Decorating: When Boys Outgrow Their Toys

10 Jan 2012 No Comments

Variant cover art for New Avengers #1 (Feb. 20...

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Room Decorating to Grow with Your Boy

I’ll be the first to admit that the title is a little misleading. Boys never outgrow their toys; they just get different types of toys as they grow, and those toys just keep getting more expensive! (Cue eye rolls from understanding moms and wives everywhere.)

It can be hard to decorate a room for a boy who has outgrown his Legos but hasn’t quite reached bachelor pad status. Left to their own devices, boys would leave the room undecorated and simply pin up a few posters of bands. Stop disaster before it hits. Learn how to decorate a masculine room that still preserves the kid in him for awhile longer.

Step 1: Acknowledge that he is your beloved son but not your little boy. Especially for mothers, this is the hardest step in the design process. We get used to dinosaurs and cartoon characters. When he suddenly scowls on the joys of his youth we get miffed—“I just spent $60 on that The Avengers comforter!” Your son is growing up and as such, his interests have changed and will continue to change. Avoid buying tons of accessories for any one interest as they will soon prove to be wasted investments.

Step 2: Focus on establishing a foundation. To prevent redecorating with his every whim, pick a triad of colors that he enjoys and use them as the room’s foundation: at least one neutral color, his favorite color and a complementary color. Most boys, no matter what age, can tell you what their favorite color is, but if your son changes his mind every week about his likes and dislikes, you might want to decide for him. Select furniture, bedding, curtains, rugs, etc. that fit into this color scheme. Little accents like wall art and table top accessories can be adjusted to fit his interest de jour.

Step 3: Remember that it is your home. Does your son pay rent? His input on how the room is decorated can be adjusted according to how much he pays; any additional leeway is a demonstration of your kindness! If your teenage son has discovered a newfound appreciation for MAXIM pin-ups or other images that you find inappropriate, you simply don’t have to permit such images in your home. It’s an age old line of reasoning, but as long as he is living for free under your roof he should abide by your rules. Don’t hesitate to lay down the law; after all, you’re the mom!

Kombucha writies about design, decorating, green living and more for RENTCafe where you can find apartments in Houston and enjoy the apartment living blog.