Free Leftover Paint, $0 Storage, and a Triple Bunk Bed Create the Most Magical Bedroom 

It’s so clear that Marcelline designed her 700-square-foot, maximalist Manhattan apartment for her three daughters: Hunter, age 10; Monroe, age 8; and Lucia, age 3. The home is teeming with whimsical colors and patterns, and she even created a kids’ crafting area in the living room corner. And yet, how she designed and continues to iterate on her three daughters’ shared bedroom just might take the cake on both happy vibes and functionality. 

Fitting three growing kids into a small New York City bedroom is one serious feat. Marcelline made it work by taking advantage of the tall ceilings, purchasing a three-layer bunk bed from Restoration Hardware (unfortunately, it’s no longer available) and wrapping it in fabric sourced from a Buy Nothing group. This way, even in a shared bedroom, each girl has her own designated space to unwind. 

Speaking of Buy Nothing groups, Marcelline sourced much of the home’s furniture (almost 75%, she says) from secondhand sources like Buy Nothing Facebook groups and the curb. That includes the storage solutions in the girls’ bedroom, as well. She sourced a beautiful vintage dresser from Facebook Marketplace, found a bookshelf on the street, and discovered baskets, a rattan wall shelf, and a coat tree (that she made over) via her Buy Nothing group.

In a room full of eye-catching and bright details, one of the most striking elements is the custom mural that Marcelline painted for her girls as a surprise. Her Buy Nothing group gave her leftover paint and materials (she also found some on the street), and she painted an array of flowers and shapes on the wall while her girls were away. “I thought I would paint a couple of flowers but got carried away,” Marcelline told Apartment Therapy in her House Tour.

All of the artwork on the walls was crafted by Marcelline’s daughters (likely in the crafting corner in the living room). On the floor, an Anthropologie rug adds even more pattern and vibrancy. The Jardin Printed Wool Blend Rug comes in seven sizes and looks not only plush but also dimensional, with bold colors and varied depth.

It seems that even though Marcelline’s daughters’ room doesn’t have the biggest footprint, it really hasn’t compromised on anything. It’s still bursting with color and is so functional and liveable that I imagine the girls spend a lot of time in that room, too.

To see more of Marcelline and her daughters’ gorgeous home, visit the full House Tour on Apartment Therapy.