I painted black) for additional storage, an oversized cork board, and large industrial clock.

That’s it! We’re just one window treatment, one new door, and one new area rug away from this room being completely finished. So close I can almost taste it. But in the meantime, here is the before and after pics one more time.

and after:

The Details:

Paint: Walls-Valspar’s Stormcloud (25% reduction in color)

Stripes-Valspar’s Drizzling Mist (25% reduction in color)

Paint Labor: A Fresh Coat-Yuma

Shelving: Hobby Lobby

Decor: Target, Hobby Lobby

Side Table Lamps: Kirkland’s

Side Tables: Hobby Lobby

Ceiling Fan: Lowe’s

Bedding: Pottery Barn Teen

Headboard: Wayfair

Negative Space Letters: Lazy J Signs-Yuma, AZ

Clock: Hobby Lobby

Cork Board: Hobby Lobby

Desk: Pottery Barn Teen

Industrial Mail/File Holder: Hobby Lobby

Love, J

Why Brick Panels Are All the Rage.

By now you've probably seen them pop up all over Pinterest. Or maybe you've spotted them on one of your strolls through the local home improvement store aisles. Either way, the look of brick is in and brick panels are all the rage. 

Brick panels basically give the look of a brick wall without all of the hassle, mess, or expense. Granted they aren't the real thing but if you're anything like me, I change my mind a lot when it comes to decor and it's probably best if some elements within my home remain semi-permanent. Even better? These panels can be whitewashed if so desired for a totally different, antiqued look. Plus, they can go anywhere and everywhere within a home.

I so dig them.

But if you haven't seen these panels, you're probably begging the question: " how do they really look?"

Check these rooms out:

"R" wanted a superhero room complete with a cityscape and brick panel wall. The goal was to create a room with an urban feel that could grow with this seven year-old but also change as needed. We used a total of three brick panels in this space on one full wall (that makes two feature walls in one room!) and I'm kind of crazy about it.

This kiddo also needed a desk so once again, we implemented some pipe/wood shelving (thanks to mastermind and carpenter, Nate Koogle) to create a functional but also really cool, classic piece for him to use. I dunno but I think he's pretty happy with his new digs

Next up? "B's" room. This sixteen year-old asked for a fresh, fun, updated space for his birthday and his parents definitely delivered.

"B" dug the look of the exposed brick and preferred the grey grout (found at Home Depot) over the black grout as shown in the room above (located at Lowe's). These panels retail for $25 each and even though I've stated it before, they are a great value considering the texture and "wow factor"they bring to a room.

After using six panels spanning two walls, a lot of cutting was involved in order to make the look we achieved appear less faux and more fo reals. A mix of wood/pipe shelving and a matching nightstand were then implemented, along with an industrial clock and magazine rack to finish up this space. Two-tone Pottery Barn linen curtains were added to dress the windows. And the coolest part? Check out those guitar grips! Metal hands extending from the wall meant specifically to hold this guy's favorite instruments. So awesome and functional!

So what do you think? Would you give these panels a go?

R's Room:

Brick Panels-Lowe's

Drapes-custom made, fabric purchased from Hobby Lobby

Cityscape Wall Mural- A Fresh Coat-Yuma

Tire Toy Storage-Amazon

Bedding-Pottery Barn Kids

Pillows-Kirkland's/Etsy

Superhero Wall Decor-Kirkland's

Locker Nightstand-Target

Desk-Nate Koogle, Carpenter

Desk Decor & Knick-knacks-Hobby Lobby

B's Room:

Clock-Wayfair

Drapes-Pottery Barn

Bedding-Amazon

Brick Panels-Home Depot

Magazine Rack-Hobby Lobby

Guitar Grips-Amazon

Nightstand/Shelving-Arizona Rustic Lights- Yuma, AZ

Welcome to the Jungle: Tween Room Gone Wild!

I love the opportunity to try new and fun things with decor and I most certainly love a challenge when it comes to design. This tween boys room afforded me both and I'm super excited with the way his room turned out.

When using Pinterest to garner ideas for a jungle-themed room, the majority of pins I found were geared towards a younger audience. Lots of nurseries, rooms with stuffed animals, and even images of Noah's Ark kept reappearing, but since my client was a twelve year-old boy, cute little animals and crib mobiles definitely weren't going to cut it. We needed a jungle theme fit for a young man and I think we achieved it.

First? Picking the colors. "K" wanted green paint so we chose three vivid shades of the color to bond with for a little bit. And when I say "bonding" I mean just that. Anytime you're considering a color for your walls, you've got to make sure to inspect it at different times during the day. How one shade may look in the morning might look totally different at night and also vary room to room within the same home. Lighting is everything when choosing the perfect paint color! Soooo, long story short: we went with Valspar's Houseplant (#2 in the picture below) for the accent wall and SW Mindful Gray for the neighboring walls.

Valspar

HOUSEPLANT

Once the walls were painted, it was time for the most funnest part ever (just go with my vocab,): the decorating! Roughly twice a year Hobby Lobby has a big sale on decor where one can pick up some sweet finds. Since we were incorporating a jungle theme, I managed to find a cheetah, an elephant, a tiger, and a few other knick-knacks that would fit right in and tie the room together. The rest of the items for this gallery wall were picked up from Ross (see that great elephant print? $20!), and Marshall's for a really great price.

"K" was also down with my suggestion to icksnay the drapes for his window and create a really cool awning instead. My carpenter, Nate constructed this masterpiece (a modified Pinterest idea) which added a cool rustic/industrial feature to the room for only a little bit of money. Win-Win.

And how about this for a design challenge? A big, square cut-out right in the middle of the room?! The point of it? I have no idea! Initially I thought we would cover it with a backboard and add a hoop for some fun, but "K" wasn't on board. Option 2? A mount. Using the same backboard idea but implementing a metal, 3D mount I scored from Hobby Lobby for $20. Nate came to the rescue (again) by adding that awesome corrugated metal and bam! A custom piece that looks crazy cool and covers up the awkward hole that literally housed nothing.

The bedding? Amazon. A black and blue plaid comforter to compliment that green and give his beautiful new headboard and matching nightstand (also Amazon) some add "umph." 

Oh, and how about this desk and shelving?! It ties everything together, is super functional, houses a number of books, knick-knacks, and one super cool bearded dragon.  Special thanks to Nate Koogle (yet again) for his amazing skills. "K"--enjoy your room. It'll definitely be one to grow with!

What do you think? Is this room wildly fun or what?