*Thank you so much for the kind words and warm responses to yesterday’s post. Reading your stories and memories was really moving.
A few weeks ago Clara spotted a canopy over a friend’s bed and immediately fell in love. She asked, very earnestly, for “daddy and mommy to build a canopy with a hammer and some blankets” right away. We were totally on board — just not the hammering-blankets version.
We love that this was Clara’s idea. It adds playful personality to her room and might even encourage her to transition from her crib to the daybed (she’s still happily in the crib, but seems closer to switching every day).
To begin, we tested a shape we liked by draping some spare fabric from my stash over the bed so we could visualize the form and estimate how much fabric we’d need. At that point we hadn’t yet painted the room — we realized the canopy should go up after painting, so painting took priority.
The next step was a quick test with an old pair of sheer curtains to see how white fabric would read in the space. With a patterned rug, expressive curtains, and artwork we plan to reuse, white fabric with a bright trim felt like the right balance — playful but not overwhelming. We wanted a canopy that would grow with Clara as her tastes change.
The sheers looked pretty, but they needed trim and more length to drape fully over each side of the bed. Using them as a guide, we measured and determined we needed six yards of fabric to get the look we wanted.
We found six yards of a washable cotton/poly blend at Hancock for a great price after a store coupon, and picked up six yards of turquoise pom-pom trim to finish the outer edge. Clara gravitated to the pom-poms immediately, which settled the decision. The pom-pom fringe felt like the perfect playful accent to echo colors in the rug and curtains.
After washing the fabric to pre-shrink it, I hemmed all four sides. I did a double hem — folding and sewing, then folding and sewing again — so the inside would look finished and nothing would fray where Clara might see it from below.
Double hemming an 18′ x 4′ piece of fabric on every edge took a long time, especially for a reluctant seamstress like me, but it was worth it. The two long sides felt meditative to sew, and finishing the hems made the whole canopy look polished.
Next I added the pom-pom trim along the front edge, stitching it securely to the fabric. That little detail added a lot of personality and ties the canopy into the room’s palette.
All told the sewing took about four hours for me. A more experienced sewer could probably finish faster, but I’m thrilled with the result. The pom-pom trim picks up the blues and turquoises in the rug and curtains and gives Clara something fun to stare at when she’s in bed.
For hardware we reused the decorative wooden brackets we had taken down from the kitchen and purchased one additional bracket, painting them to match. Because the brackets were only 9.5″ deep and we wanted the fabric to billow outward, we attached 17″ scrap wood slats to extend them.
We nailed the slats to the top of each bracket to make a single piece, then mounted each bracket to the wall using two screw-and-anchor sets so they sit securely. The back of each bracket has two holes that slip onto the screw heads for a snug fit.
Safety and practicality were important when we planned the placement. We positioned the side brackets about 32 inches above the mattress so the canopy stays clear during reading, snuggling, and play. That height also keeps the fabric out of reach for jumping or leaning in that area, since the brackets line up with the bed arms.
Right now the fabric simply rests on the brackets. I considered using velcro strips along the top to secure it, but Clara has been so gentle — tenderly touching the pom-poms and gazing up at the canopy — that I’m comfortable leaving it as-is for now. If it starts getting tugged or becomes a nuisance, I’ll add velcro later.
This blurry shot actually captures how smitten Clara is with her canopy. She truly adores it.
We’re not finished with the wall yet. We’re considering chunky crown molding around the ceiling and debating whether to add a mirror, framed art, or a 3D paper-mâché animal display beneath the canopy to break up the white triangle. For now I toyed with a Target mirror in Photoshop to test the look, but we’ll decide what feels best as the room comes together.
I’m thrilled that the canopy is made from washable, kid-friendly fabric and was a fairly straightforward DIY. Most of all, I love how happy it makes Clara. This morning I overheard her telling Burger he needed “a crown and a wand to come into my room because it’s for royal sleepovers.” Burger, for his part, wasn’t ready to don any headgear.
Update – Want to know where we got something in our house or which paint colors we used? Click the button below: