Sophisticated Little Girl Bedroom Ideas on a Budget

Have you had the chance to decorate a child’s room? Redecorating my daughter’s bedroom into a “big girl” room from a nursery was  the chance to create the childhood bedroom of my dreams. With her input on what colors and fabrics she found to be most appealing, of course. After reading the article, look for the link to see this bedroom featured on NBC-22 Mass Appeal WWLP.

I had a sophisticated look in mind that would go beyond her years of being a child. Investing in furniture that would go the distance was important to me. I’ve linked directly to some of the items, or found similar, yet affordable options. And these adorable pajamas just happen to be both Elle and Summer’s favorite pairs. For reference, Elle is six and wearing a size XL, Summer is two and wearing a small.

Little Girl Bedroom Ideas: Decorating a Space is Ongoing

Several of the decorative pieces in my daughter’s room are custom made pieces. I’ve always thought decorating a space is an ever-evolving process. As pieces are found that resonate, find a way to work them into the mix. For example, in the below photo, the purple carousel horse was a centerpiece on the table on her 4th birthday. I had this made by a vendor on Etsy. The wooden pair of giraffes on the top of the bookshelf were handmade artisan pieces that I picked up at a market in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil before she was born.

We commissioned a local artist to paint famous landmarks from around the world, creating a unique theme that symbolized our family values of embracing diversity and travel. I’ll share those later in the post. This was such a special project and I know the pieces will be kept forever.

Sophisticated Little Girl Bedroom Ideas: Choose Tufted Bed, Linens and Curtains

I love a tufted headboard, and that was always the plan for Elle’s room. Luckily, she also liked it! She loves the color purple, so the color scheme of lavender and ivory was our color palate. The bed has a duvet cover with a comforter inside. With kids, frequent washings are necessary, so if I had to do it over, I would seriously consider just getting a tufted comforter. This tufted quilt comes in multiple colors, including purple and is 100% cotton. It was made in a Fair Trade Certified facility, and is machine washable. Mattresses are not an area to be skimped on. We spend half our lives in bed, so we wanted an organic material, high quality mattress.

A word about curtains, be sure to get blackout curtains! I had this whimsical fantasy about white, sheer curtains billowing in the breeze, like we were in the south of France. We are clearly NOT in the south of France! The climate where we live is cold most of the year. More importantly, most babies require a dark room to sleep in, so get it right from the beginning, and purchase the blackout shades! I ended up getting a double curtain rod so I could layer both the sheer and the blackout curtains, though it didn’t start out that way in all honesty.

Sophisticated Little Girl Bedroom Ideas: Opt for a Bookshelf, Dresser and Nightstand

In keeping with the vintage French look of the furniture, I’ve found a nightstand that duplicates the lathe-turned feet on the one in Elle’s room. This one also has a drawer for storage, along with a shelf for books and other bedside treasures. The bookshelf and extra wide dresser are also of a similar vintage French look. We choose a long dresser as opposed to high, so Elle would have more surface area to put things on. Dimensions are also important. Each room is unique. The one long wall in the room could handle a longer piece of furniture to balance the room’s proportions out.

Sophisticated Little Girl Bedroom Ideas: Opt for Commissioned Wall Art

To honor our love of different countries and cultures, and to instill the value of travel and diversity in our children, we had a local artist illustrate ten famous world landmarks from a list we provided. These represented special places to us. Get creative and think about what art touches you, your family values, or the dreams you have for your baby or child. Find and ask a local artist to bring them to life! It makes a meaningful gift to your child that will last a lifetime. Asking for artist referrals is such a fun way to connect with others in your community and to embrace local culture!

Our list includes landmarks or scenes such as Big Ben in London, Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the Pacific Northwest (Vancouver), California beaches, the Coliseum in Rome, Eiffel Tower in Paris, Taj Mahal in India, the cherry blossoms of Japan,  the Great Pyramids of Egypt, and the Statue of Liberty in New York City. The illustrations were done with a nod to Ludwig Bemelman’s style in the classic book series “Madeline”.

Sophistication in the Small Details

Little details, such as the silver vintage frame on the dresser, and the white moldings along the top of the wall and the ceiling, elevate the esthetic. A good carpenter is a necessity if there are curved walls in the room. The slipcover chaise lounge chair in the corner is super comfortable to cozy up with books on. This one is wide and long enough to double as a bed for a smaller child. We used it as a bed for some friends that were visiting from Colorado, and their five year old slept well in it.

Click to see Elle’s bedroom featured on NBC-22 Mass Appeal WWLP.

If you liked these little girl bedroom ideas, you might enjoy How to Shop Sustainably: A Sustainable Fashion Guide for Beginners

What about you? Have you ever decorated a child’s bedroom? What design esthetic did you have in mind? Let me know in a comment below!

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