Smooth Move
Transitioning a child into a new bedroom can be a challenge, especially when they have to give up their original space to accommodate a younger sibling. When that bedroom is also in the basement, the move can be doubly difficult. To put the little boy at ease, I incorporated his love of dinosaurs without being too theme-y, so when the time came to move in he was super excited about the change. I also transferred his most treasured items (travel souvenirs from his grandparents) and displayed them around the room. To keep it feeling light and airy, walls were painted an off-white. A large mirror was mounted width-wise on the furthest wall to reflect light and create the illusion of more space in the long and narrow (14-foot by 7-foot) below-grade bedroom. Floor-length curtains were hung on the small window to lift the eye and make the 6-foot ceiling look higher. Budget-friendly furniture was given an inexpensive makeover with paint to keep costs down. Greys and blues were layered throughout, adding a punch of colour and sophistication to create a bedroom the 5-year-old won’t soon outgrow.
Photography by Scott Jordan

Source Guide:
Pottery Barn Kids: bed (Kendall), quilted grey bedding (Jackson), navy bed blanket, star bank | Wayfair: dresser | IKEA: nightstand (Tarva), bookshelves (Bekvam), mirror (Hemnes), grey and white checkered pillow cover, world map wall art, picture ledges and frames | Hudson’s Bay: curtains, navy waffle striped pillow cover (GlucksteinHome) | Tonic Living: flatiron grey chevron pillow with ink blue piping | Indigo: LED camping lantern, dark blue pillow cover with white crosses | EQ3: table lamp, alarm clock | HomeSense: navy pouf, magnifying glass, hourglass | Getty Images: framed dinosaur skeletons | CB2: speckled egg decor | Kol Kid: Whoa-Bots (Tree Hopper Toys) | Mastermind: 3-D wooden dinosaurs and figure | Lee Valley Tools: hardware | Benjamin Moore: Maritime White (OC-5) wall paint, White Dove (OC-17) ceiling paint, dresser drawers and custom radiator cover, Brewster Gray (HC-162) dresser and nightstand, Thunder (AF-685) bookshelves and picture ledges