A Nautical Nod & A Cozy Nook

a nautical decor boy’s bedroom makeover…

Not much happens that’s newsworthy here around the holidays. So, in the absence of anything new to share, I thought I’d share an older project with you guys. A REAL old project.

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In our old house, this was my son’s room before we moved in.

This house is a cape cod, so the upstairs has really fun angles, nooks and crannies everywhere, which is what I fell in love with when we first looked at it.

The wall color, on the other hand, I was not a big fan of. Reminds me of that old Nickelodeon show…

Remember?? The one with the slime? (I realize I’m dating myself). Super appropriate too, because this is kinda what it felt like when you walked into this room…

SMACK! Care for some slime green?! Or, being kinder about it, the color kinda reminded me of this guy (again, dating myself)…

Everyone loves Gumby...myself included. I just didn’t want him splashed all over our walls. Ick.

We started by painting the walls with a faux linen technique. It’s hard to tell in these pics, but the technique gave the walls a bit of a textured look, nothing overwhelming, just added a little more interest than a flat, monochrome color.

And it gives the walls a paneled appearance, like a grasscloth wallpaper would. We made those simple curtain rods in about 10 minutes!

Source List:

The room has a nod to the nautical, and really, all things transportation related. We hung a couple vintage-looking model airplanes in one corner, and made a couple short cafe panels from a cheap pair of white full-length curtains we had on hand from Target.

This chandelier was a total steal…bought it on craigslist for $15. Here’s what it looked like originally…

Oh, how I love a can of spray paint. A little nautical, and a LOT of chandelier for $20.

Some storage and a little reading nook with a mini faux leather chair…

But my favorite nook is the one where we stashed his bed. An Ethan Allen sleigh-style trundle, also a craigslist find!

We bought the wooden nautical flags originally for our son’s (also nautical) nursery.

Each one represents a letter, spelling out “Baby T”. We placed a couple fisherman style sconces on either end of the nook, and hung these madras panels to set off the area and make it feel cozy…

And with that, I think the room is looking fairly ship-shape. And now, bon voyage. This Mama needs to make dinner for her little sea squirts.

Like spaces for kiddos? How about more budget-friendly decorating projects? I do, too! Check out these posts…I think you’ll like them…

• Pink Room Update
• 8 Nautical Nursery Decor Essentials
• 10-Minute DIY Curtain Rod
• 19 Faux Painting Techniques That Don’t Suck