Teen Boys Room

As I was decorating Little dude's room, my teen was slightly upset I wasn't finishing his room.  I definitely had neglected that room, because well...he was a teenager.  I kinda thought he didn't care.  I was wrong.  He cared, well kinda.  He wanted a decorated room, he just didn't know how he wanted it decorated.  He wanted me to just take over and do it.  Okay.

Last summer, I finally painted the kids rooms.  Here's is what my teen's room ended up looking like.  Blue walls, with one accent Orange wall.

Before:

I'm a "make do" type of person.  Yes, having things perfect, would be "perfect."  But who can afford that?  This desk and bed definitely don't go together.  They barely, and I mean BARELY, fit along that wall.  But that is what I had to work with.  So, we put them in there together, even though the "design" element of it didn't really feel right.

Well.  After much thinking, I thought, let's give that desk to the one person in this house that doesn't really care what her room looks like, and who has A TON of stuff to store.  So, we traded desks (and yes, that process almost killed me), I don't think L desks are meant to be moved with an 11 year old and a 5 year old.  

The theme of my teens room was travel, or places of the world.  I knew his orange wall needed something...but what?  We discussed bike wheels lining his walls, maybe framed pictures of places around the world, maybe maps, planks of wood...etc..  But we came up with the idea of mimicking his bedspread a little bit (the white on orange part). I got a city skyline off of silhouette america's website, and cut the skyline out of white vinyl.  

Honestly...I Love it.  and you know what?  The kids loved peeling the vinyl to make it all happen.

A LONG time ago.  Like when I first moved into our new house, I saw an idea for this next part in a pottery barn catalog. I wanted my own take on it, but my man cut these planks from pallets months ago, and they have just been waiting for me to finish.   Using my Silhouette again, I cut locations, and distances in miles from our home.  The idea is...I'll go where you want me to go...I think a little vinyl may go above these signs someday soon.

Spray paint is the way to go here.  So so so so fast.  Cover all the wood as you spray though, or you might get some overspray.  But, some overspray looks kinda cool, if I say so myself.

Here's what it looks like in his room.

Here's his other wall, flag from our beloved Y, and map and frame from IKEA...total $20 for frame and print (both were $9.99)

This is the new desk center.  Man, this lightens up the room so much, in weight and actual light.  Shelves and brackets come from ikea...each unfinished pine shelf was $6.  Seriously, a great buy.  And that stainless steel shelf with books and frame?  That was $14.99.  Hot dog, that brought me joy as well.  Table and chair came from Crate and Barrel about 13 years ago.  So.....let's say it has been around awhile.

Here's the finished product.  I love that my teen LOVES this room.  He goes in now and just looks around, enjoying it.  That's reward itself.