The Next Phase of Girlhood
There’s something incredibly emotional about designing a child’s bedroom, especially when you realize you’re no longer designing for a nursery, but for the next chapter of girlhood. A space that still holds magic and softness, while gently growing alongside the person they’re becoming. When we began designing Lucy’s new room, I kept coming back to the idea that I didn’t want this to feel overly “little girl” or trend driven. I wanted it to feel timeless, layered, feminine, and personal. A room she could love now at six years old, but also continue growing into as a teenager one day.
A Bed She Can Grow Into
One of the first decisions we made was choosing a queen sized French country bed. It immediately changed the feeling of the room. There’s something so special about giving a child a piece that feels substantial enough to stay with them for years, while still feeling soft, romantic, and age appropriate. I always think the foundation pieces in a room set the emotional tone for the entire space. And it just makes snuggling that much more comfortable with a bed this size if I’m being honest!
Soft Layers & Color
From there, we layered in bedding in soft hues of blush and sage green, mixing textures and subtle patterns to make the room feel warm and collected rather than overly matched. The custom monogram pillow added that personal touch that makes a room feel truly theirs.
Meaningful Decor
One thing I’ve learned through designing children’s spaces is that the most beautiful rooms always include pieces with meaning. On Lucy’s nightstand sits her favorite little Edgar Degas ballerina statue from the museum, something she already treasures now, but that I know she’ll continue to appreciate differently as she grows older. I love incorporating decor that quietly introduces children to art, culture, and sentiment in a way that still feels playful and approachable.
Sentimental Details
Another deeply sentimental detail was framing one of her baby swaddles as artwork. Those are the kinds of pieces that transform a room from simply decorated into something deeply personal. It’s subtle, but it carries history, memory, and emotion. Your local frame store can help you accomplish this look very easily! It’s a shadow box design.
Layered Window Treatments
For the windows, we layered Two Page Curtains roman shades with linen curtain panels to soften the architecture of the room while adding warmth and privacy. I’ve always believed window treatments are one of the most important layers in a space because they instantly make a room feel more complete and elevated. For the rods, I wanted something to complement the furniture so we opted for a worn country white wash rod and finial ends.
Sculptural Lighting
Lighting was another area where we wanted functionality to feel beautiful. Rather than treating lamps as purely practical, we selected pieces that felt sculptural and artistic on their own, almost like little works of art throughout the room. Those kinds of details add personality and visual interest without overwhelming the space. I will forever remember this one lamp my mom gave me one year. I loved it so much growing up that I can still see it when I close my eyes. Something about inspired your children with beautiful designed spaces when they’re young will help them appreciate it more when they’re older. You’ve heard of character building? Well this is like taste building!
Feminine Floral Touches
And of course, no girls room feels complete without flowers. We added soft floral touches throughout the room to bring in femininity and romance, while still keeping things low maintenance and effortless enough for everyday life so this Venus Et Fleur wicker basket bouquet was just perfect and added to the French country vibe of the space.
Bringing the Room to Life
Working with the Kathy Kuo Home Design Studio to bring this room to life felt incredibly full circle for me. It truly feels like just yesterday we were designing her nursery. And now, watching those nursery pieces become hand me downs for Mia while creating a new room for Lucy felt emotional in a way I didn’t entirely expect.
The sweetest moment of all was when she walked into the room, looked around quietly, and whispered, “it’s so pretty mama.”
And honestly, that made every single detail feel worth it.
