Enter, my toughest client to date: my 9-year-old daughter, Belle.

What does a designer normally do when hired by a client who does not share their color palette or aesthetic? The answer (for good reason) is run!  In this case, however, my client is my sweet, darling daughter and her bedroom in our new home is completely empty.

If you have been here for a while (hello again and thank you!), you might remember that Belle’s bedroom in our last house was the quintessential, pretty in pink, little girl’s bedroom.  At that time, this mama could handle Belle’s color affair with pink.  Pink = blush = a softer, toned-down easier-on-the-eyes hue of pink, and I got to work designing!  We did a blush wall, a blush rug, bold pink pom-pom accents in her curtains, more bold pink accents everywhere from her bedding to the little petite accent chair at her little petite play table.  This time around?  No. Such. Luck.

PURPLE!  Bell insisted on straight-up purple. It pains me even to write, friends.  Not toned down, not paired with a rich or grounding hue to chic up the lavender; worse actually, my beloved Belle wanted a purple and pink big girl bedroom.  Ugh.  Both personally and professionally I debated my ability to complete this job.  Purple!?  I turmoiled.  I lost sleep.  Purple?! I wrestled over the decision to allow it.  Freaking purple!?  Ultimately, I was struck with the overwhelming answer.  Designer mama or not, it’s HER room.  Let it be all hers.

Before we even started the design, my daughter had already achieved the title of ‘most challenging client.’  Fortunately, it could only get better from here, and that’s exactly how the story unfolds.  Two décor wins helped me to create her purple bedroom:  a gorgeous wallpaper + a host of stylish goodies from my partner, Safavieh.

Belle and I scheduled a date to shop online together at Safavieh.com.  We immediately selected a budget-friendly, art-deco-inspired bed/headboard (a great dupe for an expensive version I had been eyeing) with great lines to add architecture and a grown-up style.  Add a cutie side table and mirror, pillows, and a throw.  The result is a purple bedroom transformed into a soft and chic, eclectic and charming, and so very Belle space.   

OK,ready? I am sharing my tips for designing kids’ rooms + sharing all the Safavieh goodies Belle and I picked together for this project. 

Kids’ Room Design Rules 

• Pick the wallpaper of his/her dreams on a single focal wall only.  Bonus points for peel’n’stick which can be changed out easily as they change styles.
  
• Choose mature/regular sized bedroom furniture pieces so the investment lasts into future room incarnations.

• Let the whimsical colorful elements come in blankets, pillows, and art that can be swapped through the years.  These are great elements to let them pick on their own.

• Neutralize kids colors with light furniture finishes.   Added bonus, neutral furniture selections can go with next years’ design whims.  

• Mix paint at a lower percentage when using their favorite paint color to tone down the color overload. Pair with clean white trim for a fresh contrast

Shop Belle’s Room

1. Paloma Bed
2. Amabel Mirror
3. Aletha Pillow
4. Nikola Pillow
5. Liliana Throw
6. Pierre Nightstand