Mermaid Themed Bedroom ~ Flexible Home Design

Mermaid Themed Bedroom

Faye loves to help her daughter decorate the rooms in her old farmhouse and to share what they have done with others.

Romantic Cottage Style Decorating Idea

Romantic Cottage Style, Rose Themed Bedroom

Bring the outside in with this lovely rose garden themed bedroom. You will see how we used a rose trellis, picket fence, an old bench, and unique accessories to transform this bedroom into a comfortable, romantic rose garden.

The trellis is the main focus of the room, but roses are also accented in the window treatment, lamps, bed linens, pillows, chair fabric, and in pictures. With the scented potpourri and candle burning, you will think you are visiting a real rose garden.

The Romantic Cottage style creates a soft, pretty, and comfortable atmosphere.

We used the "Romantic Cottage" style for decorating this bedroom. Romantic Cottage is about the same as "Shabby Chic" style. You can find items for decorating by shopping at antique stores, used furniture stores, yard sales, consignment shops, or even in your grandma's attic. You will love the bedroom that you create with your own ideas and love.

How it Looked Before

Bedroom Before:

This is the corner of the bedroom before we started. Plain white walls, floral drapes, and a framed cross-stitch.

How it Looked After

Bedroom After

This is the same corner of the bedroom after we finished decorating. A rose trellis behind the bed is the main focus of the room. The windows feature a white picket fence, rose garland, and white sheers with a rose design. Accessories include a fairy lamp and hat lamp with roses.

Starting With the Paint

Matching Paint to Cabbage Rose Design Fabric

We had a bolt of cabbage rose floral fabric that we planned to use in the room for a purpose that was undecided at this point. We used this fabric to match a color for painting the walls. We used Behr Outback for the walls and ceiling and Behr Candlelight Ivory for the wide baseboards and window facings.

Combining Old and New for Just the Right Look

The Furniture

Next, we shopped for the furniture. We purchased an antique dresser and a few small tables from consignment shops and various places. We also purchased a chair and ottoman in need of slipcovers. We painted a chest and Deacon's bench, already owned.

The Making of a Rose Garden Bedroom

The Accessories

The accessories are what really "make the room" and show off what it's meant to be. To make the room have that rose garden/romantic cottage look, we added a few unique touches, including a rose trellis with rose garland, white picket fence, Deacon's bench, rose lamps, cabbage rose fabric slipcovers, vintage bedding, and a fireplace. There are roses all over this room! Even small nick-knacks with rose accents make a big difference. And, of course, the rose scented potpourri and candles make the room really smell like a garden!

The Focal Point of Bedroom

The Rose Trellis

A rose trellis from the front porch, decorated with silk roses, makes this corner the focal point of the bedroom.

This rose trellis, not only gives the bedroom a rose garden look, it also inspires a the romantic cottage style.

This rose trellis was originally on the front porch, but there were no longer any roses on it, so we took it down and put it in the bedroom. It needed paint, but we left it in it's shabby state and added silk rose garlands. There are also rose garlands above each window.

Now the bedroom looks like it's actually in a rose garden! And, the rose scented candle makes it smell like one.

Surround Your Garden With a Fence

The Picket Fence

A picket fence to surround your rose garden!

Picket fence to protect the rose garden.

Notice the white picket fence in each window sill to protect the garden. This definitely adds a romantic rose garden atmosphere to the bedroom! You can easily find these at a local garden store.

A Bench to Sit on in Your Garden

The Deacon's Bench

This corner of the bedroom includes a Deacon's bench with a floral print collage on the wall above. An antique dresser shows off several unique rose themed accessories.

These are a few examples of things you can easily do to create a rose garden bedroom.

The Deacon's bench was on the front porch and originally black. We painted it in Southern Belle pink and added floral stickers on the seat. The pillows on each end have covers made from extra fabric from the chair and ottoman. The pillow in the middle has a Shabby Chic rose cross-stitch cover.

The antique dresser was found at a local antique store. It was already painted white and left it as is. There's a rose scented candle with a rose candle topper sitting on the dresser along with two marble base lamps, and some other vintage items that were picked up here and there.

The floral print collage are from a book of prints bought on sale and the frames came from Wal-Mart (on sale also).

The chandelier has roses and crystals. This was ordered online and the pink was more peach tinted, so we painted the roses in Southern Belle pink.

Romantic Cottage Touches

The Vintage Bedding

Bed linens are very important when creating a certain atmosphere for your room. For the Romantic Cottage style, use vintage look linens.

Vintage bedding gives the bed a comfy cottage look.

Vintage bed linens and a featherbed give a soft, comfy, romantic cottage look.

Featherbed (from Bed, Bath, & Beyond)
Matelassé bedspread (from an antique store)
Victoria Rose quilt (from a local country store)
Crocheted pillow shams (from Wal-Mart)
Throw pillow with a delicate vintage rose print (from Target)

More Ideas

The Antique Chest and Rattan Sewing Table

There are more rose accents in this corner of the room, including an antique chest displays more rose themed accessories. A rattan sewing table under the window holds a bowl of rose scented potpourri.

The antique chest was handed down from a grandparent. It is painted it in Cottage White enamel and the drawer pulls are painted in Southern Belle Pink. On top there are a couple of vintage tea pots and a bird house.

The mirror was purchased new at Lowe's. The frame was originally silver, but now painted in the Cottage White to match the chest.

The rattan sewing table in front of the window, by the bed, was purchased at an antique store. It makes a great night stand as it has a compartment underneath to keep magazines or books. On top there is an antique alarm clock and bowl of rose potpourri.

A Fireplace is a Must Have!

The Fireplace

You can't have a romantic cottage style bedroom without a fireplace! So, if your home doesn't include a fireplace, just buy one.

A Romantic Cottage Bedroom Has to Have a Fireplace!

The fireplace was bought new and is a "must have" for this romantic cottage bedroom. The added rose cutouts on the panels pretty it up a little and bring out the theme of the room.

The mantle displays a few old photographs of grandparents and a black & white portrait of Vicky in her wedding dress. She also used crocheted doilies underneath the photos. The roses in the antique vase are real, but other times, you could use silk roses.

The large portrait above the fireplace was found at an antique store.

Last, but Not Least

The Bolt of Cabbage Rose Fabric

The room was almost finished and we still had not found a use for the cabbage rose fabric that we matched for the paint color. Then one day we found a chair and ottoman at a consignment shop. It needed to be re-upholstered, so, bingo, it was a perfect use for the material!

Slipcovers were made for the chair in the cabbage rose fabric and the ottoman was covered in a coordinating fabric (shown in the picture below). She also used both fabrics for accent pillow covers.

That floral fabric was the first thing bought for the room, and the last thing used to finish the room! The whole process took over six months of searching for just the right things to make this room special. It was all worth it.

Here's How It Turned Out

The Chair With Cabbage Rose Fabric Slipcover

In this corner of the room, we have the chair with the cabbage rose slipcover, ottoman, and table with tea set. A lovely antique portrait is hanging on the wall above. (The lady is holding a bouquet of roses, of course!)

The cabbage rose fabric bought at the beginning of the decorating project was used for slipcovers for this chair.

The chair has a slipcover that is made in the floral rose fabric that started it all. The slipcovers for the chair and ottoman were made by a local seamstress.

The table by the chair is a new white fake vintage table. The tea set on it was a birthday gift. Vicky loves to relax here with a cup of tea and a book!

The portrait of the bride on the wall beside the chair was purchased at a consignment shop. It originally had a gold frame, and she painted it in the same cottage white shade as the woodwork.

Need More Ideas?

I love the ideas in the video below. Most can be used for any room in your home. Shabby Chic can be incorporated into many other decorating themes.

How about you?

Summary

In this article I showed how a Rose Garden themed, Romantic Cottage style bedroom can be fun and rewarding to decorate. You can use treasures found in antique stores, combined with new things, for the perfect unique look for you. A rose trellis, picket fence, bench, unique lamps, antique furniture, a fireplace, and vintage bed linens are a few suggestions. I hope you can use these ideas to help you decorate your bedroom.

Kathryn Grace from San Francisco on July 24, 2014:

What a lovely room. I love the color of the walls, which is very similar to the color in my own bedroom right now. There will probably always be cottage elements in any home I decorate. Thank you for sharing this do-over with us. Sweet.

Elyn MacInnis from Shanghai, China on July 22, 2014:

What an amazing room. I am so glad you showed it all - and I loved your quote."Happiness is a butterfly, which when pursued, is always just beyond your grasp, but which, if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you." ~ Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804 - 1864)Yes! Perfect.

StrongMay on July 10, 2014:

This is a beautiful room! You did a very good job with it.

Cecilia Karanja from Nairobi on July 10, 2014:

The after image is just too wow.

Deb Bryan from Chico California on June 17, 2014:

I would love to have a cottage style bedroom. Thanks for the awesome photos. You have done an amazing job decorating and your attention to detail is fabulous. I love it all but, what stood out the most is your picket fence treatment on the lower part of your windows. Brilliant!

tcaldy on June 15, 2014:

My husband would say too girly, but there are some elements that I really like. Beautiful room!

Faye Rutledge (author) from Concord VA on June 12, 2014:

@AndyBolton369: Thanks for your visit and comment. I'm glad these ideas have helped you. Good look with your re-decorating!

AndyBolton369 on June 12, 2014:

Wow I love your cottage-style bedroom design idea!! I think your lens is really innovative and I'd love to make over my bedroom. I had been looking for an affordable way to renovate my bedroom and I was looking at this site bedroommyplacewithstyle which had some really nice services. I wasn't sure if I should get it outsourced or do it myself but after reading your lens I'm pretty confident that I can do it myself pretty well. Thanks.

BodyHairRemoval on May 21, 2014:

These do look very romantic!

snowy12 on May 07, 2014:

Very romantic and lovely bedroom. :)

Anna from chichester on April 26, 2014:

I am definitely going to follow these tips - you are so talented! What a beautiful, original lens! Thank you for the information - nominated for LOTD :)

Bigwas from Philippines on March 24, 2014:

nice ideas for a honeymoon setup

chrisilouwho on February 07, 2014:

These are some really lovely ideas!

ShortStuffsSecr on January 30, 2014:

I absolutely love the outcome of this room! While it is a little to frilly for my taste, I LOVE the rose trellis behind the bed... I would definitely do that in my own room

SusanneB on January 27, 2014:

Lovely bedroom!

Alyssa DeBoer on January 25, 2014:

really good job! i love the before and after

VioletteRose LM on January 25, 2014:

Beautiful decorations and a beautiful lens!

Merry Citarella from Oregon's Southern Coast on January 22, 2014:

Nice lens for a lovely room! Sweet to see all the details in the finish.

Heidi Vincent from GRENADA on January 18, 2014:

This is a really lovely makeover, partybuzz. The 'before' bedroom just wasn't happening. I can't believe how one piece of fabric mushroomed into such a fabulous makeover!

angelatvs on January 18, 2014:

Wow, well done!

Paula Hite from Virginia on January 17, 2014:

What a beautifully inviting room! I'd have a difficult time leaving it if it were me!

dudexyx on January 13, 2014:

That bedroom likes so comfy and beautiful! Your friend has done a great job changing a dull looking room into something so cosyy.

tonyleather on November 10, 2013:

I have to say I find this lens very appealing!

anonymous on November 08, 2013:

I Love The Antique Chest & Mirror. Love the idea of this lens.

Stephanie from Canada on October 15, 2013:

These are gorgeous!

ghoststorylover on August 20, 2013:

I love this look, it's like going back in time!

shewins on July 26, 2013:

It's so nice that you shared the entire process of planning and creating this look. Even if it's not exactly what someone else might want, it shows us how to draw inspiration from pieces we love.

sbconcepts on July 22, 2013:

Love to have a bedroom decorated just like these.

Melanie Paige from Adelaide, South Australia on July 08, 2013:

I love it :)

ehomedesignidea1 on June 20, 2013:

Good for her because her husband loves the decoration. Some men (especially the one I know :D) will not agree to have this feminine theme.

LaptopLeader on June 10, 2013:

I can just feel the romance in these inspiring ideas. Thank you!

Echo Phoenix on May 21, 2013:

very charming & romantic, love the roses :) what a beautiful room and lovely topic for a lens, thanks for the inspiration!

ConvenientCalendar on May 10, 2013:

I really enjoyed the pictures! Thank you for sharing!

pauline60 on April 22, 2013:

You have some gorgeous ideas on here, and my bedroom is in dire need of a makeover!

Mary Collings from Outer Hebrides off the west coast of Scotland on April 21, 2013:

Your daughter's bedroom is beautiful. She has a real talent for interior design. I love the trellis idea :)

Muebles de exte on March 22, 2013:

Very nice lens, thank you very much for your info

JeffGilbert on March 15, 2013:

That was really great showing the before and after and also all the other aspects of the room. I definitely gravitate more to this style than something more modern. Great lens!!

vinopete on March 12, 2013:

Romantic cottages are awesome! I love your ideas to bring it home.

webgirl256 on February 06, 2013:

I love this idea!

Nancy Tate Hellams from Pendleton, SC on February 03, 2013:

Wow, Vicky really has a great eye and very creative. I loved reading about how everything came together and where she found the unique items. She must be fun to shop with. I really enjoyed my visit and hope you and Vicki have inspired me to re-decorate our bedroom. It is frozen in the 1970s. lol

DuaneJ on January 23, 2013:

Wonderful decorating ideas...

RomanticBedroomI on January 20, 2013:

You have a gorgeous lens. I just love the idea of the trellis.

myspace9 on January 02, 2013:

Wow! Romantic cottage decorating ideas, nice lens.

Faye Rutledge (author) from Concord VA on December 24, 2012:

@anonymous: Tipi, thanks for returning. I'm so glad you enjoy these decorating ideas. It's such a cozy, comfy bedroom, isn't it? :)

anonymous on December 23, 2012:

Returning to enjoy your wonderful romantic cottage decorating ideas, this seems to just keep getting better!

arsib65 on December 20, 2012:

Nice job... the rose trellis is beautiful.

priscillab on December 10, 2012:

I love this look but the hubby wouldn't feel comfortable in it. You did an amazing job with your transformation and I love how it is unique.

CreativeGal on November 19, 2012:

I'll decorate in a romantic style, but probably not cottage. Cozy, yes!

FashionMommy on November 12, 2012:

it feels so warm and cozy :D i'm sure my family would like this

Ellen Gregory from Connecticut, USA on October 31, 2012:

This is very creative and pretty.

SPhilbrick on October 17, 2012:

Vicky's room is gorgeous. I love the picket fence in the window frame. Garden inspired bedrooms where I live (cold wintry climate), are welcome to bring that sense of warm invitation at any time of year. Love the ideas here!

anonymous on October 12, 2012:

Oh I do love these cottage ideas. Just came back to post this on FaceBook my dear. :)

JoshK47 on October 10, 2012:

Popping back in to bless this lovely lens!

Faye Rutledge (author) from Concord VA on October 07, 2012:

@bidandrew: Thans kquimson, for your visit and comment. Yes, this bedroom is pretty dreamy. :)

Faye Rutledge (author) from Concord VA on October 07, 2012:

@ElizabethSheppard: Thanks lizziebeth, I'm glad you like this romantic cottage bedroom. You will enjoy decorating your room in this style.

Faye Rutledge (author) from Concord VA on October 07, 2012:

@bushaex: Hi bushaex, thanks for your visit, comment, and blessing! Yes, the hat lamp is my favorite, too. :)

Stephen Bush from Ohio on October 07, 2012:

Vicky did a superb job and so did you in depicting how everything developed. The hat lamp might be my favorite detail. SquidAngel Blessings.

MegaLED on October 03, 2012:

cool

bidandrew on October 01, 2012:

I do love the pictures here! It's so dreamy! :)

bidandrew on October 01, 2012:

I do love the pictures here! It's so dreamy! :)

Elizabeth Sheppard from Bowling Green, Kentucky on October 01, 2012:

I might redecorate in this style. It sure is pretty! Vicky, the romantic cottage bedroom is really nice. I like it.

anonymous on October 01, 2012:

great tips to decorate a bedroom very very useful

anonymous on October 01, 2012:

great tips to decorate a bedroom very very useful

anonymous on September 30, 2012:

Love a cozy bedroom!

justmelucy on September 24, 2012:

Dearest Vicky, It appears that not only myself but 782 others in loving your lens. You are so thorough. I made a few notes but may have to come back again. I loved your Fiesta Ware lens also.

Xenia-consultant on September 22, 2012:

Do you have great ideas, great, great!

Faye Rutledge (author) from Concord VA on September 13, 2012:

@jeffjones22: Thanks for your visit and comment. Yes, it's a very romantic bedroom that would make you want to spend time alone.

Faye Rutledge (author) from Concord VA on September 13, 2012:

@ermiarch: Thanks ermiarch, I hope these decorating tips are helpful.

Faye Rutledge (author) from Concord VA on September 13, 2012:

@Bestbuyguide: Thanks Bestbuyguide for your visit and comment. Even a small bedroom can be decorated in a romantic theme. You may not be able to do everything shown here, but you could add a few touches. :)

Faye Rutledge (author) from Concord VA on September 13, 2012:

@lesliesinclair: Thanks Papier. Yes, this is a very relaxing bedroom theme. :)

Faye Rutledge (author) from Concord VA on September 13, 2012:

@MagicScreen: Thanks, I hope these ideas have been useful to you.

jeffjones22 on September 12, 2012:

Absolutely, sounds like a perfect time for some alone time.

ermiarch on September 04, 2012:

nice tips !

Bestbuyguide on September 04, 2012:

Such a relaxing looking bedroom. My bedroom is way too small to do too much with but I can dream.

lesliesinclair on September 03, 2012:

Sweet sleep encouraging ideas.

MagicScreen on September 03, 2012:

Love it... good stuff!!

MagicScreen on September 03, 2012:

Love it... good stuff!!

ShilohWhenkey on September 02, 2012:

Cute lens! :)

Essentially Ind on August 27, 2012:

wow so romantic tips you just provided in this great LENS..........lovable......

Essentially Ind on August 27, 2012:

wow so romantic tips you just provided in this great LENS..........lovable......

momsfunny on August 25, 2012:

This idea is lovely.

orthopedic matt on August 25, 2012:

I enjoyed this great lens!

WriterJanis2 on August 23, 2012:

These ideas are stunning. They all look so inviting.

Anna2of5 on August 20, 2012:

She did a very nice job, all the details work together. Its nice that you shared the story of the room from the first bolt of fabric.

christine_d1259 on August 06, 2012:

Romance at the cottage? What a perfect getaway! Great ideas in here thanks for sharing.

Faye Rutledge (author) from Concord VA on August 04, 2012:

@anonymous: Thanks so much Tipi! I appreciate your return and comment. Have a great day! :)

anonymous on August 03, 2012:

Returning to congratulate you on this beauty being a top 100 lens!

Frischy from Kentucky, USA on July 28, 2012:

Your daughter's bedroom is beautiful!

oakstreet on July 23, 2012:

Full of Romantic ideas and great classic taste. Great len and I "like" it.

Faye Rutledge (author) from Concord VA on July 22, 2012:

@chas65: chas65, thanks for your visit and comment. Yes, antiques are the perfect fit for a romantic cottage room. I've featured your antique resource lenses here for everyone's benefit. Thanks! :)

chas65 on July 21, 2012:

Being an antique dealer, I love to see different design ideas and how antiques can fit that style.