Our daughter has a fun and artistic personality and I didn't want to limit that with neutral colors. So together we picked a light blue-grey paint called Misty SW 6232 by Sherwin-Williams. And we installed Hunter Fan Company's Cranbrook design in mint overhead.
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The Process
Then I hired an electrician to install our low-profile Cranbrook fan. Hunter's Cranbrook design is whimsical and quirky--and I just love it for a girl's room. We are big DIYers, but have found it best to hire out for electrical work--especially ceiling fans.
We went from a full-sized bed to a twin bed in her room. She needed more floor space to play. I researched storage daybeds and found that the Hemnes Daybed from IKEA had the best value so we went for it. She loves that her bed can turn into a double bed for guests, and the storage drawers are deep and perfect for her toys. I’ve had several friends ask which mattress we bought for her. We went with a memory foam twin from Amazon for under $100 (crazy!). It had good reviews and she says it is comfortable.
When you enter the room, the fan, canopy & bed are the focal point and I kept that wall simple without art. But it is important that tweens/preteens get to display their art. They have their own style and as parents we should embrace that! So we added her artwork to the wall across from her bed. I mixed in a few new pieces typography art like the "Bless This Mess" sign with artwork she had designed at summer camps.
Before the room makeover our daughter had little toys everywhere! I added a few inexpensive plastic bins to organize the inside of her bed's storage drawers. And I added new ceramic flower knobs to replace the standard black knobs that came with the bed.
Our 8 year old REALLY wanted a canopy over her daybed. At first I worried that the new canopy would compete with the ceiling fan. But now that they are both up in the space, they look great together. When working with a ceiling fan that has personality like the Cranbrook, pick a simple canopy design.
When selecting her room color, we considered blues, pinks, and purples. We narrowed it down to a blue because it feels neutral and pairs well with pink & purple accessories. Sherwin-Williams Misty is versatile and goes from blue to gray depending on the light in the room and time of day. I appreciate how neutral it is while still showing as a color.
For our daughter's bedding we went with a coral reversible quilt, reused a few pillows and picked up a few new ones from IKEA. I replaced her old pinboard with a linen-style pinboard from Marshalls. I wanted a light rug that she could move easily to pull out the trundle bed. I found her purple rug at Homegoods and love how it pulls together all the colors in her room.
Designing for a tween girl isn't easy because their styles change quickly as they grow older. I recommend partnering with your child in design decisions. It might be too overwhelming to give them complete freedom at this age. Try giving them 2-3 options to pick from. Select a paint color and ceiling fan you will be happy with for several years. Artwork, curtains and bedding are easy to change!
Our daughter loves her new room, and we did it all on a small budget. Changing her wall color and adding a new ceiling fan made a huge impact in the space!
I'm wrapping up our 10 year old son's room next and will share that with you in a few weeks!
Shop The Room:
(click a picture for more info)