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Last year, I tackled a very special Reader SOS for my assistant, Lindsey. Her two boys were moving into a room together and she wanted to create a big boy bedroom that the two of them would both love. I had a wonderful time coming up with a design plan for the space and she has been working hard to bring the mood board to life.
Today, we are finally going to see her hard work! But before we get to that, let’s rewind and take a look at the space before.
The Boys’ Room – Before
Lindsey’s overall goals were to ditch the bunkbeds, update the walls, tackle a few DIY projects, and incorporate her boys’ personalities into the space.
Big Boy Bedroom Ideas
Twin Beds // Wicker Hamper // Rug (Brick/Blue) // Wood Nightstand // Table Lamp // Light Fixture // IKEA Storage // Green Pillow // Striped Lumbar // Wood Shelf Brackets
Below is my design plan for Lindsey. You can read more details about these boys’ bedroom ideas from this blog post.
- Sell the bunk beds and buy two twin beds
- Buy new bifold doors and upgrade them with trim and paint
- Add custom wood treatment near the closet, with hooks
- Add nightstand with table lamp and a large area rug
- Buy new patterned/blackout curtains
- Remove ceiling light and replace with fixture
- Create DIY art for the walls
- Focus on hidden storage (new hamper, bins for toys, etc.)
Let’s See The Room Now!
Isn’t it the cutest big boy bedroom? I am so proud of Lindsey and all of the hard work that went into this space. I wish I lived closer so I could have worked on some of these DIY projects right alongside her!
Woodworking DIY Projects
When Lindsey first asked for my help with the design for the big boy bedroom, she told me she wasn’t afraid of a few DIY projects. Music to my ears! She and her husband, Tyler, ended up replacing all of the doors and trim in this space which took quite some time.
Then, there were a few more woodworking projects to tackle like the board and batten wall near the beds.
She added some wood to the wall and the cutest gold hooks. This is a nice spot for the boys to hang their backpacks, hats, and coats.
Vertical storage is always a great idea to maximize the storage in a room and I like that this is easy access for the boys to reach.
The Evolution Of The Boys’ Closet
When they first moved into this room, the closet system was not working for all of their little clothes.
Lindsey ended up installing the Boaxel closet system from IKEA. It’s the perfect fit for a kids’ space because the adjustable shelves give you the option to re-organize things as your children (and their clothes) grow.
Before, Lindsey wasn’t sure what to do about the closet door. Their old bifold broke and she considered doing a curtain instead. I urged her to go with a nice-looking bifold door instead, so she could hide the clutter behind closed doors. She bought this one and painted it white to match the trim.
DIY Wood Shelves
In my design plan, I encouraged Lindsey to keep the bookshelves and add wood shelves over them for additional storage. She originally had a gallery wall here (which looked great), but it wasn’t the easiest to update. She followed my simple wood shelving tutorial to make these herself!
The wood shelves offer an out-of-reach spot to showcase some special items for her kids. Plus, she can make simple changes to them as the boys grow.
The globe was signed by loved ones at Lindsey’s baby shower. The treasure boxes hold rocks and sticks. The mask was a travel souvenir from our trip to Italy in the spring. I love that these personal items are on display right here in their space.
The Twin Bed Setup
The original bunkbeds were becoming too hazardous for her rowdy boys, so Lindsey knew that twin beds were the way to go. She found these gorgeous metal beds with rounded edges that work great in a shared kids’ space. Plus, the price is right!
The new bedding has a classic feel (Love those stripes!) and allows the other elements of the room to shine. In between the twin beds, Lindsey scooped up this wood nightstand. It’s a really nice size and the wood of the bedside table adds some warmth next to the black metal detailing on the beds.
Overall, I just love this sweet twin-bed setup. It’s the perfect transitional space and can grow with the kids.
Adding Color & Personality
Finally, let’s talk about how Lindsey added some color and personality to the space. She grounded the room with this large rug with deep maroon accents. I think it complements the sage green walls nicely and I’m sure it hides stains well too!
The two-tone walls are fantastic. Instead of just going with blank white walls, she color-blocked the room, following this tutorial, to have the sage green on the bottom. The sage green and deep maroon are perfect for a little boys’ room. It just shows that you don’t always have to have bright colors in a kids’ space. Sometimes a muted color scheme is the way to go.
The old yellow curtains were replaced with these geometric ones. They’re blackout (a must for a kids’ room!) and look great with the sleek black rod on top.
And how about the adorable portraits over the beds? I can’t even! Lindsey snapped these herself and put them in these large frames to make personalized wall art. These are such a special touch to the big kid room. I imagine she will update them regularly as the kids grow. So sweet!
Kids’ Bedroom – Before & After
Big Boy Bedroom Makeover – Sources
Paint Color: Behr “Halls of Ivy” (bottom of walls), Behr “Minimalistic” (top of walls) // Twin Beds // Area Rug // Patterned Curtains // Curtain Rod // Wood Nightstand // Striped Bedding (similar) // Gold Hooks // Bifold Door // Closet Handles // Dino Lamp // Large Picture Frames // Metal Basket (similar) // Linen Hamper
Thanks, Lindsey!
A big thank you to Lindsey for sharing this makeover with us. It’s not often that I get to see my design plans for others come to life and it was fun getting updates about this space over the past year. Now, I just need to go visit this new room in person one of these days!
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