That's a very busy quilt. I'd paint both the bed and dresser white, and get fun hardware for the dresser and let the quilt do the decorating for the bed.

I'd then repaint the walls.

OR, paint the bed that bright orange. That orange, with the bedding and pink walls would be great, IMO.

This post was edited by Tibbrix on Sat, Aug 30, 14 at 17:56

Tibbrix--thanks for your comments!

By "that orange" do you mean the BM Bird of Paradise (the first paint chip)?

Here's sort of what the bed would look like what. It's just primed here waiting in the garage for paint.

Here's another view of the BM Bird of Paradise.

Yes. I think that orange is really fun, and would look great against a pink wall.

Fun knobs for a dresser for a little girl who likes horses

Thanks for clarifying. How did you know she's OBSESSED with horses?!?

Well, I didn't know she is OBSESSED with them, but you mentioned a "bin of horses", and most little girls like horses!

I actually like the wall color! And think it will stand the test of time as she grows. But if you don't like it....

I also vote for white dresser with fun hardware. And I think the white would work well on the bed too. Maybe you could use the color on the window treatments?

Tibbrix--oh yes. I did mention horses. LOL!

Sumac--I don't dislike the wall color. It just turned out more PINK and in your face than I had intended three years ago. But I'd been wanting a daughter since I was young and it took sooo long to get her so I decided to indulge my desire of a pink girls room. :) Interesting idea to use the color on the 3 windows instead of the furniture.

I like the SW for the bed. If I were talented, I would paint the dresser the same color but with wide white vertical stripes (tape them off when you paint).

The bedding is wonderful, and I think a wide stripe thrown in would set it all off!

What are you planning to do on the floor?

With bedding and furniture that colorful, I would paint the walls white and let the stuff in the room do the talking.

Is it a surprise, or can you let her pick the color? I like a pink coral as much as possible, so probably the bird of paradise. Is there a different pink in the tree with the blue trunk?

I painted a nightstand BM Coral Gables --- really nice color.

Kswl--thanks for your input. I'm intrigued with the idea of white dresser with a stripe from the bed color. The floor? Nothing really. I love area rugs, but with that standard run-of-the-mill carpet down, I think an area rug on top might be too much. Right? And the carpet isn't as drab IRL as it looks in these photos.

Nosoccermom--she knows she's getting a bed, but doesn't pay it much mind. With her personality, I'm not sure her picking is a good thing. I know she wants a "pink bed". Of course. :) Her words.

The tree with the blue trunk has a couple shades of pink. Here it is closer with BM "Coral Gables". I had looked at that one also.

And here's L-R: BM Bird of Paradise, BM Coral Gables, and SW Ardent Coral (very close to B of P)

I also would like to see the walls stay pink
The bed and dresser white because that bedding is enough color on bed.
Then use the bird of paradise painted on inexpensive wooden knobs for dresser and like someone mentioned window treatments and bulletin board in the bird of paradise color fabric.

I'd paint the bed and dresser white because down the track you may wish to change the bedding. White goes with most everything so it would be easy to ring the changes.

What lyban said.

It's not that huge a deal to paint. The girl wants a pink bed. I'd give it to her.

BM Coral Gables

I vote all white furniture.

I appreciate the input everyone!

I've thought about it all night and am down to two choices. I hadn't thought about what her nightstand would be. I don't have one for her yet

1. Bed and dresser white. Whatever nightstand I get would be coral.

2. Bed coral. Dresser white. Nightstand white.

We wanted to start painting today to get all the coats on both sides so we could set it up tomorrow night. Need to decide.

I vote for #1

White for the bed and dresser. Bring practical I can see white for many years ahead. Do the night stand in the fun color.

When she is a teen, you will probably be replacing all of this!

Option 1. It will be beautiful!

I am also leaning towards #1. White bed and white dresser.

BUT!!!!!!!

When I just told little DD we were going to paint it white, she got very upset. She wants a pink bed. Well, actually she said red but I told her that wasn't an option. She cried and said pink, pink, pink. Oh man.......

You're the mom.

Tell her she cant' even see the bed but she can see the nightstand, so it makes more sense for the nightstand to be pink.

She's 5.

Poor child thought she was going to get a pink bed and now the grow ups are spoiling her fun. This is a kid's room and this furniture is not a lifetime investment. Paint it pink, make her happy....she's five!

Disagree. Five is a great age to start teaching that crying and having tantrums doesn't get you what you want. Too many kids rule the roost now, IMO, and this is why; parents reward bad behavior.

She's five. Next year she'll want a purple bed.

Tell her when she's eight, she gets to choose the color of her bed, but for now, you'll do so.

Tibb, lighten up----we're talking about painting a bed here. :-)

No, we're not, kswl.

Option 2. Especially if you see her point of view.
It sounds the only/main thing your daughter wanted is a pink bed (or red --- it's actually a pinkish red), and she asked for it before the project started. You got pink paint samples. It doesn't seem far fetched for her that she could expect to have her bed painted pink.
I honestly think at that age, or at any age, you have to pick your battles. There are lots of things you can't and won't allow. I wouldn't fight over a bed, especially since in that case, there's no reason not to. Looking at the bed, it's really not that big a deal to paint it.

I think a coral color on the bed would be adorable. Maybe not the safe choice over white, but it's a fun color and appropriate for a little girls room, IMO. I would make it a dark enough shade of coral to contrast with the walls.

This post was edited by coll_123 on Sun, Aug 31, 14 at 15:19

I see the parenting dilemma here. This little girl is one intense package. We've been dealing with her tantrums and drama for a long time. We even had a private session with the child development expert in town who assures me that part of her intenseness is her age. Developmentally, the six months between 4.5 and 5y.o. is apparently THE worst time to make it through as a parent of a young child.

I usually am the bada$$ parent. I do not give in to her tantrums. I repeat daily to her that "a tantrum doesn't get you what you want." And it doesn't. I agree that always giving in at a young age sets a bad precedent.

This was different. It wasn't a tantrum. It was a sad little heart thinking for more than a month that she was going to get a pink bed then being told she wasn't. I think a 4 3/4 y.o. is old enough to have *some* input on what her room looks like.

White will be easier to find in the dark.

It's not really giving in to a tantrum. I personally think she has a right to be upset.
She wanted a pink bed. You told her she was going to get a pink bed. You got samples, basically going ahead with it. Now, some "strangers" vote that it should be white because it's more timeless or better decor.
Hey, I'd throw a tantrum :)

I would tell her that there will be coral (or whatever) and white and let her pick. I'd even let her pick between the different red/pink/coral samples.

Also, I understand that you don't want to send the wrong message by seemingly give in after a meltdown. However, to insist on white just to prove that tantrums don't work seems kind of counterproductive. It's ok for a parent to reverse a decision when appropriate.

Put glow in the dark stars on the bed in the dark, and you can find it.

Parents have to say "no" a zillion times a day, it was disheartening to hear how many times it came out of my own mouth for perfectly sound reasons. We actively looked for yes answers to our kids when possible. Decisions like the color to paint a thrift store bed don't involve health, safety or moral imperatives, just personal preferences. They're an easy yes :-)