by Anna Smith of Annabode + Co.
As many of you know, my husband and I relocated a year ago from Washington, DC, to Denver, Colorado, and have been elbow-deep in our fixer upper ever since. Which is why I’m SO excited to say that our son’s room is finally finished! Clinton, age 5, was gracious enough to let me have free reign (both he and the hubs could care less about how our home looks, luckily for me) but did request a little Star Wars in it. My own hopes for the room were to maximize space (it’s teensy), make it cohesive with the rest of our house, and ensure that he wouldn’t grow out of the design in a few years.
Here’s what we started with, way back when…
The brown shag carpet and blue (?!) blinds weren’t doing anything for us, that’s for sure—although I wish the previous owners had left that cute little desk! Over the first few months we laid hardwood floors, painted, installed overhead lighting, removed the window treatments, and replaced the doors (it was a heck of a lot of work just to get a good neutral base going). And after seeing how cold Clinton’s room was this past winter, we finally upgraded the original aluminum windows and added trim.
Next came the decor—we didn’t want to spend too much in this space, because kids (and little boys especially) can be hard on furniture. That meant, of course, that I’d be using my all-time favorite furniture source, Craigslist. (Discover all my tips for decorating with Craigslist).
That bed is one of my favorite things in our house now; it was posted for $100 but I talked the people down to $40. I LOVE the lines and the patina of the brass. Originally I wanted to make the bed low, like a toddler bed, but the way it was made meant it just wasn’t possible. Which is totally fine, because otherwise I wouldn’t have been able to use that West Elm nightstand (another CL find)!
We rescued the toy chest from our neighbors, who were clearing out their baby stuff one afternoon. It’s perfect as seating and for lego storage, plus it’s low enough that it doesn’t make the narrow room feel cramped (I tried shelves on that wall, but it felt too closed-in). Chests are a great way to provide much-needed closed storage in a bedroom that—let’s face it—sees its fair share of messes. Just be sure to choose one with a top that will stay open, and not slam down on little fingers!
If you’re wondering where Star Wars comes in, I’m not gonna lie—I kept it subtle (stay tuned later this month for my thoughts on themed kids’ rooms). That X-Wing Fighter patent print and robot night light are my main nods to it, but I also wanted to bring it in on the other side of the room…
I had a few vintage model airplanes hanging around from when my uncle was a kid in the 60s, and one is now zooming around that cute little moon. It added some much-needed whimsy to the space, and prevented it from feeling too grown-up. And the best part is that if he ever outgrows his love for outerspace (which I hope he doesn’t!), I can repurpose the moon print elsewhere in our house. I’m all for artwork in kids’ spaces, but I made the mistake of going too cutesy in Clinton’s nursery and was unhappy when I couldn’t incorporate any of it later into this room.
The bedding and rug can all grow with him too (because believe me, I don’t want to redecorate in five years)…
And the chair in the corner created the perfect spot for Clinton to listen to his Star Wars music… do you spy the stormtrooper headphones?
We are all so happy with the result—Clinton loves the space, and if you think your little one might too, you can recreate the look below!
Thank you, Anna!
P.S. Our kids’ rooms. An the update from crib to bed.
Anna Smith wants to live in a world where good design is accessible and affordable for everyone. An interior stylist based in Denver, Colorado, she creates modern homes for clients across the country through her firm Annabode + Co. When not buried in swatches and throw pillows, you can find her elbow-deep in renovations at her own fixer-upper. Work with Anna.
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