Buying individual items before making sure that they fit together is a mistake that many make. Creating a design board and being sure to lay all the items that you have your eye on out together ensures that they really fulfill the vision that you have for your room.
Don’t worry if you don’t love using photoshop or don’t have time to throw a design board together! You can arrange all your saved pictures of items you love on your desktop so you can see them all together. This will help you envision with that room will look like.
To do this: Right click on the product you are thinking about adding to your design. Save the image to your desk top. Once all of the products are saved on your desk top open the items and arrange so you can see them all together. Once in a while a image can’t be saved, not to worry, you can screen shot the item. On a Mac you press the following buttons at the same time: command + shift + 4. If you are on a PC you can press: Crtl + Print Scrn. Or if you have a program like photoshop, it’s very easy to create a simple design board. Believe me, if I can do it, you can too.
Design Goal: Simplicity
For this space, my goal was to keep the design simple without it looking too boring. I used snowball white by Sherwin William on the walls for a clean, bright canvas. From here, I was able to add any color to add a pop. By adding a black iron bed and built-in, the bold lines were emphasized and created a nice contract. Staying true to the theme of the room, I chose simple black and white bedding, but warmed it up with a couple pillows. The faux leather pillow gave the room some warmth, while the black printed pillow added some motion with a pattern.To top it all off, I used a cream pillow to add some texture.
Built-ins:
The custom built in shelves/desk/night stand is really the star of the show. It’s built out of plywood with a white oak veneer and steel that was spray painted black. If a custom-made piece it out of reach, here are some other options that give the same effect:
https://www.westelm.com/products/mid-century-wall-desk-h1693/?pkey=coffice-desks&isx=0.0.7122
https://www.westelm.com/products/foundry-desk-dark-walnut-h4327/?pkey=coffice-desks&isx=0.0.7122
https://www.westelm.com/products/rustic-modular-48-desk-h967/?pkey=coffice-desks&isx=0.0.7724
https://www.cb2.com/helix-96-acacia-desk/s660211
https://www.cb2.com/helix-acacia-desk/s33438
https://www.cb2.com/helix-70-acacia-bookcase/s328328
Accessories:
I chose the artwork based on the interests of my son. That boy loves a good outdoor adventure! I found the mats and frames for a really good price from Walmart from Walmart. The prints were only 8x10, which was smaller than I wanted. For a bigger impact on the wall, I added a large white mat and a very simple black 16x20 frame. The black and white keep it clean, simple and bold, but adds color and a personal touch.
Staying true to the goal of the room, I kept the accessories were simple to keep things from getting too cluttered. All of my son's nicknacks are stored carefully on a shelf in his closet or under his bed - still with easy access but not for all to see! Because he’s a 12-year-old boy, he doesn't feel the need to have all of his trophies and painted ceramics on display. That being said, I wanted to keep things person. His name is Lincoln, so bought a vintage pendant banner from Lincoln, Nebraska. I also had a local artist hand-draw a quote by Abraham Lincoln. Some of Lincoln’s favorite books on display and are paired with black bookend from Target.
The secret is to keep things simple! I topped off the look with a pencil holder and a black stone clock. While minimalistic, this kept the design function yet beautiful.
If you are interested in a design board made by me, don’t hesitate to reach out! Send me an email with your design dilemma, measurements of the room you want to transform, and a few pictures for inspiration to get started. We can chat about the style you’re going for, what purpose you want to use the room for, and a budget. I’ll find the items need for your space and send you links for approval and purchase. If you are local, I would be more than happy to come and set the room up with the items you picked. If not, I’m available to help on the design layout over email and FaceTime. Great design isn't out of reach.
