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Monday 13 July 2009

How do you make a girly bedroom boy friendly?

I've only been in my flat for ten months, but somehow, I've still become the first Domestic Slut to move house since we launched. I'm moving out of my cosy one bed into an unfurnished two bed property in August, which means I now have a genuine reason to look at sofas, tables and beds and have long discussions (read: arguments) with the other half over whether it's ok to keep using the girliest bedspread known to man in the master bedroom.

Apparently it's not, so I'm on the lookout for a way of turning uber girly shabby chic into something more unisex.


Image: Country Living

It seems that's harder than it looks. Above is the closest look I can find, but I still don't think it'll wash with Mr Minimal. I already have duck-egg blue sheets, but even with them, and without the pink chandelier and throw cushions, the look is still very feminine. Piles of white cotton sheets just make it look like a hotel room, but the idea of boyish dark bedding or boring neutrals just doesn't appeal to me. So I'm crying out to my fellow domestic goddesses...what's the compromise?!

21 comments:

  1. Let him have the second bedroom as a boy-friendly space?

    I have to say I'm a massive fan of plain white bedding, it's excellent for promoting a calm restful space PLUS it lets you accessorise your room as you see fit.

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  2. Ooooh, it's a toughie. I'd be tempted to suggest a dark purple? It's still quite boyish, but you'll get the whole boudoir feel as well.

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  3. I find the only way I can sneak anything floral in is in ethnic prints and that instead of flowers and lace, I seek out little details like pintucks and interesting textures. We're still in the process of decorating, so who knows what the final result will be (or if we will ever find a way to agree on curtains...).

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  4. most things Emma posts on her blog I find bearable: http://emmas.blogg.se/
    some Swedish minimalism, include some wood, lots of white and not too much pink thank you

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  5. Paint the whole thing pink. Including his stuff and his clothes. Especially those.

    Prints of unicorns, fairies and dolphins work well too. Draw them onto all the front pages of his books. In fact, just get rid of his books and add chick-lit in their place.

    These are serious tips. The fact that I know your boy and would find his suffering amusing is neither here nor there.

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  6. How about combining the duckegg blue with pale green in a similar tone? I'm thinking instead of florals, use stripes - still looks fresh without being too girly. You can use a few other smaller patterns (checks or wider stripes, that sort of thing) in the cushions in similar colours combined with lots of white. Just a suggestion!

    xx Redlilocks

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  7. Oooh, stripes might be a good option!

    Or, unicorns.

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  8. My other-half and I are moving into a character cottage next month in Buckinghamshire. When we saw the place, I was sure he was going to hate the wallpaper in the bedroom; pink and silver flowers. Instead, he loves it! But, he won't allow a pink duvet? We've found that we are both fans of French country furniture; girly enough for me but man enough for him.

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  9. I *love* plain white bedding as there's so much you can do with it. What about having a gorgeous dark purple taffeta throw over the top? Very regal.

    I've also been in love with this bedding set for too long. And it's in the sale. Birds not too girly, non?

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  10. i went for graphic print wallpaper instead of flowers and white sheets but with instresting stripes and tectures. Also insted of a bedspead i went for a beautiful heavy cashmere throw in caramel and silk curtains in duck egg blue but with wooden blinds. I kept all the paint work very neutral and the mirrors just plain silver surrounds.

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  11. oooh and i have a friend who put up new york map wall paper..it looks very cool... http://mydeco.com/p/brewers-wallpaper-new-york-map-ma51602/2a5a169401d56c1739889f9b87dd18fad6e27c7e/

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  12. I'm gonna go with Ed's suggestion. Especially the Unicorns.

    Thank you everyone for your help - I like the idea of using the blue sheets with something green. I'm all for a bit of clever colour-clashing. Maybe I'll get a daybed for the box room (my walk-in wardrobe) and use all the Cath Kidston style stuff in there instead.

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  13. Make sure that any changes are a compromise so that any time he makes you remove an item from the room you get to remove one of his things (like a broken bag or a trench coat).

    Also add unicorns.

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  14. Rich jewel colours are more boy-friendly - coupled with a chocolate brown leather bed it's tres sexy! Even managed to get my black laquer light fitting and mirror passed by Boy Wonder!

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  15. Let's keep the ultimate goal in mind: making him live in a whole world of pinky fluffiness.

    Start with something small and work your way up. That way he won't realise what you've done til it's too late.

    Start by drawing little pink hearts over every 'i' in all his books. That way he will become accustomed to both the colour pink and hearts.

    Follow this by replacing all your regular post-it notes with heart-shaped, pink post-it notes.

    Next, buy some lavender-scented bath bombs and a fabulously comfortable, but, importantly, pink, towel and dressing gown combo. He will secretly want to use these things so all you have to do is give him an opportunity. Drop the bomb into a bath he is running "by mistake". After he puts up a fuss so as to not appear "girly", he will get in. Once in, replace his usual towel and dressing gown with the pink ones. With the others out of comfortable reach, he will use those ones "just this once".

    Then take a photo of him in the pinky fluffiness and use it as an bargaining chip in all future negotiations.

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  16. http://www.johnlewis.com/4968/Product.aspx <- I think this is pretty, not too girly but blue.

    Although in Victorian times pink was considered too boisterous for girls. Tell your man that!

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  17. Hehe! "That way he will become accustomed to both the colour pink and hearts."

    :-) this makes me giggle.

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  18. I can't believe someone is taking Ed Yong's advice on a matter of *decor*. ;)

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  19. If you'd prefer me to stick to my area of expertise, I'm sure I can fabricate/find some experiments to show that if you replace all his stuff with identical stuff branded with Hello Kitty, you will increase the risk of hilarity by some 94%.

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  20. Or lock him in a fridge.

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  21. just explain that sleeping in a 'girly' bedroom simply makes you hornier ! bingo !

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