Moroccan Rugs: Birdie’s Wallpaper Room + What’s Next

Birdie’s wallpaper is up and we are both just so excited about every single inch, wing, and leaf of it. In case you haven’t caught up on what it’s like to give a lot of design control to a very color-driven and highly opinionated almost 7-year-old, read this post (and this post about my current philosophy on designing my kids’ rooms). I’m trying to involve her so much, celebrate her style and enthusiasm for color while not having it look like a unicorn-pokemon-lava-lamp-showroom (I’m not being mean, their interest in that stuff won’t last). So after much deliberation (and of course me curating), we both agreed on this incredible wallpaper by Schumacher (Butterfly Baudin) and I was ELATED that we had a jumping-off point that could keep us focused on a color palette and style while giving her SO much color and the life that she really wanted. She’s even saying things like, “Well, maybe this should be our bold moment and keep that quieter” which as you can imagine is filling me with so much joy (and yes, of course, I realize that is my ego talking – but you can’t help but feel good when your kids want to be like you and talk like you). So today we’ll show you a few other things in the works for this room, which might include a turquoise dresser 🙂

Before – TWO YEARS AGO!!!

Of course, this took a long time to get where we are today. We thought that the second floor could be just updated with new carpet and paint until we realized that all the electrical had to be updated. Then once the walls were opened to rewire the house, we dialed it in with the right insulation, reinforced it in every way, and installed fresh drywall, electrical, and plumbing.

We painted all the doors Upward SW 6239, chose the blue striped carpet and the white paint all before we had chosen the wallpaper (this is how it goes with renovation, they don’t wait for you to decide on future decor to choose other more permanent finishes that involve subcontractors RIGHT NOW, especially with lead times involved like the shades and the carpet). But I’m actually ok with it all for now – it’s working together fine. At times I wish the white paint of the window casing was a bit creamier, and sure, the blue door could be brighter to match the wallpaper but it’s not bothering me enough to do anything about it right now.

It’s just so sweet and magical:) It’s an immediate vibe, that is going to be so easy and fun to build on. Moving forward I just give her the paint deck and let her choose the color as long as it “matches” one of the colors on the walls. It’s almost like the wallpaper is solving a lot of our problems. Did I want a more subtle wallpaper? Maybe. Would I choose to paint a bunch of furniture hot pink, teal, and purple? Not for me. But this is EXACTLY how I was when I was little, really only changing in the last ten years.

I love the organic nature of the wallpaper with the striped carpet and the diamond window pattern – they all just contrast and work so well together.

What’s Next?

I found this bed on craigslist and snagged it so that we could paint it a wild color (I don’t want to invest in a new piece that is a wild color, so painting a thrifted find is a great compromise for my colorful little lady). It’s a full bed, Jenny Lind-style, and she loved it A LOT. I checked that box quickly (although, I now wish it were a queen so it could be a back up guest room for a couple if we needed, but oh well).

The Dresser…

Then I found this dresser (and its “tall boy” brother), $200 for both also on FB Marketplace. She is so cute and ready for a makeover. I’m giving Birdie again almost free reign on the color so we snagged our Sherwin Williams paint deck and she quickly chose hot pink, but has since changed her mind to purple.

She’s VERY into the purple world of violets, lavenders and not the grayer versions or aubergine. We are talking BRIGHT lavender. Jury is still out 🙂

the cool kids’ hair-tie and manicure “trend” from this designstar

The room is pretty darn sweet and this lady won’t stop doing cartwheels 🙂

We are planning on starting to paint the furniture next weekend, and I’ll likely do it wrong because I have poor patience. So I’m going to start on the bed (because its easier, despite the turned wood – it won’t chip as easily if done poorly) and then take more time with the dresser since it will get more manhandling. I hope you are ready for some wacky wacky colors 🙂 We are both VERY excited. xx

If you are curious, here are all of the room sources:
Carpet: Dorsey by Stark Carpet in steel
Windows: Vintage, original
Window Treatment: Decorview
Wallpaper: Shumacher Baudin Butterfly
Trim Color: Extra White SW 7006 by Sherwin-Williams
Closet Door Color: Upward SW 6239 by Sherwin-Williams
Outlet Covers: Rejuvenation