Before and After: A Kid’s Basic Peachy Bedroom Gets an Incredible “Sunshine and Rainbows” Makeover

Cullen Ormond
·2 min read
soft pink walls, flower headboard pink twin bed, pink nightstand with wicker caning on front, orange flower pillow
Credit: Cassandra Danson Credit: Cassandra Danson

Even though artist and photographer Cass Danson’s daughter, Lola’s, bedroom was already decked out in peach tones, she felt like it was “a bit more basic.” Lola was growing up and started admiring bright colors, so it only felt right that Danson ensured her bedroom reflected her daughter’s self-expression.

Wood cart with various paints, pink tongue and groove paneling up half wall, ladder, rainbow, sunshine, and flower doodles painted on wall
Credit: Cassandra Danson Credit: Cassandra Danson

“The inspiration behind this new space was actually from a shop I visited when I was traveling in London. They had a big basement space with a huge wall mural,” Danson shared via email. “It was so fun and colourful I wanted to bring the same vibe to Lola’s room.”

Rainbow squiggles and doodle mural in pinks, yellows, green, and blue, pink paneling half wall, pink and teal zzz carpet, large flowers on bed spread, floating shelf for cherry art
Credit: Cassandra Danson Credit: Cassandra Danson

There are several DIY projects in Lola’s room. For starters, Danson used craft panels with rails on top to create custom wall paneling and painted it in Dulux’s Gizmo (in the half-strength version). But the vibrant colors didn’t stop there — she also created a vibrant wall mural (similar to this $50 rainbow-themed mural).

Pink paneling up half wall, red locker next to pink flower headboard twin bed, triangle flag ribbon, squiggle and heart doodles on wall
Credit: Cassandra Danson Credit: Cassandra Danson

“The wall mural I free-handed as I went. I just knew I wanted it to feel like sunshine and rainbows,” Danson explains. “I used a bunch of sample pot colours for this, a lot I had mixed my own colours. On the other side of the room, I also painted the retro wave mural (also free hand) this was colours I had mixed myself as well.”

orange, pink, and purple squiggle line mural through middle of wall, round red mirror above small vanity desk, pink and red flower throw blanket, purple suitcase with dolls
Credit: Cassandra Danson Credit: Cassandra Danson

Initially, the Target vanity in Lola’s room had a different mirror, but Danson swapped it out for a bright red, bubble-type mirror and painted the stool and dresser drawer to match. This proves that you don’t always have to buy new furniture pieces; this dresser looks utterly different from what it started from.

Even though the room was bright and beautiful before the makeover, it’s bursting with color now. Danson proves that an entire room can feel brand new with just a little bit of paint. The bright colors are Danson and Lola’s favorite parts of the new room, too.

“My favourite part is 100% the mural above her bed. Lots of love went into creating it for her, and I had so much fun doing it,” Danson writes. “Lola’s favourite part is the retro wave mural. She thinks the elf on the shelf painted it as I did it right before Christmas and set up the elves as if they had been painting.”

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