The Blog

This room has been redesigned something like 6 times in 4 years…here it is in its latest incarnation: a room for my little boy, Henry. Does he sleep in it? Not really. Does he try to give me heart attacks by climbing up his bunk bed without using the ladder and trying to slide his entire body underneath the side rail? Yes. Here are some details about this space.

This tall dresser was left behind by the previous owners of our Pittsburgh house. We moved it with us because it’s a really sold, interesting midcentury piece. I love the wood grain pattern on the front of the dresser. The top was in sorry shape, so I decided to paint it gray. The bunk beds belonged to my husband and his brothers when they were children. I love the texture that this plaid rug from Target brings to the space.

Here’s a wider view of the space. The long dresser was a $50 Facebook Marketplace purchase a few years ago that I painted gray to tie in with the tall dresser. The mirror was mine as a kid (it was a part of a set in my dad’s teen bedroom) that again, I painted to match. Picture ledges from Target are being used to display a small portion of my son’s car collection.

The gallery wall includes special mementos from my Pappy (paternal grandfather) who grew up in Texas and graduated from Texas A&M, as well as a pennant from mine and my husband’s alma mater, the University of Virginia. The vintage landscape was purchased from one of my favorite Virginia home bloggers, Carrie Waller at Dream Green DIY.

The photo on the wall was taken by my dad when he was in high school. The owl art work is sentimental because I associate my maternal grandfather/Henry’s namesake (who has passed) with owls. The “Just So Stories” book on the top of the dresser was a gift from my paternal grandfather to my cousin, which she passed on to Henry. It is inscribed for her in our grandfather’s handwriting.

Peep that Ninja Turtle paraphernalia on the left? Those are from my husband’s childhood bedroom. His mom is an incredibly talented textile artist and spent hours cross stitching Michaelangelo, Raphael, Donatello, and Leonardo.

This nightstand was also part of my childhood set and painted gray to match the rest. The chair was purchased during an estate sale for our neighbor across the street in Pittsburgh. I love the message on the poster and hope to raise both my children by these words.