Young House Love

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Playroom Plans

You guys already know that our playroom is looking kinda rough these days (thanks to this whole house update post from last week):

Prog Playroom

But we’ve decided that once we clear it out, it’ll actually suit our family better as a less traditional space. Burger is a beloved member of our family, so we think he deserves his own little area. And since Clara plays pretty much all over the house (in the office, the living room, the kitchen, and her room – depending wherever we are with her) we won’t really need an official “playroom” until baby number two comes along (and we turn the playroom into a bedroom).

And I’ll spoil the surprise for all of you folks on bump watch, Clara’s brother or sister will probably be about three years younger than her because I’ve got strict orders from my doc to give my body two full years between pregnancies to heal (thanks to some birth complications with Clara). And since it takes almost a year to bake a human on top of that two year waiting period, that’s where we came up with the whole three year approximation.

But back to the playroom. We’ve decided… drumroll please… to give Burger his own little nautical themed room! Because every pooch deserves some sea faring fun. He always seems to have the best time at the beach, so that jumped out at us as the right environment to really set him at ease. The sea gulls, the warm summer air, the sailboats, an errant pelican. What eight pound chihuahua wouldn’t love that? But enough talking, here’s our Burger-licious mood board:

Playroom Mood Board

  1. Our color palette will be pretty straightforward: navy, red, and white (with some natural wood tones and maybe a few pops of yellow worked in there for fun). The walls will stay white with graphic red & navy accents along with a super cool mural for added pop (more on that later).
  2. How cute would a few of these $33 seagull mobiles be when hung in a flock from the ceiling? Burger should like them since he loves watching real birds flap around outside in real life.
  3. This boat-ish dog bed was the inspiration for the entire nautical theme. At $260 it’s not cheap, but what can I say? Burger’s like L’Oreal. He’s worth it. Plus it’s such a room-making detail that we just couldn’t pass it up.
  4. Here’s the mural that I want to paint on one of the walls. I like that it’s obviously sea-inspired without being too over the top (a dock with a single pelican in the foreground feels kind of “understated” compared to some of the other busy and über bold murals that we’ve seen).
  5. This weathered ship’s wheel (for $34) should look cool on one of the mural-less white walls in the room.
  6. No dog room is complete without an on-theme dog toy, so this $7.99 blue anchor chew toy definitely fits the bill.
  7. And since we want to keep Burger looking “cohesive” with the rest of the room, we can’t wait to pick up this $27 outfit to help him get into character.
  8. Instead of something more traditional, we thought hanging fisherman’s nets (just $17.99 a pop) as “curtains” would add lots of texture and more sea-faring fun. Fingers crossed Burger doesn’t get all tangled up in them. Haha.

So that’s our vision for the playroom, at least for the next few years. Should be interesting.

Now I’m just putting words here, just to fill up space so that when you’re reading the numbered points above your eyes don’t skip down the page and notice this next part. You know, because it’ll ruin the surprise.

So in case you’re wondering if we’re totally off our rockers… we might be. But this post is still totally a joke.

Playroom Joke

APRIL FOOLS!!!

Did we get you? Did the $260 dog bed tip you off? Or was it our description of the pelican mural as “understated”? Did you really think Burger would be caught dead in that sailor’s suit in the name of cohesive design? Or did you all know this was coming given our history of April Fools Day hijinks (like this post and this post)?

Comments

  1. Amy says

    Oh my goodness. I thought you had gone nuts…you lost me somewhere mid-way so I skipped down to the end. Def did an eye roll or two!
    Amy

    Reply

  2. Caitlin @ Desert Domicile says

    Hahaha you had me going and my thought process went something like “No, they’re not … really?! … OK, I’m sure it’ll be fabulous … wait – a dog’s room? … $260 for that dog bed … I guess it’s worth it … No way …”

    Excellent joke :)

    Reply

    • LA says

      I thought the same thing about the dog bed, “Well, $260 is expensive, but if it makes the room, I guess it’s OK.” Maybe I shouldn’t blindly trust everything you do, right?! But you all are my DIY idols!

  5. lesismore says

    i must be really gullible because i totally bought it. hook, line and sinker-get it?

    and i was totally rolling my eyes because i’m not really a pet person but i know people do crazy things for their pets and treat them like children. i just assumed you fell into that category from this post, though i was a little surprised.

    wow, i’m a dork.

    Reply

  7. Jen says

    When I saw “$260 Doggy Bed” I seriously had to do a double take! How can my ‘money management’ guru’s justify a $260 doggy bed?! Classic…nice work YHL!!

    Reply

  8. Natalie says

    I’m fairly new (thanks to a recent shout-out from writer Jen Lancaster on her blog) and I thought the room was a bit odd…but when I got to the dog bed I linked to the site and picked out ones I would want for my two chihuahua’s (the gift wrapped ones, since they sleep in open cages already). I even sent the link to my husband and said “if only these weren’t so expensive” – ha,ha! I love your blog/site and am getting inspired. Thank you!

    Reply

  10. Caitlin says

    This is pathetic, but the first thing that caught my attention was when I clicked the link to the dog bed and there was no measurements for it… I thought how can they center a room around a dog bed if they don’t even know the size of it… maybe they called the company selling the bed…. pathetic. I hope that’s the only time I get “got” today!

    Reply

  11. stacy says

    Totally got me. I actually read the line about the 256 dollar dog bed twice wondering how these could be the same people who passed on a 30 dollar iron crocodile as too expensive! Hilarious.

    Reply

  15. Jenna says

    Ha, ha, ha!! Once I read “… give Burger his own little nautical themed room! Because every pooch deserves some sea faring fun…” I was like, really? And then the mood board and I was like double really (just doesn’t seem like your style)? I forgot it was April 1, but I HAD to scroll down because I KNEW there had to be some kind of disclaimer at the end. WHEW – crisis averted – I thought you guys had lost it!

    Reply

  16. Alana Taylor says

    I was HOPING this was a joke when I read the part about giving a dog an entire room to himself. I love dogs just as much as the next person, but seriously! You could let John have a man cave in the mean time or something! :) Thought I’d throw him a bone! (pun intended)

    Reply

  17. Charlene says

    People have been totally fooling me all day! I’m so glad you are not buying a $260 bed for Burger. Not that he isn’t worth it but really? On a totally not fooling you note… I saw a smaller version of your green rug at Homegoods today in the children’s section! Now it may not be the exact shade so you’d have to check it out. Also I’m in southern Cal so who knows if you have it. Just giving you a heads up since Clara loves that rug! And its not wool, but very soft!

    Reply

  19. Erin L says

    hahaha! Ya, I thought you two were off your rockers. I was thinking “Are they nuts? And this color scheme doesn’t even go with Sue the napkin!”

    Reply

  21. monica says

    You got me going for sure! The dog bed was definitely a curve ball, I mean, you guys don’t even spend that much on yourselves! Once I got to the mural I first thought you guys had gone crazy, then I figured it out because you guys are way too practical to devote an entire room to a dog!

    Good one!

    Reply

  23. cassie says

    GREAT April Fools joke. I too, saw the price of the bed and thought.. no way. THEN I realized, maybe your April Fools AWESOME Catcher is that you ARE pregnant and the whole explanation about having to wait three years is not true??? or is it?

    Reply

  24. KCatGU says

    You got me (and it is my birthday so I am a life long April fools prankster) I even bought the price of boat. But more importantly I kept saying to myself, people thing DH and I are in love with our dog, they should read YHL, Ha!!!

    Reply

  26. Kate says

    Too funny…I was having a hard time believing you would ever put something like that together…thank goodness you all can remain on my list of favorite blogs to read!

    Reply

  27. dinah says

    HAHA OH MAN. You almost had me. Halfway through I remembered it was April Fool’s Day. But dang you guys are good at making it somewhat believable! Thanks for the laugh!

    Reply

  30. Carol Terry says

    You totally fooled me!!! I did think it was a little weird that Burger needed his own whole room – the dog bed made me go hmmm but I was still in sync right up till “April Fools!”

    Reply

  33. Sarah says

    I’m a long time reader and have been coming to your site for the past two April Fools Days. I was in hook, line, and sinker through the text but when I saw that mood board I knew there was no way!

    Reply

  34. Cristy says

    OK, just for the record…. based off of the first picture… I did have some let down, thinking that you were going to start discussing the play room plans… I really need some inspiration in that department…

    Reply

  35. Nat says

    Awww, I was looking forward to seeing Burger’s new room unfold. If anyone could pull it off it would be you two! Good thing Burger can’t read, he may be a bit dissappointed that he will not be sailing the seven seas in his (pricey) doggy-yacht-bed.

    Reply

  36. Kim says

    I forgot it was April 1st, and meandered over to your blog like I do a few times a week. I thought I was going to have to hate you when I saw that mood board. I am not a dog person, but can appreciate others who are. Still, an entire room, not to mention a cheezey one, for a dog?! In that huge, gorgeous house? I almost died. I’m so glad it was a joke. You guys are good. Though I’m sure it didn’t fool your most loyal followers. Like the ones looking at prices, lol. I was only skimming.

    Reply

  40. Jazmin says

    HAHAHAHAHAH! that is too funny! It totally got me, because i thought, well that would be so fun for Clara! and it would work for a boy or girl! the red and white is gender neutral! I think the oddest thing, was that you mentioned putting Burger in a sailor outfit! I was thinking; “WOW, they really love that dog!”

    Reply

  41. Amy says

    If I hadn’t figured it out before, the dog bed was indeed the tip off. But, for me – not the price. Burger would never sleep in that! No big heavy comforter to burrow under. No place for Burger bumps. But very fun!

    Reply

  42. Michele says

    OK, the cat lampshades from last year are pretty bad, but I’m sure someone, somewhere must make chihuahua lampshades…Sherry actually had me at “I’ll spoil the surprise for all of you on bump watch…” I was really excited for a second!

    Happy April Fool’s Day!

    Reply

  43. Kristin says

    In the photo of the playroom… do I see a new ceramic dog with a tube of epoxy in its mouth? Or is that the greyhound in the proces of repair? I can’t tell, and I look like an idiot here at work with my face pressed up against my screen….

    Reply

  46. Erin H says

    Oh, thank you. I was seriously worried about you guys for about a minute and a half. After I read the description of the mural, I realized this HAD to be a joke. Good one!

    Reply

  47. Jill says

    Thank. Goodness. I totally thought you were serious and totally questioned your taste until the end. Crisis averted.

    Reply

  49. Kristie says

    Well played, Petersiks! You totally Punked! me for sure. When I got to the part where Sherry was going to paint the mural, I hesitated for a split second and thought “Wow, I didn’t realize Sherry painted stuff like that”, but then I charged full steam ahead into your web of April Fool’s DIY trickery.

    Reply

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