Our Boy’s Bedroom Makeover Reveal
At last, I get around to revealing our boy’s bedroom makeover. The room decor is fit for a teenager; even though he is not a teen yet, he’s definitely not a little boy either. Although he will be turning 12 next month, this bedroom makeover counts as his teen boy room, and he loves it. Finding boy bedroom decor ideas is kind of overwhelming, especially for a boy like mine, who is into everything. But, all things considered, I think we did all right!
Last month I shared our boy’s bedroom mood board and some ideas to decorate a boy’s room. Even though it took me a while to bring you the final reveal, I think it was worth the wait. I am mostly excited because this was a room makeover for my one and only child. Our boy’s bedroom has gone through a few decor stages in the last 12 years but never had a makeover like this one.
The Bedroom Before the Makeover
If you have not seen this room in any of my previous posts, take a look at a before and after comparison using the slider on the picture below.
If it weren’t for the bed -which was the only piece we didn’t change for this makeover- you would think it’s a different bedroom.
The Backstory
For the last several years, our son has asked for this makeover, and -in all honesty- I always put it off. The thought of decluttering his room was overwhelming and deterring me. But one day, we discovered water damage along with black mold behind the walls, and not only he had to move out of his room, but we had to strip everything down!
The wall under the window was demolished and opened to the other side; you could see the street. Everything was replaced: beadboard, drywall, insulation, and wood studs.
My favorite feature of this room has always been the beadboard. And to see it ripped out gave me anxiety. It’s been there since this room was a nautical nursery. But 12 years later, we found the same beadboard at Lowe’s, even though the supply chain challenges left us with smaller boards, resulting in a few joints I am not too fond of. But c’est la vie. I wasn’t going to delay the project any longer.
After painting the beadboard with Software (HGTV SW) and the top part of the walls in Nebulous White, the room immediately started taking shape. And the beadboard seams are unnoticeable.
Letting go of the nautical chandelier was another hard moment for me during this makeover; the bedroom will never be the same without it.
We replaced it with an industrial caged fan and light combo, which has become our favorite feature. Change is good! Want a laugh? Check out this Instagram Reel.
Links and Resources
For details and links to all sources and products, visit my post: Teen Boy Bedroom Decor, where you will find a mood board, a visual catalog of products, and an extensive list with all the links.
Bedroom Makeover Details
So, onto the bedroom makeover details! Below, you will find slideshows for each area of the room. Make sure to click the arrow to the right to scroll through all the pics. There are a lot of them!
Bedding Ideas Fit for a Boy’s Room
Bed, Bedding, Pillows, and Other Textiles
As I mentioned earlier, the bed was the only piece we didn’t replace in this makeover. It is in perfect condition, and we really love the nailhead trim. Although it is the only navy blue piece left in this room, it plays well with all other decor and colors.
For the bedding, we chose a queen-size Beddy’s set. The name of the design is Jameson, in All Cotton. By far, the best investment in this bedroom makeover. The idea of zipping a bed is brilliant. I enjoy zipping it every morning!
I was pleased to find gray bedding that matches the rest of the room without it being a plain solid gray. The pattern is woven (not printed), making it look and feel high-end. Below is a slideshow of the bedding and pillows.
Inspired by the bedding bundles sold at Beddy’s, I picked up this very inexpensive ($10, on clearance at my local Target) box-stitched microfiber quilt in twin size.
The length of the twin-size quilt is perfect for draping along the width of the bed, and it adds the touch of black our son was asking for.
Furniture
Bean Bag Nook Idea for a Boy’s Bedroom
Logan always wanted a bean bag. We thought about getting a couple for his videogame room, but then he decided he wanted a gaming chair instead. So, when I started brainstorming this makeover, the one thing that had to leave the bedroom was the babyish boat bookcase, leaving a perfect nook for a bean bag.
When my husband built the boat bookcase, this was a nursery, so there was plenty of floor space to play and move around. Fast forward 12 years, the queen size bed takes up a lot of space, as you can see. However, this faux leather bean bag fits perfectly in the nook.
By the way, the bean bag has a massage feature! It plugs via USB.
Desk, Chair, and Accessories Ideas for Boy Bedroom
Eliminating the blue dresser to make room for a desk was both a loss of storage space and a loss of a piece of our beloved nursery. But, we do not regret it a little bit. This makeover has taught us that this will always be our favorite bedroom. Everyone wants to hang out here!
Even though there’s plenty of ‘study space’ in our home office, I wanted to give him his own desk. In 12 years, I never saw him sit and draw as much as he has drawn in the past month. Also, compared to my office, it’s a much less cluttered environment to focus and do math homework.
When looking for desk ideas for boys’ bedrooms, I leaned towards a (no pun intended) leaning ladder desk. However, they all lacked drawers, a necessity if you ask me. This desk from Target was inexpensive ($170) compared to the chair ($60), but it is well-built.
Fun Fact: I put the desk in a black finish in my online cart, but I didn’t check out then. Two days later, it was out of stock. But, it was a blessing in disguise; I love how the brown wood ties in with the leather accessories.
Nightstand and Accessories
If you know me, you know that – in my book- no room makeover is complete without a DIY project. And my boy’s bedroom makeover is no exception. I rescued a white nightstand from the guest bedroom and gave it a makeover using Fusion Paint in Coal Black.
With this DIY, I brought in the color black as a big statement piece. Logan wanted black walls, but I disapproved. We agreed to add black accents instead.
The nickel and leather drawer pulls bring it all together. My boy flipped out when he saw the nightstand. It was off-white for a couple of weeks, and I never told him I was planning to paint it black. One day he came from school and ta-da! Above the nightstand on the right is his favorite piece of art: The Pledge of Allegiance.
I placed a lamp that we control via the Echo Dot on the nightstand. Also, a picture with his best friends, an Irish Blessing, and an essential oils diffuser. I also placed his favorite books and purposely placed the Holy Bible and The Alchemist, inspired by the song Pick it Up by Luke Bryan. I am hoping he picks them up one of these days.
No more out of sight, out of mind. I am trying to live life to the fullest by displaying the things we love.
Shelf, TV, and Other Decor
Full Lenght Crown Molding Shelf
Last but not least, I want to show you the opposite wall where the crown molding shelf is. This shelf is the room’s highlight; everyone comments on it because it holds so many precious mementos.
But it can also get pretty cluttered! And with time (12 years to be exact), that’s exactly what happened. After the makeover, when the bedroom was ready for decor, I did my best to bring back very few things.
But hands down, my favorite decor piece on the shelf is the Pixar Cars Drifters collection. We kept this collection tucked in a box in the closet, and I decided it was time to display it. Although Logan will soon be a teenager, we both have fond memories of playing with these micro drifters.
I attached the micro-drifters to the cubbies of this adjustable shelf. Watch how I did it in this Instagram Reel.
The electric guitar holder needs a special mention. Last year Logan started strumming the guitar. Even though it looks like it’s a phase, not a passion, we think it needs to be off the floor. Maybe one day, he will pick it up!
