Home Design With Kids In Mind

John and Sherry mentioned that they're working on book # 2 and that the focus of this book is centered around decorating a home for real family life.  That got me thinking about the process we've been through over the past 6 years and about how basically every decision we make comes down to whether it'll be functional for these guys:

Yes I love grass cloth wall paper but I also have boys with peanut butter and jelly coated fingers.  From "dirt" colored upholstery and leather to tile selection almost everything we've done has come down to one thing: will it survive 3 little boys?

We basically live in our family room off the kitchen which means it has to be something that will take a beating.  I describe this design as "organic" which really means "color of dirt."

White quartz is basically indestructible and going with honed marble over polished means I won't stress over toothpaste stains and little boy poor aim stains:

    

Rolling crates hide toys and Books:

Outdoor hooks and buckets keeps our deck looking neat in the summertime.  

Irrigation System which unintentionally doubles as water fun for the boys:

DIY Wall Height Chart:

Back to School Organization:

DIY letters:

Big Boy Room:

Sports Room: 

At the end of the day it doesn't matter what your home looks like.  What matters is that your family is warm, safe and happy.  It is a place where priceless memories are made.  Our home is the 6th member of our family.

Sports Room Reveal

The room is done and the 6 year old LOVES it.  Success.

I found this industrial looking desk and shelf set at Overstock.  My plan for not getting traditional kids furniture is that I want these pieces will grow with him.  The shades are blackout roman shades from Pottery Barn.  I don't like to pay PB prices but seriously those things are worth it.

Sean had the awesome idea to turn one of Matthew's little league pictures into a wrapped canvas. 

Love how it turned out. 

Matthew is a huge Phillies fan.  The ball was signed by the now Phillies Manager Ryne Sandberg, given to my dad when he (Sandberg, not my dad) played 2nd base for the Chicago Cubs.  At some point a golden doodle added some decorative teeth marks.

I added the Ikea baskets at the top to fill the unused space (and to bring some Phillies red into the room).  The wire baskets (Home Goods) at the bottom hold his hockey skates and gear.   

Hockey gear doubling as décor.

Minor league baseball hats.

Vintage looking hockey photos from Etsy.

A 5' Fathead decal of Citizens Bank Park over his bed.  Really easy to install and is moveable.

Opposite the bed wall we hung a vintage looking scoreboard made of canvas.  We may swap the Fathead with this down the road.

I got a set of 2 metal chairs from Target.  One for the 6 year old and one for the lucky parent helping with homework.

Pinstriped duvet and Phillies red quilt and shams add to the baseball feel.

When I bought the red desk chairs I got $20 free from Target so I picked this up, basically for free.

We used the same strategy for the room reveal as we did for Brady.  We tucked him in a spare bed and then worked until it was done.  Then we transferred a sleeping kid into his new room.  The awe when they wake up in their new digs makes that late night worth it :)

...And The Winner Is...

...Muslin.  The folks at Benjamin Moore said I'm there so much it was time they give me the professional discount.  I've painted this room 3 times in my 5 year old's life.  They're probably right.  #paintaddiction.

The color I was going for was that of a worn baseball:

There really isn't a dramatic makeover here.  We went from a grayish taupe to a warmer tan.  Neutral to neutral.  The biggest reason for the new paint was that the walls were in terrible condition after our various renovations.  Nail pops and split drywall everywhere.  I think the prior homeowners had a rainbow mural at one point which left behind paint lines.  ROYGBIV.  3 coats of spackle and lots of sanding later and the walls looked like new.

The soon to be 6 year old helped out.

One more week until our baby is 6 and we can show him his big boy sports room!