I have created a calm, nostalgic feel for my daughter which has been perfect for her as a baby and will work through to about 10 years old, based on using vintage and handmade pieces. Here are some of the ways you too can create a vintage child’s bedroom for your little ones in your home.
Vintage Children’s Bedroom Furniture
The perfect vintage style bed is a modern, white metal framed one, based on vintage French styles. Consider exploring the versatile kids beds by BedKingdom, which often come with built-in storage options to keep the room organised and clutter-free. Choose something with flower or hearts within the framework to add even more charm such as this bed from Archers Sleepcentre. These then look wonderful with floral bedding and layers of throws, blankets, and cushions.
Painted furniture works well in a child’s room but if you do this, please only paint furniture that is beyond repair as you could be ruining collectable pieces! These ones in my daughter’s room were painted in the 1960s by my Great Aunt in a lovely mint green colour which is a great alternative to the usual pink! It also ties in with the vintage wallpaper that was in our home when we bought it.
Vintage Children’s Bedroom Storage
Some toys need to be stored away and some special ones are great to be displayed on shelves. A 1930s vintage ottoman with a floral top makes a great vintage toy chest and doubles up as a seat. A vintage cot or moses basket is the perfect area for all those dolls and bears to be stored! The rocking crib is now used for her books as she is starting to out grow her dolls.
Make a shelving unit from MDF and line it with off cuts of wallpaper that co-ordinate with the room to display favourite pieces and collectable vintage items. You can buy smaller versions online in varying shapes so you could make a small landscape!
Store smaller items in vintage tins and baskets which look great out on display to create a unique feel in the space. Keep your eyes peeled for vintage or antique hooks in salvage yards so they can hang all their accessories from.
Vintage Soft Furnishings for your child’s bedroom
Cover the bed in various cushions made from nostalgic looking materials and patterns such as patchworks. A good idea is to look in the normal section rather than the kids section to find prettier designs; I love this butterfly cushion from The Range or ones made from vintage fabric which can be found online at Etsy or at vintage fairs and festivals such as The Festival of Vintage. Choose a fluffy rug and blinds to match.
Add vintage touches by choosing a gently quilted eiderdown with florals or paisleys all over. Alternatively, why not make your own crochet blanket to keep them extra warm at night.
Vintage Bedroom Lighting
Choose a chandelier with added details such as metal flowers which can be bought from most lighting shops. We chose a smaller one with long glass droplets and pastel to create a vintage feel which is also quite grown up.
Add fairy lights over the fireplace and a great directional bedside lamp that can be used to read at night.
The finishing touches for your child’s bedroom
Create a feature wall in your child’s bedroom using framed vintage prints from old school books or even greetings cards. I collected 1970s birthday cards, some from my own scrapbooks from when I was a child and framed them inexpensively using different shapes and finishes from IKEA. Break up the space by hanging other items such as fabric letters and paper pompoms.
Hang an adult vintage mirror from the 1950s above a dressing table or a fireplace such as this white floral one, found in a charity shop (photo is from when she was a baby before the hearth was tiled). Ones that hang from a chain work nicely too and can be found easily.
Add the final vintage touches to your child’s bedroom on window sills and shelves such as old dolls, globes, musical boxes and vintage toys. As you can see my daughter loves her pretty things, her playroom however is much more gender neutral and bright!
Selected child’s bedroom images by Simon Whitmore for FW Media. This piece was originally written for Real Homes Magazine
