Girls Bedroom Glow Up with Caitlin Drader
Welcome to the inaugural post of the MPC Blog! We're thrilled to kick things off with a splash of color and creativity, featuring our talented friend Caitlin Drader. Caitlin is a photographer and mother of two who recently gave her daughters' shared bedroom a vibrant makeover.
Caitlin brings over a decade of expertise in e-commerce, commercial, and product photography to the table. However, it was motherhood that truly ignited her passion for capturing life's precious moments. With a keen eye for detail and a heart full of love for her little ones, Caitlin understands the importance of freezing time in a frame, especially those fleeting childhood years.
In this feature, Caitlin shares how she transformed the shared bedroom of her daughters, Mila and Romee. The room makeover not only created a delightful space for the girls but also allowed Caitlin to reclaim the third bedroom as her dedicated office - no more editing on the kitchen table!
Join us as we dive into Caitlin's creative process, her color choices, and how she incorporated MPC posters to bring personality and vibrancy to her daughters' room.
Can you tell us about your daughters' shared bedroom before the makeover?
I decided when it was time for Romee to transition from her cot to a toddler bed that we would have the girls share a room. Pre babies, our third bedroom was my office space then it turned into Romee’s nursery. Selfishly, I wanted my office space back. Sitting at the dining room table next to the pile of washing that needed doing wasn’t very inspiring and I was craving my own space. Pre makeover, Romee was in her toddler bed and Mila had a king single. This worked really well for the most part until Romee started asking for a big girl's bed. Naturally as the second child, she copies and wants everything her older sister has. There was nothing “wrong” with their room before. It just lacked any kind of personality.
What inspired the upgrade and more specifically what inspired you to add more color?
I have had a Pinterest board of fun kids rooms saved since forever ago and on a random Tuesday, I decided I was finally going to do it. You, Brooke were actually a huge inspiration and deciding factor in adding more colour! I have always loved the way you incorporate colour and prints into your kids rooms, wardrobes, life's and I felt I needed to take a little of that and inject it into mine.
How did you choose the color scheme for the room? Were your daughters involved in the decision?
The yellow panelled wall was my decision. Yellow is such a happy colour and that’s what I wanted to feel when I walk down the hallway and peer in. I also scrolled past this one particular Pinterest image that really confirmed that yellow was going to be the colour.
We'd love to hear about the MPC posters you selected. What drew you to MPC and howd you make your selects?
MPC prints offer such a fun pop of colour that are made even more special by being individualised with each of the girl’s initials. The colour choices were easy. One yellow to tie in with the feature wall and one pink because the girls both love pink. I chose to frame them in a oak coloured frame which I felt was a nice finishing touch.
As a photographer, how do you feel color impacts the overall aesthetic and mood of a space?
Colour makes such a huge impact on everything. It creates the look but also the feeling. I’ve used colour in my girl’s room to brighten it, add some playfulness and it now reflects their personality. I want them to remember their childhood as colourful. My own bedroom is vastly different. Soft white walls, neutral colours only because that’s what brings me a sense of calm at the end of the day which is so desperately needed.
Were there any challenges you faced when incorporating brighter colors into the room? How did you overcome them?
There was just the question of will I love the finished product. I was 90% sure I would. I’m really good at visualizing the end outcome, so I could see the space and the end result in my mind before I had begun. I went with a half wall design for the feature wall as it was less of a commitment. I’m still on the lookout for a floor rug which I think will really bring it all together.
How have your daughters reacted to their new, colorful space?
They LOVE it! Anytime a visitor comes over, Mila shows them to her new room. It’s so nice to have a space your proud of and want to play in.
Any tips for parents who want to add more color to their kids' rooms but are unsure where to start?
All of the places I chose to inject colour are so easily interchangeable, meaning if you don’t like it or your kids grow out of it then it’s a coat of paint or some fresh new bedding to change the whole look again. For fixtures such as curtains that are permanent, I went with soft neutral sheers because I know I will always love them. Choosing colour through decor, paint, bedding, prints and accessories is a great way to ease into adding some colour if you’re a bit scared or not sure where to start.
How do you balance your professional eye for aesthetics with creating a functional space for your children?
With now two beds in the room, the space did become limited in terms of layout which I guess made the decision easier in terms of set up. It was always going to be two beds with a bedside table in between. This allows some floor space in the middle for them to play but the symmetry of the room still ticks the aesthetic box.
Looking ahead, how do you see the room evolving as your daughters grow?
I think the style of the room and the general decor will lend itself for a few years to come. It is definitely a kid's room but none of the styling lends itself to a specific age. I can’t see the kids becoming sick of their room within the couple of years. My husband and I would love to move house within the next year or two and the hope is to have a 4 bedroom so the option of a room each is there as they get older and potentially want their own space. Hopefully enough land to build a beautiful studio space too *fingers crossed*
