Forget to mention, we bought the shelves and bookcase in black, when the wall was just red. Then decided to paint it.

I know you want to decorate it, but when I was trying to decide what to do with my son's room, someone mentioned their son had one wall that all his friends were allowed to sign and draw pictures on. You could just do that. BTW, I can't let my son see this post. He wanted black walls and I said no. I may have been more likely to consider it if we had a big window though.

Laurie

Another vote for leave it be and let them decorate it. Using the black pieces in other parts of the room will help pull it together.

BTW - I love the fact that they are keeping the console. I'm sure it brings back lots of wonderful memories for them.

I would flip the room, and put the beds on the black wall. That way they could each have their own areas to write notes and things from their beds, plus some wall space for friends to use. Then the desk, bookshelves, etc that are in the black will be against the red wall, and create a work/play area on one side of the room.

Oh!

I didn't think I'd like the black wall, but I LOOOOOVE it!

It must look amazing at night.

I would be tempted to get a mural of a tunnel entrance...

I like the idea of the black pieces against the red, to balance it out. But, I think I prefer to see the beds when I walk in. Not walk right into the end of them, kwim?
We tried them seperate, to give them their own space. But, that was the biggest problem. It was like, BAM..bed. That, and there was nowhere for the t.v. or anything else.

This room is really quite large, but the big window and the closets on the other side of the room make it hard to do anything :(

Leaving the wall undecorated may be the best option. But, they're in desperate need for some space to put their trophies and othre display thingys. Like lego figures, etc.

mclarke, It really is cool. I wish now that I'd used magnetic paint and then regular black paint. Not chalk.
That way they could put things up all over with magnets, which would still make it "cool". But, not a mess with chalk like it's going to be soon.
But, I know they'll have fun writing on the walls.

Here's a wall that decorated like a regular wall. Love it!

What about hanging empty picture frames on the wall and telling them they can only draw inside the frames? Okay, I know they're boys, but you could try it.

How about some red stripes or add some nascar banners and then do a mirror with a red painted frame. If you need shelves, get generic ones and paint them red. I think it would pop!!

Is the room big enough to unbunk the beds and put them with the heads against the blackboard wall?

Picture frame idea is cute. But, I doubt they'll be able to keep it under control :) Especially with the 4 and 6 yr old in there on occasion.

Les, Hmm..hadn't tried that. But again, the idea of running right into the beds doesn't seem to appeal to me. I want them to have a lot of floor space, for when their friends come over and stuff. It's one of the reasons we switched rooms. And looking in there just now, I really don't think it is big enough.
Then there's the fact that the 9 yr old is now up on the top and is loving it. He's always been on the bottom bunk, but the older boy let him have the top when we moved. I can't get him out of bed these days, lol.

I'd leave the black stuff black and put it against the wall. IMHO, putting the black shelves, etc against the red wall, or conversely, white or red against the black wall would be too jarring.

Once I had a portrait of me and my kids taken against a black backround. We were wearing black turtlenecks, and the photographer said we'd look like a bunch of floating heads. Well, no, it was beautiful, exactly what I wanted, you saw our FACES, which was the focus of the portrait. The same would be true of black shelves against the black wall...their trophies would be the focus.

Also, I agree...leave the wall as is. Boys will love to 'graffiti' the wall. My boys once covered every square inch of their room with skateboard pics, and their friends thought it was the coolest thing in the world. They all 'autographed' them and wrote comments on them. The same could happen with your black wall.

I'm toying with this idea for DS's room downstairs (should he ever move down there). It's going to be a 1930's safari tent (Ernest Hemmingway style furniture, travel trunk etc) and I was going to do a mural...ya know...when I have time (eyes rolling) but I love the chalk board. It wouldn't be bad since it would have muslin covering some of it, and maybe I could draw a tree or two LOL

I saw a chalkboard wall in a magazine recently (can't remember which one...Sorry!) but one thing I did like for that room was that they "Framed" it using the same molding as the baseboard, but just ran it around the wall as well (mitered corners). I think in white that would really set the wall of for you;...and then let the kids go for it :)