Let’s Go Adventuring: Planning a Shared Boy Room

You GUYS! Today I am excited and a bit nervous because I have decided to join in on my very first One Room Challenge. Eeek! If you’re not familiar with the One Room Challenge, it is an event that happens twice a year and is hosted by the lovely Linda of Calling It Home.

For the challenge, bloggers are given 6 weeks to complete a full room makeover, and they share their progress each Thursday during the 6 weeks. You can visit a link up of everyone’s projects over on Linda’s blog.

This One Room Challenge could not have come at a more perfect time for me. I like doing the practical things like installing hardware and light fixtures, but nothing quite beats a full on room makeover, and since I have exactly zero completed rooms in our new house, I was just itching to take one on.

Love this gorgeous home! It's new construction, a Ryan Homes Palermo, and I can't wait to see how she decorates it. Click through to the post to see the full tour!

Now I could have chosen our living room (which we use all the time) or our bedroom (which is practically bare) or my office (though it will definitely take longer than six weeks), but instead I chose to focus on a room for the two most important little people in my life, my sons Connor and Caleb (ages 7 & 5), who are more commonly known around here as “the Cs.”

Photo by elle and arre photography

Aren’t they the cutest?! (photo by elle and arre photography)

Planning a Shared Boys’ Room

The Cs have been the bravest little troopers throughout this whole moving process, and I wanted to make absolutely sure that they felt at home in our new house. We opted to keep them in the same room together, at least at first, because they were used to that from our last house.

Love this adorable shared boy room! So bright and cheerful with a transportation theme!

the Cs’ room in the townhouse

Here is the blank slate we are starting with in the new house:

Love this gorgeous home! It's new construction, a Ryan Homes Palermo, and I can't wait to see how she decorates it. Click through to the post to see the full tour!

Exciting, right? 😉

When I began thinking about their room, I thought it would be fun to do a nautical theme. Lots of blue and white. Paddles and anchors and buoys galore. And at least one occurrence of the word “Ahoy!” of course. 🙂

But when I sat down with Connor, my oldest, to look at some ideas, he had other plans. We were flipping through pages of bedding on a website, with me trying to steer him toward one of the many blue and white striped options, but he got more excited any time he would see plaid. Every single time a picture of plaid bedding would pop up on the screen, he would go “Ooooh!” and point at it.

And then he saw this pillow:

This post contains affiliate links. For more information, see my disclosures here.

Love this adventuring themed room for elementary aged boys! How fun! Click through to the post for all sources!

source

And after that, there was absolutely no way we were doing any kind of room design that did not include this pillow. He was beyond obsessed with it. So I had plaid and I had a bear pillow. And so instead of nautical, I suggested that we go adventuring.

And Connor was all for it. 🙂

Here’s the plan we came up with:

Love this adventuring themed room mood board for elementary aged boys! How fun! Click through to the post for all sources!

roman shade | night stand | lamp | overhead light | dresser | closet system

bed | sheets | comforter | pillow | quilt

adventure sign | fearfully and wonderfully made sign | globe | wall pockets | arrows | airplane hooks

I loved that Connor had so many ideas of what he wanted this room to be. (Caleb is just hoping to sneak in a dinosaur somewhere, which I am totally fine with. 🙂 )

I had been thinking that we would get them white beds, particularly when I was considering doing a nautical room, but Connor put his foot down and said that white was definitely not manly enough. (Don’t tell him that he had a white crib as a baby!) Instead, we are planning on going with these beautiful wood grain pieces, which met Con’s high standards of manliness.

Since the Cs specifically requested side-by-side beds rather than the bunk beds we had in our last house, I knew we would be a little pressed for space, which is fine because they have a play room right next door. Due to the limited space, though, I had to be choosy with my other furniture selections because we didn’t have room for much.

I am planning to use Donnie’s dresser from our old house in this room because it matches the color scheme and can hold more than either of the dressers the Cs were using in the townhouse.

Beautiful blue dresser, painted with Behr Marquee Compass Blue

I’m also planning to use a nightstand that has some drawers for extra storage.

Speaking of storage, I’ve learned that wire shelving is not optimal for it! There are wire shelves in all of the closets in the new house, and they are driving me bonkers. I’m planning to switch out the wire shelving in the Cs room with pieces from IKEA’s ALGOT system (now called BOAXEL) to maximize our storage possibilities. We did this in several closets in our last house and loved it.

Small closet organized with the IKEA ALGOT system

our master closet in the townhouse, organized with the ALGOT system

The Cs room will be the first to lose the white walls that we have so many of in this house! I’m planning to paint the walls a neutral gray and run a blue stripe around the top for some interest. I think the blue stripe will work nicely with the navy Roman shades we’re planning on using for the windows. (We are using Select Blinds for the shades, and they are so sweetly offering Just a Girl and Her Blog readers an extra 5% off on top of any current sales they are having on their site their site when you use the code ABBY at checkout!)

Finally, I’m so excited about choosing art and accessories for this space! I think it will be such a fun room and will really play off the Cs’ lively, adventurous personalities. I’ve already started collecting a few pieces that I think will work well, and I’m always on the lookout for more!

Shop the Post

So that’s the plan! Some of the One Room Challenge participants wait to start their makeovers until the day they reveal their plans and then work on their rooms in real time throughout the six weeks. Admittedly, I had already started on a few projects before I decided to do the ORC, so I am getting a little bit of a head start, but I’m excited to have a set timeline that will force me to pull everything together instead of procrastinating. (Not that I’ve ever done that… 😉 )

One Room Challenge

I hope you’ll follow along as we transform the Cs’ shared boy room from a totally blank canvas to a fun space for my two little adventurers! You can keep up with our progress in these posts:

Let’s Go Adventuring: Planning a Shared Boy Room (You’re here!)

My Favorite Kids’ Beds- High/Low

How to Paint Perfect Stripes

How to Create an Organized Kids’ Closet

Favorite Plaid Bedding Options

Let’s Go Adventuring: A Shared Boy Bedroom (Reveal!)

Have a wonderful day!

Small Signoff

This post contains affiliate links. For more information, see my disclosures here.

51 Comments

  1. Oh this is sooo cute and kind of hysterical! Our first room makeover in our new house was our 6 year olds and it’s an Adventure room but so different to than yours! It’s crazy how one “theme” can vary so much! And also I totally agree on wire shelving! We have laminate but the builder didn’t maximize the space. That was another first project we tackled! You won’t regret! So fun to be doing this move with you friend!

  2. Karen @ a house full of sunshine says:

    YAY!! It’s my first time doing the ORC as well! I LOVE your design plan for this room – I can’t wait to see how it all comes together! xo

    1. justagirlabby says:

      Thanks so much, Karen! Happy Friday eve! 🙂

      ~Abby =)

  3. Megan Duesterhaus says:

    I’m participating for the first time too, and I am so excited! Working on kids’ rooms are the most fun, and can’t wait to see this one come together!

    1. justagirlabby says:

      Thanks so much, Megan! I’m looking forward to it, too! Hope you’re having a great week!

      ~Abby =)

  4. Oh my goodness! That’s going to be adorable! I love that you included Connor in the panning! Looking forward to following along!

    1. justagirlabby says:

      I loved how interested he was in it! It was so fun to do with him! 🙂 Thanks so much and have a great evening!

      ~Abby =)

  5. This is literally SO cute!! Reading this post made me so excited to one day have kids and be able to decorate with them! How exciting! I will definitely be checking back next week to see the progress. 🙂

    1. justagirlabby says:

      Aw, thanks so much, Keirstin! I definitely loved working on it with them! Hope you’re having a wonderful week!

      ~Abby =)

    1. justagirlabby says:

      Oh, I love how it turned out! Thanks so much for sharing, Lindsay! Hope you’re having an awesome week!

      ~Abby =)

  6. Love it! Especially the plaid bedding & light fixtures. How fun for the boys!

    1. justagirlabby says:

      Thanks so much, Misty! Looking forward to seeing how it turns out!

      ~Abby =)

  7. Christene Holder says:

    This is going to be adorable! I love it!! I can’t wait to see how you pull it off …. and how much the C’s love it when you reveal it to them!

    Also – death to those wire shelves! They are the worst! We’ve got a Ryan townhome and there’s wire shelves everywhere. We’ve replaced some of them already, thank goodness. You will definitely be happier with more “space conscious” options out there.

    >> Christene @ Keys to Inspiration

    1. justagirlabby says:

      Yes! Just the worst! Lol! Thanks so much, Christene! Can’t wait to see how it turns out! Have a great evening!

      ~Abby =)

  8. This looks so cute!! I can’t wait to see the finished product! We have this same color scheme in my boys’ shared room (8yo and 9yo), but they have a baseball theme.

    1. justagirlabby says:

      Oh, fun! I’m looking forward to seeing how it turns out! Have a great evening and thanks for stopping by!

      ~Abby =)

  9. Linda Pemberton says:

    Connor has great taste! Love everything! It will be so cute!

    1. justagirlabby says:

      I agree, Linda! He did a great job! 🙂

      ~Abby =)

  10. Sarah Eddins says:

    What an awesome room for your guys! It’s funny how they get more opinionated as they get older, but Connor has good taste. 🙂 I love the color scheme as well. Do you happen to have the names of the colors in those swatches in the image? Can’t wait to see the final product!

  11. I can’t wait to see the after! I’ve thought about moving my kids in the same room, but worry about how that will work.

    1. justagirlabby says:

      I was worried at first, but it has been so great! They love it! Especially little C. I think he would be crushed if I separated them! 🙂

      ~Abby =)

  12. I am participating for the first time too! AND we are doing a shared boys bedroom :). Though we opted for bunk beds and tons of toy storage (it will be their playroom, too) so not quite the same. Can’t wait to see how it all comes together!!

    1. justagirlabby says:

      Oh, how fun! Our boys’ room was similar in the townhouse… they LOVED their bunk beds! Looking forward to seeing how it turns out! Have a great weekend!

      ~Abby =)

  13. Jenny Kavanagh says:

    I was just wondering if you were going to jump on the ORC train since you have a whole house to do 🙂 I’m so glad you are. The funny thing is, I think we are making over the same bedroom! I look forward to seeing what you do with this space. It’s going to be great and I’m cheering you on from Ohio!
    XO- Jenny

    1. justagirlabby says:

      Aw, so fun! Can’t wait to see your space as well, Jenny! Hope you have a wonderful week!

      ~Abby =)

  14. Denise Middleton says:

    LOVE! And will last and be age appropriate for awhile!

    1. justagirlabby says:

      Thanks so much, Denise! Have a wonderful week!

      ~Abby =)

  15. Hi Abby – Sooooo exciting to start from a blank slate. I hear you about starting with the boys first… that is what we did with Stepson’s room when we moved. The entire house was a moving wreck but his room was HIS! So question… it’s sounding like they are still sharing a room? Not separate rooms in that big new house? Just curious… or is this a shared play space? Good luck and I can’t wait to see the transform! Hugs, Holly

    1. justagirlabby says:

      Yep, still sharing a room! They love it! I think Little C would be crushed if he didn’t get to share with his big brother! 🙂 We’ll see how long it lasts. They do have a separate playroom in the new house that they are LOVING! Have a great week, Holly!

      ~Abby =)

  16. Claudia Weldon says:

    Hi just want to say You are great. I wish so much you were there
    When I had 4 little boys.
    Love Reading your post from a old lady
    Keep up the great work
    Thanks for being YOU .

    1. justagirlabby says:

      Aw, you’re too sweet, Claudia! Thank you! Thanks for reading and have a wonderful week!

      ~Abby =)

  17. Kelly@chickadeeartandco says:

    Abby,
    I LOVE the adventure themed mood board.. especially the bear pillow! You’re little guy has good taste! I can’t wait to see how it turns out.

    1. justagirlabby says:

      I agree, Kelly! He did a great job! 🙂 Looking forward to sharing the finished product with you guys! Have a great week!

      ~Abby =)

  18. Joy Lattin says:

    I love that you are taking the wishes of your sons into account when decorating their room. I think your eldest boy has inherited his mother’s decorating sense! Please tell him I just love his choice of cushion ( my daughter-in-law says I’m obsessed with cushions!). I think this cushion will be just perfect in the room and his brother could have same cushion on his bed but with a red dinosaur and room would reflect them both.
    Looking forward to seeing the progress photos.

    1. justagirlabby says:

      Aw, thanks so much, Joy! It was so fun working on it with him! I think he does have good taste! 🙂 Have a wonderful week!

      ~Abby =)

  19. I was just looking at woodland creatures and camping for a boy room working on. Funny I also looked in the ORC on Wed as I was evacuating. Couldn’t figure out how to ‘join.’ Can I ask what you use for your mood board? I’ve tried several apps but can’t find anything that I can use or customize with my chosen items. I have a blog thanks to you;)

    1. justagirlabby says:

      Hi, Gina! You don’t need to sign up for the ORC anywhere or anything! You just link up to the post at Calling It Home (https://www.callingithome.com/) on Thursdays!

      I actually made this mood board in Adobe Illustrator. In the past I’ve also done them on olioboard.com and picmonkey.com. I hope this helps!

      ~Abby =)

  20. How fun! I can’t wait to see how it turns out!

    1. justagirlabby says:

      Thanks so much, Heather!

      ~Abby =)

  21. I love your style and it’s great that your have your kids be involved in the design process. It will make them feel like they have a say in how their space looks and feels. Maybe you’ll have a new design partner! I can’t wait to see how it turns out.

    1. justagirlabby says:

      Aw, thanks so much, Kimberly! He was such a great little helper! 🙂 Looking forward to sharing the finished product! Have a great evening!

      ~Abby =)

  22. I love the idea and even more how you take your little man’s opinions into count when designing the makeover. It is so easy to just decide how you want it and assume kids don’t have a preference, but they do! Taking his thoughts into consideration proves to him that you listen and respect his opinion 🙂 Thanks for sharing.

    1. justagirlabby says:

      Aw, thanks Crystal! It really was so much fun working on it with him and hearing his ideas!

      ~Abby =)

  23. Looks like Connor got your flair for design, Abby. I know you love your new home – it is stunning!

  24. Tiff at 18thavenuemom says:

    This is such a great plan for the boys’ room! I ADORE the little airplane hooks! I’m sure Caleb is thrilled to be part of the designing team! It’s going to look like a tiny man cave!

    1. justagirlabby says:

      Thanks so much, Tiff! It was definitely so fun having the boys involved!

      ~Abby =)

  25. Jackie pippin says:

    I love how you go about organizing your new home! I am always anxious to see the next post. Two years ago we became empty nesters and moved from 3000 sq. ft. to 1500! I am really happy with how everything looks except the laundry room which needs a little tweaking. I use a good bit of it for storage. And then there’s the garage! Would love to see how to organize a garage for some storage on the cheap!
    Love your ideas!

  26. Love these ideas! And how wonderful that your son has some input!

    Can’t wait to see the progress and big reveal!

    1. justagirlabby says:

      Thank you, Ana! It was such a fun project to do with the boys. I’m looking forward to the final reveal!

      ~Abby =)

Comments are closed.