The Low Key Baby Boy Room

baby boy room 1

It is crunch time!

At the moment this post goes live, I will be in the OR having a cesarean.  Unless of course I very suddenly went into labor right before and didn’t have time to quick come edit this. Haha.

I really, really, wanted a beautiful nursery. And it is quite nice actually. I just need some different artwork on the walls. Something bigger and more dramatic maybe.  If you recall, this room used to be part of the long narrow room that became two bedrooms during our basement renovation.

office progress 3

We had previously painted the wood paneled walls. However, as soon as we learned we had another baby coming, it made sense to redo the space and make it a more functional part of our house. Raising a large family in a modest mid-centry house can be a challenge, space wise. It was time for walls, HVAC, carpet, and new up to code windows.

Remember when this half of the room was my office/studio?




lately 5-28-2015 2

I stuck very close to the inspiration board for the baby room. The paint color, light fixture, and furniture is all almost identical to the moodboard.
baby room mood board

I like the color scheme, but feel there is a quality of architectural detail missing.

baby boy room 2

I had mentioned previously, that I find the white trim and baseboard to make everything much more cold and stark looking. So, I brought in some natural wood in the wall art.

baby boy room 3

I layered burnished walnut and weathered oak stain on the arrow.

baby boy room 4

The felted wool balls soften a corner.

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This room is pretty tiny, so I don’t want a large number of tiny decor items. Which is why I am thinking a big art canvas over the crib might be the trick.

baby boy room 6

I added a rug from overstock.com to cozy it up. The rug is super cushy and does help the starkness quality.

baby boy room 1

For a major budget room, it is not too bad. I already had all the furniture, just needed to strip and refinish some of it. I really only spent money on the rug, paint, and bins. Everything else was re-purposed from other areas of the house. If this room were on the main floor, I likely would have painted the walls a dark blue. I think it would have looked great with the white trim. Plus, a deep color would have really made it more cozy and finished feeling. Since this is a basement bedroom with a single window, I went light and it feels a bit too airy. I will eventually get some wood blinds installed and a bigger piece of wall art. I think those two elements will really warm it up. Until then, I will be a bit too busy. I guess being picky about things ended sometime around the birth of kid number three!

The funny thing is, since I started ignoring trends and just doing what I want, my home has become pretty minimalist. There is so little furniture, decor, or even stuff anywhere. It is reminiscent of my high school bedroom. White, grey, natural wood, and blue accents. Very little clutter. I guess that is just who I am. My oldest son has the same taste. I wonder how much of that is nature versus nurture?

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