stuff we love – kast van een huis

I have admired these cupboards for some time now and thought you might all love them too.  They were designed by Marie-Louise Groot of The Ever-So-Stylish-Netherlands brand Kast Van Een Huis when she was decorating her nursery and could not find shelves or cupboards she liked.

Marie created unique facades that hide shelves and hanging space inside.

A room can be converted to a whimsical small town whilst remaining practical. You’ve got to love that!

Here’s where you can buy them in Australia.

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not your average home makeover

When I was little, my sisters and I would create all kinds of teeny tiny dolly furniture from cotton reels and matchboxes.  If only we’d had one of these fab book shelf conversions to house them all in!


image courtesy of diaperstylememoirs.com

This one comes complete with carefully chosen wallpaper, wooden train track garden path and stacked books for stairs.  These home owners have also added a roof line and chimney using thumb tacks and string.  Oh the possibilities!

If you are thinking about taking on this project, check out the free printables and step-by-step guide on how to wallpaper a dollhouse by our friends at Ferm Living.

Here is another “house” project that could be added to whenever little ones feel creative.  Start saving your cardboard boxes now!

image courtesy of nessadeeart.blogspot.ca

 

 

collections – wallpaper for kids

Wallpaper has well and truly made its comeback.  I’ve actually never stopped loving it since being surrounded by blue, lime green and yellow retro flowers in our family room in the seventies.

I’d love to feature some in our little home, particularly in the kids’ rooms.  Here are some of my favourites I have collected for “someday” …

Top left: courtesy of ferm-living.com
Top right: courtesy of ferm-living.com
Bottom left: courtesy of joannagoddard.blogspot.ca
Bottom right: courtesy of 4.bp.blogspot.com

Left: courtesy of nooshkids.blogspot.com
Middle: courtesy of pirouetteblog.com
Right: courtesy of blazetrey.com

And last, but not least, my all time favourite that I have coveted since I first laid eyes on it several years ago – love, love, love.

Courtesy of projectnursery.com

for the love of letters

I love letters.  Typography is one of my ‘things’.  I have letters dotted around our house, including the kids initials on their bedroom walls, just like we had growing up.

There are so many fabulous options available to buy now – industrial, acrylic, fabric, or metal – you name it.

How about this cute DIY project made from some good ole sticks and paint.  Especially fab for those with ‘straight’ letters in their name (like lucky little ANNA!)

(photo source unknown)

Do any of you share my obsession with all things alphabet?

eye candy – for the love of pink

I was born into a family of three girls.  As fate would have it, I am now a mama to three boys.

So, every now and then I just NEED to indulge my inner girly-ness and covet pretty little girls’ rooms, spaces and stuff!

Check out my latest finds;

Clockwise from top left:

Pretty as a lolly pink picture – loving the painted wardrobe and iron bed (courtesy canadian family)

Girly with a touch of bohemian and retro – that’s what I call eclectic! (courtesy of the boo and the boy 

Hola! I love, love, love the mexican throw with embroidered pink bunnies and, gasp, all that storage (courtesy of heather wilson)

Dotty – you may have already noticed, but I love a spot, a circle, a polka dot … so had to include this fab chair! (courtesy of chic cheap nursery)

Now, I know not every girl’s room has to be pink.  But this is a start.  I’ll be back again with some not-so-pink options later!

x

right here in black and white …

They (you know, the experts) say that black and white is great for stimulating a new baby’s mind.

So we have chosen our favourite black and white inspiration for little ones’ spaces.  We hope you’ll agree they would be great for mama’s mind too!

Clockwise from top left:
1. Loving the chest of drawers and the striped ceiling! (image source unknown)
2. I’m a bit of a sucker for a letter on the wall and these can grow with baby (image courtesy of sweetlittledays.tumblr.com)
3. I adore this room – particularly the quirky houses on the walls (image courtesy of themodernhome.com).  See more of this theme below.
4. Great storage options and fab chair (image courtesy of decorpad.com)

Add a car theme with a twist for your little man …

Or how about a BIG ole splash of girliness …

image courtesy of enchantednurserydesigns.com

Or you could add a terribly stylish little nook for yourself.  The perfect spot for feeding, reading and a newborn snuggle (image source unknown).

Yep, it’s all right there in black and white.

is three a crowd?

I am the middle of three girls.  Growing up, I shared a bedroom with my big sister.  We had matching olive green chenille bedspreads and seventies floral wallpaper.  When we were young we didn’t fight and really loved sharing a room.  Thankfully, by the time crazy girl hormones started to kick in and arguments became a regular thing, mum and dad had extended and we all had our own little haven to escape to and decorate however we liked.

Whilst our home extension plans remain a bit of a pipe dream right now, my hubby has been ‘lobbying’ to have all three of our boys share one bedroom.  The main selling point is it would give us a free space to convert to a dedicated play room – my dream come true.  On the down side, it may mean that the two good sleepers we currently savour might lose their mojo thanks to middle sized son, the not-so-good sleeper, who is regularly heard still talking to himself or his toys as late as 10pm, despite being put to bed at 8pm on the dot.  And when I say talking, I mean loudly conversing with make believe characters including sound effects and the whole catastrophe.

So I’ve been searching for inspiration and ideas on how to make a room for three work.  Thankfully we don’t have the gender issue so that makes it a little easier but we are working with a relatively small space.

I found these and like bits and pieces about each of them.

Clockwise from top left;
emmas.blogg.se
stylishlyeverafter.blogspot.com
decoratualma.blogspot.com
babydeco.blogspot.com

Do your kids share? How do you make it work?

love a bit of whimsy

Love this room?

Get the look …

From left to right:
Wooden cake stand
French suitcases (set of 3)
Sofie doll (by Esthex, Netherlands)

From left to right:
Little One Umbrella Print (by Printspace)
Wooden magnetic family puzzle
Bunting wall decal (by Love Mae)

little french coin purse

And so ends another therapy session for me, mama of three boys who wont ever have a little pink room like this in my home!  (I love you anyway boys).

I see red.

How fab are these rooms with a splash of red?

Not sure which one I could claim as my favourite as there’s a little bit of something fabulous in all of them.  I am, however, particularly partial to the big red “R” for the Dude, the red dresser and the spotty noticeboard (I love a pink and red colour combo, although I’m not likely to have a chance to use it anytime soon!)

Clockwise from top left – images courtesy of;
thebooandtheboy.com
atypicaltypea.com
centsationalgirl.com
houzz.com