katie leedeI have two boys of my own and up until now, decorating their room has been low on my priority list. It's not for lack of desire that their room has been neglected but rather it is just that other rooms have just taken priority in the time an budget categories. Recently, my seven year old son, Sam, asked me to "re-decorate" his room.
Children's rooms, espeically boys', can be tricky. You want something that they will appreciate and enjoy today as well as suit them for years to come. As children get older they tend to have opinions of their own as to what they do and do not like. While I will have the final say in our home (no, we can't have Star Wars bedding), I do want my boy's opinions on things like color scheme, fabric, wall hangings and accesories. Afterall, in the end I want the room to reflect the essence of who my boy's are.
A classic blue white and red pallete is a perennial favorite among designers. These colors seem to say "boy" and are not ones you or they will tire of easily. This patriotic classic room, with drum chandeir would best be suited for a young boy who is ready to move out of his nursery.
Anna Spiro, of Absolutely Beautiful Things recently did a beautiful job re-decorating her elementary school-aged son's room. She stuck with the classic pallette and gave it her own flair with vintage, nautical accessories. I think this is a room he will enjoy for many years to come.
Steven Gambrel always creates refreshing rooms for boys. His clean, classic, elegant sensiblities are perfect for a project like this. His rooms always look youthful, but do not come across as juvenile or cute. I am inspired use of neutral colored maps as wall coverings in the room above. Surrounding children with maps gives them a bigger sense of the world in which they live and hopefully will give them a desire to travel and explore.
Bunk beds are a necessity in our home. With four little ones and friends who come to spend the night the more beds the better. One of my all time favorite boy's rooms comes from Tory Burch's Manhattan apartment. We recently purchased a bunk bed similar to Burch's. It has simple lines that remind me of old school camp bunks. The ticking stripes on the wall combined with the nautical ship lights complete the look.
Aerin Lauder's sons' rooms offer vibrant, coloful, contemporary examples of boys' decor. The first bedroom is swathed in Quadrille's iconic Alan Campbell Zig-Zag fabric and is accesorized with a colorful vintage movie poster as well a yellow surfboard which co-ordinates with the traditional Leontine Linens bedding. The cobalt blue room is a great example of how great design can incorporate our children's toys and special collectibles. The Blu Dot table at the foot of the bed (which I might just have to purchase!) displays a toy Yoda and Incredible Hulk as well as other keepsakes that her son holds dear. Often we think of our children's toys as distractions to great design but in this case I think it only enhances it.
Hopefully this weekend, Sam and I can find some special time to pour over these and other great boys' rooms. It will be fun to hear what he does and does not like. I will be sure to keep you posted...
{images: 1- katie leede via habitually chic; 2- steven gambrel; 3 & 4- anna spiro via absolutely beautiful things; 5,6 & 7- steven gambrel; 8- photo from Vogue; 9 & 10 - photographed by simon upton for elle decor}
Labels: Interiors
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