Decor: Trusting Your Kid's Personal Style

My kid.  I tell you.  This thang has style.

To clarify, when I say style, I mean the kid has the nerve to have an opinion on the clothes I buy to put on her body.  For example, she chose that outfit in the photos above all by herself.  She matched the tank underneath with the laces on her Converse.  She added the cheetah print headband all by herself... it wasn't one of the planned outfits for the photo shoot but it accurately documents her style at the moment so I wasn't annoyed when the photographer snapped these on our way out.  Islanders, as hard as it was to face that she no longer wears *gasp* bows and doesn't care to wear dresses to school, I have learned to appreciate her style.

When we were preparing to move, Munch didn't want to leave her beautiful and large bedroom.

She chose a Paris theme for her room after falling in love with a pair of lamps at Hobby Lobby.  I went with the flow and created a space we both were happy with.  You can read more about it here. 

With a move to a smaller room upon her, Munch wasn't nearly as upset as I thought she would be.  She told me often that she loved her old house and that she will miss her old room but as the date neared, she grew excited.  We finished packing her decor for her room and we were headed to Target for some popcorn and packing tape.  Suddenly, Munch grew very serious and asked if she could tell me the truth about something.

"Mom, I just want a kid room.  I like my other room but I just want a fun room.  I want it to be colorful and fun and filled with kid stuff."

Girl.  If you say kid or fun one more time...  I'm sorry, Islanders.  What did this chick just say?  Did she not recall the fabulosity that was her bedroom?  Did she not know how long I searched for each piece?  My mind was foggy and I was unable to focus as she excitedly strolled the aisles of the kid bedding section in Target.  She squealed and reached for something as I felt myself waking up out of my shock... the fog faded.

"MOM!  This is it!  I want THIS in my room!"

She reached for a sheet set.  It was covered in flamingos.  FLAMINGOS?!  Could this be any more opposite from our previous design?  Flamingos?  Whatever.  I bought the sheets.  Consider it a commitment to myself to make this happen.  In less than a year from its completion, the big girl room would be completely redesigned... to be filled with kid stuff.  Kid stuff?!

We sat down and we discussed her ideas.  I listened to her main points for the design:

- Bright colors
- White bedding
- Pineapples
- Flamingo
- Gold accents

I let her rattle off the colors she wanted and I set out to make it chic in the room inspiration board:

Gold fun accents, bold colors, the flamingo prints, I wanted the space to feel like a tropical escape while meeting her requirements to be filled with kid stuff.  I would allow her to showcase some of her favorite things but first I needed her approval because I won't be doing this ish again in a few months.

I was finished.  I showed my little client and she told me it was perfect... that I got it just right.  Next step was settling on the paint color for the top floor and then came the room layout.

Maybe I was going to like this kid stuff after all...