Cute Kid's 'Couture' Bedroom Ideas

It's so snowy and blustery today, I thought I'd give you a sneak peek into the one bright and cheery room in our house-- Grace's!  In the months before she was born, Ben and I got this crazy idea to make a coordinating bedroom set for her.  Ben had worked in the baby dept. at Burlington Coat Factory before he went to college, and he just couldn't settle for the mismatched, harum-scarum look.  We settled for a theme of spring flowers and birdhouses.  I painted unfinished birdhouses in the room colors, and placed them in the windowsill and on the bookshelf.  I wanted to hang one from the ceiling above her bed, but Ben wasn't too crazy about that idea. Anyways, this project works for me!

He kept telling me that I could MAKE a matching bedroom set, so I eventually tried it out, with (for me!) great success.  I started out with the bedskirt.  Since the crib is a custom size, I couldn't use a pattern.  Using the frame as my guide, I cut a piece of material the size of the mattress; this will lay under the mattress and keep the bedskirt in place.  I then cut material the length (to the floor) and width of each side.  I cut each width in half and sewed in box pleats out of coordinating material.  I sewed the bedskirt to fit the crib base material, and then hemmed the skirt to floor length. 

The finished product.

Next, I started in on the curtains.  I had seen a "look" in a baby decorating book that I thought was so easy and cute.  The designer had used clothesline, clothespins, and vintage linens to make a curtain.  I didn't have vintage linens, but I thought I could use squares of coordinating fabrics and simulate the idea.

 

I cut and hemmed 12 pieces of fabric into 18" squares.  We bought tie-backs from Home Depot, and "hung" our clothesline from these by knotting the clothesline.  I draped the squares diagonally on the line, and placed clothespins at regular intervals.  Very simple, but I loved how they turned out.  Since these are so cute, but offer no privacy, I ordered roller shades from JCPenney.  They are very inexpensive, can be ordered to custom size and in various colors, and they also block light well. 

Close-ups of the curtains:

The tie-backs and clothesline:

My next project was the mobile.  I was pretty daunted by this task, because I hadn't a clue what I was doing.  We bought a mobile with similar colors from Baby Depot (baby dept. in Burlington Coat Factory), but Ben really wanted everything to match.  I ended up stripping the original "umbrella" off and using it as a pattern of sorts.  I basically studied that original and copied what they had done.  I made a square to match the umbrella, sewed pockets in each inside corner for the arms of the umbrella to slip into, then sewed a ruffle around the edge.  To show you how elementary my sewing skills are, up to that point I had never even sewed a button hole.  The top of the umbrella has a small hole where the frame attaches to a turn-stile that turns the mobile, so I practiced on some scrap material, and then sewed a button hole at the top for a finished look.  I also sewed a long sleeve to slip over the arm that hangs over the crib.  The hanging insects were part of the original mobile.

I procrastinated until after Grace was born to finish the bumper pads for the crib.  Finally, when was starting to bump her head on the crib at night, I got around to it.  I used green foam for the inner padding.  Many people suggested cotton sheet batting because it can be washed, but in my experience, it sagged and was very thin for what I wanted.  I tried it, but ended up switching. 

I cut the foam into two long pieces, each one the length of a short and long side of the crib and about 15" high.  I cut 4 pieces of fabric of the same size as the padding with about 4" extra length and width.  I made (8) 15" crib ties out of coordinating fabric and pinned them into place.  Sewing three and a half sides closed, I then inserted the padding into place, and sewed the bumper closed.

 

I also made a coordinating table skirt for the changing table,  but I didn't capture a picture of that.  I simply hemmed a piece of fabric and sewed a curtain pocket at the top.  I inserted a spring action tension rod, and it has worked well.

My aunt made this bookshelf for me when I was 6 or 7 years old, and I had lost the coat hooks.  I bought some unfinished ones at Home Depot and painted them in matching colors.  I goes perfectly with her room's decor! 

The birdhouse and flower theme...

As you can see, the outdoor theme is in sharp contrast to the springtime theme!

This post is linked to We Are That Family's Works For Me Wednesday!