I'd call phase 1 of Genevieve's pink pre-teen room complete. But in true Pretty Real fashion, let's chat about what's not working and what we have left to do!

Here's what we've done so far:

Completed her DIY Upholstered Channel Headboard

Found a rug that determined our color scheme

Added bedding we love- this duvet, quilt, and these sheet sets (1, 2, and 3).

Bought and assembled a desk, added a shelf, and installed a beautiful light fixture

What's left to do:

Paint an old dresser and organize her closet

Shop for art (she requested vines on her wall somewhere- maybe a DIY?)

Desk accessories and Pin board (perhaps another DIY?)

Figure out window coverings

What's Working for Her Preteen Room

She loves the bed and the room feels soothing. Her requests were lots of pink, a hanging chair, a desk, and a bookshelf and we delivered. 

What's Not Working in Her Preteen Room

She wants the room a little brighter so adding lamps is essential- I have 3 options on the way. I may swap a brighter bulb for the current one in her fixture but also, the room will get brighter light for longer now that daylight savings has begun.

While everything technically fits in the room, it's feeling a bit full and imbalanced right now. I initially intended the shelf to go between the windows and the desk to go where the shelf is. I've also mentioned that the headboard is over a foot longer than it was supposed to be which is contributing to the crowded feeling. We may need to eliminate or swap a piece. For instance, a low and wide shelf might work better than the tall one. I'd say this is the biggest issue we are thinking through right now.

The Moral of the Story

I hope this behind the scenes 'what's not working' chat will encourage those of you working with small spaces as well as those who are not necessarily nailing every room design on the first go. Having to rework things is normal. I have no issue repurposing an item or selling it if necessary. And while it's tempting to beat yourself up over something that's not working, don't do it. You're trying something which is a million times better than doing nothing at all- even if it doesn't work the first time. Home design is a skill and one that takes time to hone. I'm still learning and I'm guessing many of you are too And that's ok! I'll add that while there are pros and cons to both, I prefer pulling rooms together over time rather than all at once. Either way, adjustments are often necessary but I find that the room feels less forced when I'm able to live with each phase for a bit before adding to it. 

Of course I'll report back with updates and changes along the way!

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