Out-of-This-World Surprise

This little girl was turning 9 and her family wanted to surprise her with a brand new room. As I began the design process with her family, I learned that she loves the color purple and outer space: but I’m not one for theme rooms. Maybe for kids, but even then, theme rooms get old quickly. (My kids change what they like every other week. If I had done that Pokemon room my son wanted, he would be crying that it was “too babyish” right now and I’d be out some serious dough.) Good room decor should last. It should be able to grow with you. I like to use awesome, but not “kid-specific” patterns and colors that can grow with the child but also reflect what he or she loves. I like to do that through accessories - art, an accent pillow, etc. She likes purple and space? GREAT! Let's let those themes INSPIRE the design, but not dictate it to the point where there's a spaceship-shaped bed in her room.

We painted her walls a bright white, the ceiling a fabulous blue and replaced her tired old ceiling fixture with a light and airy celestial looking fixture. Bedding and a rug were where we punched up our color and pattern and crisp white window treatments with a turquoise pompom accent gave the windows new life.

Now let’s take a moment and honor that light fixture of the big dipper on the wall. Moment of silence and mad respect for the good people of West Elm who created that wicked awesome art perfect for this room.

The vanity was a family piece. It was dark and chipped but they still wanted to keep it. We refinished it and painted it with gray chalk paint, swapped out the hardware and now it’s the perfect desk! The cork board will fulfill her constant desire to pin her favorite things all over her walls and we surrounded it with space-inspired art. Another nod to the person who created that cat astronaut (catstronaut?) art.

The bathroom got a coat of lavender paint and a new shower curtain showing the phases of the moon (so cool)!

Oh, and the reveal! She went to school on her 9th birthday without a CLUE that her room was her present. “Go put your backpack away” …..

Happy Birthday, Sweet Girl! You (and your room) are out of this world! It had to be said.