Transitioning to Twin Bed: Decorating Question

Re: Transitioning to Twin Bed: Decorating Question

• jasminelorraine20 member

  August 2014

  Nicb13 said:

  jasminelorraine20 said:

  We just ordered DS a twin bed from This End Up and when it arrives, I want to have the bedding and everything ready to put on it. Right now DS's room still has that nursery vibe, with the soft colors and transit decals, ect. I want to make it look more like a "big boy" room without making it too themey. He loves books, so I was going to go the Dr. Seuss and Eric Carle route since I can use all kinds of colors. However, he also loves cars and trucks. How I can incorporate all that without it looking a hot mess? My other question is, I see so many cute comforters with cars and all that on them- is it worth buying a themed comforter and getting plain sheets, or is it better to buy a comforter with solid colors and have fun with the sheets?

  As far as the bolded goes, like I said above, DS's room is a mash up of all the things he likes the most and it doesn't look like a hot mess at all. Little boy's rooms are supposed to have a ton of different things in them (I think anyways), not just one matching theme. We didn't paint walls though, just decorated them.

  DS doesn't even use his comforter as a blanket. He sleeps on top of it but likes to pull it down and look at all the pictures on his Mario sheets. I think this one is completely up to you and what you want to buy. Your LO might not even care at this age.

  This is very helpful, thank you! I originally saw the cutest blanket with cars, trucks, bikes, etc. all over it and I know that he'll love it, but a co-worker was convincing me why that was a bad idea. Now, I'm leaning towards sticking with my original plan and like you said just incorporating everything that he likes in his room. I don't plan to paint either, I will just put up cute decals and pictures. Thanks so much!

  
   

  

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• jasminelorraine20 member

  August 2014

  DaisyBlinks said:

  I've always had an Eric Carle theme in DS's room and I really love it. I didn't really have much of a plan in mind, I just kind of went for it. I like the end result though. 

  
  

  The quilt on the bed was one that we had lying around the house. I kind of go back and forth on buying him something else (he's only been in the twin for about a week now). It works with the colors in the room though and he likes it so I might just keep it. 

  
  

  
  

  He's sharing with his baby sister so that what the crib is all about. I'm going to add some more feminine touches about her crib

  

  The pictures above the bookshelf have some of my favorite children's literature quotes. I made them on photoshop and then just printed them at Walgreens. 

  
  

   

  You can get a book of Eric Carle prints on Amazon. I liked them to brighten up the white walls (we rent so we can't do painting)

  
  

  
  Unfortunately, I can't see the pictures at work they just have x's on them. I will take a look at home.

  
  

  

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• JENandJEH member

  August 2014

  We've never done themes in the boys' rooms, mostly just colors and add in touches of whatever they like.  I pick out a quilt I like that has fun colors in it and then do fun sheets and blankets.  As for adding touches of decor, in your situation, I'd add in some cool metal cars or trains (or even prints on the wall of colorful cars and trucks) as decorations on bookshelves or dressers (Hobby Lobby has an awesome selection of cars and trucks like this).  

  
  

  You mention Dr. Seuss and Eric Carle but aside from the colors, are you doing anything with those as a theme?  It would also look cool to frame some of the book covers as wall decorations or hang floating shelves and set the books up as decor.  

  
  

  This is what DS1's room looked like before we moved:  

  
  

  So much matches his quilt so when his interests change, it's easy to switch out without having to buy all new bedding.  

  
  

  DS2 is still in the crib but when we transition him, I'll find something with a lot of fun colors in it and just decorate around that.  

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• ashiscute member

  August 2014

  I agree about splurging for the bedset.  We moved to a new house this spring and DD got a big girl room with a twin bed and we bought her a Tangled bedset.  I think it was like $60 for the comforter, sheets, and pillowcase.  She loves it!  Whenever anybody new came over she took them to see her room.  I also got some wall decals because those are pretty inexpensive and she was able to help put them up. 

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• jasminelorraine20 member

  August 2014

  Thanks everyone for the feedback! I think that the bedset I'm looking to buy will at least last DS through Elementary school. Any opinions on this set? It has enough colors involved to where it gives me freedom with what I put on the walls. Or is it too baby-ish?

   

  https://www.kohls.com/product/prd-c22133/dream-factory-trucks-tractors-cars-bedding-coordinates.jsp

  

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• JENandJEH member

  August 2014

  I think it would be fine for a toddler-preschooler but my 6-year old would hate that.  I like using accents around the room to decorate around bedding that will grow more easily with kids.  The quilts I have for my 6-year old (I have a summer quilt and one with darker colors for winter) are something he could use through high school and I would never look at them as he got older and question if they were too babyish.  

  
  

  Ultimately, it's up to you and how often you feel like you want to or would be willing to buy new bedding/redecorate.  If he decides he really isn't super into cars and trucks in a couple years but LOVES dogs or animals or goes nuts over superheros, do you want to buy new bedding for that phase or make him stick it out with the other?  

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• ashiscute member

  August 2014

  Nicb13 said:

  jasminelorraine20 said:

  Thanks everyone for the feedback! I think that the bedset I'm looking to buy will at least last DS through Elementary school. Any opinions on this set? It has enough colors involved to where it gives me freedom with what I put on the walls. Or is it too baby-ish?

   

  https://www.kohls.com/product/prd-c22133/dream-factory-trucks-tractors-cars-bedding-coordinates.jsp

  I think it's cute. DS would like it but he likes things like Mario, etc more. I personally wouldn't care if DS hated his Mario bed in a year and wanted something else. I'm ok with changing it up every so often. Not a biggie to me.
  

  I agree with this.  I know that DD isn't going to want a Tangled room her whole childhood but a $60 bedset and a few wall decals aren't that big of a deal.  If that's what helps them to embrace their new room it is worth it to me.   

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• jasminelorraine20 member

  August 2014

  ashiscute said:

  Nicb13 said:

  jasminelorraine20 said:

  Thanks everyone for the feedback! I think that the bedset I'm looking to buy will at least last DS through Elementary school. Any opinions on this set? It has enough colors involved to where it gives me freedom with what I put on the walls. Or is it too baby-ish?

   

  https://www.kohls.com/product/prd-c22133/dream-factory-trucks-tractors-cars-bedding-coordinates.jsp

  I think it's cute. DS would like it but he likes things like Mario, etc more. I personally wouldn't care if DS hated his Mario bed in a year and wanted something else. I'm ok with changing it up every so often. Not a biggie to me.
  

  I agree with this.  I know that DD isn't going to want a Tangled room her whole childhood but a $60 bedset and a few wall decals aren't that big of a deal.  If that's what helps them to embrace their new room it is worth it to me.   

   

  Thanks ladies for this insight. Ultimately what I want is for DS to LOVE his room and his big boy bed, so I will get something that I know he enjoys now and if he outgrows it then we'll move on to the next.

  

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• jasminelorraine20 member

  August 2014

  JENandJEH said:

  I think it would be fine for a toddler-preschooler but my 6-year old would hate that.  I like using accents around the room to decorate around bedding that will grow more easily with kids.  The quilts I have for my 6-year old (I have a summer quilt and one with darker colors for winter) are something he could use through high school and I would never look at them as he got older and question if they were too babyish.  

  
  

  Ultimately, it's up to you and how often you feel like you want to or would be willing to buy new bedding/redecorate.  If he decides he really isn't super into cars and trucks in a couple years but LOVES dogs or animals or goes nuts over superheros, do you want to buy new bedding for that phase or make him stick it out with the other?  

   

   

  I see exactly what you mean. This is the same argument that my co-worker made. Right now I'm just focused on LO loving his room and having a smooth transition into a twin bed from a crib. If getting him a bed set that I know he'll love right now, will help make that happen (hopefully), then I rather do that then worry about switching sets later on down the road. Granted, once he gets older and his tastes change, I will certainly be doing the sensible thing and buying a set that I can decorate around. Thank you for making this point!

  

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• SusieBW member

  August 2014

  Just adding my $.02.  I let DD pick her sheets for her big girl bed, but I restricted her to the regular kids bedding aisle in Target, and kept her out of the licensed character aisle (I LOVE that Target keeps those two aisles separate, BTW), just because I sort of despise commercial cartoon character stuff all over everything.  I picked her quilt to match her room, but asked for her opinion before I bought it.  If she had told me that she hated it, I would've picked something else.  Her quilt is one of the Simply Shabby Chic floral ones from Target, so it can grow with her.
  
  She was just so psyched about having a big girl bed, though, I truly don't think she cares a single bit about what sheets or quilt or anything are on it.
  
  The decorations in her room are decals of some owls and woodland creatures and trees, and we kept those, just moved some around to work with her new bunk beds.  The other decorations are frames I made with song lyric quotes in them, and they're still on the wall above the top bunk, but she can't even see them anymore, so I will probably move them.  When DS is old enough for a big kid bed and moves into that room, we'll redecorate it properly.
  

  
  
  
  

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• LSU628 member

  August 2014

  I would invest in a plaid or solid color bedspread and get some fun sheets and accessories. Sheet sets are cheap enough to swap out as their interests change. If you were doing the Eric Carle theme, this bedspread would be cute and you can switch out sheets for Hungry Caterpillar or cars and trucks at will. PS- have you seen this cute bath set? https://www.potterybarnkids.com/products/eric-carle-bath-towels/?pkey=e|the%2Bvery%2Bhungry%2Bcaterpillar|9|best|0|1|24||5&cm_src=PRODUCTSEARCH||NoFacet-_-NoFacet-_-Top_Marketing_Rule
  

  
  
  
  

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