As a child I shared a (very small) room with my older sister. That said, I spent a lot of my time dreaming about having my own room and being able to decorate it to my heart’s content. Now, this was the ‘90s, so times have changed, but knowing what I liked at the time (pinks, muted greens, a touch of glam and a little bit beachy) I imagined what 11 year old me would want in her wildest dreams in 2021. This is what I’ve come up with.
Bed: My best friend growing up had a canopy bed and I was envious. I no longer support the ruffled fabric-top version of my childhood, but this white postered bed would have been a dream come true.
Nightstands: Unlike my current neutral living space, back in my youth all I wanted was color. And I’ve always been partial to green. These minty nightstands would have stolen my heart for sure. A fun color and a touch of glam.
Sconces: Like any self-respecting teen, I had a lot of stuff. Books, string to make friendship bracelets, notes, costume jewelry….the essentials. Having sconces instead of table lamps would have freed up precious space for all that stuff. Plus these rattan ones are just playful and beachy enough for a pre-teen.
Rug: Okay, okay, I’m not sure if a neutral rug would have really been top of my list, but in my defense, wall-to-wall carpet is probably what I envisioned. This rug is simple and would ground the room nicely.
Dresser: I had a very, very deep longing for (white) wicker furniture in my youth (fun fact: one of my closest friends had a cabin in New Hampshire furnished exclusively with white wicker and I adored the place a disgusting amount). This fun rattan dresser is a great updated version and could definitely transition as a tween grows into a full-blown teen.
Mirror: I would have needed somewhere to look when applying my Lip Smakcers and this round mirror is perfect. The round shape is so great for really any place in a home be it an entryway or a middle-schooler’s bedroom.
Desk: I did not have a desk in my room growing up, but I had dreams of moving, getting one and it changing my life. I’ve always been disorganized and okay with a certain amount of chaos, so it’s unlikely I would have suddenly changed my ways, but a girl could dream. My best friend (of canopy bed fame) had a white desk in her room, so I’m sure that’s what I would have opted for too.
Desk Chair: Velvet swivel chair for a girl’s desk? Yes please.
Art: I don’t think pre-teen me was too into abstract art, but, as an adult I love this simple print for a girls room. And yes, I know it’s very on the nose with the pink, but, my colors at the time were pink and green and it’s a color combo that has worked for eons for both watermelon and strawberries and while there are more inventive pairings, I know this is what I would have wanted and I will not apologize for it. This isn’t me “pushing” myself with a crazy concept, this is me giving my younger self wish fulfillment.
There are a lot of things that are not so great about being an adult, but one of my favorites is that I now can decorate my own space exactly how I want. I remember being young and flipping through Pottery Barn catalogs dreaming of the day I’d have an apartment in NYC to furnish. It is kinda awesome that now I get to live out those fantasies….even if now my style leans more CB2…
PS…..speaking of CB2, I guess it wouldn’t suit younger me?? For the first time ever, I have put together a post without a single item from my favorite retailer!