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400 year old Italian Farmhouse:Please help my 9 year old love her room

last month
last modified: last month

Thank you in advance for any help, ideas, comments, furniture links. I really appreciate it.

We moved our family to Italy 2 years ago to slowly renovate a very old farmhouse. We sold everything before we left our last home and my 9 year old daughter just got left over furniture from previous owners and a few functional items. I want to now make a special room that she will love and grow with in the coming years. I'd like help with the best layout and adding storage to her space. There is a wardrobe near the window with some shelving storage (not hanging) but this is mostly full already. We are getting rid of items but it always feels like her room is exploding and I'd like her to have a place for everything to be put away (or maybe that is wishful thinking)

She wants to paint the room a lavender / blue.

These are the main things she needs for the room. The room dimensions are in the pictures below.

Bed - she likes the IKEA Hemnes pull out bed with 3 drawers (in grey)

Bedside table / shelf for books and lamp - bit difficult with pull out drawers of Hemnes

Desk - homework and creative projects (needs to be a decent size)

Bookshelves - She has a lot of books and is reading more and more these days

Clothes Drawers - Can keep the ikea ones she has already but colour isn't her favourite

Toy storage - easy access and out of sight storage

Display for Lego creations

Mirror

Rug

Fun light fitting


















Comments (15)

  • PRO
    last month

    I think it is just all the stuff there that does not match at all. I would keep the bed she likes get a much larger antique wardrobe that can work for the rest of the time she is in the space and put that where she has the low bookcases then she is old enogh to have a good wall of taller bookcases maybe next to the wardrobe . Great she reads so make that a high light. Then that wrdrobe can house all her clothes and maybe even some of the stuff that is now all over the place I would do a nice long desk all across that wall where the window is so she lots of space for whatever she might decide to do.The Italians have fabulous lighting go shopping and find some for that ceiling and at least a task light for the desk and one light for reading in bed, A nice comfy char is a great thing for a reader . The fewer pieces in the space the less muddled it will look. Then a huge cork board so she can change things as she ages without damaging the walls . I know it sounds old school but still works best for all the stuff she now has on the walls . Find that perfect wall color that she loves but keep it a bit on the less bright tone to last alittle longer . Then go shopping get some really fun bedding and see if there is abetter spot for the bed but at least where it is can have the night stand and a good lamp. The stuff on the walls are way to high for her to enjoy so that is why the big corkboard works. There are some pretty large nice magetic ones too either work . I think every girl needs a great mirror so that one I think is there is awesome you never know she might take dance at some stage and always a great addition to a room for girls IMO

    Ams thanked Patricia Colwell Consulting
  • PRO
    last month

    I just love the fact that you bought an Italian farmhouse!

    Ams thanked Norwood Architects
  • last month

    I’d want a large rug to cozy it up - and if it were me, I’d start there -


    I would lean toward fewer but larger pieces (i feel like small storage pieces get added piecemeal over time and then end up creating a cluttered feel)


    I’d prioritize clothes storage, desk and bookshelf - lamps will help the room feel inviting (overhead lighting does not)

    Ams thanked la_la Girl
  • Ams thanked Lyn Nielson
  • last month

    Thanks to all of you for your great comments, ideas and drawings. I'm a visual person that seeing the layout ideas like that helps a lot. It can be daunting taking on a whole house with land project so I'm trying to focus on this room to make her happy while we do everything else in stages. My daughter and I are going through the "purge" stage now as we get ready for painting and new furniture. I have to say she is pretty good about letting things go which don't serve her anymore, which I'm happy about. I agree that fewer and larger pieces are the way to go. I'd love to find a rug that goes well with the old tiles but is still fun enough for her. She does sit on the floor often so something more cosy is a must. The cork-board is a good idea and a reading chair if we can fit it. she also loves her a stereo with CDs so I need to find a place at an easy height for that.


    Window limitation:

    One limitation I forgot to mention is that you have to stand at the window and lean out to open and close the wooden shutters on outside of the house (necessary for temperature regulation in summer and winter), so we need to keep that area either clear or have only a very narrow bookshelf underneath.


    Ceiling

    I really dislike the thin wood ceilings. It is very flimsy but closes the room from the attic space (not walkable) and roof area. I feel the dark colour makes the room heavy. I've considered painting it to lighten up the room. To replace the ceiling is a much bigger job...maybe one day, but not for now. Any thoughts?


    Thanks again. I really appreciate the input.

  • last month

    Smart bed choice. To clear the bed drawers, use a plug in wall hung sconce instead of a table lamp, and a wall hung bedside table. Then you can pull the drawers all of the way out. Many fun plug ins to be had:






    Ikea Grafjallet is an inexpensive wall hung bedside table with drawer and shelves.




    Don't skimp on bookstorage. Encourage reading physical books for as long as you possibly can. Studies abound about learning outcomes and quality of life indicators from reading. She no longer needs low book storage for fear of toppling or climbing. Get tall bookcases, as many as will fit. No better investment.


    I wouldn't worry about a reading chair - they are too tempting to just throw clothes on. She can read in her bed and make it a cozy spot.


    Yes to a rug with a good pad beneath it. I'd go fluffy and white, but may be too impractical for a kid's room.


    I'd either get a muddy purple like in this bathroom wall color:





    OR get a very blue-ish purple wall color and, accent with some greens in the bedding, lamps, pillows.






    Be prepared to repaint as she gets older.




    Ams thanked Kendrah
  • last month
    last modified: last month

    FYI - you don't have to replace the four drawer Malm dresser - there are many ways to update it in order for your daughter to love the way it looks. There are many tutorials on how to paint IKEA furniture.

    Below they added trim around the drawers + added pulls to make the malm dresser look more upscale:



    People have added pieces of wood to the drawers + painted + added a simple base for the Malm dresser:



    There are many places that sell overlays for the drawer fronts of IKEA furniture - the Malm has had them added below (adding pulls also help update a malm dresser):



    Below they added rattan + trim + gold pulls:



    Below a herringbone pattern has been added to the drawer fronts (I think that it may just be wallpaper) + add trim + large pulls:


    The malm below has simply been painted + pulls added:



    These wood overlays are sold on Etsy - many different styles:



    Etsy also has sellers that have wallpaper stickers sized to fit the malm drawers:



    The Hemnes daybed can be styled to be used as a bed + as a cozy reading sofa:









    Ams thanked dani_m08
  • last month

    Wow, I can really start to see a nice room coming together with all of these colour, rug, lamp and furniture suggestions. The links and photos are really helpful. I'm looking forward to going through them with her this weekend to see what she likes from them. And the Malm dresser upgrade is a creative way of her being able to put some personality into the room without us having to buy everything new. Thanks!

  • PRO
    last month
    last modified: last month

    I understand you're visual: ) Perhaps hard to "see" lines on paper!

    But there is what fits, and unless you desire a future mess? You have to make way for clothing.

    Below........sketch

    That is a Low book case next to her bed, Reach right over to the window! It's 12" deep and 24 high. You can easily fit a 42" width.

    Pick any desk you like!

    And please make a real closet. You will thank me later: )

    The "Malm dresser will fit exactly where I have it , at the foot of bed.

    All below is just YOUR room/meters converted to feet/inches and at scale.

    Always begin with what you need and what fits!



    Ams thanked JAN MOYER
  • last month

    Lovely room! What is the grey box on the wall to the right of the window? Do you prefer building a closet or doing a wardrobe with some hanging?

    Ams thanked thinkdesignlive
  • last month

    Hi Jan, Thanks very much for the floor plan. I think it is great and really love that the layout has been totally rearranged and is different from how I saw the room working before your plan. Thanks for taking the time to draw it out to scale for me as it really does help. We'll be sure to prioritize clothes storage as she already is getting more into fashion and she needs a decent space for it. Lastly the extra window information was just to give more context, not because I didn't think your low bookshelf would work. I love that she would have plenty of book storage near the bed if we did that. :) It is getting late in Italy so I'm off to bed but just wanted to say thanks again.


    More tomorrow... Enjoy your weekend everyone!

  • last month

    I have two daughters and have gone through the high school years with them. I'd rather have a closet built because it will use all of that area vs. leaving space on each side of a wardrobe.


    Plus, the closet can be designed based upon her needs. If you purchase closet organization units that are able to be rearranged, she can change the set up as needed as she grows.


    The closet can include areas for long hanging items or double rods for shorter items. Plus, you can add sections for folded pants/jeans/sweaters/t-shirts/shoes/etc.


    Planning stage using blue tape (able to change it around as needed before adding organizers):



    Below is the "as built" closet (it's difficult to see the top shelf + she added a divider on the lower long shelf):


    The above is very inexpensive - you don't have to be super handy either. You can simply purchase melamine boards and cut them to size (or have them cut for you) + use white edge banding in order to make the cut sides look "finished" instead of looking like cut pieces of melamine. You can add face frame boards (that you paint white) instead of edge banding - it will take more time to do but the closet will look more "finished" = "higher quality" by making each of the vertical/horizontal boards look thicker.


    My daughters both had nice sized walk in closets in their bedrooms with some built-ins + different rod heights + shelves = plenty of room for teenage girls.


    If I was adding a reach in closet, I'd make it as deep as the room allows + make the closet as tall as possible (the height of your doors is up to you - as long as she can reach lesser used items which she can store on the highest shelves/rods)- she can use a step ladder to reach higher shelves/hanging rods if needed + one of these if you put in a high hanging rod near the ceiling.



    I have several of these - when my sister and BIL sold their 12 clothing stores, she grabbed some of these for me to use to reach hangers on high closet rods:



    The one above is inexpensive (about $14 - my sister provided me with ones that had strong rods + I can adjust the length I need - I just hang one at the end of the high closet rod next to the wall).


    OR - for more money you can install retractable closet rods:




    link to video showing how it functions: https://www.tiktok.com/@jwbclosethardware/video/7507921047786638638 


    She can tuck a step ladder along one of the side walls OR on the back wall of the closet behind the hanging garments (you can purchase ones that collapse flat in order to place them against the wall).



    You can also use baskets like below to help keep the items stored on the long shelves "neater" looking. More shoe storage can be added along the bottom of the closet (plus, the interior left and right side walls can be used to place hooks for hanging belts/necklaces/scarves/hats/etc.)




    Ams thanked dani_m08
  • last month

    I notice that you haven't used a lot of higher wallspace. Get a few tall bookcases.


    Ikea has options like these, which put storage overhead on the same wall as the bed. While the stuff on top is hard to reach, most people have seasonal clothes and occasional things, like luggage that need to be stored, but don't need easy, everyday access.


    That said, I'd bet the consignment, second hand stores and flea markets have great finds. I don't live in Italy, of course, but I found some 1930's mahogany twin sleigh beds for my kids for IKEA prices.


    Our Work · More Info


    Ams thanked Sigrid
  • PRO
    last month

    You can run a shelf along three sides of the room about a foot down from the ceiling! All the way around.....

    Fantastic Lego, book and toy display!