What kind of space do you create for two boys that are quickly approaching teenhood?
How do you foster creativity and intellect, but still include the things they love like video games and legos in a space?
These were the questions I was asking myself when I started creating my boys creative space last month. From the moment I moved in, I was really careful not to just call it the “playroom” because while I, 100% believing in kids playing. Because of my kids age, I wanted the room to grow with them. And I didn’t want them thinking in just a couple of years, oh that’s the “playroom”, like it’s a baby-ish space that no longer served them. Which is why I decided I want to go with a black and white creative space.
why it’s called the creative space
I wasn’t sure that an 8 and 9 (almost 10) were quite ready to have an “office”… And I want them to do more than just play. So, I called it their creative space. Because creativity is at the heart of playing, learning, working, building, crafting and of course creating. Creative spaces are often all white, as a blank canvas is the best way to spark an idea. I didn’t really have a super developed plan, except that I wanted to use the furniture pieces I already had, and that I was going to paint it white.
long live boy hood.
I dove in head first and I loveeee the result. I found the art inspo from Opal and Olive on IG – Long Live Boy Hood, and I wanted to buy it, but it was all sold out, so I figured I try my hand at DIYing it, and did it for about $30. Since it didn’t cost too much, I feel like we could easily switch it out, without it being a huge investment, if there’s something they feel like better suits the space’s needs in the next few years to come.
The geometric bear and fox were a Hobby Lobby find, but I’ve since found the exact pair on Amazon. The geometric lamp was actually one I had before, it was gold and I repurposed it, AFTER buying the animals, it was just fate. You can shop almost all these things HERE on my Amazon Storefront. The rug is Target, so check it out here. I’ve never done black and white or monochromatic spaces before, but this space is actually making me want to try my hand at this again.
desk space
The desks are Ikea finds, I actually bought them months ago, when I already had the creative space idea in my head. Since they were already white and black, it just made sense to keep going with the vibe. Legos are one of those items, my kids obsessively play with and then no-one touches them for a while, but at least for now, they still have a home.
You can shop their office space vibes HERE at my Amazon storefront too.
reading nook
When my mom was here over the summer, she bought a bean bag for this space for the boys. Since there was only one, it was of course super coveted. But when I went to buy another it was all sold out. 🙁
So, I found a super similar one at Walmart. I have always been a HUGE fan of the Ikea picture ledges as book ledges. You can see how I have some HERE in their room currently. But I’ve actually used these in my oldest son’s room since I put together his nursery.
seasonal book ledge
Fostering a love of a reading has always been a huge priority, and I believe it’s the job of the parent or caretaker to make reading both accessible and lucrative. With their new book shelves, I plan to pull out all the seasonal books we have, as those are always a treat to read, and switch them up every month. Click the link above to see the books there now.
Monochromatic black and white spaces already have a bit of a masculine vibe. So it was easy to incorporate a few video game art pieces that I found. A few times I was tempted to go full Star Wars, or Marvel, but tried to keep it neutral, so the space could grow with them.
Come check out some of the other spaces I’ve decorated for my boys. Their current bright and affordable bedroom, Their happy & soothing nursery, or Keaton’s first big boy room.
So, that’s a wrap. What do you think?? Would you create a black and white creative space for your tween/teen boys??
Update: This room got an update in 2023, and became my teen’s bedroom. Check it out here