A Preppy Boy Bedroom Design
Hi friend, thanks so much for stopping by here at Postbox Designs! If you are new over here, I’m Kristin-Mom to 3 cuties, lover of Rice Krispie treats, and Interior Designer for over 13 years now. But 5 years ago, “the life plan” wasn’t working. I was working part time as a designer for someone else, and trying to balance raising 3 kids at the same time. I was over-scheduled and stressed. So a took a year off to come up with a better plan. And I realized with Interior E-Design I could work around my schedule AND my client’s schedules. Most of my clients are fellow women-and they would need to take off time from work or find a sitter to meet with me all over town. Instead, I bring everything to them in the comfort of their own homes. And once they received their Room-Inside-a-Box they could pull together their room around their budget and schedule.
Building A Dream Home-Creating a “Master Plan”
I’m extra excited to share today’s project with you! I teamed up with this Colorado Mom back when they were still in the process of building her dream house. We worked together on nearly every room of her house, room-by-room until she had a “Master Plan” for each space, before she even moved in. But one of my favorite projects we worked on was one of the last…the bedroom for her two boys to share.
She wanted her boy’s bedroom design to have a preppy, classic look that would:
1. Stand the test of time
2. Work for two boys of different ages.
So today I’m going to take you from start-to-finish of how we designed this fun boy bedroom, all done via Interior E-Design!
Preppy Boy Bedroom Design: Where to Start
I always send all of my clients a Welcome Packet that includes a Design Questionnaire, instructions for measuring and photographing their space, and I also ask them to create a Pinterest board. I used this inspirational photo (Item #1) taken from her Pinterest board as a starting point for this design.
Choose a Boy Bedroom Design Theme or Color Palette
I always suggest not to go too overboard with a particular theme, it can either get a bit cheesy or you’ll have to start from scratch when your kiddo outgrows that look. Instead I go with a more “loose” theme. In this boy bedroom we did a loose “preppy” theme with a classic red, white, and blue color scheme. Mom can easily add in some personal touches based on their changing interests, but this is a scheme that will work well for years.
Bedding for a Boy Bedroom Design
In this boy bedroom makeover, we had a good starting place because my client knew she wanted to do custom built-in bunk beds. So we started with white bun kbeds and layered on bedding with classic prints such as these gingham sheets (#2) and blue quilts (#4), both from from Pottery Barn Kids. For a pop of red, and a preppy touch, these Etsy red plaid pillows (#3) finished off each bed. In this bedroom design, there is a queen bed on the bottom and a twin bed on top, so having the same bedding helps make the room look cohesive.
Making Kid Bunk Beds Practical
Many of us grown-ups had bunk beds when we were kids-I know I did. As the “big sister” I got the coveted top bunk…however, there are some disadvantages to being on the top bunk. Mostly, needing to climb up and down a ladder when you need ANYTHING.
So anytime I add bunk beds to a kid room design, I like to always add 3 things:
Bunk Bed Feature #1: A narrow shelf.
These skinny book ledges are perfect for a tight space. These ledges work to store a couple of books when a child can’t fall asleep, a cup of water, or some other small objects kids may want close by. This prevents a lot of trips going up and down (or calling out to Mom for the requested item!)
Bunk Bed Feature #2: A light.
Whenever kids share a bedroom, it can get tricky…maybe one child wants to go to bed, but the other child wants to stay up and read. Maybe one needs total darkness to sleep but the other is afraid of the dark. So I always try to put a small light at each child’s bed so they can use their light to read, as a nightlight, etc. without disturbing their sibling by turning on an overhead light.
If you are able, it is always nice to hard wire these lights in, like in this boy bedroom makeover. We chose these nautical inspired sconces (#8) for their preppy look, but also for safety. This isn’t the spot for a delicate glass sconce that could break if it gets bumped. I liked the slim profile and the fact the glass was protected by this grill.
Can’t hardwire in a sconce? No problem? Look for plug-in sconces or even clip-on lights that you can attach to a shelf or the side of their bed. (TIP: If you are finding the cords aren’t long enough, you can take your light to a lighting store and they can add an extra long cord for a reasonable price)
Bunk Bed Feature #3: Customized art.
When kids are sharing a bedroom, I really want their individual personalities to be reflected in their space. In this boy bedroom, we did custom silhouettes of each boy (how cute are those?!). You could also do a monogram, their name, or frame something that is special or meaningful to them.
Play Space in a Boy Bedroom Design
If you have the room, I always like to encourage kid’s to have a space to play within their bedrooms. Because the bedroom was going to have hardwood floors, we added this striped area rug from the Mood Board (#11) for a bit of softness. Mom also wanted some rustic shelves (#15) with storage (#16) for toys and books.
Boy Bedroom Artwork
Adding artwork to a kid’s bedroom is one of the easiest (and least expensive ways) to help pull in a bedroom’s theme. To keep with this classic, preppy look, I found a set of 8 vintage plane prints (#6) that pulled in the theme and the colors we wanted. Mom hung these in a grid pattern to take up the majority of one wall. I love the classic, clean look and best yet…she can always swap out the prints down the line if the boys want a new look.
And we snagged this set of eight vintage airplane prints off Etsy for just $38 (for all 8!) We used the 8″x10″ size, but they come in multiple sizes, you can check it out right HERE
Finishing Off a Boy’s Bedroom Design
And don’t forget about your ceiling when you are working on your kid’s bedroom design. My client wanted a ceiling fan with light in her boy’s bedroom so I found this simple, nautical inspired silver ceiling fan (#5).
Filling Up Walls: I don’t suggest trying to fill up every wall in a kid’s bedroom. The main artwork was the huge set of airplane prints, but we wanted a little something more. So right as you walk into this boy bedroom, my client hung this modern chalkboard style US map (#17). I love how it sets the mood for the whole bedroom design!
Working Together on Your Kid Space
Do you know that kid spaces are my #1 requested room? After 4 years of owning Postbox Designs, I found that Playrooms, Kid Bedrooms, Kid Bonus Rooms, and Nurseries are the rooms I design the most. So that is why I just launched Postbox Designs KIDS!
It is everything you expect from Postbox Designs, but with a kid friendly twist.
How Postbox Designs Kids Works
I offer a couple of different Room Packages & Prices, and once you make your decision, you can purchase it directly from my website. Then I send you a Welcome Packet that has a Design & Budget Questionnaire, instructions for simple measuring and photographing your space. But I also include (if your child is old enough) a Kid Questionnaire where they can describe their dream room and a Drawing Template if they prefer to draw their dream room.
I get to work custom designing your space, and then I mail your Room-Inside-a-Box directly to you! Inside are all of the drawings, shopping lists, floor plans, and material samples. I even including a special project for your child for their new space.
I was recently chatting with a client who did a test run for Postbox Designs Kids for me and this is what she had to say: “Thank-you so much! I showed your work to a friend who said: it’s like she knows you, has been to your house and knows your taste.”
If you want to know more about how it works, or want to talk about your project, you can email me at kristin@postboxdesigns.com and we can chat all about your project and needs. I would love to work with you!
Grab Free Kid Room Designs
Not ready for a whole room project? No worries! One of my favorite resources to give you ideas and inspiration for your own home is my Free Resource Library. Inside are dozens of free room designs (including plenty of kid designs) along with the Shopping List. When you sign up, you will get an email with the link and password so you can access it 24.7.
Already a member? You can sign in with your password right HERE
Thanks for joining me today, I’ll see you back here in a few days with an all new client design to share!
Cheers,
Kristin
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