Summer is one of my favorite seasons. It means blue skies, green trees and plenty of sunshine. As a child it meant catching bugs, building forts, splashing in the creeks and hunting for treasure.
Today, it still means the same things, only now, I get to share it with the little people I adore the most.
When I was young, I was fortunate enough to be surrounded by happy music, good books and magic. Peter Pan was one of my very favorite stories. I’ve chosen to model my life in a way to always have “Neverland” close to my heart.
One of my favorite movies is Finding Neverland. Johnny Depp plays the author, JM Barrie and is about the inspiration for writing Peter Pan. In an interview, Johnny Depp described it like this:
“Do your best to not grow up so quickly. It’s ok to grow old and be an adult, but maintain those beautiful qualities.”
Johnny Depp | Finding Neverland
I really wanted to create a magical space that would inspire my children to “Find their own Neverland.” Photowall generously agreed to work with me to make this magical Neverland room come to life.
The Inspiration
I have always been fascinated by the Lost Boys hideout underneath the big tree. It always seemed so cozy and just it just radiated adventure. I wanted their room to have that same earthy vibe and immediately knew the Floral Hysterica wallpaper would be absolutely perfect.
Wallpaper
I have never done wallpaper before and was pretty nervous to try it out. We were so surprised how easy and FUN it was. Here’s a time lapse of our work. (It only took a few hours!)
Not only did they send the wall paper measured exactly for our wall, but they also sent a handy kit with everything we needed to mix the paste, smooth out the bubbles and trim any edges.
I mean LOOK at that texture! Dont you feel like you’re just about to go on a big adventure?!
The Stars
Once that was done, I got the two classic stars. (The place I got mine are no longer around, but I did find some similar ones from Amazon.)
Tree Trunk
Next, I knew I wanted a really cool tree trunk that could be used for a side table. I got so incredibly lucky that my lumberjack neighbor had this GORGEOUS piece of wood he had been saving for a special project just like this.
I mean, isnt it PERFECT?!
Miscellaneous
The rest of the decor I used were things I had been collecting for years like the Peter Pan flute, the pirate flag or the Never Grow Up pillow.
The Final Touch-A bit of Pixie Dust!
It all came together so beautifully. The entire time we were putting it together, I felt so incredibly grateful for the beautiful masterpiece JM Barrie created for us.
I’ll never forget the first time I watched that interview about Finding Neverland. I loved it so much that over the years, I’d pop in the DVD and just watch that clip because it perfect emulates how I feel about life.
Here is the video clip of the room with the audio from that interview. Believe me when I say I cry every time I watch it.
Here is the transcript of the entire clip, because it honestly gives me so much joy every time I hear it:
“In Peter Pan, there is a place called Neverland, and if you ask people what the metaphor is, you will get different answers. One person might say it is a journey to imagination, to creativity; others might say, it means you never die. Neverland is the place that exists for all of us in the ‘wish’ part of our brains.
I think what Barrie was saying was, ‘Do your best to not grow up so quickly. It’s ok to grow old and be an adult, but maintain those beautiful qualities.
It’s a wonderful concept of what you believe in, you can create, you can manifest.
What I feel is important is the freedom to invent things however ridiculous. Dont be afraid to take risks, to be creative and to try things.”
Finding Neverland
Since I honestly cannot say it any better, I’ll just say that in the spirit of keeping “Neverland” alive, I plan on making this summer the greatest adventure of them all.