Tag: nursery ideas

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Bedrooms Kids Rooms Styling

4 kids’ bedrooms that blew my mind in 2017

Nicole Rosenberg from Little Liberty is the absolute queen of cool kids’ rooms. We first interviewed her in 2015 and her interiors just kept getting better. It’s safe to say they’ve now reached a whole other level! I think what I love most about her signature look (although no two designs are ever the same) is that they’re spaces kids and parents alike will love (oh and wallpaper, lots of amazing wallpaper!). Last year was no exception, with the former occupational therapist churning out room after stunning room. Here are four of our favourites.

This one is all about the wallpaper for me and the monochrome base with beautifully chosen accessories which pop but could also easily be changed up later. This room will definitely grow with its little person without looking dated or too young. I can easily see a teenager in here.

This room has a lot going on but somehow it’s still really calm, which I always think is important.

How’s this for another neutral room which is by no means dull? I love the feature wallpaper and the animal heads and marquee lights make it obviously a kids’ room. The design of these bunks is great and a little bit different, creating great use of space.

For older kids, somewhere to do homework in peace becomes really important if you have space.

Bunks aside, I know many grown-up girls who would love this next room with its fabulous marble-look ceiling!

Nicole’s taken all that was good about last year’s blush and grey craze and created a very pretty, but also sophisticated and restrained room.

I really love this homework nook.

Well, it takes some imagination to come up with a black nursery and some serious talent to execute it, but OMG, this is just brilliant! Nicole’s fans agreed, as it was her most liked project on insta in 2017. How good is the wallpaper?!

For all its wow factor, this space is really quite simple but every design choice is spot on.

It’s so refreshing to see something so different for a baby’s room but I also love how calm the space is.

Which is your favourite?

For more on Nicole and Little Liberty.

Categories
Bedrooms Designers Expert Tips Furniture Homewares Interviews Kids Rooms Styling

Affordable photography & styling service by crafty supermum!

It’s not too often that I stumble upon something I’ve never seen before, but Concrete & Honey certainly ticks that box!

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With a unique business model, owner Nicola Greenaway provides an affordable styling and photography service for growing little businesses, encompassing everything from photography and styling to prop and studio hire, plus a little bit of PR.

“Clients post their products to me and in just a few days, they have beautifully styled images to share on social media, in online and print advertising and for their websites and webstores,” explains Nicola. “The service includes beautiful photography through to social media, as I share on my Instagram and/or blog. I also photograph babies and have been asked to design and photograph nurseries which I love to do.”

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Running Concrete & Honey alongside her blog and Etsy shop of the same name, Nicola is also a mother and a full-time employee (is she superwoman or what?!). “I work full-time in a bank and started my blog six years ago as a creative outlet from the corporate world. This year, I started my website and now style and photograph on weekends and craft at night for my Etsy shop.”

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Designed by Brie Stanley

 

Selling a range of products on Etsy, from paper feather clusters to stitch dot garlands, you’ll also find kids room design packages including mood boards, shopping lists and styling tips. Due to popular demand, she has even created a package based off her own dream nursery, her daughter Piper’s!

“Piper’s room is pretty dreamy: white walls and floors and grey linen curtains, a Número 74 canopy with lots of lush cushions and a great clothes rack to top it off. Her IKEA Ribba picture shelves are an effective way to display books and prints and the HK Living button wall hooks used as door handles on her wardrobe look gorgeous.”

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With a style that is modern, graphic and a little bit romantic; Nicola loves everything light and white, though let’s not forget some beautiful things to give the room a pop of colour. She believes you can create the look – be it in your kids room or anywhere in your home — without the big budget. “A fresh coat of paint is a must. If in doubt, make everything white and add colour with the wares. Remove anything you don’t absolutely love from sight. Paper storage bags are great for this. Beautiful greeting cards can be art when framed and they’re only a few dollars each.”

For more information.

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Designers Furniture Homewares

Australian nursery ideas: Homely Creatures

With a style that is: “contemporary but not cold, handmade but not old, Scandinavian inspired but with a language of its own,” Homely Creatures offer a range of cute products for nurseries and kids rooms.

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Supporting handmade and fair trade without compromising on style, owner Emma Patterson designs everything herself, down to the very last detail. “It all starts with an idea that comes from nowhere or from a trend or from a hunch. Then I form the idea in my head, before creating a ‘spec’ for the product and often a physical sample too. It doesn’t take me long to get the idea out of my head once it has been formed. If I need to force it then most of the time the product fails to launch or doesn’t do very well if it does!”

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Having worked as a product and graphic designer, Emma has a lot of experience when it comes to designing beautiful wares for the young, or young at heart! With a love of everything monochrome, pastel and textural, all her products fit perfectly into her dream (and on-trend) nursery. “I dream of a nursery with greys, off-whites, dusty pastels and lots of lovely soft textures. Thin black and white stripes here and there with light timber furniture and toys. Little personal details on shelves, and black triangle decals all in a row. Big windows for lots of sunshine and hanging plants, plus the perfect vintage or cane rocking chair.”

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However, when it comes to turning her dream nursery into reality, Emma is quick to comment that it doesn’t have to be too costly. “Big ticket items like the cot and furniture can be bought from eBay or you can even head to Ikea for these. You could try your hand at making a teepee or cubby yourself, and once these key large items are in it won’t be hard to add final touches such as cushions, wall hangings and other decor without breaking the bank — especially if you have some treasured items saved from your own childhood.”

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Shop online.

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Bedrooms Designers Interviews Kids Rooms

Australian nursery ideas: with Sunday Collector

Recently, we spoke to Briar Stanley, the blogger and interior decorator behind Sunday Collector. As a specialist in creating gorgeous rooms — especially for little people — we thought she would be the perfect person to share some tips on designing your nursery.

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Minnie_1 “Decide on the piece you want to splurge on (maybe the cot that converts into a toddler bed) and then don’t be afraid to mix vintage pieces with new. Have fun trawling op shops for a day or check out Gumtree for cute timber bookshelves or change tables. Update these pieces with a coat of paint and you will end up with an original nursery that has loads of character. Places like IKEA, Cotton On and Target are also your friend when it comes to nurseries — mix in a few pieces from affordable shops here and there for a truly unique space.”

BR1Briar also puts a lot of emphasis on the colour palette, recommending colour over its monochrome counterpart. “I’ve seen lots of black and white rooms lately, but I am happy to see colour is making a big comeback. I like the idea of kids growing up around the innocence of ‘happy’ colours. Cool painted wall murals are proving pretty popular, as is cute wallpaper.”

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Alongside a beautiful looking room, for Briar functionality is also of the utmost importance. “A change table with handy storage close by for nappies and wipes is a good idea. You want to be prepared in those early months with a newborn. Sleep deprivation can make the simplest task (like finding a nappy in the middle of the night) impossible! Also, a dimmer for the ceiling light is always handy. You need to be able to see your hands without bright overhead lighting that may stimulate your baby from slumber.”

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Having designed an array of nurseries, Briar can’t help but admit her favourite was her daughter, Sunday’s. “It was a true labour of love and a slow process of pulling together a space I imagined my daughter would like while I was pregnant. As luck would have it, I pretty much imagined her toddler personality (cheeky, funny, bold, artistic) perfectly. As a nearly three-year old, it’s a space she loves to play in and she’s always telling our visitors to, ‘Come see my room, now!'”

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With Sunday now a toddler, Briar recently transitioned the nursery into a kids room, a process that wasn’t time-consuming or expensive! “If you’re like me with my daughter, transforming your nursery into a kids room could be as easy as replacing the cot with an appropriate toddler bed and some fresh bed linen. I also added a second bookshelf to deal with a huge over-supply of books, and updated a few things on her walls. I’ll often find a client has applied a nursery-themed wall decal before I’ve come on on the scene, so removing that and replacing it with some great art is a really easy way to update a nursery.”

For more information.

Categories
Interviews Kids Rooms Styling

Australian nursery ideas: with Little Liberty

Originally an occupational therapist, it took having children for Nicole Rosenberg to start obsessing over interiors. “Once I had children, I started becoming infatuated with how my children’s rooms looked and perfected the art of creating a space for each individual child’s personality — they were very varied! A few friends of mine asked if I could do their children’s rooms after seeing what I had created for my own and then it was like a snowball effect!”

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Starting up her own interior decorating company, Little Liberty, Nicole specialises in transforming rooms for kids of all ages. With a distinct style that is “modern, fresh and fun with a Scandinavian twist,” we particularly love her nurseries that are both on trend and gender neutral. “The black and white scandi trend is often used for both boys and girls. But at the same time people are really steering away from the more traditional colours such as pink and blue. Yellow is a hot colour for boys and peach is big for girls! The copper trend is also huge at the moment as is light wood kids furniture, which gives the room an instant contemporary feel.”

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With a variety of decorating and styling services available, including on site full service consultations, e-design and a baby room registry, Nicole knows a few tricks of the trade when it comes to styling a nursery on a budget. “Places like H&M Home, Cotton on KIDS and even K-mart and Target are great places to hunt for cheap room products. Also, scouring the internet for cheaper furniture and soft furnishings can be a great way to save money.”

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While all nurseries differ, Nicole believes every nursery must have five specific products and the rest is up to personal taste. “My must-buys are a cot, change table, book stand, rug and artwork.” And while they take up the bulk of Nicole’s dream nursery, what else would it include? “I really love Scandinavian rooms so it would have to be filled with greys, white, hints of black and copper!”

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For more on Nicole visit her website.

Categories
Kids Rooms Styling

Australian nursery ideas: with The Affordable Style Files

With her lifestyle blog and styling business of the same name, The Affordable Style Files, Hong Henwood is passionate about making beautiful interiors a reality for everyone, no matter the budget.

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“I started The Affordable Style Files because I wanted to show people that you can style your home on any budget,” explains Hong. “I use both affordable and secondhand pieces, as well as some designer products, to create looks that make your house a home in accordance with your taste. I love mixing vintage with modern.”

The Affordable Style Files Interiors Addict 1

The Affordable Style Files Interiors Addict 1

Providing an e-design service, interior styling for the home and styling products for small businesses, mother of two Hong has her children Charlie and Miya to thank for getting her into interior design. “After living in Tokyo, working in a corporate job and working long hours, I decided that it wasn’t for me. I had a baby and things changed! I wanted to do something that would let me stay at home, explore my creative side and also allow me to spend time with my baby. So I decided on interior design and decoration.”

Since then, Hong has gone on to style many gorgeous rooms, but it is her nurseries in particular that have caught our eye. With a style that is a mix of: “Vintage, modern, splashes of Ikea and products that are timeless and never date,” she creates one-of-a-kind baby rooms at affordable prices. Which of course, we love!

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So what are Hong’s tips for nursery styling on a budget? “Mixing secondhand pieces that you can paint and make look new again are great for nurseries. Annie Sloan Chalk Paint is perfect for these types of projects. I just love a good DIY! I find Ikea have great shelving that is affordable and can make a room stand out. And online marketplaces like Etsy are also a good source for finding little pieces such as cushions, garlands, prints, soft toys and blankets for your little one.”

However, according to Hong, some things are worth splurging on, especially items that will grow with your child like a beautiful lamp, armchair or painting. “I think it’s important that your nursery should be able to be changed into a toddler room without too much fuss and expense.”

The Affordable Style Files Interiors Addict

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With the current nursery trends seeing a strong Nordic influence, alongside pastel colours and modern additions like Miffy lamps, stylish linen and string and floating shelving, Hong’s dream nursery is a mix of this and a little bit of The Affordable Style Files quirk! “I love nurseries to be bright, quirky and most importantly, a space that everything can be used and is comfortable! I would have an amazing armchair, beautiful vintage cot, gorgeous prints and lots of bright pieces. And a colourful armoire filled with beautiful blankets, toys and clothes.”

For more information.

Categories
Bedrooms Kids Rooms

Nursery décor: it’s all for the parents, not the baby!

Photo: Bramwell Designs. Styling by Simone Barter, photography by Elisabeth Harvey

(And that’s okay!)

I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately, as I start pulling together design ideas for our unborn child’s nursery. It’s a deliciously self-indulgent pass time really. Kids’ rooms are really good fun and can be beautiful, cute, dreamy, whimsical, soothing and many more lovely adjectives. But will baby benefit? Not so much. It’s all about the parents. And when I say parents, I mostly mean the mums (not to say some dads aren’t also interested in the wallpaper choices for their newborn!).

Photo: Bramwell Designs. Styling by Simone Barter, photography by Elisabeth Harvey
Photo: Bramwell Designs. Styling by Simone Barter, photography by Elisabeth Harvey

Will the baby care about that carefully chosen wall art with cute inspirational quotes or the wallpaper pattern, the carefully picked colour scheme, decorative accents or coordinating linen? Um, no. They just want a comfortable cot mattress, a dark, quiet room at the correct temperature and someone to attend to their every cry. It will be months before they can work out what’s going on with that designer mobile hanging above them or are even capable of clearly seeing it. It’s even more ironic and amusing when you consider many people’s babies won’t even sleep in these perfectly prepared sanctuaries for months after their arrival as they snooze in the bassinet in your room first!

I have my eye on the Pottery Barn Kids Emerson cot in navy
I have my eye on the Pottery Barn Kids Emerson cot in navy

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No, nursery décor is definitely all about the parents!

And there’s absolutely nothing wrong in that if you ask me. As I prepare to spend many hours in that room feeding my child, damn straight I want a comfortable chair and some pretty things to look at. And practically, yes, I need sufficient storage for all those nappies, clothes and seemingly endless baby paraphernalia.

And designing kids’ rooms is so much fun, it really is (I remember interior designer Greg Natale once telling me the very same thing). It’s nothing like designing a grown up room. And, especially when it’s your first, working on it really adds to the anticipation and excitement.

A child's room by interior designer Greg Natale
A child’s room by interior designer Greg Natale

Of course, later on, when your child’s a bit older, they’ll appreciate the bright/soothing colours and interesting textures you’ve lovingly chosen for their room. But you can bet your bottom dollar it will be something garish and plastic which keeps their attention longest. Or, like my friend’s baby girl Audrey, it will be the energy rating sticker on the fridge which they can’t stop looking at!

In a future post, we’ll talk about the practical and safety elements of designing a nursery (no, you can’t have the cot under the window, even if it looks better there, damn it!). Later on, as it comes together, I’ll be sharing the work in progress that is Baby Interiors Addict’s nursery too. Watch this space!

If there’s a serious point to make in this post it’s that while gorgeous nurseries are fun and enjoyable to decorate, what babies really need most is love, care and attention. And nappies. And milk. Lots of that.

Find all our kids room latest in this section.