So far I shared the befores, an explanation and a plan. Then, I started out by painting his dresser and DIYing a herringbone pendant shade.
I decided it was time to tackle the other corner of the room. The bed and nightstand...
Of course, anything was better than a messy bed and plastic baggy coaster....
The nightstand was working just fine, but I wanted to jazz it up a notch and make it feel like it was meant for the room.
So, I taped off the drawer...
And gave it a quickie coat of the Annie Sloan Paris Gray chalk paint. I had also used it on his dresser, so it tied the two pieces together. No primer needed, the paint went on perfectly over the laminate drawer front.
So much better!!
The lamp was a hand me down from my parents. It is OLD. I kind of like it as is. My boys, not so much. They voted spray paint. Now, it's just a matter of Preston picking out a color. It is his room after all...
I also added a small tray which doubles as a coaster for his nightly glass of water.
The baskets in the lower section of the nightstand were labeled and one is designated for laying out clothes the night before school and the other holds his special sport uniforms.
I ordered his bedding when West Elm was having one of their 20% off bedding sales, and I love the difference it makes in softening up the space!
Showing him the following before and after photos made him raise his eye brows. He could see how taking the time to make his bed makes all the difference in his room!
We still have a bit to go. We need to address his desk area, add artwork, update the curtain panels and tackle the final corner of the room, but we are making some slow and steady progress!
I love the difference that some quick coats of paint and new bedding have made to the room already! So far, the bedding and two baskets have been the only items we have had to invest in, which is also a win for a room makeover! More to come so stay tuned!
Curiosity is getting the best of me. Where do you fall on the making the bed every day debate? And although Preston will ultimately get to decide, what color do you think we should go with on the lamp?
I think you should go with a complimentary color on the lamp, light a bright orange.
ReplyDeleteAs much as I love the clean look of a neatly made bed, I don't really enforce it with my kids. It's a "pick your battles" kind of thing. :)
A bold yellow or orange for the lamp, for sure!! Can't wait to see how the rest of the room turns out.
ReplyDeleteI love that blue color. This room looks neat So Far. :)
ReplyDeletehttp://pixeledpaper.wordpress.com/
I vote red!! And I'm horrible at making the bed. Always have been. I like to pull the covers up neat then slide out the side in the morning. It's an almost-bed making process.
ReplyDeletebed making is a really good habit to have, but for a little guy it could be hard! id say to make it simpler, is to have just a comforter that he can pull back up each day. with the extra blankets, a container or box for them to help with the folding has also helped me!
ReplyDeleteWe are of the faux bed making camp, just pull up the cover to look made!
ReplyDeleteAnd I think either a line green color or somehow make it rugby striped in burgundy or yellow.
Looks great!! My son is so ready for me to do something with his room in our new house!
ReplyDeletei don't know jen, i'm kinda missing the plastic bag coaster! jk it looks great! of course. as for the bed making, my sweetie makes it every morning, mostly because i get up earlier than him and it makes me swoon when he makes it. i make sure and tell him to keep it going!
ReplyDeleteMy parents had lamps almost exactly like that growing up. I'm sure that's a general theme with kids of the 70's & 80's :)
ReplyDeleteI think you should paint it with an oil rubbed bronze spray. Rustoleum makes some great colors! Some give a shimmery look under light--but still have a masculine look.
Looks great!!
ReplyDeleteMy 5 kids, and my husband and I, are required to make beds every morning. If my kids make the choice not to before they leave for school, the consequence is EBT! My husband typically makes our bed because he is up after me. He HATES all the fru fru pillows! The whole room may as well be trashed if the bed is unmade. To me, that is the way it looks!!
For the lamp, I would go for a pop of color. The bed thing is a stickler at our house. My almost 15 yr old daughter doesn't get up in the AM with enough time to make it before heading out to school. Other than that, her room is picked up. So, I am not going to complain too much. She is a good kid other than getting lazy with the dishes. LOL
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to see and hear how the spray painting goes. I have lamps that I want to do that to.
ReplyDeleteI'd pick a color from one of your art pieces - maybe orange or red? Silver would look great too.
ReplyDeleteI hate making the bed, but I also hate getting into an unmade bed, so we make our bed at night, right before we get into it. I have to say that it looks much neater if the bed is made!
Also, I went to boarding school, so making the bed was required each morning ... unfortunately that doesn't do much to support the theory of instilling a good habit.
Sarah
I think I'd go with a bright red to pop in the corner. It'd be nice to tie it in with the reds from his dresser.
ReplyDeleteAs for making the bed-- the days that I -actually- clean, I begin by making the beds. It always seems to give me a pep in my step, looking into the rooms and seeing the beds made up.
For a kiddo though, I don't think picture-perfect beds is a daily thing. Simply flattening out his quilt and stacking the pillows he uses nightly is enough for this mom.
I love the room!! I would add a pop of color as well! Something fun!! I am a stickler for a made bed!! My girls (5 and 3) make theirs every morning! I don't expect it to look perfect, but they do a WONDERFUL job!! It just makes the room feel clean! :)
ReplyDeletePick your battles with the bed. If mine pull up the comforter and straighten the pillows, I can't see the sheets underneath (or blankets) so if their beds are not perfect, who cares? There the ones that sleep in it. I do make my bed everyday, but that's just how I like it.
ReplyDeletei will stay out of the "bed making" debate - but i can see that lamp in a bright, glossy orange........
ReplyDeletejumping on the orange bandwagon!!!
ReplyDeletebut for something a little more grown up, how about a strong copper colour?! oooh ahhhhh ;o)
My first thought was orange as well, a popular choice! I do love to walk into my room and see a properly made bed... But I must admit that it's low on my todo list on a busy morning! The room is looking great!
ReplyDeleteAs a kid I NEVER made my bed...I hated it. I also had a friend who used to sleep in a sleeping bag on top of her comforter so she wouldn't have to make her bed every day =)
ReplyDeleteBut as an adult I think it looks SO much better to have a made bed!
I'm going to agree with the above- orange would look awesome! Or some other bright pop of color!
I think it would look cool if you went with white or gray -- still masculine, but also soothing and clean. I am loving the colors and patterns in this room! As far as making the bed -- the cutest idea I've seen (and tried!) was to lay under the covers, pull them up to your chin, and make a snow angel motion w/ your arms and legs to smooth it out. Then just slide out from one side -- fun and kid-friendly!
ReplyDeleteMaking the bed just gives you a great start to your day, I'm no pro at it myself and getting the kids to do it is a trick, but I think it's worth the effort.
ReplyDeleteI vote a bright pop of color!
Orange or red for the lamp. Make it pop.
ReplyDeleteI never make the bed. Ever. Shame on me, I know :(
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to see how the lamp turns out, though I know it'll be great! Bed making... I love what it does for a bedroom. Getting my kids to "get it" is a whole other issue. I love how well your b4 & after pics illustrate the difference a made bed really does make in how well pulled together a room appears. I think I'll use that approach & see if it sinks in with my kiddos. I have a feeling that mine will probably slide through with a fake it approach most days. But I'll be a stickler when they want guests over, beds made & de-cluttered floors are a must!
ReplyDeleteMy 4.5 year old has just started making her bed every day. It is hard for her because the bed is against a wall and she can't reach across it, so she climbs up on it to make it. But if I do it for her or offer to help, she gets cross - she wants to do it by herself!
ReplyDeleteBed- the kids make their beds on weekends but not on weekdays since we're a working set of parents and the kids have to leave the house so early in the morning. I make their beds in the afternoon on weekdays... sometimes. I believe in simple beddings if you want your kids to make their beds so our kids have the kind of duvet covers that you put a duvet in, so they only have one piece to work with - easy peasy!
ReplyDeleteLamp - I would love some pop of colour, like lime, yellow or orange.
My kids' bedcovers prefer to linger with wet towels on their floor. I'm just happy to get them out the door on time. Sick, huh?! But that's why I read this blog instead of writing it. :/
ReplyDeleteI sort of make the bed - but the dog sleeps on it all day, so it gets messy. As for the lamp, RED, RED, RED! You need some color in that corner m'lady!
ReplyDeleteLooks great Jen! Have you thought about moving the nightstand to the other side of the bed? It looks a bit cramped tucked against the wall. :)
ReplyDeleteThere is a door right next to his bed and I think that if he were to start making his bed more often, it would deter him if he couldn't do it easily because his bed was pushed against the wall. It's actually pretty roomy on both sides of his bed having it centered the way it is. :)
Deletexo!
Jen
I love how Preston's room is evolving! I am in the middle of a makeover, too. Wouldn't it be nice to have it all done at one time? I'm dreaming...Anyway, I love the night stand with the white drawer and those containers are great. I really like the wall color. It is pretty close to what I just did our room in. Can't wait to see more!
ReplyDeleteFrom toddler on, I required our two boys to make their bed every morning before school. The beds weren't perfect but they did it and I left it. However, when they got into high school it was harder to get them to make the bed and I kind of let the ball drop. Wish I would have stayed on them but during the teenage years I chose my battles carefully!
We make our bed each day, as do our children.
ReplyDeleteYes, the room looks nicer, but a made bed actually has a purpose.
We live in Eastern Colorado where there's a ton of blowing dust and ... Spiders! A made bed preserves the bedsheets and is less attractive for spiders trying to find a little haven of comfort. It didn't take long for our children to find a spider or two in their beds to learn to make them. Like most other things, there's actually an underlying reason why our grandmothers told us to do these things!
Everthing looks great and I love the way the bins are utilized! What a great idea! Where is that cute clock from?
ReplyDeleteI believe it was from Target. I had it on my desk at work about 10 years ago :)
Deletexo,
Jen
I'm super embarrassed to admit that we pretty much only make the beds when company is coming over...or if I'm sorting laundry (since that's where I sort it). Mostly its because the boys beds are pushed against the wall which makes it really hard to do it neatly and quickly. Re. lamp color...I vote for a pop of YELLOW!!! I love it with blue and grey!!! Have fun! Looking great!!
ReplyDeleteI am of the "make the bed" group. I like my room to be neat and clean all the time. I feel more peaceful that way. The teenagers...not so much! I guess that is why their bedrooms have doors...
ReplyDeleteLove the room! I'm with the majority, I think the lamp would look great with a pop of color. And yes, I do make my bed every day and so did my children when they were little but it's harder to enforce the rule now that they're in their 20's.
ReplyDeleteBTW, I have a son named Preston too. He's 29 years old and named after his great grand daddy. He likes that he has an uncommon name.
I think making the bed every day is a waste of 3 minutes of my life each day... that's almost 20 hours per year!! I can think of a million other things I'd rather do with that time. I only make my bed when I'm having company. :)
ReplyDeleteI'm thinking a deep, rich red for the lamp.
ReplyDeleteI love having my bed made every day; I love the way it makes the room look instantly ten times better. I don't, however, always make it. I am lazy. :)
Paint the lamp red! :)
ReplyDeleteI am kind of with you on the lamp... I like it how it is. But I love, love that you are letting your son pick the colors. I think it is those small things that build their confidence to eventually make big decisions. Also, love your blog altogether!
ReplyDeleteWe are make the bed everyday people. BUT I don't put the comforter on every day. Just pull up and straighten the sheets and blanket.
ReplyDeleteI am voting for an ORANGE lamp!
I do have to day, that room is WAY WAY too neat for a little boy!
My husband usually makes the bed! We have a deal that whoever is out of bed last, makes it and he wakes up after me :)
ReplyDeleteBTW, where is the nightstand from? I'm in the market for some new ones. Thanks!
Hi Amy!
DeleteThe nightstand is from Target: http://www.target.com/p/room-essentials-night-stand-black/-/A-12173904#prodSlot=medium_1_57&term=nightstand
xo!
Jen