Toddler Girl Bedroom Ideas on a Budget

As a parent, does it ever really feel like big transitions (or any transition for that matter) come at the right time? I’m still relatively new to this but I’m catching on to the trend that kids change things up at the most inconvenient times. Without fail. I thought it would be a while before I would be googling, “toddler girl bedroom ideas on a budget.” Being the planner I am, my oldest daughter was going to stay in her crib for AT LEAST 4 months after baby sister arrived because I was not going to deal with that transition AND a newborn at the same time since I’ve heard it can be a rough one. Well, jokes one me – as usual.

The transition to a big girl bed happened 5 DAYS after bringing little sister home from the hospital. My daughter had a bad dream at nap time (perhaps it was about a new baby that didn’t get returned to the hospital…) and decided right then and there that she should never sleep in that crib ever again. So, we made a “thing” of it with the hopes of helping the transition go as smoothly as possible since this was most definitely not in my postpartum plan. Daddy took her on a shopping date and she got to pick out her new big girl bedding. She was so proud to show me what she picked out when she got home but the truth is, I didn’t love it.

Big Girl Bedroom Design Ideas

I never really did anything to her room after we moved in so “Big Girl Room” was on my list, I just thought I had a little more time. Nonetheless, I was excited to work on it and needed a break from the newborn bubble every now and then so it ended up being okay after all. I was struggling to come up with a room design that felt on par for her personality AND matched the comforter. Eventually, after at least 30 different mockups that just weren’t doing it for me, I decided I was going to need to do something that made the comforter irrelevant in the room. It needed to be a small supporting actor, not the star of the show.

Bedroom Wallpaper For Girls

I had been wanting to experiment with heavy patterns and textures and this felt like the perfect opportunity. To begin my search, I looked for patterned wallpaper that I could recreate using paint samples I already had on hand. I landed on this pattern because it could be easily painted with one brush stroke and it had nice curves and loops similar to the rainbows on the comforter.

DIY Headboard Upholstery

I wanted a bright and fun headboard – to distract from, err compliment – the comforter. But, have you looked at prices of queen headboards these days? This room makeover wasn’t in the plans, remember? So, DIY Headboard it was! This was one of those projects where every step just kept going right and came together so easily. I love the way it turned out and it adds such fun pop of color to the room!

Bringing in Texture

I’m a neutrals girl by nature. And it pains me to say that my daughter just simply is not – but I love her for it anyways! So, to continue the brighter colors, I chose a pretty, salmon/pink curtain with a frilly detail to add some texture to the room.

More Patterns and Textures

Lastly, I wanted to tie in the mustard color in the little rainbows on the comforter. The comforter wasn’t feeling irrelevant enough just yet so, MORE PATTERNS AND TEXTURES! Bring on the stripes, waves, and bobbins!

A Moment I’ll Never Forget

I can vividly remember a day when my daughter was about 10 months old – we had been staring at each other for hours on end because there really are only so many things you can do with a baby, am I right? I pulled out my bin of headbands and you would have thought I just handed her a million dollars (hmm, what’s the equivalent to that in baby world? Unlimited access to milk on tap? lol). She proceeded to put as many as she could on her head and her wrists, throwing them up and letting them sprinkle to the ground around her over and over again, with the most adorable little smile on her face. As her personal paparazzi, I snapped photo after photo while my heart melted into a puddle. Wishing I could freeze this moment in time forever, I immediately knew that I wanted to hang this adorable series of photos on the wall in her room one day. The little, mustard, painted gallery frames make the perfect home for a memory I will cherish forever.

Despite my best-laid plans, life has a funny way of surprising us. Although it was not planned, this toddler girl room transformation on a budget was just what I needed. Fueled by the desire to create a space that reflected my daughter’s bright and fun personality (and the desire to make her chosen comforter go away but that doesn’t sound as nice) I love how it pulled together in the end. From experimenting with faux wallpaper to crafting a colorful headboard, each element was carefully chosen to compliment her unique style and bring joy to her room. As I look back, I’m reminded that sometimes the most memorable moments come from unexpected beginnings. I was not ready to close the chapter on the crib but I’m grateful for the opportunity to create a space for my daughter that will be filled with love, laughter and cherished memories.

P.S. If you were thinking, “Wow, a queen bed for a two year old?” just know that the transition has not been smooth and as we suspected, the extra room in the bed has been occupied by Daddy just about every night…. hahahahaha, ohhhh parenthood!

Have questions, comments or want to share your ideas? Please comment on this post below!