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We made some real progress in Calvin’s room the past couple of weeks.  As a reminder, we’re transitioning our guest room into a room for our youngest son, Calvin.  He’s ready to have everything done right now, but I’ve been trying to teach him that good rooms aren’t rushed together.  It’s about collecting just the right items and that can take time.

With the addition of a desk, bean bag chair, more masculine bed frame, some navy bedding, and a rug, it’s looking a lot more like a boy’s room, and a pretty cool one at that.

One of my favorite pieces, though, is his new nightstand.  This room is really small and we needed a small nightstand to fit in the tight space.  I was using a stool when it was a guest room, but Calvin needed something a little more substantial.

I happened to have a piece in the studio, a leftover from Lucketts.  It’s a pretty common thing that I end up needing a piece that doesn’t sell!  Calvin was eager to get it in his room, so he asked if we could pick it up from the studio.  When he saw it he said, “Yes, I want that one.  But it needs to be painted and it needs a little work.”

Ha!  That’s my boy!

We looked over my milk paint colors and he picked the one he wanted – Typewriter.  I helped him with the mixing, just so we didn’t end up with paint sloshed all over the kitchen.  He was insistent about painting it himself, though.

We used plastic cups for the milk paint most of the time, but I nestled it into a heavy tumbler, so a spill was less likely.

I helped out a little when it came to smoothing out the drips and getting all sides of the legs, but he did the rest himself.

I applied a coat of Hemp Oil and put the original knob back on.  It’s not a perfect piece, but it was a great first piece for him to paint and he is pleased as punch with it.

Another piece that’s a favorite of mine is the x-wing fighter he painted in watercolors.  He loved all of the Star Wars watercolors I painted for him that he wanted to paint some, too. We both agreed this one was frame-worthy.

mms-1358

We still have some more details to work on, but it’s getting there.

I’m taking the blue buffalo check fabric to the studio to hem this week.  I should have a finished (or almost finished) room to reveal soon!

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    42 Comments

    1. lan

      Love this!

    2. Deborah Delosreyes

      I love all of it.

    3. Arli

      Way to go Calvin! You did a great job on your new nightstand.

    4. Gina

      Calvin painting the nightstand is pure preciousness! That will be a great forever memory! His room is shaping up and he is going to love it!

    5. Jean Beck

      A chip off the ol’ block! And his watercoloring is gorgeous…. an artist in the making. I love the new bed… did you make it???

      • Melissa

        I’m dying to get the bedframe details too!

    6. jacqueline pankuck

      Looks great. I love that his room has his “fingerprints” on it…before his fingerprints are actually on it…:)

    7. Marsha Kern

      So cute!

    8. Alicia Damron

      I love seeing a real boy’s room that you’ve decorated! I love all your rooms, but this one is different in a fun way. Thanks for sharing!

    9. Amber

      Absolutely love the headboard! Great work on the night stand too; it looks great!

    10. Sara Syrett

      I love the look of this room! That watercolor is so great! Impressive! Love the pops of color and that bedspread is awesome. Cant wait to see the reveal!

    11. Cindy in Oklahoma

      Calvin painted the x-wing fighter? Wow! What a terrific job! If he enjoys this kind of thing and pursues it… you may have launched not just a hobby, but possibly a career….

    12. GS Small

      Puh-LEEZ give that child a bedside lamp so he can read in bed. Any way to encourage reading is desirable, and that certainly is. I’m speaking as a woman who grew up in a REAL farmhouse (not a pretend one) where the only light in my bedroom was a bare bulb hanging overhead (hey, this was the 1930’s). And I was a read-o-holic. How I longed for a bedside lamp, but our old farmhouse had no receptacles for plugging one in.

      • marian

        He does have a reading light! 🙂 See that silver light hanging on the wall by the headboard? That’s a reading light on a dimmer, so he can read (and does read in bed) at night before he goes to bed. We’ve got that covered!

        • Bambi Mayer

          I noticed that little light and love it!! My guest room doesn’t have much room and I hate taking up space on the small bedside tables with lamps and can’t find the perfect wall-mounted light. Can you please share the brand so I can try to find it online? Much thanks!

    13. Krista

      What a sweet room for your son! And I love that he helped! He’s clearly talented like his mom!

    14. LInda Pemberton

      I love all the features of his big “guy” room. I have a 6 yr old grandson who is half child but loves playing ice hockey! He has his big guy stuff in his room but also has BoBo, his teddy bear on his bed along with Darth Vader legos! I noticed Tigger on Calvin’s bed. So sweet.

    15. Donna Doble-Brown

      I love the orange accenting the navy Marian! The mini Tigger is my fave! Tell Calvin I said that! Lol he did a wonderful job on the the night stand! So cute . . . Can’t wait to see the reveal . . . Where is the bed frame from? XO

      • Melissa

        I live the bed frame too!

    16. Cynthia

      Calvin~ You have made your room your own by picking out your night stand, painting it, and framing your own art work! It all looks like the perfect “Calvin Room.” I really like that secret doorway in your room too 🙂 Your mom is such a good teacher!
      ENJOY!
      Cynthia

    17. Mary Ann

      This is the coolest post. Seeing your son paint his own nightstand absolutely did me in, and seeing his watercolor, it looks like he has inherited some talent from you! So so sweet.

    18. Helene Reid

      WThe tiger reminds me of Calvin and Hobbs. Am I on the right track? Love how the room is coming together and that Calvin’s talents are part of completing the project.

      • marian

        Yep! That is his “Hobbes” that someone bought him when he was a baby. They don’t make official Hobbes dolls, so this was the closest they could find. Other than the red nose, it looks almost exactly like Hobbes when he isn’t alive. 🙂

    19. Dolores

      Love the room and Calvin’s part in the decorating. He will always remember this.

      Like your rug too! Where did you find it?

    20. Elizabeth

      Please tell your son I think he did a wonderful job choosing the color and painting his “new” nightstand. It looks awesome. His space-age artwork is impressive, too.

      I can’t imagine where he gets his talent.

      May we expect to see more of his creative activities on your blog?

      PS The photos of him at are darling!

    21. Tracey

      Hi! I’m currently remodeling my oldest son’s room ….transitioning into a teenage boy room. Where did you find the bed ? I think he would love that in his room also. Thanks!

    22. Cris M

      When my kids were in elementary school I volunteered as an art teacher in their school for several years. I can relate to how hard it is sometimes to step back and watch messes happen but the simple act of teaching a child to get in there and try is so much more important. I always encouraged my students to enjoy the process, don’t worry about what your neighbor is doing (so important with students) and watch as they enjoyed the simple tactile experience of dipping their brushes in colorful paints, applying it to their own “canvas” and see the creativity unfold. I love that you let Calvin not only choose his theme, but also create (literally) his own work. Sometimes, we as adults have to let go, reject perfectionism, put a brush in their hands and let them get to it! I’ll bet Calvin will remember this forever as I did. After sharing a smallish bedroom with my two older sisters my whole life, they both had gotten married and as a teenager, I finally had a room of my own! My mom let me pick out new carpet and wallpaper. At that time, mom decorated in traditional colors and trends of the time. Our carpet in the living room/hallway which butted up against my room was olive green (need I say more…) but she let me pick bright, shocking, neon-green shag carpet and yellow and white gingham checked wallpaper! This was, after all, the late 70’s (think daisies, mod, bohemian 70’s…peace signs included). I can’t believe she let that happen to her house, but I must say, to me it was really cool. I will always remember her “sacrifice” and we still talk about it today. The art pieces both of you created are for the archives!

    23. Susan

      Love it & especially that he chose & painted his own nightstand!! Great job, young man!!

    24. Karen

      Marian, did you plan on him wearing black? GREAT JOB CALVIN!

      • marian

        Ha! He actually changed when he saw how messy painting a piece of furniture was. He came down all in black and said, “Since I’m painting the table black, I thought I would wear black and then it won’t matter if I get paint all over me!” Smart guy!

    25. Janet H in Kansas City

      Expected to see his new favorite dog in the middle of the bed. : )

    26. Ginger Valdes

      Calvin is one cool dude!

    27. Lin

      Great job Calvin! Looking forward to see it when it’s done!!

    28. Deb H.

      Two words: CALVIN ROCKS! What a great job on the nightstand and that watercolor….. AMAZING! Someone has Mama’s genes, no doubt about it! This warms my heart!!

    29. Cindy Rosborough

      Calvin’s watercolor is excellent! And I love Hobbs too.

    30. Nicole

      Beautiful. Can I ask where you got that headboard or did you make it?

    31. Jeanne

      Very, very nice. Love that he was an integral part of the execution of the design. 🙂

    32. MaryLisa Noyes

      It looks great and he is putting his own mark on it! Happy new space!

    33. liz

      Calvin has the art gene, very nice watercolor!

    34. Alison

      Headboard details please! Did you make it or buy it?

    35. Connie Fowler

      So cute, both the child and the room!

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    Marian Parsons - Miss Mustard Seed

    I’m Marian, aka Miss Mustard Seed, a wife, mother, paint enthusiast, lover of all things home and an entrepreneur, author, artist, designer, freelance writer & photographer.  READ MORE to learn more about me, my blog and my business…

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