Illuminated!

July 16, 2014 by Decorum DIYer

Good day, friends.

Yesterday I shared with you my challenges, failures, and mini-triumphs in these past months. Again, as part of pulling together my son’s bedroom, I thought I’d share with you the latest addition that is both practical and stylish.

One of my son’s biggest complaints is that he can’t see his books when reading in bed. Although he has always had a night stand and a lamp on said night stand, the light never quite illuminated the interior space of the bunks. The lower bunk overshadowed by the upper bunk and the upper bunk simply too high for light to penetrate, unless one used the overhead light. Neither scenario was helping my son, whom wears glasses, read well while in bed.

I’ve seen several Pinterest photographs of bunk beds with separate lighting sources for each bunk and I thought it was genius. Just my luck, I spotted two, swing-arm, wall lights on Craigslist for FREE!

I knew they would be perfect form my son’s bunk bed lighting. I picked them up about a year ago and had them waiting for his room to be painted.

So, while summoning my children’s patience and waiting for an important call, I took the installation of these lamps to task. It was quite simple and my son even honed his tool skills as my assistant.

I think they are the perfect solution!

I do plan to add at least a shelf at each level for things like his glasses, or the never-ending mini LEGO figures that he often takes to bed with him.

And, if you follow Decorum DIYer on facebook, you probably know about my first layer of window treatments in the room. When I found the pull-down maps at the Catholic school closing sale, I knew they would make the perfect window shade. Of course, I still have to replace the roman shade for added light control and weather protection. I can’t deny the many functions of these pull-down map window shades: light control, heat/cold protection, education, and art all rolled into one! Actually, two, as these are double-layered pull-down maps. Ha!

I’m really starting to love the layering of elements that I have found for this room. I can’t wait to follow its evolution to fruition. It really is a labor of love and I think my son is enjoying the process as well. He seems more appreciative of his things and takes more responsibility for the items in his room when he sees and experiences just how much work goes into making a house a home.