You guys already know that our playroom is looking kinda rough these days (thanks to this whole house update post from last week):
But we’ve decided that once we clear it out, it’ll actually suit our family better as a less traditional space. Burger is a beloved member of our family, so we think he deserves his own little area. And since Clara plays pretty much all over the house (in the office, the living room, the kitchen, and her room – depending wherever we are with her) we won’t really need an official “playroom” until baby number two comes along (and we turn the playroom into a bedroom).
And I’ll spoil the surprise for all of you folks on bump watch, Clara’s brother or sister will probably be about three years younger than her because I’ve got strict orders from my doc to give my body two full years between pregnancies to heal (thanks to some birth complications with Clara). And since it takes almost a year to bake a human on top of that two year waiting period, that’s where we came up with the whole three year approximation.
But back to the playroom. We’ve decided… drumroll please… to give Burger his own little nautical themed room! Because every pooch deserves some sea faring fun. He always seems to have the best time at the beach, so that jumped out at us as the right environment to really set him at ease. The sea gulls, the warm summer air, the sailboats, an errant pelican. What eight pound chihuahua wouldn’t love that? But enough talking, here’s our Burger-licious mood board:
- Our color palette will be pretty straightforward: navy, red, and white (with some natural wood tones and maybe a few pops of yellow worked in there for fun). The walls will stay white with graphic red & navy accents along with a super cool mural for added pop (more on that later).
- How cute would a few of these $33 seagull mobiles be when hung in a flock from the ceiling? Burger should like them since he loves watching real birds flap around outside in real life.
- This boat-ish dog bed was the inspiration for the entire nautical theme. At $260 it’s not cheap, but what can I say? Burger’s like L’Oreal. He’s worth it. Plus it’s such a room-making detail that we just couldn’t pass it up.
- Here’s the mural that I want to paint on one of the walls. I like that it’s obviously sea-inspired without being too over the top (a dock with a single pelican in the foreground feels kind of “understated” compared to some of the other busy and über bold murals that we’ve seen).
- This weathered ship’s wheel (for $34) should look cool on one of the mural-less white walls in the room.
- No dog room is complete without an on-theme dog toy, so this $7.99 blue anchor chew toy definitely fits the bill.
- And since we want to keep Burger looking “cohesive” with the rest of the room, we can’t wait to pick up this $27 outfit to help him get into character.
- Instead of something more traditional, we thought hanging fisherman’s nets (just $17.99 a pop) as “curtains” would add lots of texture and more sea-faring fun. Fingers crossed Burger doesn’t get all tangled up in them. Haha.
So that’s our vision for the playroom, at least for the next few years. Should be interesting.
Now I’m just putting words here, just to fill up space so that when you’re reading the numbered points above your eyes don’t skip down the page and notice this next part. You know, because it’ll ruin the surprise.
So in case you’re wondering if we’re totally off our rockers… we might be. But this post is still totally a joke.
APRIL FOOLS!!!
Did we get you? Did the $260 dog bed tip you off? Or was it our description of the pelican mural as “understated”? Did you really think Burger would be caught dead in that sailor’s suit in the name of cohesive design? Or did you all know this was coming given our history of April Fools Day hijinks (like this post and this post)?
Kymberly says
:D LOL!
[email protected] says
You guys totally got me even even though I realized today it’s April’s Fool’s Day ! I thought you guys went a little nuts creating a whole room around a dog with the mood board and all the detailed planning…Anyway, that’s a good one!
Jessie from http://www.mixandchic.com
Annette says
Got me too! Funny!
Amy N says
Ha! At first I though “oh, cool, they’re starting on the playroom!”, and then when I kept reading, I was like “what the ?”. I knew it had to be an April Fool’s joke! You should check out Prudent Baby’s April Fool’s joke….it’s a good one.
YoungHouseLove says
Ooh off to check it out!
xo,
s
Kristen Windle says
hahahah I was like hmm this doesn’t mesh with Sue at all. Weird. Not to mention, I didn’t think you’d ever spend 260 on a dog bed, even if Burger is worth it ;)
Janna says
Haha! I was just about to email my friend who is also a YHL addict and I was gonna say, ” OMG! Did you see what YHL is gonna do next? The fame is totally going to their head! A dog room?! ” so glad you guys are still with us and haven’t fallen off your rocker!
But you guys probably could have rocked a sweet dog room.
Jennifer B. says
Sherry! I found a DIY animal head wall mount with a flamingo! hahaha! Here’s the link:
http://www.flamingotoes.com/2011/04/flamingo-trophy-art/
Jennifer B.
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, hilarious!
xo,
s
Alissa H. says
I knew it! I stopped reading and scrolled down to find the April Fools.
I know you love your dog, but I didn’t think you were the type of people to give him an entire bedroom.
Christina says
So, does that mean you ARE pregnant?
YoungHouseLove says
Nope, the baby spacing part is 100% true. But we know bump watch will continue for the next 2+ years anyway, haha.
xo,
s
Rachel says
Totally forgot it’s April 1st! But the whole time I was reading the post I kept thinking “This does not sound like something John and Sherry would do.”
Jen says
Wow I am SO gullible!!!! I totally believed this! I thought it was a tad overboard for a pet (even though I know how much you guys love Burger & I understand, because I love my cat just as much)…but wow yeah, that is why I don’t particularly like April’s Fools Day. I fall for it everytime! haha Good one! :)
katie b. says
I feel so fooled.
No, really, I was sitting here thinking, “really? A whole freaking room dedicated to Burger? I mean, he’s cool and all…”
Then, the dog bed?
I thought, no chance. But totally forgetting the day. Yea. Basically? You got me.
I was *thisclose* to removing you from my reader.
I kid, I kid.
elz says
You had me going until the dog bed. I was like, “Really? Really?” That doesn’t fit with them at all…although they do love Burger…Good one.
Dana M says
was reading this post thinking it seemed a bit crazy to devote an entire room to a dog!…. and then I got to the dog bed and thought that was WAY too expensive. So where did my mind go next….. “I wonder how you could build a dog bed/boat!”
nikki says
Best one yet!!! Keep up coming
Erin says
ha I was thinking…”Are they off their rocker?!” haha Glad to know you guys are still sane, but I do love nautical!
Whitney says
Oh wow, I was thinking you were crazy to devote a whole room to Burger (not that he’s not worth it) but you value your space too much. You had me going until the very end… I do love that dog bed though! I was hoping that you were joking about the bed price… but you weren’t :( You inspired me to create my own April Fool’s post on my blog… http://www.acolorfulife.com My mom was freaking out :) Thanks for the laugh and the inspiration!
Cindy says
Oh thank goodness. I actually didn’t even READ the numbered points because I thought the whole thing looked so boring. LOL And I usually read every word.
You got me! :) xo
Jacci in Ohio says
LOL – I thought you were serious until I got to the “nautical themed” part. No one as chic as y’all would go that route. On the April Fool’s note, I woke up this morning to a toilet papered living room. Maybe the kids don’t *quite* get the fooling part just yet, but I think I just got a glimpse of things to come :)
Cat@BudgetBlonde says
UGH! I was thinking of yall on my drive to work when the radio mentioned that it was April fools….but then once I got working I forgot, read the post, was going to politely not comment that the expensive dog bed was really unlike you! GOOD ONE!
xoxo
Cat @ BudgetBlonde
mikkiroo says
I was SERIOUSLY questioning your sanity. Whew!
Teresa says
wow I totally did not realize it was april fools until I saw these comments… When I saw the $260 dog bed I actually got a little mad at you guys….. It made me see a whole new crazy side of you that I really did not like at all.
Jodie Kirk says
Very well played Sherry! Really had me going!
At first I was a little thrown by the color palette, but then thought this is a great project before another baby joins the family, to keep you extra busy and us excited. I’d love to give my dog his own room!
But I was a little skeptical when you said you were going to keep the walls white. White trim, yes… but white walls???!!!
Sami says
So last night I saw a Fancy Feast commercial where a guy designs an entire “cat room” to surprise his girlfriend with a little baby kitty. I was thinking to myself “Well that’s kind of creepy – people don’t really do that right?”
Then this morning I check YHL (as always) and there it is. An entire room dedicated to a pet.. I think I may have gasped and said “Oh jeez maybe people really DO do that…”
LOL… I am all about loving your animal and treating them as one of the fam… but an entire room in your house. Maybe not..
Ellen says
You two really got me! That mural is pretty uggers (no offense). Such a hilarious trick. I told my boyfriend today that I was quitting my job and he really went for it. Have you two been planning this for a while now?
YoungHouseLove says
We always do something every year but we only hatched the mood board dog room plan yesterday. Haha. Katie Bower called me and I was giggling about my little mood board project when I answered. I crack myself up apparently.
xo,
s
Jenny says
oh my gosh, too funny! i totally believed you, and was thinking, this is the first thing on this blog i have seen that i don’t like. haha!
Christy says
Ok. Seriously HILARIOUS. My favorite is the fishing-net curtains. Well, that and the $260 doggy bed. Now I just have to ask… were you serious about the waiting 2 years to bake another Petersik??
YoungHouseLove says
Yup, that’s the real deal. But we know every time we post a full body pic that some people start looking for the bulge. Haha. Heck my mom is guilty and she was in the room when the doc went over everything!
xo,
s
Krystyl says
SO I have to admit I have only be following for a few weeks now so I don’t know you guys all too well, I thought it was a little wierd, BUT………I’m doing my sons room in a pirate theme and I thought, huh I can totally steal some of those ideas (fish net and ships wheel) AND…..that color pallete is very simular to the one I have. How sad is that!?!?! So needless to say ya got me…
Kelly says
Oh man you got me…I was completely fooled. And thought y’all had lost it. Well done.
Jami Denton says
Totally got me!! Totally forgot it was April Fools Day!! I was thinking, “OK–I thought they were cool, but they must be crazy! They are spending what on a dog bed that they will only use for 3 years?? And the design is soooo cheesy!”
I was about to take you off of the “blogs I read regularly” list.
On a positive, unrelated note– I painted one of our kitchen chairs red (paint leftover from another project) while my unsuspecting husband was bathing our children. I felt very “Sherry-like.” He came out of the bathroom with clean children to see a complete mess. Luckily, he liked the chair :-).
YoungHouseLove says
Wahoo! Go Jami!
xo,
s
kim says
You totally got me. I keep forgetting it’s April 1st. I’m thinking “Hmmm…. I’ve never not liked one of their ideas, this is a first”. Then I saw $260 for the dog bed and thought one of those tree limbs must’ve hit Sherry on the head. I can’t BELIVE I fell for that!!
Megan says
This is my first year reading, so you got ME! Although, I did start to doubt the seriousness of it when you said you were leaving the walls WHITE! :)
Emily says
I read as far as point #7 when I thought…hold on a minute, this has GOT to be an April Fool’s Day thing. A quick scroll down=yes, it is.
Lori @ Richmond, BABY! says
Hilarious. You really got me.
I kept thinking, “Wow, they really love their dog! I should probably at least give ours a few more treats.” Hahaha…
Ann says
Well, you had me for awhile because I have a 3 lb Yorkie that would probably enjoy her own room and she would probably have said room if I won the lottery. The dog bed was a definite tip off tho!
Maegan says
OMG… hahahahaha….you totally had me as I’m new to your blog and haven’t seen any other “April Fools” posts. I was thinking you lost your mind! I couldn’t believe you would spend that kind of money, or any money, on a room for a dog…
Good one!!
Susan says
The color scheme did it for me. Which is surprising because I am completely oblivious to April 1. Maybe because I feel the same all year? “What, you were joking? I didn’t get it.” Some people don’t need it to be April to be fooled. :)
Jackie says
I was totally buying it! I was reading it thinking, wow this is one thing I won’t be showing my husband later! I was relieved to read it was a joke :)
Niki says
We are tackling ours as well…a little overwhelming at times! The dog bed makes me smile.
Marlene says
Hallelujah. I was so worried for a minute there…
Leslie says
:)
RLB says
You totally got me. I was kinda rolling my eyes thinking you two had lost it.
Leigh Anne says
I’m embarrassed – I’ve been reading your blog for nearly a year, and you totally got me. What’s interesting is that I thought something was fishy (pun intended) after #2 with a few $33 mobiles – I thought that was pricey. The moodboard, in hindsight, is so preposterous that I can’t believe I GOT GOT!
Dawn SC says
HAHA I was definitely completely fooled, forgot it was April 1! I’m reading it thinking, “Really?” And, well, the rationale behind not needing a separate playroom DID make sense. :) I was more expecting you to say you had another plan for the room and it was just a joke… still not realizing what day it was, I’m slow today. :-P Thanks for the laugh!
JR says
Good dog!! I guess the joke is on me. I got so excited at the thought of a dog room that I sent the link to my fiancé with a hint-hint reminder that the weekend is upon us. It was only then that I read the end of your post…
There were, however, some good insights, I guess.
Things this post taught me:
1) I may be a little more off my rocker than I initially thought
2) I may be soon single thanks to #1 and…
3) I should finish reading something before getting so doggone excited
It’s ruff being so gullible.
Beatriz says
That was hysterical! I’m not a fan of nautical themes but thought the mood board idea was great for those of your readers who really do like it!!! LOL!!!
Now seriously, how long did it take you guys to not only come up with this plan but to execute the entire post? I’m sure you were both itching for April 1st to roll around to post this….it’s your best one yet!
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, we hatched the nautical dog room idea yesterday and then I whipped up the post and the mood board in about two hours. I was mid-mood-board when Katie Bower called and I answered the phone while chuckling to myself. Totally cracked me up. I’m such a nerd.
xo,
s
Ivy says
Oh my gosh!!! Haha. That was the best. As I was reading I was actually thinking to myself “Well, maybe the whole having a baby thing has made them enjoy and want to decorate another kiddie like space, for their fur-baby.ok. I’ll just go with it with them” I know after I had my son, I had so much fun designing his room, I was already re-decorating his room in my head after he was born.
Jessica says
You guys totally had me! The sad thing is I was expecting an April Fools post, but I got sucked into the reality of Sherry’s pregnancy talk. You guys are always my source for good inspiration, and as I skimmed the explanation for your mood board (I figured there had to be some explanation) I wondered, “Am I that design challenged? How did I miss the boat here?” (stupid beach pun intended) Glad to know I still have a little design sense.
LindseyR says
soooo funny!!! I couldn’t get to the comments fast enough on this one!
Shannon Murray says
I wasn’t thinking along the lines of an April Fool’s Joke, but I didn’t think it made logical sense to have a room for Burger, and not a playroom for Clara when BOTH of them will likely be wherever you and John are. ;)