Alba's Big Girl Room Revisited

Alba’s Big Girl Room Revisited

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When I first decorated Alba’s room, I designed a newborn’s pastel nursery, injecting some fun with a bold monochrome wall feature, and included a play space fit for a toddler so she could grow into it and have some fun! She had a Ball Pit, Bean Bags, plenty of wooden toys and a Book corner for reading together as a family (take a peak at how the room used to look here)

As she approaches four years old, she needed to move on from her small Cot Bed and get a Big Girl Bed. I took this opportunity to give the room a little refresh, and as interior trends are getting a little darker and duskier, added some new accessories such as the OYOY Rainbow Wall Rug, and ferm LIVING safari bedding. I added fun with her favourite accessories such Pippa the Horse, Unicorn Soft Toys and a gorgeous doll called Matilda.

The space now suits her needs perfectly, with a bed that will last her into her teens and slightly more grown up accessories whilst keeping it playful and fun and also moving towards the current trends to include more rustic tones!

Wall Colour and Theme

I painted the room Mango Melody 4 years ago when we were expecting her and still love it today so I didn’t feel an urge to change it. The back wall is painted one tone darker: Mango Melody 5, to add a feeling of depth to the room (interior insider tip right there!)

The theme was loosely Rainbows and Unicorns and the challenge was to do this in a Scandinavian, pared down way – whilst still creating a space that she would be mesmerised by! I ended up adding a few other creature friends too: The Lion Cushion, Flamingo Toy and Safari Bedding.

The Sebra Junior & Grow Bed

The next generation to the famous Sebra Baby Cot, the Junior & Grow Bed is an extendable bed suitable for toddlers right through to teens!

Perfect for those parents who did not invest in an extendable Cot the first time around, with sustainability in mind, changing furniture every few years is far from ideal. Thanks goodness for brands like Sebra Interior who are thinking outside the box and mindfully when it comes to designing children’s furniture.

The curved end with its recognisable short bars is so beautiful, and it has a feel of quality built to last. It starts at 165cm lengthy and can extend out to 204cm, the mattress extends too with an additional piece (delivered at time of purchase).

Shop the Junior & Grow Bed and mattress here

Rainbow Rug

The statement piece and star of the show! Dusky and darker in colour palette than your average Rainbow, this makes for a fun but slightly more grown up work of art, and Alba LOVES it. It makes such a bold statement in any room and yet still feels playful despite it’s rustic charms. The perfect example of something that is much loved by kids and parents alike.

HOW TO: Hung on a strong nail using a drill and wall plug.

Shop the Rainbow Wall Rug here

Shelving

We so enjoy to read stories together and this has been a huge part of Alba’s childhood. Previously we had the ikea picture ledges for Book shelves but I wanted something more sophisticated and safer as the Books do tend to fall off the ledges! When you have younger siblings to think about, it becomes a hazard. These Cam Cam Copenhagen Harlequin shelves are top quality, beautiful and incredibly useful for holding Books as they cannot topple off.

HOW TO: Attached to the wall with nails, wall plugs and a drill.

Book corner

I created a Book corner (actually not a corner at all!) with two stacked of the Harlequin Shelves one on top of the other, then added a Playmat folded in half) up against the wall, a bean bag by Nobodinoz and lots of cushions.

Shop Bean Bags here

Shop Playmats here

Wall Sticker wall feature

A diagonal wall feature which remains unchanged from Alba’s original room, this not only creates interest on the wall, but makes the coloured room feel brighter. The Wall stickers are incredibly easy to apply, and also easy to remove making them great for rentals or a growing family.

HOW TO: Decide on an equidistant design or scattered and organic. Watch this video here.

Shop the Wall Stickers here

Chest of Drawers & Storage

An old ikea Hemnes Chest of drawers made interesting by upcycling with new knobs from Anthropologie, this served as a Changing Table (just pop a Changing Mat on top) when Alba was a baby and continues to be a crucial piece of storage today. This can also be done on a smaller scale with the wonderful Sebra Changing Table or Cam Cam Changing Table, see here.

I created further interest by adding another Harlequin Shelf for books and momentos. The decorative wooden toys Rainbow is by Grimms and Garland by Velveteen Babies.

The Pirum Parum Print is an old favourite that has been in her nursery since day 1 and the Miffy lamp is the best night light around – dimmable, cute and above all – safe! A must have light that see’s you from birth right through to the younger years when sleeping alone can be a little scary.

Toys Storage

With Laundry, Toys and belongings that are necessary but not always wanted on show, storage is key for a child’s room.

Large fabric storage baskets not only offer oodles of space but can add texture and pattern to a room. I love to mix and match such as the Pink Diamonds storage bag from Nobodinoz and the Grid storage Bag by Wildfire Teepees for Toys., and the Pear raffia basket from ferm LIVING for Laundry.

Shop All Storage here

Bedding and Toys

This is the place to have fun with accessories! Incorporate a theme such as Rainbows, Dinosaurs, Animals or Superhero’s – and create a space that they love to play in as well as rest and sleep.

Our favourites from Alba’s room are Matilda the Doll, Izzy and Bella the Unicorns, Pippa the Horse and the Rainbow Cushion. The safari bedding sits alongside the colours in the Rainbow Wall Rug so well, whilst also captivating a child with it’s collection of animals that they can recognise and name.

It fills me with joy to be able to provide Alba with a room packed with all of her favourite things (rainbows and unicorns) without me wincing from all the mashup of the brightest fluro pinks, purples, sequin and glitter – and she genuinely loves it!

I hope I’ve inspired you to design a room for your child that suits their needs as well as your interior desires, and shows that you don’t have to take a theme too seriously but can produce something beautiful and pared back as well as bright and childlike.

If there is anything you would like to ask about the project that we have not included here, please email us [email protected] and if you like what you see, you can SHOP THE LOOK

Laura and the girls x

Blog post photography Emily Gray Photography