Easy-To-Change Artwork Display

My last post was a guest post about my oldest son's decorating skills in his own (new) room.  And how I cringed.  Then got inspired.  And thought about more...

Here's more!

First.  Let's recall.

So. Much. Better.
Even close up!

I've created a monster.  It's my own doing.  I'm okay with it.  Repeat.

Repeat?  Yes!  Other side of the room?  Why not! 

Again.  BETTER. 

Waaaaay better than a calendar duct taped to the wall.  That was the before-before picture I missed.  I was too busy slowly peeling back tape hoping it wouldn't take strips of drywall with it.  Ugh. 

So this wall.  Same painted wood with hooks and command strips as before. 

Plus a ledge.  IKEA's RIBBA picture ledge.  I didn't use command strips there.  Just 3 screws into the wall, one into a stud.  The frames are much heavier than paper with a bulldog clip, so I didn't want to risk it. 

It's perfectly shallow enough for this wall in this room.  Because there ain't much space between the foot of the bed and that wall.  There's enough.  But no extra.  It's perfect!

More close up?  Yes!  

It perfectly hides the outlet and cat5 connection for a future TV.  (All our bedrooms have this now and it's dreamy.  The bedrooms on the 2nd floor have them in the middle of the wall instead of at the baseboard so we can mount a TV without seeing wires.)  I made sure to space out the hooks above them so a double-wide art collage can cover them. 

Because a 9-year old doesn't need a TV...yet.

I chose the ledge because having framed photos is just as important as his art.  And he can change the pictures out as he wants.  But who's gonna swap out a signed photograph from #70 TJ Lang?!?!

Really.  Who's the monster here?

We still need to put something in that upper left corner.  I'm thinking a clock.  Something big?  Silly?  Modern?  He was thinking a Green Bay Packers wall decal.

I know who the monster is...!!!

Guest Post: Hook It Up!

I'm guest posting over on 4mothers1blog again!

It's a follow up to my last post on Jake's "new" room and the pictures he randomly taped to the wall. 

Sometimes inspiration hits at the perfect moment.  And sometimes it works out so well, you need another post to show how you've used it further.  Stay tuned...!

Jake's Room...?!?!

I find being a stay at home mom is rewarding because your boss (kids) are ones you love (mostly) and the work is steady (until they fire you).  As if turning 9 wasn't enough, I feel like my term of employment is ending soon with the oldest.  He's got his own room.

Old Guest Room

Pardon this super old, pre-reno, spring-in-the-window-is-mocking-you picture of the guest room.  This is the tiny 3rd bedroom we have on our 2nd floor.  It's next to the bathroom, to the right at the top of the main staircase.  It's the room my parents stay in when they visit, but otherwise it's empty. 

(I can't believe I didn't have a real "before" picture of this room taken after the reno.  I feel like I've photographed every inch of the finished project to death.  I searched!!  But, to be honest, this room changed the least from before to after the renovation.  A new window, new light fixture and a few throw pillows are all that were different.  There's your visual.) 

Empty, until one night when the 3 boys sleeping in the same room wouldn't fall asleep. 

Me: That's it.  Jake, sleep in the spare room.

Jake: No!  I don't want to!!!

Me: I'm sorry, but you have to do it.  whisper: I think you might like it.

And then he kinda moved in.

While I appreciate all the details you can see in this picture...his toddler bedspread, his old pillow, alarm clock, hats, sports stuff and random picture taped to the wall...something more permanent had to be done. 

So we hit IKEA.

Now, Jake is my son with a mind of his own.  We didn't walk in cold turkey.  That would mean the first item he saw in each department would come home with us.  Oh no.  I had a strategy.  And that strategy was browsing the catalog first.  When I turned the page to a dresser, I pointed one out to him.

Assembling

He loved it.  Then we went to the store and he searched for it.  He helped me put it in the cart, load it into the car and put it together (mostly) until I fired him for slacking.  Actually, he heard the Spongebob opening song on the TV downstairs and disappeared. 

So Far, So Good

It's a nice pop of color in the corner of the room.  And the dimensions are perfect.  Plus, he's a kid and I need furniture that's not precious.  And bedding that's not precious...which he also picked out.

Because those pictures move everyday and I don't want to care where that tape ends up.

Which is my next challenge for this room...!