When it comes to designing a kids’ bedroom, there’s a lot to consider. I wanted a room that was comfortable, age-appropriate and classic for my 3-year-old daughter to grow into.
In this blog post, I’ll share 5 steps for creating a classic kids’ bedroom as well as a few sources and cost-saving tips I learned along the way.
#1: Find Your Inspiration
I knew I wanted a classic, traditional look that could grow with my daughter. She has a beautiful four poster Charleston bed passed down from my husband’s family so that was my starting point. I really didn’t have anything else since she was in a nursery at our old house and moved into a big girl bed when we moved into our current house almost a year ago.
There’s always been something about a soft pink and green that I’ve loved for a little girl, so I started searching for inspiration on Instagram and Pinterest. I narrowed it down to these six images that each have something I pulled from when decorating my daughter’s room.
Design By: Clary Bosbyshell
Design By: Julie Neill Designs
Design By Clary Bosbyshell | Photo By: Heidi Face
Design By: Julie Neill Designs
Design By: Betsey Mosby Interiors
Photo By: Lauren Daue via The Traditionalist
#2: Choosing the Right Color Palette
Choosing the right color palette for your child’s bedroom is an essential step in creating a classic and elegant design. When it comes to timeless decor, the colors you choose play a significant role. For a classic and elegant look, consider incorporating precious pink and white tones for a little girl and light blue and white for a little boy. These soft hues create a sense of tranquility and innocence that is perfect for a child’s space. Since I’ll be sharing my daughter’s room, I’m going to focus on pinks but any of this could be tweaked for a little boy by using blues and whites.
When selecting the perfect shades of pink and white, consider the overall aesthetic you want to achieve. A light blush pink or a delicate cream shade for the walls is an easy way to create a soothing and sophisticated backdrop. I also love the idea of wallpaper but it wasn’t in the budget so I opted for a soft pink paint color. I ended up going with Gentle Butterfly by Benjamin Moore and am really happy with it. It’s a very pale pink.
I came across this rug from Loom & Co. right after we purchased our home and instantly fell in love with it. Loom & Co. was kind enough to provide it at a discount for our family. I’ve been so happy with the quality, ability to clean it (milk spills, crumbs and pen marks have all been cleaned from it!) The color palette is soft yet full of life and color. I love the way it brightens the room
#3: Layer the Bedding
Layers, layers, layers. Have you wondered how beds look so full and tailored? I sure did! I began researching bedding and am excited to share what I learned.
Follow along as I share the 6 layers that will give a designer look. While some pieces are custom, I’ll share where I found everything and how easy it was to pull it all together.
There are so many different ways to make up a bed, but I love the way this turned out. It’s traditional and sweet.
Layer 1: Fitted and top sheet. This is where I decided to save. Since my daughter is 3, there’s no guarantee the sheets will stay clean so I bought some knowing I would need to replace them every so often. I opted for crisp white sheets from Amazon. They were on sale for $16 earlier this month.
Layer 2: I added a tailored linen blush bed skirt that gives the room a more traditional look. This one comes in pieces so you buy the sides you need and pin them into the box spring. Mine is from Classic Bedroom Design.
Layer 3: A beautiful diamond quilt added texture and covered the areas that I didn’t want visible like where the bed skirt is attached to the box spring. I love the texture and traditional look it provides. This is also from Classic Bedroom Design. They have a storefront at Cotswold Marketplace in Charlotte but they’ll also ship! You can email Karen at classicbedroomdesign@gmail.com. Tell them I sent you!
Layer 4: I’ve been following Wheaton Whaley for years and when they released their new scalloped bedding, I immediately reached out! They were kind enough to gift the duvet and pillow shams and provided so much helpful advice about bedding, pillow sizes and fabric options. The duvet has a zipper and ties inside which make it easy to add the insert and wash it. I have this insert.
Layer 5: My daughter’s euro shams are the same fabric as the bed skirt and also from Classic Bedroom Design. I like the consistency in the use of fabric and the soft pink hue. For a queen, two euro shams are perfect. You could do three, but they will hang off the sides. I like how these two euros still allow the Wheaton Whaley standard shams to peak through.
Layer 6: Lastly, I worked with Wheaton Whaley to design a bolster pillow that would work well with my existing Loom & Co rug and add some additional color into the bedding. They had SO many options. It was a little overwhelming, but they provide design services which made it fun! They also have bedding sets that they’ve curated and make it very easy to get a designer look without having to order fabric samples and finding someone to make the pieces. They’ll take care of everything, and you can order it on their website here. Use code “GARDENANDGRACE” for 10% off entire order.
#4: Don’t Shy Away from Used or Antique Pieces
When it comes to finding the unique pieces, I like to look at antique shops, Facebook marketplace and small children’s boutiques. If you’re in Charlotte, places like Sleepy Poet, Hamilton-Stuart and Classic Attic are good places to start if you’re looking for antique furniture or unique decor.
My daughter’s bed was passed down from my husband’s family, but I’ve seen similar ones at Classic Attic. Her dresser is Pottery Barn Kids, but I found it on Facebook marketplace and added these baskets to give her additional storage space. Oh, and this bamboo table! It was a Facebook marketplace find as well. I was searching for bamboo folding chairs for a party we were hosting, and someone nearby was selling two bamboo folding chairs with this table. I couldn’t resist!
#5: Incorporate Personalized Pieces
I love adding personal touches to any room but especially a child’s bedroom. It gives them a sense of belonging and comfort. This sweet, stitched keepsake is from Brittingham Stitching Co. and includes the Bible verse we chose for my daughter.
When I was in Cotswold Marketplace the other day, I found this adorable green check pillow and knew I had the perfect spot for it. WHL Design added a precious applique monogram that matches this throw blanket from C&C Interiors. The cane back chair is also a second-hand find from Charleston, SC years ago.
I still need to add window treatments and some small decor items but I’m so happy with the way my daughter’s room is coming together and can’t wait to see her grow and enjoy it over the years.
SHOP THE ROOM
