room by room :: little girl's bedroom

For this little girls' bedroom, which will also serve as a guest bedroom, my goal was to design a cheery space that was young, but not so juvenile that an adult would feel like they were trapped in a Disney cartoon. And although the color scheme would deviate somewhat from the rest of the house, I still wanted to maintain a blend of traditional, vintage & modern elements.

Breeze Blue Sky by P. Kaufmann :: Melinda's

I found this fun print at a small, but very well stocked fabric store called Melinda's in Brookhaven, MS. It's a modern take on an old-school paisley print and has a variety of colors to work with in fresh, current shades like lime, citrine & raspberry. And at only $24.99/yard, it wouldn't cripple my budget. I had already designed and made the bubble chandelier, which I thought was whimsical and modern at the same time.

DIY Bubble Chandelier :: Lemongrass Interiors

I also had my eye on several vintage-style beds, including a really awesome peacock rattan and this super fun Jenny Lind in the same raspberry color found in my fabric -- (I love it when a design starts coming together!).

Jenny Lind Bed in Raspberry $799/queen :: Land of Nod

Sure the color was perfect and the style was a classic...but the price was a deal breaker. So I  went on the hunt and found an antique bed with turned posts for $50 bucks!! It was originally a full, but since I need to make new rails and repaint the whole thing, I can convert it to a queen with no problems. I'll be sure to post the DIY on that soon. Despite a few sceptical, raised eyebrows,I've chosen Benjamin Moore Italiano Rose for the bed. Online it looks a little rosy, but the actual color is much punchier.

With the inspiration fabric and statement furniture piece set, I decided to go with a pale yellow on the walls. As anyone will tell you (even design veterans), yellow can be tricky! I pulled out my Ben Moore fan deck, tacked up larger samples and painted swatches on the wall diligently checking them at different times of the day. I finally settled on Lemon Sorbet...sounds fun right?

Holy Ray Bans! Though I tried to warm up to it...this color was nearly blinding. After a week, I repainted the room in a tried and true standby...Hawthorne Yellow. Safe, calm...

...and muddy. I didn't even give this one a week. Late one afternoon after I had walked in and out of this room maybe a dozen times, I dumped the remaining Lemon Sorbet in with the remaining Hawthorne Yellow and kept adding white until I reached what I felt was the perfect shade.

Now of course there's no formula for recreating this color, but I was able to take a sample to my paint guy and have a full gallon mixed that (thank goodness!!) was a perfect match. Here's a shot of the new, lovely, makes-me-happy-when-I-see-it color going over the Hawthorne:

yessss!

At this point, the design could use a little white, so I'm planning to repaint a vintage nightstand we already have and I'm on the hunt for a dresser. I'll also be looking for an ornate, carved vintage mirror that I may paint to match the bed. For the finishing touches, I have this Robert Abbey Double Gourd Lamp in Apple Green in my stash...

Apple Green Double Gourd Ceramic Lamp by Robert Abbey $190.91 :: Lamps Plus

...and I found a great source for affordable, original art at Scoutmob. This watercolor has a sweet old fashioned vibe that I love and is only $30.

Modern Floral Watercolor by Kiana Mosley $30 :: Scoutmob (sold out)

For the bedding, I plan to use a plain white duvet set from Target and have my friend "The Monogram Queen" at Persnickey in Port St Joe, FL add a large, classic monogram to the shams a la Leontine Linens. I'm kind of digging the blue color of this monogram, which is also found in the Kaufmann fabric.

I'll top it with a "bed scarf" sewn from the inspiration fabric and maybe one accent pillow. I am forever in love with all things Quadrille, but the China Seas prints are fabric perfection! I think the graphic nature of Aga reverse (as shown on this adorable stool) would be spot on.

Aga Reverse in Watermelon on Tint by China Seas :: To the Trade

Finally, I'm looking for something fun on the floor. Every room can use a little stripe and I'm a big fan of Dash & Albert rugs for their simplicity, functionality & value.

Tiki Stripe by Dash & Albert $225 6X9:: Joseph's Cottage

Tiki Stripe is one fun option and I like the wide, bold swaths of color. I also found this adorable (and cushy) DIY option on the british blog "Conversation Pieces". 

DIY Felt Rug :: Conversation Pieces

I'm not sure if I can get my hands on the same smaller rugs she found, but I'll have fun trying!