This Boy’s Bedroom Encourages Creativity
A mom decorates her 3-year-old son’s room with a chalkboard wall and a palette that will work for him as he grows up
When mom and designer Alyssa Terpstra went to remodel her 3-year-old son Jack’s room, she wanted it to be a place where he’d be excited to sleep and play. The result is an adorable room stocked with the essentials and a few of his favorite things.
Colors. To get the Lancaster, Ontario, project started, North Built Construction installed new flooring, trim and a shiplap ceiling. The shiplap turned out to be a last-minute decision, but it is one of Terpstra’s favorite features.
Initially she painted the ceiling the same deep muted gray-green as the walls. But she found it made the room too dark. Adding the shiplap ceiling brightened the space and brought detail and texture to the design.
Wall paint: Secret, Benjamin Moore; rug: Rug Studio; flooring: solid white oak hardwood with Rubio Monocoat stain in Cotton White
Initially she painted the ceiling the same deep muted gray-green as the walls. But she found it made the room too dark. Adding the shiplap ceiling brightened the space and brought detail and texture to the design.
Wall paint: Secret, Benjamin Moore; rug: Rug Studio; flooring: solid white oak hardwood with Rubio Monocoat stain in Cotton White
Terpstra installed a Roman shade on the window to further darken the room at nap time.
The designer used the dark, neutral tone for the walls so she and Jack could easily accent it with other colors and themes as he gets older.
Bed: Tate toddler bed, RH Baby & Child; Roman shade: RH Baby & Child; buffalo plaid pillow: McGee & Co.; throw blanket: Iconic Point blanket, Hudson’s Bay
The designer used the dark, neutral tone for the walls so she and Jack could easily accent it with other colors and themes as he gets older.
Bed: Tate toddler bed, RH Baby & Child; Roman shade: RH Baby & Child; buffalo plaid pillow: McGee & Co.; throw blanket: Iconic Point blanket, Hudson’s Bay
Personalization. To personalize the space, Terpstra added in some of Jack’s favorite toys and images of his favorite sports equipment. But one of the features Terpstra and Jack love most is the floor-to-ceiling chalkboard wall next to his bed.
“We included the chalkboard wall because I wanted Jack to be able to add his own design to the room,” she says. “It encourages creativity and can change as quickly as his preferences do with a little soap and water.”
Chalkboard paint: Gravel Gray, Benjamin Moore
“We included the chalkboard wall because I wanted Jack to be able to add his own design to the room,” she says. “It encourages creativity and can change as quickly as his preferences do with a little soap and water.”
Chalkboard paint: Gravel Gray, Benjamin Moore
Furniture. To keep the space clean and clutter-free, all of Jack’s clothes are stored in the closet where there is a dresser and a rod for hanging. The bookcase is reserved for Jack’s favorite toys. The rest have a home in the nearby playroom. Terpstra added baskets on the bottom shelves to increase storage for blankets, toys and bedtime stories.
Bookcase: RH Teen; browse bookcases
Bookcase: RH Teen; browse bookcases
Because the space is small, Terpstra included only the furniture she felt necessary: a bookshelf, his bed and a desk. Right now, he uses this spot for coloring, building Lego masterpieces, constructing train tracks and driving cars. Tucked beneath the desk is a stool that is adjustable so he can easily get on and off of it, and move it.
Desk: Pottery Barn Kids; stool: RH Teen
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Desk: Pottery Barn Kids; stool: RH Teen
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Bedroom at a Glance
Who uses it: Jack, age 3
Location: Lancaster, Ontario
Size: 125 square feet (11.6 square meters)
Designer: Alyssa Terpstra, Jack’s mom and lead designer at Coco & Jack
What began as a blank slate has grown into a space inspired by the boy. From the larger-than-life J on the wall to the bookshelf filled with sports-themed toys, there’s no denying that this is Jack’s room.