by lauraadmin | Dec 23, 2015 | NOC
Tween boys (and Men) are pretty superficial in the sense that there is not a lot of depth in their hobbies and interests. Their needs are fairly easy to meet. Most conversations vacillate between sports, food & the ability to burp the alphabet. One usually does not need to wonder what subtext lies beneath their words. My husband insists that all of these reason are exactly why Men are happier than Women. I disagree (this is for another post 🙂
When boys are young, the colors used are mostly pastel blue, yellow and green. The palette I use for tween boys is muted and warm with lots of gray and black undertones. Also, the hues are richer in color than the ones I use for tween girls. Tween boys rooms can be just as much fun to create as girls rooms; however, the SAME themes keep emerging; sports, superheros (I amazed by this theme’s longevity) & sports again!! I love the rock & roll theme, the surfer theme and the campy man cave theme (what guy doesn’t love a gilded deer head hanging on his wall?)
Since sports themes are by far the most requested, I created a baseball theme for this post. Ok, I would like to first state: For the love of all that is holy, PLEASE DO NOT PAINT YOUR SON’S WALLS IN HIS FAVORITE TEAM’S COLORS!!!! I know it sounds like a good idea, but it is not. These colors might look good on a uniform, but they do not look good on walls. It is very easy to incorporate team colors in a variety of ways that will let all those who enter know what team your son is a fan of. The key is to use paint to establish the base, and then add colors and accessories to establish the theme. Below, I listed my favorite color schemes for tween boys rooms. I listed the main paint color, a coordinating accent wall color, ceiling and trim color and any other applicable accent colors (either used through paint or accessories).
Below, I created a baseball themed room. The palette is gray, navy & white with brown and red accents. Since the colors are muted in the room I added a lot of texture to add depth. I added a chenille rug, faux fur throw pillow, distressed leather desk and accent chair knit pouf and galvanized metal on the locker style desk and night table. The brown is repeated on the vintage bats hung over the bed, the distressed leather chairs & the hardwood floors. The red accents are picked up in the locker, pouf, pendant lights, throw pillow, art, and bedding. The striped euro shams (I repeat stripes on the throw pillow) and zig-zag drapes added a much-needed pattern. I framed the Yankees and MLB logos to add some “art”, and I added the decal between the vintage bats. I am a huge fan of decals (any more than two is serious overkill). This is such a fun and easy way to add team spirit without commitment. When you are done with it, just peel it off.
A REALLY, REALLY important element that I add to ALL sports themed room are vintage accessories. This is the element that keeps this room looking stylish and well done!!! I can not stress this enough. It is the juxtaposition of the new and old that makes this look successful. The internet has a vast selection of vintage accessories. Although I couldn’t fit it in this frame, I added gray wire cubby type shelving on the left for storage (they are from Land of Nod) to add to the vintage vibe. As I stated in my last post, I really like to add visual tension in the rooms I design. I did this here by adding the single red locker and the zigzag drapes (which is an unexpected pattern to use in this themed room).
Tween Boy’s Room
So here are a few tips on successfully creating a themed tween boys room:
- Keep colors muted. You can create interest by painting accent walls or painting the ceiling (which looks amazing in boy’s rooms)
- Try not to match every piece of furniture. I used the galvanized locker style on the desk and night table. I would NOT also use a locker style dresser. I would have used a painted gray dresser that coordinated with the bed.
- Play with texture. The texture is more interesting to the eye than color.
- Add an unexpected pattern as I did with the zigzag drapes.
- Add cubby type storage. Boys will shove things on or under anything they can. Cubbies (hopefully) keep things off the floor.
The nice thing about this design is that should he decide he doesn’t want a sports theme anymore, you take the wall decor down and the bedding and this can easily be a skater, ski, or man cave theme. Also, your son can take the desk, night table & locker to college, and only the bedding and wall decor need to be swapped out to make this a great guest room.
Kid’s rooms are so fun to create!! Let me know what themes you would like me to create, and I will post on it. Message me if you would like to know where I got these pieces.
XO Laurie
by lauraadmin | Dec 21, 2015 | NOC
Some of my favorite projects have been kid’s rooms. It is so fun to let one’s imagination run wild while creating a fun and whimsical space for a child. Sadly, the years go by and the stuffed animals are replaced with dolls, then out go the dolls to make room for the Barbies. Eventually, it’s all about the texting, clothes & make up…..sniff, sniff!
Just as the transition from little girl to tween is a major transition, so is the transition from a little girl’s room to a tween’s room. I wish I could tell you that it’s as easy as changing out the bedding and drapes; it is not. This update will likely cost the most of any update you do to your daughter’s room. However, this doesn’t mean that you have to spend a fortune. There a few key updates that will help take your tween through teens and beyond. As with any space, this can also be achieved in stages.
After about 5-7 years most rooms need to be repainted. When girls are young the colors we choose most are pastels with cool undertones. Pink and purple are the most common. Tweens require a bolder palette. They speak louder, dress bolder and basically do whatever they can to exert their new found autonomy. Therefore, the colors they lean towards are usually richer, more pigmented and warmer in tone.
Here are a few paint palettes I like:
As much as I love the use of bold colors such as this hot pink and turquoise, I like to be practical about design as well. I think painting an accent wall, or the ceiling adds the perfect amount of color without having to paint the whole room (the same goes for a bold, fun wallpaper).
When I paint an accent wall a bold color like the ones above, I usually choose a neutral color for the rest of the walls. I like gray, beige or white 3-4 shades (color value and intensity) lighter than the accent wall. Some of my favorites are:
(**A huge caveat to viewing paint chips on a computer/phone/tablet is that based on the way your device is calibrated, these colors can and will look different. I strongly suggest you get the paint chips of the colors you are looking to use, and bring them home to view in the space you will be using them. I also suggest looking at the colors at night because they will look different under artificial light vs natural light**)
Another change that one should consider is upgrading from a twin bed to a full bed. This is the bed she will likely have until she goes off to college. Why not make this a bed that she can be comfortable in and grow into? One money saving tip is to choose a bed frame that has a platform; therefore, you can forego the box spring (which is usually what makes mattress sets so expensive).
Below, I created a bedroom using a hot pink, gray & white palette with pops of turquoise & navy. I also used mirrored and gold accents to elevate the room from being too childish, into one fit for a girl who will use all of these reflective surfaces to check out her appearance. The mirrored accents are repeated on the picture frames and night table drawer fronts. The gold accents are repeated on the etagere, pouf, picture frame and accent bow pillow. The turquoise on the lamp, mirror and vase add a bright pop of color to this palette. I try to keep my designs very balanced visually so one side of the room doesn’t feel “heavier” than the other; however, I usually disrupt this balance just a bit by throwing an element or two to cause some visual tension. I do this by placing a single lamp on the left night table, and by using the “XO” wall decor only on the right side of the mirror.
Tween Girl’s Room
When it comes time for your daughter to leave “the nest”, you can swap out the bedding, pops of turquoise and the fluffy chair to make this a beautiful guest room.
This post was based on numerous requests for help on this topic (I will be tackling tween boys next). Please let me know what you would like to read about, and what other design questions or challenges you have. Also, always feel free to message me to inquire about where to shop for these pieces. It is so fun for me to create these posts. I love being able to help those who struggle with a topic that is as natural and easy to me as breathing.
Thank you for reading!!
XO Laurie
by lauraadmin | Dec 15, 2015 | NOC
Creating a unique and visually appealing gallery to display one’s art and photos can be a challenge. The options are almost unlimited. One can mix art with photos (this is a stunning look, although tough for a novice to pull off). One can also mix frames to lend an eclectic, carefree vibe. Another option is adding decorative elements to your gallery to add an interesting and layered look.
Here are a few guidelines I use when hanging art and photos:
- I use repetition and symmetry A LOT when creating galleries. One’s eye searches for patterns, as well as matching elements. If you look closely at the galleries I created below, I repeat images multiple times in most displays.
- Lay out your art on the floor and play with the arrangement. Finalize the arrangement before you put even one nail in the wall.
- Art hung in odd numbers usually looks more appealing (there are a few galleries I created below that use even numbers of hangings. However, when you are just starting out arranging and hanging art, I would stick with odd numbers.)
- Stay within the borders of the sofa or table which you are hanging the art over. Although it is not wrong per say, to expand beyond the borders, it will look more refined and deliberate if you use the length of your sofa or table as your guide.
- While designing, I create horizontal and vertical grids in my head to ensure spaces are balanced. I do the same while hanging photos and art. Make sure that the space above, below and between each picture is the same distance apart (I use 4″ as a rule of thumb). A lot of times I line up the top edges, bottom edges or both of the frames’ edges to create an border.
- USE THE LINES OF THE SOFA TO CREATE A GRID IN WHICH TO HANG YOUR ART!!! The picture that lies in the center of the arrangement should either be centered over the center cushion of the sofa, or the center line of the sofa should bisect the photo that lies over it.
- I LOVE to layer and stack frames on top of each other. This is the ultimate way to add dimension, interest and a truly custom look to your gallery. This layout requires A LOT of patience and meticulous measuring……..basically, don’t drink and hang!
- Hang art lower than you think it should be hung! If you have to tilt your head up to look at the picture, it is hung too high! A good rule of thumb is to have the center of the photo at about 58-60″ above the floor.
Below, I showcase a few variations to give some inspiration on hanging your gallery. As a tip, West Elm has great frames. They are super stylish and are easy to work with. The frames come with a paper template that you can tape to the wall to adjust and play around with.
Building a gallery around a beautiful mirror is an easy and classic way to display art. Adding mirrored stars between art and photos adds a lot of visual interest to the second and fourth gallery.
The use of a grid in all three layouts makes these displays stand out. In the first and third displays,I lined up the edges of the tops and bottoms of each frame. In the second display, I lined up the top of the frames to create structure. Because this layout is the most “organic” of the groupings, I relied heavily on repetition of both the size of the frames, and the images displayed.
Let me know what you think. I would love to hear what tips you have for displaying your photos.
xo Laurie
by lauraadmin | Dec 12, 2015 | NOC
If there was one holiday decoration that I could easily change every year, it would be my wreath. There are endless variations one could use; I am always so inspired by the unique elements that some use in creating a gorgeous wreath. Kim from Tidbits & Twine decorated a gorgeous wreath using boxwood greenery, antlers and a BOA….It looks amazing, you should check it out!
Here are a few of my favorite wreaths:
I love the use of hydrangeas in this wreath. The initial is a cute way to personalize your wreath.
The burlap, glittery pine cones and flocked branches gives the perfect amount of texture to this wreath.
I love the use of burlap, but it’s the shape of this wreath that creates major visual interest!
The blue, green and silver combination is always an eye-catching combination. This is one of my favorite non-traditional Christmas color schemes.
This is just all around gorgeous! The frosted pine cones create a beautiful back drop for the gilded walnuts and bells.
The unique horse shoe shape and pink satin bow create an elegant wreath. I love the simplicity of it!
The color of this bow looks fresh and bright against the bronze and gold elements used in this wreath.
The red cardinals and ornaments add an eye catching pop to this flocked wreath. This would look beautiful against a dark door.
Let me know what you think of these, or if you have a wreath you love that you think would be an inspiration to others. I would love to hear from you!
xo Laurie
by lauraadmin | Dec 7, 2015 | NOC, Things I'm Loving Right Now
People usually have an affinity for silver or gold. Even when choosing jewelry, people usually favor one metal over the other. In the past few years gold has made a major comeback! Although, recently I have seen a lot of mixed metals used in home decor (rose gold is having a moment as well).
I love mixing silver and gold. I think mixing metals adds depth, as well as versatility to a room. However, there are some basic guidelines to creating this look successfully. In the rendering below, I started with a fairly neutral palette of cream, black, beige & gray.
Here are some basic guidelines:
- keep the finish of each of the metals the same. If you are using a brushed gold, pair it will a brushed nickel.
- repeat the metals throughout the room. In this rendering I repeated the silver on the cocktail table and light fixture, and the gold on the end tables, lamps, accent pillow and bar cart.
- choose one metal to play a more prominent role in the room (I chose gold for this rendering).
This topic is one that I get asked about all the time. It is also one that people say they feel most intimidated trying. This will definitely be a reoccurring theme for posts in the future. I will post using different color schemes that you can follow as you become more comfortable mixing metals.
I’d love to know what you think of this post, or what questions you have related to this topic (or any other). Thanks for reading!
xo Laurie
