Making it Yours (MiY)

MiY 7b: Teenage Boy’s Room

In this edition of Making it Yours, we’re following the Window Daybed as it shows up throughout a young boy’s life. The bed got its start in his childhood bedroom, and now we see it as he enters his teenage years.

The boy is now 14 (ah, it seems last week he was just a little boy!). He and his dad repainted the walls, but they kept the daybed, painted dresser, nightstand, striped rug, lamp, and guitar poster. Now road signs replace the alphabet, and groovy bedding replaces cute monsters. The phrenology head is awesome (I gave one to Brandon last year), and yes, there is now an actual guitar in the mix. I have a soft spot for Danelectro because that was the make of my first guitar too (a Dano U2). The black swivel chair makes a good spot to sit and practice those pesky barre chords.

Next up, we’ll see the daybed in the living room of his first apartment.

* Edit (08.02.11, 8:45pm)
A couple of comments suggested adding a desk and some storage, and I thought that was a good idea. Consider this bookshelf, desk, and chair part of the room as well.

I also had a little fun dirtying up the place. Literally and figuratively. Can you spot the new addition to the room?

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  • Sarah
    August 2, 2011 at 11:26 am

    I normally love these MIY rooms but this looks a little over-decoarated for many teenage boys, particularly the sheets.

    • Making it Lovely
      August 2, 2011 at 11:34 am

      You think so? Most of the room has been carried over from the last look (as it would be in real life). I thought the sheets were cool, and kind of spoke to the whole superficial fascination with Eastern culture and philosophy that a lot of young teens go through. The ones I knew did, at least!

      • Kathryn
        August 2, 2011 at 2:19 pm

        Its just lacking the teenge boy filth ;)

  • Katie
    August 2, 2011 at 12:39 pm

    I love that bed! (and am now seriously thinking of buying it…) Can’t wait to see the other rooms. :-)

  • jess
    August 2, 2011 at 2:29 pm

    Wait, you forgot to photoshop in the pile of garbage, banana peels, and dirty socks!!

  • GoHausGo
    August 2, 2011 at 3:55 pm

    I love this series! Although it’s making it become a furniture hoarder – I want to keep everything in hopes it will fit in the room later. Also, random question, did you get the Anthro poppies chair yet? I saw it yesterday and thought of MIL!

    • GoHausGo
      August 2, 2011 at 3:55 pm

      *making ME become a furniture hoarder. Duh!

  • Katie
    August 2, 2011 at 4:11 pm

    That daybed is amazing! xo

  • Jessica
    August 2, 2011 at 7:02 pm

    I’m going to have to say that room would probably not fit any teenage boy that I have ever met. Even minus the accessories, the bed itself just isn’t going to fit most of the 15 year olds that I know are pushing 6 feet or so. The chair could work for video games, reading comics, and playing guitar but there needs to be a desk and someplace to hide non clothing items.

    • Christina
      August 2, 2011 at 8:15 pm

      I’d have to agree. There’s no way my 17-year-old brother would fit in that bed. The footboard would be the biggest problem, not to mention the length and size of the mattress. His bed had to be upgraded from a twin to a queen last year because his feet hung off so much. Like Jessica said, the chair would be great for video games or reading books, but then you’d have to have a television stand and bookshelf (forget books, the shelves would be for game consoles and games).

    • Making it Lovely
      August 2, 2011 at 8:32 pm

      You guys, my dad would STILL fit on that daybed. Not all boys are destined to be tall, and I designed for a shorty. ;)

      I agree, a desk or a bookshelf would have been a good addition here though.

      • Making it Lovely
        August 2, 2011 at 8:47 pm

        I added a few more items to the bottom of the post.

      • Jessica
        August 3, 2011 at 12:54 pm

        Good to see the additions to the list. I know not all teen boys are going to be tall but most of the ones I know are. We are a family where the average woman is 5’11 and the men range between 6’2-6’5 and built like linebackers so I would envision something a lot longer and sturdy looking. For some reason I actually envision futon because its dual purpose and functional.

      • Christina
        August 4, 2011 at 7:40 pm

        All the men in my life are tall (my dad is the shortest at 5’10”) so I just always assume men will be tall.

        Just wanted to say that I love the additional pieces! I love how multifunctional that cubed bookshelf is, and it’s so much more “boyish” than a traditional bookshelf.

    • elisabeth
      August 3, 2011 at 9:21 am

      My thought was that a teen boy just might not like the bed, period. I will admit that I am not a fan of the day bed in general, but this one is not one I would associate with a teen boy. The swivel chair though, that would be a hit.

  • Shoshana
    August 2, 2011 at 8:31 pm

    this screams TEEN to me–I think I can almost smell this guy–yuck (to the inevitable smelly socks, not the room!)

  • Making it Lovely
    August 2, 2011 at 9:11 pm

    Heh. OK, I added a “dirty” version too!

  • Amanda
    August 2, 2011 at 9:30 pm

    tee hee!

  • Christina W.
    August 3, 2011 at 12:03 am

    I dunno, I think she nailed it. Everything is spot on (in my opinion) with the one exception of maybe the sheets. I don’t think I’ve ever met a single male who doesn’t use plaid sheets for some odd reason. Like, small, shirty plaids. Although I could definitely see a boy with long blonde hair sitting on those sheets perfecting his concerned-for-the-well-being-of-mankind face that he plans on impressing girls with.

  • Nick Klaus
    August 3, 2011 at 1:43 am

    I’m now reminded of how my parents refused to get me a larger bed than a standard twin, even when I was a bit too big for it.
    Designing for the teenage boy is a toughie. Most of the ones I knew added some posters of their favorite bands on the walls and piles of dirty clothes on the floor.

  • Erin B.
    August 3, 2011 at 9:45 am

    Perfect timing Nicole-I’m re-doing my 15-year old’s room as we speak. I love the colors and street signs you chose for wall decor. I painted his room a moody, dark orange-brown color called “fresh baked pumpernickel” and he loves it. I found an old globe at a thrift store, along with some quirky monkey lamps. We bought wall mounts for his guitars, so that they can also be a focal point when you walk in his room. His great-grandfather has some cool things from the war that I am putting in shadow boxes and hanging on his wall. This was all done on a tight budget using mostly what we already had.

  • melissa
    August 3, 2011 at 10:42 am

    I love to see boys rooms! I’m sure you notice now having a boy….there is never a lot of boy stuff….clothes, shoes, decor……about 1/4 of the amount of things for girls!
    Great Job!

  • Rebecca
    August 3, 2011 at 11:33 pm

    What program are you using to design your mood board/boys room?

  • Joy_UK
    August 5, 2011 at 12:03 pm

    I do love that desk! I have it in my new office *yellow and pinks* to decorate :)

  • Karen
    August 8, 2011 at 1:19 pm

    You’ve probably already addressed this elsewhere, but can you indulge me as a new reader? I’ve moved into a new place and have practically no furniture, so need to buy at least a few cheap IKEA pieces to tide me over. How can I paint something like the Mandal above? Sand and prime first and I’m OK? I was at IKEA twice this weekend, looking at items and wondering how I could make ’em work…..

    • Making it Lovely
      August 12, 2011 at 9:56 am

      Get a good primer (one that adheres to glossy surfaces). You can do a quick sanding with a very fine sandpaper to lose a little of the slick gloss, then prime and you’re good.

  • Making it Yours 7C: Single Guy’s Living Room | Making it Lovely
    August 12, 2011 at 10:17 am

    […] as it grows with him, and so far we’ve seen it in his childhood bedroom and again as he was a teenager. Now he’s on his own, and the daybed has found its way to the living room as the couch in his […]

  • Brandy
    April 12, 2013 at 12:02 pm

    Im not sure how I got here, but can you move in with my family and decorate our home? You are truly amazing!!