Fabrics for the Kids’ Rooms

I was considering patterned fabrics like this or this for Eleanor’s curtains, but I wasn’t in love with anything. Thus, solid curtains! Groundbreaking! Either these or these will work, and to make them a little more fun, I’ll sew pom pom trim along the edges. I also ordered a blue eyeball sconce (great name) to go above the bed.

Eleanor's Room: Wall Sconce and Curtains

Aw, look at it! Like a big glossy pom pom or something. I should finally order this print.

Then for the walls I thought, maybe wallpaper? (This one’s pretty, this one is cute.) Do I want to chance a repeat of what happened in August’s room though? I think E would probably leave the walls alone, especially since she has been asking for wallpaper, but still. Paint may be the way to go right now. Maybe I’ll stencil something if we’re feeling crazy, but I think the room will come together with plenty of pattern elsewhere.

Like on her chair, perhaps. Because I love adding sewing projects to my to-do list. I made a purse before, with piping and everything! Five years ago! I’ve got this.

Fabrics for This Chair?

Fabrics for This Chair?

Right after I upholster August’s bed, of course.

Fabrics for Upholstering this IKEA Bed

I’ve ordered a sconce for his room too, but the name is not as fun. And hey, we found an extra length of his wallpaper in a drawer here! We might try to replace the missing strip. I’m fond of those stripes in his room and would like to work with them.

I ordered all of those fabric swatches above from Tonic Living. That car fabric needs to work its way into August’s room in some way, whether it’s on the bed, on a pillow, or as curtains. I like the windowpane fabric a lot too, but I don’t know if it plays well with his plaid bedding. Maybe for Eleanor’s chair? Are polka dots not masculine enough for a little boy? I can play it safe with a solid, but yawn. Let me overthink this some more.

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28 comments

  • Evelyn W

    1. I wish you were my mellow mom who wouldn’t yell at me for peeling wallpaper
    2. The room already looks sweet
    3. There’s a weird parallel thing going on with Young House Love that I’m totally digging. Blue pom pom’s are quite the rage apparently.

  • It’s always so much fun working on a brand new room in a new house – so many possibilities! If the wallpaper doesn’t patch well in A’s room, couldn’t you strip the wallpaper and then paint the walls? Stripes are super easy, and after seeing what you did with paint on your old front porch, I know you could totally tackle it. I’m also guessing E, being older and wiser and asking for the wallpaper – she wouldn’t destroy it and you’d be safe with that option. There’s a lot of maturity gained between 2 and 4.

  • Sarah

    Damn you for showing me amazing fabric that I can’t afford! That website has some beautiful patterns.

  • merlin513

    ran across these fabrics on Tumblr this morning and thought of you and the kids!
    http://www.birchfabrics.com/product_p/fort-firefly.htm

  • Have you seen these – patterned rollers – you paint a pattern directly onto the wall / wood / fabric …. http://www.etsy.com/shop/patternedpaintroller pretty cool! I have wallpaper in the kiddos rooms – aged 4 (tmrw!) and 2 – and so far no Mad Men incidents! Here’s what I used – New York for my little boy – http://www.bodieandfou.com/products/wallpaper-morning-in-manhattan-yellow and Paris for my little girl – http://www.bodieandfou.com/products/wallpaper-un-dimanche-a-paris-redblue – I LOVE their rooms! Looking forward to seeing what you do – I found the kids room sooo fun to decorate (still not there with ours!)

  • I can’t wait to see the bed upholstered! I have been thinking about trying that in the nursery we are working on for our hopefully-soon-to-be-adopted child{ren}.

  • When I was a kid, I had a bright red wall sconce just like the one you ordered for Eleanor’s room. I felt VERY grown-up!

    I love the wallpaper choices, but especially the petal pusher.

  • kristi

    That polka dot ikat-ish fabric would be so cute as drapery for Eleanor’s room.

  • I agree with Vanessa, go with the dots!

  • Decals. you gotta use that cricut for something (I know you have to have one of those).

  • vanessa

    I love polka dots and think that they are great for boys (and men)! Why impose some weird gender bios on little kids anyway, right? Coincidentally, my boyfriend wears polka dots all the time, and I think he looks handsome and masculine in them.

    From this great article on the history of polka dots:
    “’Polka dots need not be emasculating,’ said Anna Akbari, wardrobe consultant and founder of the styling business Closet Catharsis. Akbari, who teaches a course entitled “Fashion and Power” at NYU, added that men wearing polka dots ‘demonstrates that they pay attention to fashion, that they’re fashion-focused.’”

    http://thehairpin.com/2013/06/a-brief-history-of-polka-dots-2

  • Nicole L

    I LOVE that car fabric, so fun! And not that I have a son, but I have no problem with polka dots in a boys room – those aren’t exactly dainty dots.

  • Would you be willing to link to the source for that plaid bedding? I hunted a bit online with no luck. My apologies if you’ve already sourced it elsewhere!

  • Celeste

    I am loving that toile with the mod eyeball sconce. So great! I can’t wait to see the result.

  • I love Tonic Living and all their fabric. I have the polka dot fabric as well in my bedroom. We also have the sconce you ordered for August. They are great for the price, just be aware that the joint on top is a little weak – hopefully he won’t want to move the lamp too much? My daughter has not touched it, so it’s holding up well.

  • Polka dots are super awesome! But I do love that checkered(?) print! It’s got a whiff of chicness without being over-the-top feminine.

  • I’m a little disappointed the eyeball sconce doesn’t have an actual eyeball on it.

    The car fabric is fantastic! It made me look around my room to see where it could go.

    One of my favorite window treatments I’ve seen (and have always vowed I would do also some day) is a solid color for a curtain with a trim, or bottom half of some great fabric. That allows you to bring in a print but not have the print rule the room. Something like that would sure look cute with the navy curtains you have picked out.

  • Ellen

    If you patch the wallpaper (great idea), maybe relocate the bed so the side is not against the wall and he won’t be tempted to “remodel” while falling asleep. Love the car fabric, but he will likely outgrow it and curtains are a big(isn) commitment. The other options are more timeless. The car fabric would be cute for a bolster across the bed.

  • Megan

    I had my mind stuck on patterned curtains until I stumbled across the dark blue velvet curtains at West Elm – but thankfully they were too expensive so I didn’t buy them and then happened to come across the almost identical version at Target for way cheaper. I think there is really something to say about a good solid curtain – I thought it would be boring, but with all the other patterns in the bed linens, it ended up working out really well.

  • merlin513

    Do you think you could replace the damaged strip of wallpaper with firm instructions to ‘please, leave the wallpaper on the walls!’ and he’d pay attention? cause, i’m with you, those are some lovely stripes…also really feeling the car fabric. :D

    Figure after Eleanor’s meltdown over August’s wall remodel, she’d be perfectly fine with wallpaper.

    • Kristen

      Running out to buy an eyeball sconce right now! :)

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