16 months.

October 2011 is when Calvin transitioned to his big boy bed. I was seven months pregnant.

February 2013 is when I finished his big boy room. Audra will be 14 months old tomorrow.

I think the word you're looking for is efficient.

(Or lazy.)

Anyway, Calvin's room is finally mostly done. I say "mostly" because I am a futzer and nothing is ever really done at our house (more to come on that soon). But it's to a point where I have declared it both cute and good enough for a three-year-old, so I may as well show it to you.

The view from the door. The race track is a decal from The Land of Nod. The picture is from Target and I don't love it and it's not big enough for that space (futzer!) but it does the job. 

This is actually my childhood bed frame. It's iron, which is pretty much ideal for toddler boys (and preteen girls who like to put stickers on their headboard). Nate spray painted it red. The quilt is from The Land of Nod, and I got into a pretty decent bidding war over that thing on Ebay. I emerged victorious, and paid half off retail for it. Score! Dinosaur sheets are from Target.

Opposite the bed is my good enough wall. (Okay, here's what really bothers me: I want to put that racetrack decal around the entire room but it's like $40 a set and I need three and I just can't justify that cost for a toddler bedroom. I'd like to say I will add to it over time but since it's already been up for a year and I haven't added to it, that seems unlikely. Instead, it will just annoy me until we redecorate.) The metal signs are from The Land of Nod. The enormous navy polka dot piggy bank is from HomeGoods. Lamp is from Target. Dresser is from Ikea (notice there is no closet in this tiny room. Luckily his clothes are still pretty small and he's a boy. This would not work for Audra.)

To the left of his dresser is a little wooden hook I found at Goodwill for $1.50 and painted red. I love having his dress-up clothes accessible and not tucked away in some bin. (Mostly because his room is tiny and there is a lot of other stuff to tuck into bins.)

His preschool teacher traced him last fall, then sent home this ginormous piece of paper. I felt bad throwing it (him?) out, so I hung it on the back of the door. It's kind of creepy. Especially at night.

The heart of his room: books and toys. And a clock he can't read.

We turned an Ikea Expedit shelf on its side. His bigger toys are housed on top (perfect height for play), his books are on the middle shelves, and his smaller toys are in fabric bins below. Trains are in clear storage containers under the bed.

His reading nook. Mostly I sit in that chair and nag him to get dressed, or he sits in that chair and pouts during time out, but sometimes we actually sit in that chair to cuddle and read (intended use). The blanket on the chair was mine as a baby, and is made out of the cutest vintage (well, now it's vintage because I'm old) alphabet fabric. The chair and curtains are from Ikea.

I made the bunting out of ricrac and felt. Hand sewing is my favorite! (No. It's not.) The bulletin board is from Target and showcases pictures, notes, and his favorite craft projects from school.

The collage features some of my favorite Calvin works of art in super inexpensive Ikea frames. The C is a three dimensional cardboard letter from JoAnn — I painted the edges red and Mod Podged striped fabric to the front. The Story People print I got when I was pregnant with him still hangs in the corner.

His room is super tiny and it took me 16 months to finish it. I am really the worst at stuff like this. But I think I achieved what I set out to accomplish — a happy, inspiring, creative space where my Bub can relax and play and I can get annoyed about small pictures and insufficient wall decals.