Noelle’s cottage-inspired bedroom combines pastels and patterns to create a one-of-a-kind space that serves as a backdrop for her magical childhood.
Noelle’s cottage-inspired bedroom is done!
I’ve wanted to say those words since my uncle started building Noelle’s window seat and bookshelves nearly two years ago. I remember thinking I’d be done with her room within a few months…ha! I even entered the One Room Challenge, thinking I could complete this space in eight weeks…double ha! This project went on so long that Noelle (my witty kid) started cracking jokes about it never ending. But it did end…and it is officially done, much to everyone’s relief and delight.
Table of Contents
Bedroom Backstory
Before I get into the details of this very special space, I’d like to dedicate this post to my uncle Tom. He is my late dad’s older brother and has always been like a surrogate dad to me. We share a love of building things and the smell of sawdust. He can build a house from foundation to finishing touches, and I’ve learned so many skills from him over the years. Without his willingness to get Noelle’s built-ins going while he and my aunt were here for Thanksgiving a few years ago, I would undoubtedly still be working on her room. He laid the foundation. Noelle and I just carried it to completion.
And speaking of Noelle, I want to make it clear that 90% of this project was her design. She loves color, pattern, and the unexpected combination of elements. From the paint color and vintage rug to the textiles and accessories, she had a hand in all of it. So, in essence, this post is an introduction to Noelle’s design aesthetic, and I truly could not be more proud to share it with you.
Desk Area
When you walk into Noelle’s bedroom, one of the first things you see is her little desk area. She loves crafting, so I knew she needed a small-scale desk with lots of storage. Both the desk and chair were vintage finds from Facebook Marketplace. Combined, they cost me less than the glass desk top!
The adorable bentwood chair was already the perfect shade of pink when I bought it. I love how aged it is.
Her sweet desk lamp was a thrift store find that I changed the finish on with Rub’n’Buff. I also added a DIY pleated lamp shade with some vintage blue gingham fabric for a touch of whimsy.
Textiles and Vintage Rug
Noelle wanted a full bed chamber so she could close herself in at night, but we just couldn’t make it work in this size room, so we compromised. I made her a bed canopy that dials up the cozy factor immensely, but still leaves room for the very necessary ceiling fan.
The room’s color story started with the gorgeous, one-of-a-kind vintage rug she selected. It’s soft under foot, and has all the colors that make Noelle’s heart sing. We pulled the blue from the rug into the trim on the canopy and bed skirt, and tied in the pink with the block print quilt.
The yellow gingham fabric was a lucky find in the clothing fabrics section at Joann’s. I think we bought out all the yardage they had from three different stores! Noelle loves yellow, so using that cheery color was not even a question. It perfectly compliments the yellow flowers on the William Morris wallpaper she chose.
Cottage Art
And the art above her bed is simply perfect. It’s even named “Wildflowers.” When Sarah Kaitlin created this piece for her shop, I knew it was meant to be in Noelle’s cottage-inspired bedroom. It sits beautifully between the dressed-up, Ikea pull-chain sconces we added for reading lights.
Dresser and Vintage Mirror
Noelle’s dresser is from, you guessed it, Facebook Marketplace, and the vintage bubble mirror was thrifted for $20. This room is nothing, if not scrappy. It’s also adorable, comfortable, and colorful. I used Fusion Mineral paint on the dresser, while the mirror got a fresh coat of spray paint after originally being used in Hannah’s room in a different color.
We found lots of vintage goodies for Noelle’s cottage-inspired bedroom…we’ve had so much time to collect things. These tiny nesting dolls were a fun, recent find, as well as the hand-painted, Dutch wooden shoe. Both are from our favorite antique store in town.
You might recognize the rattan umbrella lamps from Hannah’s first bedroom reveal. I loved them in there, but they were always meant to be in Noelle’s room. They are perfectly whimsical and textural, and were super affordable because I found them at Home Goods.
Window Seat
This is my favorite part of Noelle’s cottage-inspired bedroom…the window seat. After my uncle built the foundation of these, I added bead board, trim, and the scallop detail. Then, I had my friend’s husband make custom cabinet doors with the most adorable cut outs you ever did see. Seriously, this whole situation is dreamy!
Window Seat Cushion
The French mattress cushion was a labor of love I decided to learn how to make. It was a really cool project, though tough on the fingers. Noelle’s favorite part of the cushion is the tiny patch I added after a mess up. She made me promise I’ll always keep it on the top side so she can see it.
Paint Color
These built-ins would be beautiful in any color, but I love the color Noelle chose. She was adamant about a happy blue and wouldn’t hear of anything too muted or dusty. Sherwin Williams Sea Salt is the color we agreed upon. You can see it’s a very nuanced color, depending on the light and reads really blue in here. It’s calming but also vibrant and happy, just like my Noelle.
Cottage Accessories
I styled her shelves with a combination of thrifted, antique, and retail pieces that represent her perfectly. The fishing creel is a nod to her love of fishing with her daddy, while the tin VW bus speaks to her love of all things vintage. She loves animals, flowers, pastel colors, painted rocks, and magical stories, and it’s all reflected in the accessories we chose.
I made this ceramic bunny when I was a little girl. We put it in here as a reminder of our sweet black and white rabbit, Oliver, who we don’t have any more. I also had a black and white bunny growing up, and my grandmother collected rabbit figurines. So it all ties together in a meaningful way.
The art in her bedroom is now a part of her permanent art collection, and it all has personal meaning for her. Hannah painted the watercolor dog portrait, which is so special.
On the left side, we used more bunnies, flowers, books, and reminders of things she loves, like ballet and the ocean. I remember the day she picked out that handmade seashell art. We were on a little date, and she just had to have it because it reminded her of the beach. The vintage globe lights up and is a way for her to remember to pray for missionaries and our sponsored child. It will also be useful this upcoming year for learning geography.
Video Tour
You can take a video tour of Noelle’s cottage-inspired bedroom by clicking below. It’s amazing the difference music makes.
Design Love Letter
In my post, How to Write a Love Letter Through Design, you might recall Noelle’s room not being included. That’s because it wasn’t finished. Well, now I can add this space to the list of love letters I’ve written to my family!
Noelle is happy it’s done, but she’s also really proud of this project we worked on together. I made sure to carefully guide her through the decision-making process so the design would remain timeless, but I also let her have some creative freedom in order to bolster her confidence. You can tell she’s proud of herself and sure of her aesthetic when she shows her bedroom to friends.
Well, that wraps up this post and this project. I hope you have enjoyed reading all about Noelle’s cottage-inspired bedroom. And if you’ve been here since the beginning, thanks for waiting nearly two years for the reveal. It has been such a joy to design with my baby girl, and I’ll never forget this room as long as I live.
I’d love to hear your favorite detail of Noelle’s bedroom in the comments below!
Sources
- Blue Wall Paint – Sherwin Williams Sea Salt
- Wallpaper – Meadowsweet by William Morris
- Ceiling Paint Color – Valspar Swiss Coffee
- Vintage Rug – Revival Rugs (use code WILDFLOWER10 for 10% off)
- Bentwood Chair – Vintage, FB Marketplace
- Desk – Vintage, FB Marketplace
- Desk Lamp – Thrifted
- Pink Phone – Amazon
- Dog Pencil Holder – Thrifted
- Green Table Fan – Amazon
- Printer’s Tray – Vintage
- Rainbow Wall Hanging – Local, Handmade
- Wooden Headboard – FB Marketplace
- Block Print Quilt – Etsy
- Block Print Sheets – Target but no longer available
- Quilt and Shams – Target
- Block Print Throw Pillow – Handmade from this fabric
- Blue Plaid Pillow – Handmade from scrap fabric
- Pink Round Pillow – Home Goods
- Yellow Gingham Fabric – Joanns
- Blue Trim – Clearance Hobby Lobby (here’s a similar one)
- Bed Skirt and Bed Canopy Oatmeal Fabric – Joanns but no longer available
- Side Table – Target
- Vase – Tuesday Made but no longer available
- Side Table Decor – horse, books, camera all vintage
- Bedside Sconces – Ikea
- Art Above Bed – “Wildflowers” by Sarah Kaitlin
- Mirror Over Dresser – Vintage, Thrifted
- Rattan Giraffe – Local Shop
- Dresser Decor – All Thrifted or Vintage
- Rattan Lamps on Dresser – Home Goods (here’s a similar one)
- Wooden Shoe – Antique
- Window Seat Cushion – Handmade with This Fabric
- Window Seat Sconces – Amazon
- Yellow Gingham Curtains – Handmade
- Block Print Pillows on Window Seat – Linen and Cloth
- Knitted Blanket – Target
- Watercolor Dog Print (gray) – Hannah painted
- Watercolor Dog Print (colorful) – Etsy
- Ballerina Art – Unknown Artist
- Floral Art – CT Macey Art
- Bookshelf Accessories – All Thrifted or Antique
- Fan – Fanimation
- Fan Medallion – Lowe’s
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I pinned this room a while back and keep coming across it on Pinterest. I am just blown away by the care and thoughtfulness that went into making every detail of this room so amazing. You and your daughter did a beautiful
job! I plan on using this as inspiration for my daughter’s big girl room in the future.
This makes me SO happy! Thank you for stopping by the blog and leaving a comment. I love hearing that Noelle’s room will inspire your daughter’s room…that’s so special!
Hello.
I am just seeing this as a post sent out by Jennifer at Town & Country Living blog. This bedroom is so delightful! I love so much about it and am really impressed your daughter designed most of it. When I saw your “bed crown” something in me said that it was familiar. Then I remembered that my mother also made something similar for me, along with a quilt that matched it, when I was around your daughter’s age. I had forgotten all about that, and how special it was for me and how wonderful it made me feel. My mother passed away around 6 months ago. She was 90, I am 53. This was such a nice reminder for me of something I had forgotten about that she had done. Thank you for the memory! My mother did so many wonderful things, I hope I remember them all as time goes on. God bless you and your family.
Oh Christine, thank you so much for sharing that with me…how special. I long for my daughters to remember me as fondly as you remember your mother. I do all of this out of pure love and a desire to create a haven for my family, so I hope they carry these memories with them always. I’m thrilled that Noelle’s room evoked such feelings for you and made you remember your mother in such a way. God bless you Christine!
Hello there, Noelle’s room is gorgeous – bravo 👏🏾👏🏾
Such a delightful space but must say this can be a perfect master bedroom also. I would love a similar bedroom where EVERY where I looked, there was something pretty and personal that would bring joy to my heart. The fabrics, the wallpaper, the patterns, the colors….. ALL OF IT REALLY.
Thankfully hubby wouldn’t care. Who says a master bedroom needs to be all serious and minimalist??
Again, great job!
Well thank you so much Nadege! It would be wonderful as a master bedroom or a bedroom for just about anyone, as it evokes a calm, peaceful, welcoming feeling. It’s one of my favorite places to be in our home. I agree…master bedrooms do not need to be serious or minimalist at all!
Such a beautiful room! How did you make the ruffle trim on the lamp shade/cover? I see the tutorial you linked but they didn’t do a ruffle trim. I would love to know so that I can make this for my daughters room!
Hello! The fabric I was using had a zig zag edge to it for some reason, so I just created the pleats with hot glue but left a little ruffle at the bottom instead of laying the fabric flat or rolling it under the bottom of the shade. Does that make sense? I should really share how I did that.
Noelle’s room is absolutely cozy and gorgeous all at once. I love that she was so involved in the design! I also have a daughter whose name is Emerson Noelle! We are looking to do her room and I am curious how old your Noelle is? Mine is a few months shy of 11, but already thinking like a teenager. I want her room to be classic and last her through her teen years, which seems tricky!
Hi there! My Noelle is 12 now (10 and 11 when we designed the room), and she’s already thinking about changing a few things up, though that has more to do with the fact that her mom is a designer and we love to be creative and change things up. However, she still adores her room and says she wants her kids to be able to come to grandma’s house and sleep in her old room, so I guess you could say her room is timeless and she’ll probably love it forever, even if temporarily she wants to hang some beachy posters and teenager-y things on the walls…lol.
Hi Marynn! I just LOVE this room. Can you please tell me where you purchased the frame for the floral art above the bed? Just perfect. Thanks!!
Well thank you so much! It’s everybody’s favorite room in the house…lol. I bought the frame at a thrift store and used rub’n’buff to make it gold…I think it was white or cream when I bought it.
Every part of this room is exactly how I want my sons room to feel. It’s beautiful and classic without being overwhelming. We live in an 800 sqft house, and unfortunately can’t afford to sell it and move(the housing market in our area is outrageous), so now I’m determined to make our whole house feel comfortable and cozy!
I always love to hear that Noelle’s room is inspiring because it’s seriously SO cozy! Cheers to making your home cozy and comfy.
How tall did you go up on the trim work with beadboard on the walls. Thank you The room is perfection! I love the colors!
Hi there. Thank you for the question. Her walls are 8 feet tall, and I wanted to be able to get the most use out of an 8-foot piece of bead board, so I cut each 8-foot piece in half and put it a few inches up off the ground and then added a 6-inch trim piece on the top to make it go higher than halfway up the wall. Does that make sense? Oh, and with the 4.5″ crown molding and tall baseboards, it ends up making the bead board look like it’s about 3/5 of the way up the wall. I wanted it go up 2/3, but then I would have had to spend a lot more on bead board.
The patch on your little mistake you made reminds me of the tradition of the beauty in a piece of repaired pottery. Her love that she feels for you that she wants the repair to show. Wise beyond her years.
Hi Brenda…yes, I can’t remember the name of that but I know what you’re referring to. And yes, Noelle is very wise beyond her years.
Beautiful! Can you comment about the fabric under the pillows? I’ve never seen a separate sheet (coverlet?) used this way, but I like it. Is this a common thing and I’m just unaware? Thank you!
Hi there. Great question! I just used a top sheet plus a regular quilt and then the block print quilt at the end of her bed. My girls don’t really sleep with duvets, so I just use double quilts and that way if they get cold, they can pull up the quilt that’s folded at the end of the bed. I hope that answers your question!
Looks amazing! I keep coming back to look it at it! How is she liking the quilt? Is it comfortable/cozy? Thanks!!
Oh she loves it! It’s super soft but lighter in weight than a regular quilt. Very squishy too.
Noelle is obviously a very talented designer like her mama! What a beautiful collaboration you’ve made. I adore those built-ins, the beautiful shade of blue and the gorgeous wallpaper. I’m pinning this room as inspiration for my bedroom and I’m a grandma! Good design is timeless for all ages and stages. I’m your newest subscriber.
Wow, thank you for this kind and flattering comment! Designing is definitely something Noelle and I have bonded over and my mama heart swells every time I watch her get creative with decorating. Thanks for reading!
Every where my eye went in these photos I saw something pretty, creative, inspiring. You are so very talented. Thank you for sharing. I hesitate to sign up for stuff, too many things in my inbox already, but I had to sign up for notifications from you.
Wow! I consider it a great honor for you to have signed up for notifications. I try very hard to only send out one newsletter a week because I, too, get too many things into my inbox and it drives me crazy. I don’t want to be the one driving anyone crazy. Just here to inspire and motivate and have my little blog community. So glad you’re a part of it!
What a room! Noelle has a great eye for design. It looks like it’s out of a storybook.
Thank you Amber! She is quite the little designer with lots of opinions about pattern and color, and I couldn’t love it more.
Amazing!! Great job Noelle!!
Noelle says thank you so much!
Wow! This is so dreamy and amazing!
How did you make the canopy for her bed? I’d love to do something similar in my daughter’s room 🙂
Thank you so much Kelly! I’ll be putting together a tutorial for the bed canopy very soon.
This is stunning in every way. I love every detail and thoughtful touch. Well worth the wait!
Thank you Rosemary! Yes, I discovered along the way that waiting and getting it right was SO worth it.
The way you tied these colors together is STUNNING. I love every little detail about this room!
Thank you Katherine! Noelle had strong opinions on the colors she wanted and I just ran with it. It’s eclectic and fun and sweet, just like her.
Absolutely darling! I’m a grown woman and would live in that room. We’ll done, Noelle!
Yep…it’s basically everyone’s favorite place to be…even our animals!
This turned out so very beautifully! Even with all of the different patterns, colors and treasured trinkets it is a breath of fresh air and peaceful. Sweet dreams Noelle 😴 and never forget to kiss your mama goodnight 🥰
Thank you Diane! Noelle is 11, so the tendency to collect clutter is real with her (she loves her little things). So, during the design process, I had to remind her that too much is too much, and she agreed (she hates a messy, cluttery room) and let me edit and curate the room, keeping her colors and patterns in mind. It was a great partnership.
It turned out so beautiful!!! I hope she loves it!
Thank you Kim! She adores her bedroom, and so does the whole family!