*Thanks so much for all of the kind words and the love you shared after yesterday’s post. It was so touching to read all of your stories and memories.
A few weeks ago, when Clara spotted a canopy hanging over a friend’s bed, she was immediately in love. She asked right then for “daddy and mommy to build a canopy with a hammer and some blankets.” We were totally on board—just not for the whole hammering blankets part.
We love that it was her idea and that the canopy adds playful personality to her room. It might even help her feel ready to sleep in her daybed; she’s still happily napping in her crib, but seems a little closer to making the switch every day.
First, we grabbed some spare fabric from my stash—not for color, but to test the shape we liked and to figure out how much yardage we’d need. The initial planning happened before we painted her room and closet, but we quickly realized the paint should come first, so that project jumped the line.
Next, John channeled a bit of DIY superhero energy—because that helps with any project.
The day before a fabric run, I remembered we had some old white sheer curtains. John held them up so we could see how white would look in the space. With a busy rug, patterned curtains, and art we plan to rehang, white sheers with a colorful trim seemed like the best choice: playful without being too circus-y, and something that would grow with Clara as her tastes change.
We liked the white sheers, but they felt a little plain without trim and were a touch short on the sides. We used them as placeholders to measure how much more fabric we’d need to drape fully over both sides of the bed. The magic number: six yards.
We had great luck at the fabric store. Six yards of washable cotton/poly blend came in at a very reasonable price thanks to a coupon, and we also found six yards of turquoise pom-pom trim to go around the outer edge. Clara actually pointed out the trim and petted it, which sealed the deal. The pom-poms added exactly the kind of fun accent we wanted to tie into the rug and curtains.
After washing the fabric so it would be pre-shrunk and ready, I hemmed all four sides. I did a double hem—folding and sewing twice—to give the inside a completely finished look, since you can see the canopy from underneath while lying in bed. Double hemming an 18 x 4 foot piece of fabric takes time, especially for a reluctant seamstress like me, but I got in the zone. When it was finished I calculated that I’d stitched 88 feet of sewing—oddly satisfying to quantify the effort.
Next came the pom-pom trim. I sewed it to the front edge along the full 18-foot length. All told the sewing took about four hours; a more experienced sewer could probably finish much faster. I love how the pom-poms coordinate with the room and give Clara something cheerful to gaze at.
For hanging, we reused decorative wooden brackets we had from another room, and bought one more. The brackets were only 9.5 inches deep, and we wanted the fabric to billow out more, so we cut scrap wood to create 17-inch slats. We nailed the slats to the top of the brackets to make each piece one solid unit, then secured the brackets to the wall with a pair of screws and anchors each. The bracket backs have two holes that slip over screw heads, so they hold firmly in place.
Safety and placement mattered to us. We positioned the side brackets about 32 inches above the top of the mattress so the canopy stays out of the way during reading, snuggling, and general play. That height also reduces the chance of anyone leaning back and getting tangled in the fabric. Because the brackets line up with the bed’s arms, they won’t be in a spot where someone might naturally lean or jump.
For now, the large flap of fabric simply rests on the brackets. I considered using strips of Velcro to hold it in place along the top, but Clara has been so gentle—just gazing up at it and softly petting the pom-poms—that I decided to leave it as is. If it starts getting pulled or driving me crazy, I’ll add Velcro later.
She’s smitten. One photo catches her love for the canopy perfectly: blurry because she was moving, but full of joy. I’m thrilled it makes her so happy.
We’re not quite finished with that wall. We’re considering adding chunky crown molding around the top of the room and possibly hanging a mirror, art, or a 3D paper-mâché animal collection to break up the white triangle under the canopy. The final choice is still undecided, but it will likely be something that complements the canopy and the colors already in the room.
In the meantime, I love that the canopy is made from washable, kid-friendly fabric and that the project was straightforward. Most importantly, it makes Clara feel special. This morning I overheard her telling Burger he had to wear “a crown and a wand to come into my room because it’s for royal sleepovers.” Burger isn’t quite convinced about wearing anything on his head yet, but the canopy has already inspired lots of imaginative play.
Update – If you’re curious about items in our house or the paint colors we used, check our shop page in the house section.
