This time last year we had just finished our first book tour stop in Cincinnati, where it was a delight to finally meet in person some of the names we’d known from comments and the blog community. Today we’re excited to share a room makeover for one of those people — Sarah — and her son Carson, whom we met back in Ohio last October.
Hi John & Sherry! I don’t know if you remember me, but we met at your first book signing in Cincinnati. My boys were the ones who scribbled all over your signing book (which I still feel a little bad about). I recently finished redesigning my youngest son Carson’s room after moving him out of his crib last year. The room has changed a lot since then:
When I began planning Carson’s room, he asked for a Cincinnati Reds and dinosaur theme. After some gentle attempts to steer him in other directions, I decided to embrace his ideas. It’s his room, after all, and even a 3 1/2-year-old deserves a space that reflects his interests and where he enjoys spending time. My goal was to combine baseball elements with dinosaurs in a way that felt cohesive and fun.
Because the bed is low to the ground and left a large blank wall, I wanted an oversized piece of wall art. I was concerned it might be pulled down, so instead I painted a large square of chalkboard paint directly on the wall and framed it with 1×4″ pine planks attached securely to the studs. The chalkboard provides a safe, changeable canvas for Carson’s ever-evolving artwork and keeps the display light and kid-friendly.
On the other side of the bed I created a floating nightstand from an inexpensive Ikea shelf and repurposed a wire basket from Home Goods as a rolling book cart — both simple, affordable solutions that add function without taking up floor space.
Between the two windows I installed invisible floating bookshelves that hold Carson’s favorites and keep the room tidy. I made the roman shades myself using Premier Prints ZigZag Twill Storm fabric. I accidentally cut one panel a bit short and solved it by adding grommets along the bottom edge — a happy accident that added a playful detail I now love.
My favorite feature of the room is the gallery wall. A red cabinet from Ikea inspired the bold ceiling color and provides excellent toy storage. I kept the walls neutral and the furniture simple so the red ceiling could bring in dramatic color without overwhelming the space. The result feels balanced, energetic, and kid-friendly.
I had so much fun designing this room, and I’m thrilled that Carson loves it! – Sarah
First things first — Carson may have been the first to scribble in our book, but he certainly wasn’t the last, and we adored every child-made masterpiece. It’s hard not to smile looking at those drawings.
More importantly, how much fun is Carson’s room? Thanks to Sarah for sharing these photos and ideas. The dinosaur-plus-baseball combo is a wonderful, personal approach to kids’ design — unexpected and playful. Sarah has more photos and DIY details on her blog, including sources for materials and step-by-step notes for several projects. But for now: what’s your favorite part? Sherry loves the accidental grommet detail on the blinds and the red ceiling, while I’m fond of the chalkboard art above the bed and the rolling wire book bin.