I DID  the SURPRISE – NAVY, PINK , YELLOW AND WHITE MAKEOVER of my daughter Phoebe’s bedroom for her 13th birthday.

Phoebe’s bedroom is probably my favorite room in the house to decorate. and she has become the decorator/artist in her own right.. when she told me that for her 17th (BIG GULP) birthday that she would like to makeover her room …”One last time, before I leave for college…” She says…like the move from Home to college is no more disruptive that moving up from 6th to 7th grade…ahhh youth…I jumped at the chance…knowing , more than anything, that she and I would have such a great time doing her room TOGETHER THIS TIME!!!!

Anyway…I want to honor her request despite the fact that for not one minute have I NOT LOVED her NAVY AND PINK AND WHITE AND YELLOW room. In many ways..this bedroom changed my life. Not to over dramatize…but this room has opened so many doors…I entered and won the 2012  Washington Post Children’s Room Contest.

The Monday Makeover post I did about the yard sale SCORE OF THE CENTURY – TWIN BEDS  was and STILL IS one of my MOST READ posts ever…and in fact, shortly after I posted it, APARTMENT THERAPY  did a post about the beds and my makeover (igniting a comment section full of debates about the merits of or lack thereof of painting “antique” furniture…it got pretty heated, I stayed out of it…!) .

….and finally, In April of 2014, Susanna Salk released her most recent book –

DECORATE FEARLESSLY

which included a photo of Phoebe’s Bedroom!!! I met Susanna at the Design Bloggers conference in 2013. She was one of the speakers and I went up to her and introduced myself after she spoke…. She was incredibly down to earth and told me to send her photos of my home. So, not wanting to miss the window of opportunity, I sent her a photo of Phoebe’s bedroom the day after I returned home from California. The next morning, she emailed me back, asking me if I had a HIGH resolution copy of the photo…saying that it would be perfect for her upcoming book. I was stunned and of course it was Saturday morning and I was on way to Cooper’s Saturday morning Hockey game. I texted her back and told her I was at a Hockey gamete which she replied “So am I !!!! Send it when you get home!!!” John Petersik of Young House Love had taken a beautiful high-resolution photo of Phoebe’s room during our “HOUSE CRASH” and the rest is history.

Phoebe and I were invited to the New York City book release party and book signing…such a treat for this city/country/wish I were a city girl…!!! (sadly, that was also the night I lost my phone so all photo documentation OF our dream evening were lost insert VERY sad face.) 

….anyway…little girls do grow up and Mommies (this one anyway) gotta decorate!

Phoebe has asked for a WHITE AND GOLD ROOM with maybe some pops of another color…[ink? Baby blue? ….HERE ARE A FEW MY INSPIRATION PHOTOS FROM PINTEREST:

MORE TO COME!!!!

XO