Colleen’s Design Dilemma
Yep, we’re back with another room redecoration, this time it’s a space that has to perform double duty as both a part-time bedroom and a full-time den. Here’s the gist:
Your blog is such a fun read and I admire all that you’ve done with your house! I need help with a den/part-time bedroom for my fiance’s twelve year old son named Cullen. I’d like to make it a cool media room as well as a bedroom for Cullen when he visits. We have another tv, stereos, speakers, books, and CDs/DVDs to put in here, but it has to mesh with Cullen’s toys (although he’s outgrowing them quickly). I look forward to any advice you have and promise to send you pictures of the updated rooms! – Colleen
Well, we’re definitely fans of a space that can multi-task, and there are plenty of things Colleen can bring into the space that will serve multiple functions around the clock while looking fabulous 24/7. As demonstrated by our mood board below:
Here’s the mood board breakdown.
1. This media-cabinet-meets-armoire is the perfect piece to bridge the gap between den and bedroom. It will easily house the tv, Cullen’s video game consoles, speakers, stereos, and a DVD player while the closed storage can conceal a plethora of DVDs, books and board games. Oh yeah and it’s about $1000 cheaper than other versions I’ve seen.
2. Here’s the room’s proposed color palette. Dark wood and leather pieces will look amazing against the sage green wall color, while brighter pops of green apple will add some fun to the space for Cullen. We’d also bring in a bit of an unexpected metallic in the form of a champagne colored metal daybed.
3. This patterned green bedding from CB2 will add some movement and interest to the space (and work perfectly with those walls) while keeping things serene enough for a laid back movie night for the whole family.
4. This handsome (and deeply discounted) storage ottoman would serve as the perfect coffee table. It’s cushy enough for tired feet, and the lid comes off to reveal oodles of storage space inside (perfect for more of Cullen’s games and toys).
5. Two of these punchy storage baskets in apple green from Target will introduce a bolder pop of color to keep Cullen happy (and keep his stuff contained), and lucky for Colleen they can slip right under two side tables from Ikea.
6. These clean-lined side tables have to be the most affordable options on the planet, and we think one on either side of the daybed would look balanced and handsomely house two green baskets full of Cullen’s stuff.
7. And speaking of the aforementioned daybed- always a perfect upgrade from a futon- here it is in all its glory. This amazing example of design (love those sleek circles and the unusual champagne color) will sleep Cullen in comfort, as well as provide a place for the whole family to gather while watching movies. Note: If you’re not convinced such a sleek daybed can be comfortable, fret not. We relax on our über linear sunroom daybed all the time thanks to lots of plush pillows for back support and snuggle-factor).
8. As for what plush pillows to go for, we think these bright green printed babies are the bee’s knees. And because they’ll be on a patterned comforter in similar tones and shades, they’ll look less insane and more coordinated than you’d expect.
Oh and we have one more suggestion that didn’t make the mood board, these functional under bed storage bins from Ikea which could be housed underneath the daybed while no ones the wiser (no one except for Cullen and Colleen).
So what’s the verdict? Kid-ish enough? Media-ish enough? Sound off at the beep. Beeeeeep!
Update: We sadly can no longer find the time to take on client commissioned mood boards (we now whip up general inspiration boards instead) but if we ever reinstate them we’ll make a big announcement!
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The green is a great color for this room…and I like how the media cabinet would house books and games as well as movies for the family to watch together. Baskets are a must with my little boy (9, who is a bit of a collector!). Great ideas.
I love this mood board – one note from the 14 year old boy looking over my shoulder, the bedspread is a little light for a boy and I quote “light green is girly”
Tee hee! I laughed out loud at Johnny’s quote. So cute and adorably honest. I kept asking John if he thought the sage wall color was too feminine but we thought punching it up with some brights would help “boy it up”- maybe a brighter bedspread in the bolder lime color we added with baskets and pillows would be more masculine for Cullen. And maybe he could even pick it out himself at a place like Target or Wal-mart or Bed Bath & Beyond. My nephew loves the toys and books that he hand selected the most, so maybe that applies to boys who choose their own bedspreads as well!
xo,
Sherry
Love this!! I’m obsessed with daybeds because of your blog. :)
Too bad the AC/DC poster isn’t green! Maybe a more graphic, less swirly pattern wouldn’t be as “girly”?
oh yeah the poster must stay!!
Touches of red are always a really fun compliment to green, and now that we’ve introduced some deeper colors in the side tables and the media center, the black background of the poster will look more at home. Another fun graphic band poster on the other side of the window would balance things out, so maybe Cullen can select a new black and red poster for the blank wall on the other side of the window! The question is what band will he choose…
xo,
Sherry
Green is girly?
Oh my gosh, we love this! Terry and I just read it and love the ideas – they are fresh and hip and great for all ages. We will show Cullen the post this weekend and then start a plan to put these ideas into action. I really like the idea of having him help to pick out the items (he will especially like choosing another band poster!) and I hope it will help him to feel at home here. We’ll send pictures soon!
I have two boys, and I’m pretty sure neither of them would ever agree to a room with any green except forest green in it. They would want a room with browns, blues, deep greens, um … other browns … different blues ….
I can’t wait to hear what Cullen thinks, though; my boys are big now (20 and 17) and maybe 12 year olds have a different take on this stuff.
(Now, my 17 year old would likely choose PINK, just because he loves going against what people expect of him — not that he’d necessarily LIKE pink, just that he likes seeing people’s reactions!)
To each their own I suppose.
As Young House Love’s resident boy, I’ll add my two cents: Growing up my parents let me design my bedroom. I chose gray carpet, gray walls and a black bedspread. It worked fine as a teenager’s room, but I don’t think my parents would’ve appreciated that color scheme for something that also functioned as their den. It screamed teenage angst a little too much.
-John
Colleen (and Terry)-
We’re so happy you like it! Can’t wait to see what Cullen thinks and check out those after pics when you get ‘er done!
xo,
Sherry (and her teenage angst-ridden hubby)
We have a bedspread just about the same color o fthe featured spread, can you tell me the name of that sage green color you would use on the walls!?!? Thanks!
Bryan
Hey Bryan,
Ok, but you have to promise to send us before and after pics! I would definitely try Benjamin Moore’s Mosaic Glass or Dune Grass and see how both swatches look in the space with your bedspread (one will work better than the other and you’ll have your color). Happy painting…
Oh and don’t forget to snap some pics before you start painting because it’s always the first thing people forget to do- but everyone loves a good before and after!
xo,
Sherry