Nursery & spare room
The Challenge
To create a nursery for a new baby that could still work as a comfortable spare room for visiting grandparents and friends.
The layout needed to accommodate a double bed without compromising on space, while bringing together vintage pieces of furniture with a fresh, modern feel.
The design also needed to be gender neutral, colourful and inspiring, creating a room that could grow and evolve with the baby.
Choose a cot you can move
A cot on wheels gives you instant flexibility in a room that needs to work for more than one purpose. When guests come to stay, simply move it out and turn the nursery back into a comfortable spare room.
Give vintage furniture a new life
Don’t dismiss an old cot or piece of furniture because the finish isn’t quite right. Child-safe, eco-friendly paints and varnishes can give vintage pieces a fresh lease of life while retaining all their character.
Add a long peg rail
Shaker peg rails running the full length of a wall — or even around several walls — are beautiful and incredibly practical. Use them for blankets, clothes, pictures and baskets, keeping everyday things within easy reach while freeing up valuable floor space.
Let their things do the decorating
Baby clothes, toys and books bring plenty of colour and personality of their own. Keep the backdrop simple and let the things you already have become part of the room’s decoration.
Skip the wardrobe
Babies don’t really need wardrobes — and they can quickly become dumping grounds for all that extra ‘stuff’. Drawers and baskets make little clothes easier to see and reach, and when they start getting full, it’s a useful reminder that it might be time for a sort-out.
Don’t be afraid of painting walls white
White walls can be brilliant in a small nursery. They keep the room feeling light and spacious and provide the perfect backdrop for all the bright primary colours that comes naturally with a baby’s clothes, books and toys.