(image: room to bloom 1. bandit bat toy 2. orange polka dot paper lampshade 3. lucky boy sunday lou lou doll 4. brown mushroom light 5. bear side table 6. donna wilson rill soft toy)
Earlier this year I visited the children’s day care centre that my sister runs in Haarlem, The Netherlands. The Teddyzolder (teddy attic) is a nursery and after school club inspired by the principles of Reggio Emilia. This approach puts the natural development of children at the centre of its philosophy, as well as the close relationships that they share with their environment.
The nursery aims to provide a homely environment, as it believes that when staff and parents feel at home, children will feel at home quicker too and thrive. It’s a comfortable and inviting space, thoughtfully designed to stimulate interaction and communication, whilst also offering children the opportunity to find a quiet nook and spend some time by themselves.
The spaces are organised in open areas for energetic play and lots of movement, and smaller zones or ‘corners’ where children can retreat and experience different atmospheres. There are corners for quiet reading, crafting, building, playing ‘house’, a dolls corner, dressing up room and a mini theatre with a stage, to name a few.
Through the use of materials and colours, the centre has created a warm and welcoming atmosphere that is a long way away from the “institutional” design, or lack of interior design, that I’ve seen at many day nurseries. I love the bright, cheerful colours, bunches of artificial flowers everywhere, large colourful lamp shades, bold wallpaper, and layers of differently patterned curtains. I would love to design a day nursery – so if you’re hiring… drop me a line! ; )
(images: room to bloom)
Back in August I decided to take a short break from blogging to go on holiday, recharge my batteries, and start again with new energy… Well, that break lasted a bit longer than planned, but whilst not blogging, I have been working on a number of lovely new rooms which I hope to be able to share with you soon. Here is a sneak peek of a little girl’s bedroom that is nearly completed. More soon!
(image: room to bloom)
Today I’m guest blogging over at international kids design and lifestyle blog Paul & Paula. Lots of readers check in to find children’s fashion inspiration there, so I thought it would be fun to pick an outfit and let it inspire me to create a design board for a kids room.
Here is a sneak peak, but for the full room, sources and how you can find room inspiration in your little one’s wardrobe, fix yourself a drink and hop on over to Paul & Paula.
1. little troll sketch dress 2. mini moderns alice wallpaper, full room and details over on the Paul & Paula blog!
(image: room to bloom)
This gorgeous nursery is Theo’s room, he’s one year old. I asked his mama Carina of xo-in my room a few questions about the room.
- What was the inspiration or starting point for Theo’s nursery? I have loads of visual inputs in a day and can’t remember wich was the first sparkle. I love to dress up kids and have fun, so maybe the animal masks.
- What is your favourite part of the room? The animal carnival masks overlooking the crib – a fun take on safari trophees!
- What is your best nursery design tip? Mix and don’t try to match. Don’t be afraid of contrasts, they make your nursery personal!
Thank you Carina!
You can see Carina’s daughter Irene’s room over here.
NEWS FLASH! XO-in my room has now opened their online shop where you can buy Theo’s gorgeous crib and other cribs and accesories for your baby’s room.
(images: xo in my room)
To create a soothing environment, have you thought about using contemporary grey instead of more traditional colours like blue or pink for a baby room?
I love how grey is lifted by white in this Scandinavian nursery, and accented with other soothing colours like blue, green and lilac to create a calming yet playful, modern space.
To decide whether grey is a suitable colour for the space, consider the room’s proportions, the quality of the light and how you’d like you and your child to feel in the room.
On its own grey can be quite draining, but it combines easily with many colours to counter this effect. Popular combinations for nurseries are grey with yellow accents (be careful not to use too much yellow near your baby’s bed as this may be too stimulating) or grey and pink. Darker greys work beautifully with pops of zesty colour like orange and lime.
Not all greys are alike – there are warm greys (yellow based) and cold greys (blue based). Combine them with colours from the same harmonious colour family to avoid uneasiness in the room.
Opinions are divided about the use of grey for a nursery or kids room. If you’d like to read more, there’s an interesting article on using grey in interiors by colour expert Karen Haller over on Stacey Sheppard’s interior design blog.
So what is your verdict – would you use grey in a baby room?
x Ursula
(images: photography by mikkel adsbøl, styling katrine martensen-larsen via klm design)
Today I’m really happy to be a guest again over at kids design & lifestyle blog Zoe & Drew. I’ve put together ten tips to decorate a tween bedroom and gathered plenty of images to inspire you. If you’re not sure where to start when it’s time to swap the stuffed animals and toy boxes for something a bit more grown up, read my tips here.
(images: mokkasin, bolig liv, the style files, nya hem )
I spotted this amazing retro nursery yesterday on the cover of US magazine Anthology (available in the UK here). The nursery was decorated with flea market finds and hand-me-downs by Linda and John Meyers, designers, artists and parents of Fletcher. Together they run the Wary Meyers Shop which stocks new and vintage items. You can find out more about the finds that furnish Fletcher’s room here.
(image: anthology)
This amazing boys bedroom belongs to Jip who is two and a half years old. He is Merel’s little brother, whose room was featured in My Room a while ago. They live with their family in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Jip’s room was decorated by his mum Iris, who is an interior stylist and blogger over at Visje bij de thee.
Let’s find out a bit more about Jip …
♥ What is your favourite food? Spaghetti with red sauce.
♥ What do you love doing? Playing with my cars and duplo blocks.
♥ What is your favourite colour? Red.
♥ What is your favourite animal? Dog.
♥ Your favourite book? My Zoo book.
♥ What is your favourite thing in your room? My bed.
♥ What is your favourite duvet cover? The light blue one with planes.
♥ What are your favourite pyjamas? The ones with the policemen and firemen (Richard Scarry print).
Thank you Jip, it was really nice to meet you!
(images: jeltje janmaat for vt wonen, styling by iris rietbergen)
This stunning kids room belongs to Olivia who is eleven years old. She lives with her mum, dad and older sister in Amsterdam in The Netherlands. Olivia’s room was decorated by her mama Jessica, who is an interior designer & stylist, cuff link designer, AND a purser!
Jessica’s top design tip for decorating children’s rooms is to use humor and provide lots of storage, preferably concealed. Hidden storage is great for parents (who don’t have to look at the mess) and kids (who don’t have to tidy up all the time).
Let’s find out a bit more about Olivia now…
♥ What is your favourite food? Mama’s noodles.
♥ What do you like doing? I love drawing and I’m really into my kendama.
♥ What is your favourite colour? Bright yellow.
♥ What is your favourite animal? Hippopotamus.
♥ Your favourite book? The Twits by Roald Dahl.
♥ Dresses & skirts or trousers? Trousers!
♥ Where would you like to go one day? I’d love to go and see the gorillas in Africa, but I’ll have to be a bit older.
♥ What would you take to a desert island? My rabbit Henkelien.
♥ What do you want to be when you grow up? I’d like to do something with animals, maybe a ranger in an African nature reserve.
♥ What is your favourite thing in your room? The colour of my cabin bed and the secret cupboards.
♥ What is your favourite duvet cover? The one with the sleeping dog (it’s just like there’s a real dog sleeping on your bed, from Snurk).
Thank you Olivia, it was really nice to meet you!
(photography by dana van leeuwen, design & styling by jessica bouvy)
