Have you ever been drawn to a design that speaks to you a whole new level, only to turn over the price tag and feel the sudden urge to back away slowly? Maybe I’m not the only one who struggles with sticker shock when it comes to designing a new space. One such element that has been haunting my dreams is the floral wallpaper trend. I’m in love with a soft watercolor floral, maybe owing to the fact that I’m an artist and illustrator by trade. So when my three kids outgrew the one room they were all sharing, we decided to clear out the playroom and transform it into a feminine floral space that could grow with my girls as they got older.

I knew I wanted to base the room around the floral wallpaper but couldn’t bring myself to cough up the dough. So I decided to DIY it instead. I pulled multiple inspirations from online, picked an overall color scheme, and went from there. One thing that was fun about DIY is that I could customize this mural as much as I wanted, including the addition of metallics into some of the floral accents. In the evening sun, it hits the golds just right and shines beautifully!

I began with a light underlying pencil sketch and then moved around the wall using one paint color at a time spacing out the colors randomly. It’s also helpful to note that taking a step back once in a while to view the space will help you determine where there is a color lacking.

Once the painting was finished, I moved on to the other room elements, including two large custom beds, that would be placed near the mural. I opted for white cube storage to help keep the weight of the room balanced and airy. I kept the accents soft in color and played off of the colors in the painting, I opted for heavily textured throws and pillows to add a visual dimension as well as bringing an inviting feel to the room. The larger furniture was kept in neutral tones so they could easily be adapted to other styles as my girls’ taste change.