inspired by : pinwheeling

Express youthful whimsy by stringing garlands of pastel pinwheels and applying playful wall stickers and stencils with artistic abandon. Adding a jumble of mixed shape pillows to a 'big' bed creates an air of comfort and luxury in an instant.

To create a similar look try the Rainbow Toys wall decal, from approx $58 USD or $69 AUD from chocovenyl and add the Pinwheel Mobile Fairytale, approx $70 USD or $83 AUD from mamax2 on Etsy.

project nursery

room for baby : primary fun

'Books as art' and easy access for son Sayer was what mum, Kristin, had in mind when she set up her collection of children's books on Ikea shelves.


An orange Rody stands guard near the magnificent handmade doll house/bookshelf/change table that has now been owned by two generations.


vibe
Children's library meets preschool activity corner.

one for me please : warm little leggys

Earlier this year a pal with a six month old bub asked me what I dressed the Baby Space toddler in back when he was beginning to crawl. "Oh, just the same things he wears now." I answered, forgetting that actually I decked him out in leggings bought from the girls section. Now if I'd have thought of BabyLegs then, I could have stocked up on some cute lil' leg warmer type pieces that are handy for changing nappies (don't have to take off the whole suit) as well as good for protecting those soft as freshly baked biscuit knees. I'll be grabbing a few pairs for the next time around! And Miss I, if you're reading, here's perhaps a better option for crawlers and keeping those little leggys warm.


BabyLegs from $8 USD and $8 AUD.

babylegs and babes in arms

room for kids : study in pink

Riley's paintings hang above her desk. Mum, Beshka, felt that it was important for Riley to express her tastes and add her own creations.


vibe
Girly and fun. Beshka of the Etsy store Loley's & Co, negotiated with her daughter Riley (who wanted a floor to ceiling pink room) and they agreed on three pink walls and a grey accent wall.

room for kids : rainbow bright

A simple set up with deep pink and rainbow hues makes a dream room for 2 year old River.

Ruffled tulle dresses in pastel tones add a little texture and a lot of fun.

vibe
A rainbow sprite's lair.

who lives here?
River, 2, in Atlanta, Georgia, USA.

diy
Mum, Joy, is a creative director, photographer and stylist. When she asked River what colour she wanted for her room River listed so many colours that Joy decided to create a blended rainbow effect on the walls using little sample pots of paint.

decor
Joy hung a net canopy and placed a gathering of patterned pillows in a variety of sizes at the head of the bed. She completed the fanciful look with a spray of princess dresses on decorative wall hooks.

furniture
Rather than splashing out a new child's bed, Joy found that a low futon handed down from her sister made the ideal first big bed for River.

baby space fave
The bright striped walls and collection of colourful dress-up dresses - sweet, vibrant and cheerful.

design*sponge

my favourite and my best : lots 'n' lots of dots

Swaddle your baby pea into a stylish little pod with a BlueCircles Receiving Blanket by Puddletonbaby. Pictured here on a bloom coco baby lounger.

BlueCircles Receiving Blanket approx $35 USD or $40 AUD from Etsy and the bloom coco baby lounger in stylewood approx $269 AUD from UrbanBaby or approx $200 USD from genes.

etsy

room for kids : my ted 'n' me

Sebastian's walls are adorned with canvases he painted himself.

A tiny timber vintage chair and table are joined by a small wooden shelf painted turquoise by Mum, Rachel.

vibe
vintage storybook in ocean and earth tones.

who lives here?
Sebastian, nearly 4, in Missouri, USA.

diy
Sebastian is lucky to come from a line of talented crafts people; his cosy bed quilt was made by his great grandmother and his pillows were made by Rachel.

décor
The blue rug under the bed is from Urban Outfitters. The tugboat print is from BoyGirlParty and the felt octopus is from Wonder Thunder.

furniture
Rachel found the low timber bed on craigslist. The sweet vintage desk and chair were bought in California and the turquoise shelf was bought from Hobby Lobby.

baby space fave
The child-sized wooden desk and chairs with the vintage black telephone - such a simple and inviting arrangement reminiscent of 1970s playrooms.

top tips
Rachel advises, "If you have the time to create a strong vision for what you want before you have to put it together, you'll be able to gather things you love rather than filling it with pieces you don't. Think about the potential in pieces you already have that might lend themselves to a clever storage solution...If you can't paint your nursery, use colour in the accessories. You can easily add colour with handmade pieces such as bunting across a wall, pillows on the floor or tote bags on the door handles that might hold a few extra books."


Sebastian now shares his room with his baby sister, Ruby. To see how Rachel has adapted the room for two, check it out here.

ohdeedoh and smile and wave

room for baby : one warm winter

The serene faced fox and owl were key items that inspired the overall nursery theme.


Mum, Lauren, painted the tree and used soft grey fabric to fashion the leaves.


vibe
Serene, sophisticated, whimsical and fresh.

who lives here?
Violet, who is a mere three days old, in the USA.

decor
The curtains are from Urban Outfitters, the lamp is from Ikea, the cot bumper is from RockyTop Design and the V on the wall is from Anthropologie. The silver owl on the dresser was a gift, as were the fox and owl in the cot.

diy
Originally bright orange, Lauren and her husband painted the attic room grey and added white trim. When it came to the floor they ripped out the old vinyl covering and replaced it with timber floorboards. Lauren also painted the tree on the wall and revamped the oak dresser by painting the frame white and adding new drawer knobs.

furniture
Lauren bought the white cot from Babies R Us, the rocker from a garage sale and the oak dresser was a hand-me-down.

best buys
The soft striped rocker that Lauren picked up at a garage sale for only $5 USD. Bargain!

baby space fave
The painted tree and the soft toy critters - a few key features that add playful character without detracting from the overall calm quality of the space.

top tips
Start with an idea board and a budget to hone your focus. Lauren set a budget of $1000 USD and came in at $885.47 USD. You can get your own idea board made by Lauren for only $10 USD by ordering one at her blog.

withtwocats

my favourite and my best : knitted piggy

This little piggy went to market and got snaffled up super quick 'cause he's so pink and oinky. Cannot go past a knitted pig doll for the play room, or really any room. The Baby Space toddler would like to add that this pig, "looks like it's from Play School."

Handmade in Australia for approx $13 USD or $14.50 AUD.

etsy

inspired by : neat as a pin

A light-filled study where everything has a place on neat square shelves and behind pale eggshell blue and lemon yellow doors. The hanging Adelta bubble chair is the key piece that gives the room a fanciful lift.

lichten craig architects

room for baby : aqua attic

Timeless toys and a wooden fish mobile add a quirky intrigue to the nursery.


An air of fifties storybook charm has been created with traditional dark timber pieces against pale aqua walls.

vibe
Cosy and vintage. The Three Bears meets Corduroy.

who lives here?
Oona, now 3 years (then newborn) in Brooklyn, New York, USA.

materials
An eco-friendly, non-toxic paint mix in a unique aqua shade was chosen for the walls.

furniture
To furnish the nursery, Oona's mum Amanda simply bought a new cot then gathered pre-loved pieces and revamped them. She hauled the old mission bookcase out from the garage and repainted an armoire that she found on the street. For the change table she installed an antique dresser that belonged to her grandmother.

baby space fave
The colour combo of dark timber and aqua - gender neutral and pleasing to the eye.

design*sponge

happy mother's day

Wishing all the mamas, grandmamas and caretakers of wee ones the most wonderful day.

my favourite and my best : pink is for groovy

Scrumptious shiny strawberry ice cream sneakers with chocolate rubber toes. Approx $84.95 AUD from where did you get that or some sizes on sale for approx $39.99 USD from little monkey toes.

morgan & milo

inspired by : colour and sound

Create an explosion of colour and cheer with brightly striped rugs and collections of rainbow-hued art. Key elements for a creative hub? Musical instruments, a plethora of books and a child-sized table for drawing, craft or imaginary play.

my home ideas

for the library : the kinder hat

The Kinder Hat follows Jessie on a day at kinder (day care/preschool) where she fashions a fantastic hat during craft and convinces her mother to wear the hat in public all the way home.

By the highly acclaimed Aussie picture book team of Morag Loh and Donna Rawlins, this richly illustrated story is ideal for toddlers and preschoolers transitioning or already enjoying time in a formal early learning environment.

Unusually, this weeks 'for the library' will have to be found at the library as it's no longer in print. However it's well worth the bother to borrow.

And for those who are looking for further proof of its borrow-worthiness, let it be shown that the resident Baby Space toddler loves this story so much that he made his own kinder hat:


the kinder hat
paperback and hardcover
2+
author Morag Loh
illustrator Donna Rawlins
publisher Scholastic, 1985

room for baby : rustic soul

Baby Ohle's tiny sneakers are the perfect piano accessory.


Bright wooden toys are kept in easy reach in the living area.


A piano and a guitar mingle invitingly with pot plants and plastic play things.


Ohle's vintage high chair adds a splash of practical red to the timber cabin's dining area.

vibe
Raw and funky. Parents Nancy and Ethan wanted a relaxed home that was engaging rather than restricting for Ohle.

who lives here?
Ohle, 1 in Santa Barbara, California, USA.

renovate
The house was constructed in 1903 and began its life as a single room built of untreated railroad ties. Two bedrooms and two bathrooms have been added since but the unaffected characterof the original cabin still sets the tone.

baby space fave
The way Ohle's toys take pride of place in the living area - a warm statement that playfulness is priority.

design*sponge and nancy neil