After we posted a photo of the kids’ bedding we picked up at HomeGoods in the podcast show notes for Episode #69, we kept promising a proper room update. Over the past few months we gave our daughter’s bedroom a subtle refresh: new paint, a century-old wooden bed we found on Craigslist, and a few rearrangements to make the space feel a little more grown-up without losing the fun.
Why Update Her Bedroom?
Kids grow fast, and lately our daughter didn’t want a room that felt like a “little kid” space anymore. She asked for a few changes, and we happily obliged. The room has evolved gradually — from her crib to a daybed, then to a larger bed — and this round of updates focused on making the room look more mature while still being playful and kid-friendly.
One immediate trigger for the refresh was the canopy. She decided she didn’t want it anymore, so we removed it. Underneath were painted raindrops that suddenly looked out of place without the canopy. Rather than patching them, she called them “too babyish,” so we sanded, primed, and repainted the walls with two coats of Sherwin-Williams White Heron. The new coat covered the old paint perfectly and helped calm the room’s palette.
She’s also decided she prefers the purple side of her comforter, which unexpectedly ties into the rug in a way I hadn’t anticipated. It’s a reminder that kids sometimes have the best instinct for what works visually — and I’ll admit, she nailed it.
The New Bed
We hunted for a headboard for more than a year and finally scored a fantastic antique wooden spool bed on Craigslist for $90. The piece is a full bed with side rails and a footboard; the seller said it’s around 100 years old and even showed holes for winding rope that would have supported an old straw mattress. Similar new beds can cost well into the thousands, so this was a wonderful thrift find that brings character and history to the room.
We didn’t set the bed up fully in the room. Instead, we attached the headboard to the wall using a cleat made from scrap wood so it could hang independently. The spool detailing keeps the piece whimsical and light despite its age. The footboard felt heavy in the small room, so we’ll repurpose it later — possibly as a complementary piece in our son’s room.
I love how the pom-pom trim on the comforter echoes the spool shapes in the headboard. We paired those textiles with playful sheets and a mix of patterns to keep the room lively.
The white nightstands help lighten the visual weight around the wood headboard and provide practical drawer storage. She still uses the small touch lamps at night — kids do love switching lights on and off — and the drawers become home to doll clothes, tiny toys, and odds and ends.
The Paint
We chose Sherwin-Williams White Heron for the walls because it reads as a soft warm grey-tan and coordinates nicely with the rest of the upstairs palette. It complements the bright white trim (Benjamin Moore Simply White), the soft pink ceiling (Benjamin Moore Pink Cadillac), and the bold closet door (Benjamin Moore Cinco de Mayo). The result is a muted, layered color story that feels cohesive and calm while still being cheerful thanks to that strawberry-pink ceiling.
The Storage & Art
We kept the DIY toy and book storage we made a few years ago and refreshed the art around it. The bookcase has evolved into a favorite play area — little rooms for toys and tiny scenes that make the shelves feel like a miniature playhouse. We also removed a homemade dollhouse from the closet and sold it to a grandmother who was excited to give it to her grandkids, so it’s getting a new life.
I added a mix of gold and silver accents — gold frames and small silver touches such as antlers and a painted oval mirror — which gives the gallery wall warmth and a collected look. A small magazine page with a Haruki Murakami quote ended up above the bed because she insisted on keeping both comic-style books and chapter books on her nightstand — a true sign that her interests are delightfully eclectic.
The Dresser
Across from the bed we kept the changing-table-turned-dresser that we’ve had for years and love. The inlay mirror above it remains a favorite piece. A yard-sale moose lamp got a quick spray-paint update to a soft hammered gold to help it stand out against the new wall color. The curtains are lightweight Ikea panels I dyed pink years ago; they’re due for an upgrade at some point because they billow easily in the breeze.
The Closet
The closet was repurposed into a compact drawing and writing nook after the dollhouse left. We added a small Ikea vanity that fits perfectly in the space; it flips up on one side for pens and pencils and has a drawer for paper. A spare dining chair provides seating. The little red interior of the vanity is odd but charming — and it works in the nook’s cozy scale.
Although we already have other drawing surfaces in the house, this little dedicated spot is just hers and gets regular use — a quiet place to draw before the rest of the house wakes up.
Get The Look: Updated Girl’s Bedroom
Here are the main elements that define the updated room, useful if you want to recreate the look:
- Wall paint: Sherwin-Williams White Heron
- Trim: Benjamin Moore Simply White
- Ceiling: Benjamin Moore Pink Cadillac
- Closet door: Benjamin Moore Cinco de Mayo
- Touch lamps and bedside tables in white for contrast
- Antique wooden spool bed as a focal piece
- Soft patterned bedding with pom-pom trim and playful sheets
- DIY toy/book storage and layered gallery wall with mixed-metal frames
- Small vanity in the closet for a compact writing/drawing nook
- Lightweight curtains (consider swapping for heavier panels later)
- Accents: woven baskets, a small rug, and framed prints
This won’t be the last evolution of the room. Eventually she’ll likely need deeper dresser drawers and a larger desk, and the curtains will probably change. But for now the space feels more cohesive with the rest of the upstairs and reflects her growing tastes: a softer, more mature palette with playful personal touches. It’s been a fun, low-cost refresh that made a big difference.
Psst — if you want more kid room projects and tutorials, there are plenty of ideas in our archives.
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