The last time we made a big to do & gave the mini a room makeover was nearly SIX years ago when we lived in 2 bedroom condo apartment. And A LOT has changed since then! One thing that hasn’t changed, however, is that just like our recent round of makeovers, it was also part of a 3 room transition — her room, our room, and a workspace. We’re nothing if not consistent lol. 

Now in the present day, we have more house however the same challenges — which I talked a lil bit about in my last post sponsored by Handy Products. Keeping that background in mind — and if you haven’t checked out that post yet, I highly suggest you go do that first — let’s get into the details & go behind the design. 

We went through a few iterations for the design plan however my lil client made one thing clear from the beginning — the room would have color! After lots of deliberation, we initially planned on a lighter, more pastel color palette. 

Along the way two major things changed — (1) we landed on a bolder, jewel tone inspired palette and (2) instead of buying a new bed, we would be giving her the bed from the bonus bedroom. 

In addition to creating a color drenched space, other design prerequisites were layered lighting, a wraparound gallery wall, side tables, and a dedicated work area, while being mindful of the change is size of the bed.

For the final concept, we shopped the house & used existing pieces that were either always intended for her or were in other spaces. We’d selected her window treatments and rug years ago & those weren’t changing. The desk & seatingwould be the desk & seating from the flex lounge, since that space would be changing soon. A few additional items were brought it from other rooms and/or our "room of requirement" — aka the garage — so the only things we ended up purchasing were a closet for the miniest, bedside sconce lighting, and a picture frame. 

Aside from needing to keep costs low, I went this route because I wanted her room to feel as organic as possible, not expertly designed or overly styled. I wanted her to see herself in this room. Growing up I never had my own room...not until college, and even then, I was still restricted in terms of furnishings & decor.  I was constantly rearranging just to feel like I had some control. It wasn’t until I became a whole adult with my own apt that I had complete autonomy over my own spaces. I wanted the mini to begin to experience that creative freedom now… to know that she has a say in her environment. I wanted her to love walking into her room, feel like it represented her, and be a space that she could also grow with over time. One way I achieved this is with the wraparound gallery wall above & her desk. The gallery corner is a mix of art she likes (like these illustrations from She Is This Designs), functional pieces (i.e. her chore charts & pin board), books she’s currently reading/loving on acrylic shelves, and other representations of who she is & her interests.

For her bed & the area surrounding, giving her the bed from the bonus bedroom was the best choice! Fun fact: we'd actually already purchased a new bed for her before having this grand epiphany. The shapes & colors of the headboard not only complemented the wall color, they were as random & fun as she is. She's always expressed how much she loves that bed so really, that's where we should've began.

Her bedding would always be fun themes & colors she likes, however, we could also go "plain" and her bed would still feel whimsical because of the headboard design. Speaking of the design, the high wingback was also the best choice for her because she enjoys reading in bed. This would prove to be much for comfortable for her than her previous bed.

All around her bed we intoiduced lighting options for her reading & to be able to change the vibe of the room depending on what she's doing. With 2 sconces, 1 table lamp, and 1 overhead light - not to mention the task light on her desk - she would have more than enough options to use lighting to create the vibes.

We brought in a nightstand from our room that we were no longer using to create a bedside vanity, unlike the other side of her bed with an ottoman for her nighttime books.

All of these new elements complemented all of the previous elements in the space, as if they were all meant to come together. The Minnie Trellis Rug in Rose Gold from Ruggable is a sophisticated design for an iconic & beloved child character. Her custom window treatments from Decorview feature a beautiful "pink tulle" drapery fabric, acrylic finials, and "white pearl" motorized shades.

Completing the space would be the storage solutions. We reconfigured her Elfa closet to optimize the space, especially as her wardrobe has changed. This is one of the many reasons I love the Elfa system. We didn't have to start from scratch. Instead, we replaced the shoe racks with drawer baskets for more folded clothes and moved shelved up & down for more space in general. Because we chose to do a bedside nursery, most of the miniest's stuff is in our room... except her hanging clothes. The new closet not only benefited the miniest, it also meant mini could have a place to corral most of her stuffies. And it was a design win for me since the color looks beautiful against the paint. Lastly, we added hooks & other wall mounted storage solutions to make it easier for her to maintain her room on a daily basis.

All in all, we're very happy with how this room came together, most of all the mini. As a client, she was super easy to work with & our collaborative efforts resulted in what is now her favorite room in the house... despite not having the tv that she begged for. For me, the win is in seeing her joy every time she enters her room... in seeing how she uses the space to both create & rest. My job here is done.

You can watch the video reveal here & shop the room here.