HOW TO PERSONALIZE A GYMNAST'S BEDROOM
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Everyone who me knows me or follows me on social media knows that my daughter is a gymnast. She just completed her Level 4 competition season in November (she did very well by the way) and she's already hard at work learning and practicing her skills for Level 5. Needless to say, she's OBSESSED with this sport. I've had to limit the amount of gymnastics clothing we purchase (thanks Justice) and my rationale is...hello, it's not a secret you're a gymnast! She just laughs. In any case, right before the holidays, I was getting inquiries from my close friends/Alexa's Aunties about what she wanted for Christmas. One item that's been on her wish list was a name decal for her room. Right above her dresser was the perfect spot. It's a tall, vaulted ceiling so I wanted to take advantage of the height by adding a large piece of art, which in this case was the decal. We had looked online months ago and I had bookmarked some options for her, but while she was searching Amazon one day for other gymnastics goodies, she came upon this one and really liked it. Long story short, I sent the link to her Auntie Ralyn and here we are installing it a few days before Christmas. I love decorating kids rooms. I think it's so important to allow them to personalize their space to reflect their personality and interests. I also think that a kid's room needs to be refreshed every couple of years. They change so much so quickly that their rooms need to change with them and support them at the age they are. Alexa is 9 years old and her room as evolved with her over the years. I've edited out all the toys and books from all those various stages in the first 9 years of life to just have what reflects who she is today. She has a few favorite baby books that we kept and she's sentimental about a baby pillows that she likes to display on her bed, but overall, she has a great space that will last her for quite some time. Back to the decal...here it is throughout the install. As you can see, this particular one came in 3 pieces. First, you have to unroll them and decide where you want to install it on your wall. Painters tape is perfect for this planning process. As you can see, we taped it out on the wall to make sure we liked where it was positioned. We then used a pencil to mark the corners of the sheets so we knew where those positions were.
Then we started from the bottom up and removed the plastic backing from the bottom sheet and repositioned it back on the wall (that's why you need to mark the corners with pencil!) The piece is like a giant sticker now so be careful where you apply it to the wall. It's not as forgiving now that the adhesive is exposed. Once you get it positioned just right, it's time to press the decal onto the wall. You can use your hands or whatever you have to help you. Credit cards work great, but since Alexa likes to collect hotel key cards, those came in very handy.
Once you have the decal pressed onto the wall, it's time to remove the paper. Make sure not to rush this process. Parts of the decal may not adhere to wall as well so you may need to give it a little help by using your tool (the hotel key cards) to press the decal onto the wall as you remove the paper.
Just keep moving from section to section until you have the entire decal on your wall.
Then you sit back or in our case, stand back and admire your handy work...cool right? This vinyl decal is a great statement piece for her room and it reflects her interest without going over the top. There are many options available. Decals for a variety of sports - baseball, football, martial arts, skating, dancing, you name it, it's probably an option. You can personalize it by adding a name or initials and you can choose whatever color works with your décor. And the best thing is, it's not permanent. When it's time to remove it, it comes right down without any damage to your walls. You can't beat that. Here are a few sources to spark your creativity...Amazon.com or Etsy.com - search for "vinyl wall decals" or be more specific, i.e. gymnastics wall decals, kids wall decals, etc.Fathead.com - you can have a wall decal made from your child's photo. I thought about doing this...getting images of Alexa in various gymnastics poses made, but my iPhone photos are not high definition enough to be blown up like that and the price tag is a little more than I'd like to spend. It's a great idea though don't you think?
I received so many inquiries when I posted this on social media about where we got the decal and now here's your answer. I hope you find something that suits your special little one's space. Trust me, they'll love it! Oh, just one more photo to share...this is the view from Alexa's bed. These are some of the medals she's won over the last 2 competition seasons. They're just hung from small nail brads on the wall. We've filled one whole side wall and plan to work our way around to the other side next season. Luckily she keeps some medals at her dad's house or we'd be out of space already. It's another great way to personalize her room and it's also a great source of inspiration to keep working hard. Believe me, she's motivated!!!
What do you think? I'd love to hear your thoughts and how you personalize your child's room. Feel free to share your ideas and photos with me by leaving a comment below. I look forward to hearing from you.
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