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When I posted about a potential “Adventure room” for Abe a few months ago, I said I was planning to do a series of mood boards throughout the year before eventually deciding on an actual plan (probably when Abe is 3ish, next winter). But I have to say….this one might be it. I’m pretty in love.

I’ve always wanted to do a cowboy room for some kid or other, but never actually pulled the trigger (just a little cowboy pun there). I always figured it would involve adorable vintage cowboy printed pillows and bedding and stuff. Maybe even vintage or reproduction vintage wallpaper! But where I’ve ended up here is something more modern with vintage touches….which is where I usually end up, really.

And not so much cowboy as western. And not even western so much as…..outdoorsy. Really, the National Parks part is the biggest inspiration. I’m pretty into National Parks these days.

As always with kid rooms, the goal is a space that is fun and practical for Abe while still looking great and fitting in with the rest of the house somewhat. This is fairly easy for me, because my tastes and those of three year olds overlap pretty frequently. Abe’s not really old enough to have a whole lot of practical input on decorating choices (if he picked a theme it’d probably be Blue’s Clues this week. And then something completely different next week), but he does get excited about stuff in his room. I was talking to him about redecorating his room, mostly emphasizing the big kid bed part, and he said, “Yeah. And a little kitchen. That’d be fun.” So. I don’t know that a little kitchen is in the cards for his room (which is pretty small, and which he still doesn’t play independently in very much), but it sounds like I need to start keeping an eye out for one at the thrift store. I’m thinking the sunroom is a good place for it.

ANYWAY! National Parks Room mood board!

The Hudson Bay blanket in the middle there was what really helped me pull the whole thing together in my head. I was struggling with wanting a cowboy room but not really knowing what colors I wanted or what overall feeling. So the blanket is it: THAT’S the overall feeling, and the colors are….all of them. Or anyway, lots of bright, bold color.

Then I struggled (oh, the struggle involved in making a mood board. It’s a hard life I live) with what color for the walls. I kept trying to visualize it with some sort of mid-century-esque teal or aqua color, but I couldn’t find what I wanted. Then it occurred to me that I could leave the walls the same lovely Benjamin Moore Newburg Green they already are! Newburg Green can do ANYTHING. Also, Dave really loves the idea of not painting or wallpapering in there. And so do I. Honestly.

I didn’t put numbers on here. I’ll just go roughly right to left (and top to bottom):

1. Jenny Lind Bed: This one is from Land of Nod, but Abe’s won’t really be from Land of Nod, because it’s $600. And I don’t really HAVE to have a Jenny Lind bed, but I like them. And painting it a fun color. I’m torn between the aqua like I show here and maybe bright yellow. Or even green. I’d throw navy in to the mix, but then it would kind of blend in to the wall (unless I throw out the idea of leaving the walls as is and paint them white instead. Which I have considered).

2. See America Project National Parks Posters: LOVE these.

3. Vintage National Parks Posters: Love these, too. You can buy these on Amazon (here’s the Smoky Mountains one, and here’s the Grand Canyon one), but you can also get them on FreeVintagePosters.com, so I’ll probably do that.

4. Palmette Kilim Rug: from West Elm. The more obvious choice in here is a faux cowhide rug, and I think that would be cool, too. But right now I’m liking the idea of something more graphic like this.

5. Hudson Bay Blanket: this one is from Amazon, but it’s $328. It looks like you can pick up vintage ones cheaper on ebay. And my mom says she comes across them sometimes. She also told me that her grandmother had these blankets on the beds that her grandkids slept on when they came to visit, so that was a pretty cool thing to find out.

(back to the bottom left)

6. Bronze Cowboy Bookends: I already have these! That’s one of the reasons I want to do this room. I found them at a really weird antique/thrift/…..variety? store in Villa Rica, GA. I talk about that trip here.

7. Play Tent: This one is fairly reasonably priced (at $79), but it also looks like a pretty easy DIY.

8. Campfire Set: from Land of Nod. Unlike the play tent, this does NOT look like an easy DIY (at least not for me), and unlike the Jenny Lind bed, it’s not $600. So I might just have to buy this. Because it’s adorable.

9. Throw Pillows: the raccoon and bear are from Land of Nod, and the square one is from See America. I know that I’m scared of bears, but I think a little immersion therapy when decorating Abe’s room might be in order.

10. White Bison: I already have him, too!

I think this plan might be the one that allows me to disassemble Abe’s current room without going into a deep depression about the passing of his babyhood and all that. As long as I can find a good home for his whale elsewhere in the house.