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Decorating a room for a kid is just the best. I got the opportunity to put together a space for the funniest, most charismatic, sweetest little boy, Case. He is in the 5^th grade, and he actually used to be one of my speech therapy kids! His mom reached out a few weeks ago to ask if I would spruce up the bathroom that her two boys share. When I went to their house to get my eyes on the bathroom, Case immediately wanted his room re-done! He was hilarious. He wanted the paint color changed, the “baby” curtains taken down, and he was OVER the juvenile transportation theme. He even started taking everything off the walls while I was there! When I asked Case what he wanted the new room theme to be, I should have known he would say SPORTS. 

Here's where we started...

I have been dying to style a space using vintage sports gear since July, when we had my son’s vintage baseball 2nd birthday party. Some projects are daunting, and some are so exciting that I can hardly wait to get started. This was one of those projects that had me hitting the thrift stores the very next day to find as many vintage sports themed items as possible. I even outsourced some of the thrifting, because I know a good vendor in Nashville who always has quality pieces. I sent my best friend Cat to East Nashville Antiques to shop The West Place booth. Their booths are always stocked with the COOLEST finds. From vintage camp, to sports, to western…they have you covered. 

I had Case’s mom, Joy, send me a list of all his favorite teams. For basketball, he listed Memphis Grizzlies, Chicago Bulls, and Milwaukee Bucks. For football, he wrote down Tennessee Titans and the Tennessee Volunteers. For baseball, the St. Louis Cardinals and the Los Angeles Dodgers. 

Cat facetimed me while she was at East Nashville Antiques and the first thing that caught my eye was a Chicago Bulls trash can. I knew immediately that I wanted to put a snake plant in it on styling day. After an hour or so on Facetime, we had a buggy full of all the things. I was also sourcing pieces daily while shopping at my local thrift stores in West Tennessee.

 In the meantime, Joy was getting the room painted. She trusted my judgment 100% and let me pick the color…I love when clients do that! I chose Evergreen Fog by Sherwin Williams. It was the 2022 Color of the Year, and in my opinion, it still hasn’t lost its zhuzh. I knew it would be perfect for this room because I did not want a bold color to take away from the items on the shelves, but I wanted it to be a color that looked modern. 

Over a couple of weeks, I found football helmets from the 50s and 60s. Baseball gloves from the 50s. Old photos of baseball, football and basketball teams. Vintage books, vintage bats, old baseballs, aged sports ads. I found the lockers on Facebook Marketplace and drove to Paducah, Kentucky to pick those up. I even found a really old bowling pin and ping pong paddle at Mantiques in Hazel, Kentucky. I thought those added an extra layer of fun and interest. 

While I am an AVID supporter of buying secondhand, vintage, and thrifted items… sometimes, you just have to buy some things new. When it comes to linens, it is nice to have fresh, never-before-used pieces. The black and white windowpane comforter, gray sheets, and mustard kitted throw are all from Target. I had originally purchased two green corduroy throw pillows from Target, but I found the black and white gingham ones while going through items that Case’s mom wanted to get rid of. The client always appreciates when I can use things they already have and shave some money off the final invoice. You can find the links to the target items here. 

Joy, Case’s mom, mentioned that her favorite part of the room had to be the curtains. She said they boosted the space and added a masculine, grown up touch. I actually had a friend who is an interior designer DM me on Instagram to ask where they came from. 

Funny story—two nights before install day, I had to collect some measurements in Case’s room. I realized then that I had not found curtains yet. Being the procrastinator that I am, I looked to Amazon and prayed that I could find curtains that would tie the whole space together. I knew I wanted plaid, but not a plaid that clashed with the windowpane bedding. I knew I wanted a soft color, but not too green, because I didn’t want them to blend with the wall too much. I found the perfect blend of gray, blue and white flannel curtains and ordered them. They came in just in time! I was very pleased with the thickness, quality, and texture. They look expensive but are actually pretty affordable for 95-inch curtains! You can find them here. 

One last thing! The Huntingdon letterman jacket. Huntingdon, Tennessee is where we live and Case goes to Huntingdon Middle School. I picked through a house over a year ago and found that jacket. I have been hoarding it in the back of my store ever since, despite numerous interested buyers. I knew I would need it for something one day. I love the yellow pop that it adds, and it brings the whole sports theme full circle to include a piece of Case’s hometown. 

Overall, I am very proud of how the space turned out. I think Case really liked it too. His reaction to the big reveal was so sweet. He started touching everything with a smile on his face. He immediately closed the curtains and got under the covers on the bed! That made us all laugh. 

I will say it every single time I complete a child’s room, but there is just nothing like seeing those faces light up when they walk into their new space. New rooms are special. They make you want to take ownership, keep things tidy, and clean up after yourself. If you add a desk, like I did in this space, it often encourages kids to study, read, write or draw. Joy text me tonight and said, “You made a little boy very happy today! Thank you so much. His smile is worth a million bucks. He keeps talking about how cozy it is in his room. I’m a firm believer in bragging on people, and I want you to know you are very good at what you do.”

And that right there….that’s why I love my job.