A "Toy Story" room for my son, Jack Always!

Since the completion of my last project (my Han Solo ANH Hero blaster) my wife and I have discovered that we're going to have our first child! Our boy, Jack Always, is to be born on September 23rd. We almost immediately started brainstorming his nursery. After toying with both an "Adventure Time" themed room and one based on "The Nightmare Before Christmas," one night at work, I somewhat impulsively started eBaying several toys featured in the "Toy Story" flicks. I already owned Woody and Buzz, but within a few hours I had ordered a Hamm piggy-bank, Rex, and a bucket of Little Green Army Men. When I went home to my wife that morning, it was decided: Jack Always would have a Toy Story room.

The first part of this build consisted of me buying up all the main toys in the flicks. I decided I would limit myself to the toys that survived part 3.

As for the room itself, I decided that it would be based primarily on Andy's room in "Toy Story 2," but in the end, bits and pieces of all three flicks would end up a part of Jack's room.

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On Jack's door is a replica of a sign that Andy has posted on HIS door in part one. I found a jpeg of the original sign and using Crayola markers and crayons, I traced over it, replacing Andy's name with Jack's and Molly's name with "Mommy."

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After repainting the walls a nice blue, I set about sourcing star-shaped wall decals (Andy's room in part one has clouds, parts two and three have stars). I tracked down a seller on etsy that sold star decals that were perfect matches for the ones onscreen and custom-printed the sizes and quantity I needed.

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A trip to Ikea netted me the most cost-effective replica of Andy's chest of drawers. I decided early on that I would settle for furniture that almost but not entirely resembled the stuff Andy had in HIS room, hoping that with a few modifications, I would be satisfied. The pulls on this chest still have to be replaced or at the very least, they have to be painted white.

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A red swing-arm lamp is featured prominently on Andy's desk. In real-life, it was nigh IMPOSSIBLE to find one that matched the film's version. I ended up buying a black swing-arm lamp at Target, taking it apart, repainting it red and rewiring it with a white cord.

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I bought a bulletin board that matches the one Andy uses to display his art. Meanwhile, I dug through the Pixar Planet boards and found fullsize replicas of Andy's crayon drawings and printed them out. My apologies to the creators of these jpegs because their names escape me at the moment. I also put up a couple pics of my now 15 year-old nephew...he was the former owner of this room and a big "Toy Story" fan himself when he was younger.

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Andy has a mid-century peg-legged desk in his room. Seeing as mid-century peg-legged desks can cost upwards of $500 (and the fact that my kid won't need a desk at all for at LEAST five years) I elected to hold off on that purchase. I DID, however, pick up a vintage student chair that matches the one Andy has. For now, I'm calling it a "reading chair."

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Finding a decent replica of Andy's bookcase was pretty difficult. In the end, I settled for this one. It's finish doesn't match the film, but it's structure does. Also, the bookcase is missing the board games "Candyland" and "Mouse Trap."

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In the flicks, Andy has three blue wall-mounted shelves above his bookcase (where the the broken toys are exiled to). A set of unfinished pine shelves were bought at Michaels, sanded smooth and covered with a coat of blue Krylon. After buying a stuffed Wheezy at Disney's California Adventure to sit on the shelf, I decided to sculpt a size-accurate Wheezy out of Sculpey instead.

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Someone on the Pixar Planet boards made a replica of Andy's teepee-covered trashcan by drawing out a pattern on Photoshop, printing it out and wrapping the print around a can of Lincoln Logs. I used his pattern and printed out the teepees on waterslide decal paper and slid them onto a trashcan I'd painted with Krylon Bauhaus Gold.

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In part one, Andy shares a room with his baby sister, Molly. Once again, Ikea provided me with the closest (cheapest) replica of Molly's crib.

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A non-accurate hidden detail that always makes me smile.

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A little seen background prop in the parts one and two is Andy's Mickey Mouse wristwatch wall clock. I actually HAD this same clock when I was a kid, but in the movies, the clock is solid blue. I eBayed the same gold and black version I had when I was a kid and repainted the face. I bought some blue vinyl and the wife and I fashioned new straps for the watch. I completely fabricated the buckle of the watch with MDF, Bondo and some wood dowel.

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Another awesome find on the Pixar Planet forums. No work here...just a trip to Kinko's and $25.

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Finding a bedside table similar to Andy's was ALSO a bit difficult. A carpenter on eBay made this one for me. All I did was stain the pine to match the bookcase and replace the hardware with a pull closer to what Andy had.

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Like the red swing-arm lamp, a red, round table lamp was ALSO very difficult to source. I ended up buying a green glass lamp base at Target and after repainting it, I topped it with a shade I found at Walmart.

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A British company was offering an exact replica of Andy's very distinctive bed...for WAY MORE than I was willing to spend. I decided to modify a headboard that was a pretty close match. Since I had little experience woodworking, I was a bit scared...but I gooned my way through it. I jigsawed out the middle portion of the headboard and the moon cut-out. Afterwards, I ordered a couple 4" wooden balls and mounted them on the existing posts. A couple layers of stain later and I'm EXTREMELY happy with the end result.

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Bedding was bought at Target...but I might replace the space-themed pillow sham with a cowboy-themed one as per part two.

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This last bit of business isn't "Toy Story" related at all, but I wanted to include a shot of Jack's closet. It currently holds his mother's clothes...

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...or does it? That's right...I made a secret Nerf Arsenal compartment for my still-gestating son. The idea is to present it to him upon his 5th birthday...but if the little scamp finds it BEFORE he turns 5, he still ain't gettin' it.

So that's it for now...I still have a couple more bits to finish up before I call the room "complete" but I just wanted to post up the progress I have so far.

Thanks for reading!

-Jonaas
 
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Re: A Toy Story-inspired room for my (soon to be born) son!

That is magical. As a huge nerf and toy story fan growing up, I would have gone bonkers even at age 18 seeing that room. The nerf lock cage is a smart idea, I know a lot of parents who could use that concept.
 
Re: A Toy Story-inspired room for my (soon to be born) son!

Awesome work :)

Your son will love it, especially when he watches the movies for the first time and realizes "hey, that is MY room".
 
Re: A Toy Story-inspired room for my (soon to be born) son!

Awesome work :)

Your son will love it, especially when he watches the movies for the first time and realizes "hey, that is MY room".

That's the idea. One of the last components of this project is a replica of Andy's Stage Coach toy chest. I'm currently painting one up and after our baby shower, I'm going to lock up all of the toys inside of it. When the kid is old enough to sit through the flicks, I plan on making each of the toys "appear" day by day.
 
Re: A Toy Story-inspired room for my (soon to be born) son!

I picture John Lassiter's office decorated as an exact replica of Andy's room as well. I know it is not, but it would be a cool concept for an animator/director's office space at Pixar :)
 
Re: A Toy Story-inspired room for my (soon to be born) son!

I've seen pics of his office and it seriously contains every single bit of Toy Story merchandise ever made!
 
Re: A Toy Story-inspired room for my (soon to be born) son!

Yup.

You are the greatest dad ever.

I love it.....all of it.....so much.
 
Re: A Toy Story-inspired room for my (soon to be born) son!

Toy Story was one of my favourite films growing up, I gotta say I am a little jealous.
 
Re: A Toy Story-inspired room for my (soon to be born) son!

That looks great! Love the Nerf arsenal. :thumbsup
 
Re: A Toy Story-inspired room for my (soon to be born) son!

The Nerf arsenal is awesome. Please update us in 5 years!
 
Re: A Toy Story-inspired room for my (soon to be born) son!

"I picture John Lassiter's office decorated as an exact replica of Andy's room as well. I know it is not, but it would be a cool concept for an animator/director's office space at Pixar"

John-Lasseter-Office-Toys.jpg

 
Re: A Toy Story-inspired room for my (soon to be born) son!

"I picture John Lassiter's office decorated as an exact replica of Andy's room as well. I know it is not, but it would be a cool concept for an animator/director's office space at Pixar"

John-Lasseter-Office-Toys.jpg


See... Like a toy store :lol
I have a few friends that work there and when they took me on a tour we stopped in there. John was actually at a meeting so I didn't get to meet him :(
But I got to peek at the office. Pretty cool... I still think he should have a streamline Andy's room. Or a game room for employees that looks like the room. :lol
 
Re: A Toy Story-inspired room for my (soon to be born) son!

Now that is a replica if I've ever seen one! Fantastic! I'm not sure if I'd do that for my 2 year old or myself!!! lol Great job!
 
Re: A Toy Story-inspired room for my (soon to be born) son!

Exquisite work! I would love to see a pic of the room in its entirety!
 
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