Ex- fashion editor and interiors lover Alex Stedman (@alexandra.stedman) is renovating a period property in London and tells us how to create an individual, practical yet beautiful children’s bedroom that will grow with them.
Creating a stylish children’s bedroom
One of the dilemmas we faced when considering how to decorate the kids space was how to make it fit with the style of the rest of our home. It’s okay to keep the kids space a little more grown-up if you want to - it doesn’t have to scream kids room, particularly if it has multi purposes. We use our spare room as a kind of play room so it is a real mix of an adult room with practical solutions for kids - think mid- century furniture with elements of kid friendly toys, baskets, play mat and shelves with books.
Having shopped at La Redoute for both myself and my kids over the years, I was thrilled to be asked to pick my favourite pieces (and ended up adding a few to my online basket at the same time!). Whatever your child-friendly space at home looks like, the La Redoute, So’Home and the new Montessori collection has something to suit all needs, at so many great price points - here are my tips for styling your kids’s space.
Children’s furniture made to last
This rattan chest of drawers is lightweight and has plenty of space for all those clothes and bits and bobs! I love the pastel shade, it’s suitable for a young baby or child but can also be incorporated in to their bedroom as they grow:
In keeping with that rattan, natural theme, this rattan lampshade brings the look together and is another everlasting piece:
Helping children grow
The Montessori x La Redoute collection is perfect for modern nursery styling right now - the light woods, the tactile fabrics, it’s the perfect collection that offers parents a grown-up aesthetic whilst also putting children’s needs first - now that’s a feat! Each piece has been thoughtfully designed in natural materials, to appeal to a child’s needs to explore and grow. The Montessori evolving chair is the perfect height while the front facing bookcase is enough to carry a small selection of books and to allow your child the autonomy to make their own selection at reading time:
Kids Storage / Get creative with chic storage
Storage is probably the biggest dilemma for kids room - are you a hide everything away type of person or proudly display their toys? I am definitely a hybrid of both - I love to have some toys out to spark my kids’ imaginations (and move them around to remind them of what they have) but I also love to quickly be able to hide objects if needed. The Montessori collection has a gorgeous collection of both – chic toy storage whilst putting kids’ play first, all within the perfect height for them to play!
Prefer to hide everything at the end of the day? That’s where foldable baskets come in (and top tip for hallways - baskets are a great place to store childrens’ shoes, too!).
Not much floorspace? Creative use of the wall space with wooden hooks and wall hangings are a lovely way to solve this problem:
Finding good, quality pieces to start a nursery/child’s room is the hardest part, from then on you can continue to build up the space through soft furnishings, fun artwork and toys that will help the space evolve over time. You’ll (possibly) even find a way to embrace the mess!
Try a small gallery wall with a few fun prints (I’m drawn to the matchbox prints obviously!) or hooks to draw your eye up.
Finishing touches for a kid’s bedroom
If you’re keeping to a neutral colour palette, I love using cushions and bedding as the colour focus (and means you can change these over time to change the look of the room without completely redecorating!). I’m loving the mix of mustards with ditsy florals for my kids at the moment.
La Redoute is known for its incredible rugs and they can make such an impact quickly, not to mention adding a soft, tactile layer (especially, if, like us, you have wooden floors which need a little cushioning!).
So there you are, a little guide to how Alex brings colour, fun and practicality to her kids’ rooms. Did you like this feature? Hop over to the hub to find out how interiors lover Debs Stubbington styled her spare bedroom.
