Frozen in Time…

Many, years ago, when my son was around 8 years old, I painted a very amateurish mural on one whole wall in his room. The mural is around 13 feet wide by 8 feet tall. He always loved baseball and played it Spring and Fall from 2nd grade all the way through high school.

Hand-painted Baseball Mural for Boy's Bedroom

 

Over the years, I never got around to painting over the mural, and my son never seemed to mind. So, though he is all grown and many states away in college, the mural is still there…after all these years.

Hand-painted Baseball Mural for Boy's Bedroom

 

Do you see the baseball that’s just been thrown by the pitcher? It’s coming right out of the wall and over home plate.

Hand-painted Baseball Mural for Boy's Bedroom

 

 

Hand-painted Baseball Mural for Boy's Bedroom

 

 

The other three walls are covered in a red and white pinstripe wallpaper with a Braves border running around the top. Various style Braves banners decorate the walls all around.

Baseball Themed Boy's Bedroom

The walls showcase baseball memorabilia, while shelves hold autographed baseball cards, balls, hats and lots of shiny, silver trophies. There’s even a bit of dirt from the actual pitcher’s mound of the old Atlanta Stadium, before it was torn down and replaced with The Ted.

 

Baseball Themed Boy's Bedroom

 

A few close-ups…

 

John Smoltz Autographed Baseball Card

 

 

Autographed Mickey Mantle Photograph

I’ve thought of stripping off the paper and painting over the mural…but I don’t really need the room for any particular purpose. And maybe the next person who lives here will have a little boy who loves the Braves and all things baseball.

When my son comes home for a visit, I think he enjoys seeing his old room, still frozen in time…it’s always one of the first places he heads when he’s here.  Is your son or daughter’s room still frozen in time? Or has it become your sewing/craft room, a home office or a spare room for the grandchildren?

Pssst:  This room was transformed into my home office/craft room in 2011.  To see the full makeover check out this post:  Home Office Addition, The Journey

Boys Bedroom Decorated in a Baseball Theme

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Comments

  1. someplace in thyme says

    Hello Susan, memories are a beautiful thing, but sadly we have none like yours. We are a military family and my husband served in the Air Force for 30 years. We have been very fortunate to have lived and traveled many places, but we do not have the roots that so many families share. I must confess tho, that life is very good either way, Char

  2. Happy To Be says

    Susan my dear friend …what a very special room you made for your guy…I just love seeing Mama’s that do things like this..And I can also tell you he is very proud to come home and see his room frozen in time…as a young wife when I would go see my mama the first thing I did was visit my old room…Mama kept it that way for me until I had grand kids for her and then she made a play room for them…This post just touched my old heart Susan…May you have a great weekend…hugs and smiles Gl♥ria

  3. A Classy Flea says

    Hi Susan, love today’s post. We’re in a new home after being empty-nesters, so no time-warp here. BUT, I still smile when I visit my parent’s house and my room is still the same 30+ years later! Nothing as lavish as yours’, just comfortable and comforting. -Glenn

  4. Tammy518 says

    There is nothing amateurish about the mural. You did a great job! My kids are still at home, but I can imagine I’ll do much like you, and leave their rooms as they are.

  5. Awe Susan, what sweet memories you all must have.

    We’ve moved around so much that the children’s rooms are only a nice memory in my head that I visit often.

    It tore me up the year we sold my sons bedroom furniture, but got through it.

    If there’s no rush to redecorate the room, I’d just keep it the way it is to enjoy over and over again. Grandchildren in the near future??? There might be a little grandson that will luv this room!

    God bless you real good,
    ~Deanna~
    from HomeHaven nestled in the Kansas Flinthills

  6. The mural is great!!
    And the room all so nice.

    Thanks for sharing.

    barbara jean

  7. The Bloom Girls says

    Hi Susan,
    I feel so special to have actually seen your son’s precious mural in person! We moved twice after the kids left, so no rooms for them to visit. My preacher (in his 50s) talks about going home to Huntsville and his mom will tell him he’ll be staying in ‘his’ room. He says it is just like he left it when he went away to college. Very special!
    Have a wonderful weekend!
    Nola

  8. "Hello... It's Me Again..." says

    That mural is outstanding! You really did a great job on it and so ccreative too.

    I don’t see any reason in the world to paint over it. I’d keep it just for the fun memories. Just think how excited the grandkids will be to stay in the “baseball” room. Awesome!!!

  9. The Muse says

    You poured out your love … it is obvious…

    For us, we have one room with an aviation theme (our son the pilot) long since gone as a resident…but HIS space still awaits him…

    I toy with the idea of a new space…but I haven’t the heart!
    And he still “visits” LOL

  10. Denise @ A Room With A View says

    Susan, I don’t think I’d have the heart to paint over it considering the heart and soul that went into it and the memories it brings to mind. That said, you could just make a nice scrapbook of it or something, and then get crankin’ on a whole new room to create some new memories in. 😉
    Denise

  11. Fifi Flowers says

    It looks GREAT!!! Hard to cover up something like that!

  12. Diane @ Four Paws and Co says

    Susan, there was nothing amateurish about that mural! It's beautiful! He must have been so proud of his room! I bet he's still attached to it too. That's a tough one – I don't know that I could easily strip the wallpaper & paint over the mural.

    I think my mom changed my room as soon as we got married and unfortunately, Steve was adamant about every wall in the house being ultra white, so Chris had comforter sets and lamps, but not paint. I can't remember what he did as a teenager – maybe some posters… Oh well, we moved 10 years ago & left him there. By the time we had moved, his room had already been painted white again but the carpet was changed. ☺

  13. Florida Sue says

    I wish I could go back and just freeze the image of my boy’s rooms.I have photos, but it would be very special to have lived in the same house and kept their rooms just as they were. I have my granddaughter’s room here in Florida always waiting for their visit, and that is the way that it shall stay for many years to come.

  14. Summer Gypsy says

    How special! My daughter is all grown up, married, and the mom of a 3 year old daughter. It was very difficult to leave the home where her childhood memories were spent when we moved. Now I am making a special room for my little granddaughter. Your mural is so neat. I know that your son appreciates his boyhood room all the more for having had that mural painted just for him and never repainted. Thanks for sharing.
    :)Marilyn

  15. I love the room! Lucky son! I always wished I could go back to my bedroom but several moves by my parents made this impossible. Despite that, my guys did not have rooms to come back to. The instant they left their rooms were repurposed into a sewing room and office. If you don’t need the space, I say leave it as it is! That mural is great!

  16. Suzann @ Lavender and Roses says

    I don’t have any rooms like that unfortunately. This is our 4th home and it’s being renovated. I’m so sad about this.
    I did love to see my old room in my parents house frozen in time for years and when it was time to change it, my mother let me do all the decorating for her. I never thought about it before, but maybe that was her way of keeping my old room “mine” in a way.
    What a grand post. Thanks.
    Have a super Saturday!!

  17. Susan, Wow I was in awe of your post and the memories it brought back of how my daughter’s room looked when she was young. Moved from that house, but wish I could have kept her room like you kept your sons. Great post.
    Be back on schedule soon.

  18. Terrie's Lil' Piece of Serenity says

    Susan, What boy wouldn’t love that room. The mural is great! I find it very sentimental. I bet your son does love to see it when he comes home. Hugs, Terrie

  19. Susan–How special this is! I definitely do not think you should paint over it! We are Braves fans living where most everyone is a Cardinal fan. We also have not been to take the signed Nolan Ryan baseball off display…sometimes it’s good to come home to a place where things are familiar and can be counted on to stay the same. #1 son was not thrilled with his bedroom “morphing” into blue, yellow, and toile 🙂

  20. As a baseball fan myself, I must say that I love the room! I wouldn’t have the heart to paint over it, not yet anyway. Someday you may have a grandson who will enjoy it. 🙂

    PS. My Red Sox just acquired your John Smoltz this season. I hope he does as well for us as he did for your Braves for so many years.

  21. Shari @ My Cottage of Bliss says

    What a great post. The mural amateurish…I don’t think so! The whole room looks like a very cool boy’s room.

    My daughter has been out on her own for a couple years but I just got around to redecorating her room about 6 months ago. I primarily waited so long because I was kind of waiting to see if she’d be back. (With the economy, it’s so darn hard out there these days for young, single folks.) I wish I could have left it as is indefinitely but my house is really small and I needed extra space. I’ll be doing a post on the makeover sometime in the future.

  22. Wow Susan you did a terrific job! I come from a family that moved a lot due to my father’s aviation career and the same with my husband. I have no place that “was” mine in my parent”s home and I am afraid it is the same for my sons. They both are moved out completely. Sad for them I suppose. Good thought to ask them about.
    Blessings…

  23. Michelle@Fromhousetohome says

    What a great room! I can see why you would want to leave it alone. It’s great that your son still has his own nook that is just his own. My old room at my parent’s house is a guest room. It has been a TV room and an exercise room. My room was done with “The Hunt” theme with horses and lots of hunter green. I wasn’t upset when they took the wallpaper down though, it was really dated. That mural you did can stand the test of time for sure!
    ~Michelle

  24. Dana and Daisy says

    Your son’s room is really adorable. My husbands mother has never changed her kids rooms but now after so long, (my husband is 50) it seems kind of odd to me. But I came from a home where there was not much space so when one bird flew the nest, the others made new uses for it.

    In my own home, the situation was unique. We built the house not knowing my step-kids would come live here full time. We turned rooms that were meant for other purposes into their rooms, so as each one has gone on to adult life, their rooms have taken on their original intended purpose. When the last son leaves, his room will become the guitar room my husband has always wanted. And my step-daughter’s room has been turned back into the home office. The middle son’s room will soon be a guest room, and their game room upstairs is now my art studio.

    I kind of like this way of transforming space according to our needs. And we will not need to downsize to a smaller house when it’s just the two of us again.

  25. I agree with some of the others about leaving it as it is if you don’t need the space. Makes a great guest room. Even for a granddaughter if you don’t get the grandsons. Girls do like baseball too. Baseball themed guest room!! How cool is that?!?

  26. Not only is the mural amazing (talented lady!) … but your music choice to accompany it is inspired! I imagine Ms. Joy has seen this a few times …….

  27. Amateurish? I think not! What a lovely gift you have given your family, to have shared your talents for their benefit.

  28. Omah's Helping Hands says

    What a great room! I can see why you would want to leave it up. So many memories, and a great work of art! I never have done anything like that before, but pla to for the grand kids. Enjoy your weekend!

  29. That’s a great mural!

  30. Hi Susan, what a lucky kid your son was to have a great room like that, and that you have kept it just that way over the years. You did such a nice job, it would be really sad to paint over it.

    2 of my kids are still (barely) at home, but their rooms are very much temporarily their own, and they are actually a little miffed about it. They think they should have eternal shrines, but I have limited square footage and they are living in my future rec room and sewing room. My fabric is not going to stay in the garage forever!

  31. The Cutest Cottage Lamps says

    Hi Susan, I just love your mural! and the baseball – what a great idea! It would make a great guest room when your son no longer uses the room!
    xxxooo
    Marilyn

  32. Nancy @ La Chambre Rose says

    Love that room! Yes, my son’s room is pretty much the way it was decorated for him. He only lived here for a year before heading south for college. Even better, I have two of his rooms set up. He grew into a 6’4″ man so his little boy bunk bed room is still set up with the RL animal print comforters and all. That is for guests, too.

  33. Oh, I love it that the room is still the same. I think everyone loves to come home to a famaliar place, and this is certainly his. It is just too hard to clear out the room and really believe they are grown and gone. Keep it forever if you can. Hugs, Marty

  34. cedwards55 says

    Susan, don’t you EVER paint over that mural. You did a great job and I know that Chip feels so loved when he goes into that room. If the Braves pennants were replaced with the Cardinals, either one of my boys would love that room. I love how the baseball is coming out of the wall. You’re one creative soul!

  35. Barb~Bella Vista says

    Hi Susan, I love all the different ‘sides’ to you.

    The room is charming and very special.

    Barb

  36. Peg @ Bloomfield Farm says

    Don’t even think about painting over your son’s mural! If he’s away at college, it may not be too many years until you’ll have a grandson who will adore his dad’s room. Procrastinate a bit… works for me!! I’ve left my daughters’ rooms pretty much as they left them… well, I DID take down all the dust-collecting horse show ribbons, Barbie dolls, and teen bulletin boards. When no one’s around, it’s sort of lonely in my upstairs… but when they return for a visit, the old rooms comes to life again!

  37. The Muse says

    Your words were so kind!
    Currently, we have 3 grandchildren..LOL 2 boys and a girl…I am learning about PRINCESSEs (new territory for me)
    (lol)…the boys are more involved with sports and superheroes!

    I hope to be able to make the next Tablescape Thursday … 🙂

    PS.. I have taken you blog button and added it to my blog.

    Have a great weekend!

  38. Ashley ~ says

    I absolutely LOVE that room and wouldn’t change a thing*!!!!

    ((hugs)) _Ashley*

  39. Oh, please never unfreeze that room! That is the stuff that memories are made of… and I know your son appeciates how much love, time, and talent you put into it. What a treasure!!!

  40. Cathy Miller says

    I love your room-but then I’m a HUGE Atlanta Braves/baseball fan!! I wouldn’t change a thing!!

  41. Seen it nothing, Helen. I helped paint it back in the day. I had just graduated from high school. Uh, that mural’s been up for a while.

  42. Hi Susan! You’re creativity has no bounds! The way that baseball jumps out at you and home plate on the floor! Who thinks of this stuff??? You are a creative genius! I’ll be participating this Monday – and it’s gonna be my most favorite post!!!
    Kim

  43. justjoycee says

    Beautiful mural!

  44. English Cottage in Georgia says

    Susan, love this post and so much to comment on.
    This room is wonderful, I could never redo it – baseball is a timeless theme. Not only can I envision a young boy in this room, but older gents who save and collect baseball cards would enjoy this as a hobby / get away room or office.
    This room is a part of your family history!

  45. HI Susan! I love your sons room and the mural is WONDERFUL!!!! NOT amateurish at all!!!!! My son and daughter picked out their carpet color etc. when we built this house. They are both grown and gone now so my sons room is now our “Africa room/ guest rooom. My daughters room is my “office/TV room. The room downstairs that she sleot in when she “cam home again” for a time is now Joe’s train room! My Mother lived in my sons room while she lived with us for 5 years before she passed away. I STILL can see her in there! Hugs GF, Pinky

  46. Susan, I would SO leave the room as is.It reminds you of your son as a young boy, and as a young man, I bet he still likes coming home to it during school breaks. Treasure it as you treasure him. Sue

  47. Cindy ~ My Romantic Home says

    I cannot believe that you painted that! You did a great job…it looks professional to me!!! I think that must be great for him to come home and have it as is!

  48. Donna@designson47thstreet says

    Susan, your son’s room is/was fantastic just like the rest of your home. I bet he truly does enjoy seeing it as it was.

    We actually moved from the last home where most of my daughters’ rooms were. One lived with us for a yr. in our new home after she graduated from college.

    We are very sentimental, so it was a hard move.

    So do the bluebirds ever move in after your wrens leave? I’m still trying to figure out how to get bluebirds! LOL!

  49. laurie @ bargain hunting says

    Susan, don’t paint over that! I think you did a fabulous job with it, and I’m sure your son enjoys seing it when he comes home, because he knows you put your heart into doing it. It’s wonderful. laurie

  50. Melissa Miller says

    It is sooo sweet Susan!
    You did alot of work on it.

    My in-laws just recently retired and moved to Florida.
    My husband and both his two brothers rooms were intact until they sold and moved on.
    I’m sure she cried and cried.
    They do enjoy golf and the beach though….:)

  51. Cote de Texas says

    What a darling room !! Ilove the baseball and home plate!

    don’t ever paint it. it’s too good.

  52. Wsprsweetly Of Cottages says

    Oh my! My son’s would have loved a room with something like that. First I didn’t have the talent..second we were military and didn’t stay in one place long enough..but how they would have love that! I wonder if they ever visited other little boys rooms and saw things like this and if they wished they had it. They never said, but then they wouldn’t. What a wonderful room for your son! You are so talented, Barb!
    Hugs,
    Mona

  53. Room design studio says

    I love this ! very well done!

  54. Cassandra says

    Wow, what an awesome painting. My son would love that. What creativity you have, love it!

  55. maidenshade says

    What a wonderful mural and room, you’re a great mom and so talented! Leave it up for your grandbabies.

    I thought I’d tell you I posted a “Florida” post today and thought you would enjoy it. If you have any other southern friends, please pass it on. Happy Sunday,

    xJ
    MaidenShade.worpress.com

  56. I don’t think I would be able to paint over the mural. What good memories for you and for your son when he is visiting.

    Kris

  57. The room is so well designed and each detail so well appointed that it merits being kept as is. Hope a grandson gets to enjoy it as much as your son has.

  58. Susan
    Your mural isn’t amateruish at all! You’ve done a great job and I wouldn’t paint over it at all…it’ll always be a special spot. You are sooo talented.
    thank you for sharing
    Judi

  59. Miss Janice says

    Susan, you did an awesome job on that mural. I’m sure your son loved growing up in that room. My husband is huge Braves fan and has been to many, many games at Turner Field. He was a fan before they had their winning streak, during, and even now:)

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