Monday, July 9, 2012

The Boys' Lake Cottage Bedroom

We recently visited my dad, who lives on a lake, and I did a few things to the boys' bedroom there.  Christian, our 5 year old (today's his birthday!!!) and Justin, our 2 "and-a-half" year old sleep in the room that used to be my dad's  and my Uncle Teddy's when they were boys.


Our family's had the cottage since the 50s and our boys love visiting now...


Whenever I visit my dad, I get a few things done here and there. Lots of it is fast and unplanned which means most of it is antique shops & retail..  This time, I did a little in the boys' bedroom.  Here's the view from the door...


I switched out some of the "girlier" fabrics and colors  (The aqua and corals I'd put in 10 years ago just weren't quite making it boyish enough ;) and added a few things from around the house & a few new ones.  I pulled in the old Ikea chair we'd had and am eying another chair to swap it our with but will have to wait on that one.  It's a nice spot to read with the boys.  I DEFINITELY need to add some blackout matchstick shades (they wake up waaaaaay to early with the sun & the time change) and plan on adding a wall of old family photos across from the bed so the boys will see their great-grandparents and the rest of the family when this lakehouse was in its heyday.  (It used to be packed every weekend with family but we live so far away it's not the same.)  We still all get together there, just not often enough. 

One of my favorite additions to the room is the set of basket fish we hung from the ceiling:

{found at the PB kids store}

I "borrowed" this vintage ship model of my dad's from another room in the house:

{A secret: The curtains I hung are too short for the windows but are mostly hidden behind furniture.  When the shades get added, I'll hand the rods a bit higher and add more fabric to the panels - probably in a contrasting fabric.  But for now = shhhhhhhh }

Christian sleeps on the left and Justin is on the right with the bed rails to keep him from falling out.  I love tucking them in at night and climbing into bed with one of  them.  Justin kicked me out this trip saying I should "snuggle with Trin Trin" instead.  (I guess I'm a bed hog.)  We watched fireworks  from the window the other night and I fell asleep.  It made me really happy.


I know it would have been a prettier pic without Justin's bed rails but that would have taken too long ;) ;)

I love the size of this room.  The ceilings give the illusion of even more space and there's not much "stuff" at all in here because we just bring our clothes when we come.   At home, the boys' room is so tiny that just 1 t-shirt on the floor makes it feel like a mess.  (Add in unmade beds and toys and books and the room looks trashed daily.)  They love playing with toys in here and even when they're not all picked up, the room still feels good.  I WISH this room was in our house at home.


Here are the boys "hanging out."  (Actually, me stealing them away form a game of hide-and-seek to make them sit o the bed so I could get a picture of them in their new room.  Ah vell.)

{"Are you done yet Mom?!!"}

In a couple of years, Luke  will join them in the big boys' room...  probably with a sleeping bag. 

xoxo, Lauren

AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY BIG 5 YEAR OLD!!!!!

ps- As I mentioned, I've been LOVING instagram on my phone and have been sharing little peeks of projects and tidbits on there.  I showed some pics of this room on there last week & looove playing with the photo editing to make the pics look cool.  (I'm really bad at it right now, I'll be honest, but I have hope.)  I'm not sure how to link over to it but my name on there is LaurenLiess and as soon as I can figure out how, I'll be sure to share a link on the blog so you can find me.  I've been having so much fun seeing everyone's phone photos and it's a little like twitter but waaaaaay better.

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