Surprising Lindsey: A Small Bedroom and Little Girl’s Dream Room Remodel

When we first moved into our tiny little house, Lindsey wasn’t thrilled about her new room. Of course, kids don’t understand that a house on the lake is a lot more expensive than a house in a neighborhood. I hated to see her so disappointed, so  I made a promise to transform her little girl’s bedroom into a space she’d adore. Fast forward a year and some change, and the time had finally come to fulfill that promise with a girl’s bedroom remodel.

*** If you are just here to see the cost (I get it!) Scroll to the end, all the prices are disclosed (but before you do, guess how much you think we spent) ***

A Crazy Idea Begins: Transforming a Little Bedroom into a Dream Space

With the kids away at summer camp for 13 days, I seized the opportunity to turn Lindsey’s room into a dreamy retreat. Okay, maybe it was a bit insane to attempt such a big project in such a short timeframe—especially considering I was out of the country for the first 3.5 days due to work. Luckily (with some persuasion) Ryan agreed to lend a hand at this girl’s bedroom renovation.

Like all good projects, mine started with Pinterest. I fell in love with whimsical, nature-inspired wallpaper from Costa Cover (Link website) and envisioned bold trim to complement it—a vision that raised eyebrows, especially Ryan’s, who believes trim should stay white. The plan for the space centered around the wallpaper, a bold trim, and a closet full of strips. Not sure I could pull any of it off in the time frame, I knew I had to try… but I hadn’t yet sourced a single item and the clock was ticking for this girl’s bedroom makeover. 

Making It Happen: Girls Room Remodel with the Best Transformation

I knew that for this girl’s room remodel to work, I had to cross the the first hurdle: ensuring the wallpaper arrived on time. I had my heart set on this beautiful wallpaper with the most beautiful blue birds- and I wanted the paint to match it…. But if it hadn’t arrived almost immediately upon my return from a work trip there was no way I would have completed this project on time. This was a crucial step in our bedroom remodel for Lindsey.

Thanks to Costa Cover’s exceptional service, the wallpaper was ordered on a Sunday night and at my doorstep on Wednesday- The customer service was top-notch. I am so grateful they rushed to make it happen so we could get started on our bedroom remodel. Upon my return, I grabbed the wallpaper and rushed to Lowe’s for custom paint matching—Which I admittedly fumbled a bit with the order (expensive and nerve-wracking mistake), leading to some amusing tales shared later on IG. Meanwhile, Ryan prepped a gorgeous four-poster bed for painting, an essential piece for the bedroom remodel.

Wallpaper Risks: Wow Factor for the Bedroom Remodel

With walls and trim freshly painted, we gambled by placing the wallpaper on the back wall instead of around the window—a decision that paid off beautifully, making it both easier to install and a striking accent. Fingers crossed it sticks for a long time… because this is not how you “should” hang wallpaper, but it has worked perfectly so far. 

Ryan has become a wallpaper expert; at this point, we have tried peel and stick, traditional wallpaper that needs glue, and now prepasted wallpaper for our little girl’s bedroom remodel.

I know wallpaper has a bad rap as being difficult, but Ryan (who hates installing wallpaper) even admitted this one wasn’t bad- I would choose this route over the others, and it was very cost-effective for a last-minute bedroom makeover.

After the wallpaper was installed, Ryan diverted his attention to the crown molding. I was beyond excited for this part- as it makes the room “pop” and adds a touch of elegance to this room transformation. 

Small Closet Makeover: Dream Closet for Girls Bedroom

While he spent the time mastering the math on all the angles of the crown molding in a room full of unique angles, I poured my attention into making stripes in the closet. It was one of those “do you really need to be putting the limited time we have into mastering stripes in the closet….?”

And the answer was a for sure yes I do! I saw an inspiration photo on Pinterest (of course) and I was obsessed with the idea of having an accent wall. I was super nervous that my time and energy would be wasted and it wouldn’t come out, which turned out to be a highlight of this little girl’s bedroom remodel.

But to my happiness, it all came out perfectly! The key is a laser level, painter’s tape, and sealing the edges of the painters by painting the base color over them.

In addition to the stripes, we removed the wire shelving, added just 2 simple shelves and a rod, and placed some cube storage- one for books and one for toys. This small touch made a big impact on our girl’s room transformation.

I am obsessed with how this girl’s bedroom makeover came out, and it is also so much more functioning. 

The Final Push: Completing the Girls Room Remodel

The last three days were a whirlwind of organization, assembly, and praying everything would arrive on time. I am just amazed at how it turned out all in just over 9 days. I can’t wait for Lindsey to come home to this surprise; I just know she will love it! This little girl’s bedroom remodel has truly transformed her space.

The Numbers Behind a Small Bedroom Transformation

Let’s talk budget. Transparency matters, especially when planning your projects. Here’s what we spent:

• Paint (2 gallons, 2 quarts): $140
• Crown Molding: $125
• Rug: $160
• Curtains and Curtain Rod: $81
• Chandelier: $200
• Corner Shelves: $17
• Mirror: $99
• Knobs and Hooks: $35
• Closet Organization: $83
• Wallpaper: $378

Total: $1,318

This whirlwind of a little girl’s room remodel project was as exhilarating as it was exhausting. Shoutout to the delivery drivers who helped keep our timeline intact. While I could’ve saved a bit by taking more time, seeing Lindsey’s face light up made every bit of effort and every dollar spent was completely worth it. It’s proof that with determination, creativity, and a bit of daring, even the smallest rooms can become the most cherished spaces in our homes. Cheers to making dreams—and little girls’ bedrooms—come true, one stripe and chandelier at a time!

Stay tuned for more adventures as we continue to transform our house into a home we all love. Next up: The roof is coming off… literally…. But I am not the contractor on this project.

*This post contains Amazon affiliate links which means we may receive a commission for any purchases made by you on the affiliate website at no additional cost to you.