Before & After: The Daring Wallpaper and Paint Combination in This Room Made My Jaw Drop

When I was a kid, I likely terrorized my parents with how often I asked to redo my childhood bedroom. (As I’m reflecting, we painted the room four times in one house alone.) If my design requests annoyed them, they kept it to themselves — thanks, parents! — and helped achieve my wacky vision. 

Even though my yearly room makeovers were a bit excessive, it’s not unusual for parents to update kids’ bedrooms as they grow up. Content creator Kate Ward has reimagined both of her children’s bedrooms — including her son, Joseph’s. 

“This was my son’s bedroom, which we decorated when he was a toddler,” she explains. “We wanted to make a change to the room, as he had outgrown the design and wanted something more age-appropriate.” 

During this redesign, Joseph was super involved. He chose Lust Home’s Signature Stripe Wallpaper in Tahini and Smashed Avocado. Afterward, Kate painted the ceiling with the brand’s Smashed Avo paint (which has since been discontinued) to add “interest and character to the space.” The original carpeted floors were also swapped out with white oak LVT (luxury vinyl tile). 

Joseph also had a few requests when it came to furniture. He asked Kate for a desk to do homework at (she chose a Scandinavian-inspired piece from Nöa & Nani). He also requested a bunk bed, but the sloped ceilings made finding the right size challenging. 

“As a compromise, we found a mid-sleeper bed which fit the space perfectly, and the space underneath his bed could be used as a den,” Kate says. “We added some strip LED lighting around the edges of the bed and added a comfy bean bag so he can sit and read books or play with his toys. The slide was a bonus to the bed, and it makes getting out of bed a bit easier in the morning!”

Since the room was finished, Joseph has been spending a lot of time playing with toys, reading books, and working on homework at his gorgeous desk. (He also thoroughly enjoys sliding down the slide to hide in the den under his bed.) “I love the striped wallpaper; that combined with the green ceiling really makes an impact in his room,” Kate explains.