Generic selectors
Exact matches only
Search in title
Search in content
Post Type Selectors

Design

Polly's (Big Girl) Modern Cottage Bedroom Reveal

February 24, 2021

It's hard to believe we started Polly's bedroom makeover when she was transitioning out of her crib because that feels like so long ago. But now, 5 months later, we're calling Polly's modern cottage bedroom finished! Here's how it looked when we moved in (her room is about 10x10)

And here's how it looks today!

We really wanted to give her a bold, rich color on her planked walls and plum fit her room and personality so perfectly. The planked walls are a treatment that we have repeated numerous times through our home--in the kitchen, girls' homework room, the ceilings in Faye's room, our closet and our bathroom. So bringing it to her walls felt natural and a great way to repeat a design element in our home.

Here's how her room looked the first year and a half we lived here:

And today:

If you missed any of the process, here are a few posts we shared while renovating her room:

Phase One of Polly's Room when we transitioned her into a big girl bed.
Painting
Wallpaper on the Ceiling
Closet Organization

All of the girls' rooms have wallpaper in some form and in Polly's room, we decided to add it to the ceiling. The metallic medallions add such a special touch, especially when the light hits them.

Her room doesn't have too much in it, but opposite her daybed, we have a little reading corner. We had a very cute thrifted houndstooth chair in here for a short time, but moved it to Greta's room since Polly was missing her glider. We've had this glider for 8 years and it's still in great condition and she has grown very attached to it. I layered a plaid throw and small patterned pillow on the chair for some extra pattern play--something we played a lot with in this room.


 

I really love the mix of modern with traditional touches and textiles and her table lamp (and those fresh plum walls, really) really fulfilled that for me. The lamp feels so unexpected paired with the vintage rocking horse (that has been in my family since I was a small child!)

Fun fact: her patterned curtains were the very first thing I decided on for this space (I linked all the sources at the bottom of the post). They take my breath away every time I walk into the room and there are so many great colors we pulled from them for this space. Greens, blues, purples, creams and browns.


We put a floor lamp next to her bed and a big basket of stuffies since she loves to choose a different stuffed animal every night. The tapestry above her bed has traveled all over the house but feels so great in here. She loves discovering all of the little forest creatures!

The chandelier was hanging in the laundry room when we moved in and it feels like it was almost made for this room so we made a swap and hung it in here instead.

I had so much fun making this special room for our 3 year old. I really wanted to push the pattern play and I love the different patterns that are all working together here. The plum walls feel soothing, but fresh for our girl. And while it may continue to evolve (I have a few more felted animal heads on their way), the best part is always seeing how overjoyed our girls are when they have a space all their own. Sharing all the sources below and happy to answer questions in the comments!

Sources:

Paint Color: Expressive Plum by Sherwin Williams
Ceiling Wallpaper
6" Primed vertical shiplap used on walls
Carpet
Tapestry
Spindle Daybed
Toile Sheets
Ivory Throw
Gingham Pillow
Velvet Throw Pillow
Cuddle and Kind Doll
Floor Lamp
Laundry Basket
Curtains (custom by Martha & Ash)
Fabric for Curtains
Curtain Rod
Glider
Throw Pillow
Pouf
Book Basket
Side Table
Table Lamp
Wool Wall Giraffe
Acrylic Shelves

— Hide Comments
+ ShowComments
What do you think?

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

  1. I LOVE this room! Purple is one of my favorite colors and it's fun to see it used! It feels so Secret Garden in here. Slightly obsessed with that curtain fabric.
    My brother also had that rocking horse, and I'm pretty sure my mom has it packed away in their basement. That was a fun memory throw back for me. :)

  2. This came together so beautifully! Even though the chandelier came with the house so you didn’t buy it, do you know where it came from? Or would you be willing to link to some similar ones? Thanks!

  3. Absolutely beautiful! Fourth picture down I caught a glimpse of a gigantic giraffe and didn't know whether to be relieved or disappointed when another angled revealed its true size ????

  4. Purple is my favorite color so I love love love it! Polly is a lucky little girl. A special room for a special girl! It will grow with her too!

  5. Purple is my favorite color so I love love love it! Poly is a lucky little girl. A special room for a special girl! It will grow with her too!

  6. This room is stunning! We just transitioned my daughter to a daybed and she loves it! Do you have the source for the quilt underneath the throw blanket? Thank you so much in advance!

  7. I loved the other chair in there but this chair feels right. It really gives a bit more modern to the modern cottage vibe. The black checkered chair also seems to have found the perfect home in Greta's room. Just love this bedroom-- well, all of them

  8. I was team houndstooth but seeing the full shot of the room the glider is perfect for the room. It repeats the softness and calmness that is coming from the bed.

  9. Hi Julia! I love what you do with your spaces! I have a question though - I noticed there isn’t a dresser. Are all of Polly’s clothes in the closet?

  10. I think this room is magical, a perfect place to escape to for imaginations to run. I love that the curtain fabric reminds me of some furniture my grandma had, but updated. The table lamp reminds me of the lamp the children needed in narnia to find their way back to the cupboard. Perfection!

  11. Ahhhh, the giraffe head stayed! Now all I can think is your mom saying, “A giraffe is not a forest animal”! ???? I’m guessing this was a Polly pick!! ☺️

  12. Julia, first of all, I LOVE how you decorate for little girls. Absent the customary pink bows, frills, and traditional princess references, this room exudes such charm and a sense of fun. I find the dark walls so calming and I love the textures; from the wood accents to the bed throw. But, what really jumps out at me is the symphony of patterns; especially, the contrast of those toile sheets against the plum walls! I can easily see that color/pattern repeated in a tufted ottoman, drum shade or pillow. BTW, I'm so glad you kept the giraffe; I think she's happy to live amongst the forest animals.

  13. Such a dreamy space!!! Those curtains are absolutely gorgeous, and I love how you built the room around them. Would love to know more about the process of having curtains custom made. Do you have the fabric shipped directly to the seamstress? How much more expensive is it, overall, than purchasing ready made curtains?

  14. My daughter has always wanted a purple room and never in my wildest dreams did I think purple could look this good!

  15. Love the mix of patterns and colors. Very unique!

    You mentioned repeating planking throughout the house. I was just thinking about this. How much is too much? I added vertical buttons/trim work in our island and then did it in our entry about half way up. I’m wanting to add it from floor to ceiling in the nursery and in the bathroom upstairs but is it too much? How do you decide how much to repeat something in your home? I mean I do love it but I worry I’ll regret going overboard haha

  16. Absolutely beautiful! Just a thought on the chair situation... we had the exact glider and loved it. When it got too small for my kiddo and I to sit on, we upgraded to the grand tillie swivel chair form crate and barrell and absolutely love it. Big enough for two people to cozy up on, but still reminiscent of the graham glider (very similar fabric). Thanks for always inspiring me and my home!

  17. So so gorgeous and original. I have loved seeing this process! Could you share some tips on how you got such a clean edge where the shiplap meets the wallpapered ceiling?

  18. I love that the glider stayed! It's so cool to see older pieces (from different homes!) blend seamlessly into a new room with a completely different aesthetic.

  19. Beautiful!! Love this room and how it will likely grow well with her for years to come. Perfect fit for your whole house aesthetic as well.

  20. Absolutely gorgeous! And I love how it can easily grow with Polly as she ages. My only question: where did her enormous bear go? ;)

  21. I am so happy the giraffe made into the room! Even though he doesn’t belong in the forest!????Beautiful thoughtful room for your sweet little girl.

    1. All I can think is "a giraffe doesn't belong in the forest!" ???? He looks super cute there though and the room is beautiful! I'd happily live in it if Polly ever gets sick of it!

  22. It’s so beautiful Julia! And the glider looks great in there! I woke up early to check this post! :) I used to hate the color purple but now I’ve realized that I just need to try it in the right hue!

  23. I’m so happy the giraffe made it into the room! Even though he doesn’t belong in the forest!???? Beautiful thoughtful room for your sweet little girl.

  24. Love how it turned out! And thank you so much for including the overall dimensions of her room. I wish all designers included measurements as it really helps relate inspiration spaces to our own homes. I love how perfectly cozy everything feels. enjoy your beautiful room, Polly!!

What We're

Loving

Right Now

What We're

Loving

Right Now

Looking for our favorite things? A place to shop our home room by room, or just catch up on what Julia's wearing / loving right now? Browse the CLJ shop
Shop All

Love Stories

Love Where You Live

In an industry that often feels designed to make you discontent, we want this to be place you come for inspiration, ideas, and encouragement to make the space you're already in feel like home.
Read All Posts
let's break this thing up

BROWSE BY CATEGORY

01

Portfolio

Befores, afters, mood boards, plans, failures, wins. We’ve done a lot of projects, and they’re all here.
read more
02

Projects

We have a long-standing relationship with DIY, and love rolling our sleeves up and making it happen.
read more
03

Design

Even when you don’t want to rip down a wall, you can make that space in your home better. Right now.
read more
hello world!

looking for inspiration?

Beautifully wrapped traditional presents stacked in a doorway
Gift Guides!

Holiday Gift Guides for Everyone in Your Life {2024}

Remember the thrill of unwrapping a gift that felt just right? Let's bring that magic back this holiday season!! Our curated gift guides for 2024 are filled with thoughtful picks that will make your loved ones feel special. That's what it's all about, after all. Whether you're shopping for your main guy, your clutch coworker, […]
Modern traditional kitchen with marble island and gold barstools
round up

The Best Cyber Monday Deals for Holiday Hosting

This post is sponsored by Wayfair. By the time Cyber Monday rolls around, I've usually grabbed the Christmas gifts I plan to buy for others and have moved on to home decor (my other favorite thing to shop for). My head is spinning with ideas on what my home needs for holiday parties on the […]
Sales

The Best Black Friday + Cyber Monday Deals in 2024

We collected all of the best deals of the holiday season—from tech to home decor—in one place for easy reference. Whether you want the lowest price on one of the best gifts of the year or you have a furniture item in your cart waiting for a discount, we’ve rounded up our recommendations. We're also […]
A white dish of peppermint brownies next to a red & white tea towel
Chris Cooks

Holiday Peppermint Brownies (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)

Baking Dish | Striped Dish Towel (similar) I have a few recipes that are perfect for the holidays, and this is one of them. I make a really delicious brownie that can be made gluten-free and dairy-free, but you won't even know it's missing those elements when the peppermint flavor hits. It's really simple, and […]
Learn With Us
Want to do what we do? Get the tools, mentorship, and training to be a Good Influencer professionally.
Learn More
Looking for Something?

SEARCH THE BLOG

We've been doing this since 2009 and we've posted a whopping 24145+ blog posts and counting. You might need a little help searching, huh?

Can We Send You Our Love Letter?

Another way for us to stay in touch! Joining our weekly newsletter gives you access to exclusive content, never-before-seen photos, your questions answered, and our favorite DIYs. Sign up below!

hello world!
Follow Along on Instagram
Welcome to our online community where we've posted home, DIY, style, renovations, and family since '09. Renovating our #cljmoderncottage in Idaho and headed for new adventures in Raleigh, NC. #cljfam #cljtransformations
© 2024 Chris Loves Julia, LLC
PRIVACY POLICYTERMS & CONDITIONSAFFILIATE DISCLAIMERSITE CREDITCOMMUNITY GUIDELINES