Recently we redecorated our children’s room and boy did it need it! It was a fab space before, one that has been featured here a lot (see it here and here) and even in my book, but it was full of so many toys, that things were beginning to get broken. Plus, as they grow are older, many toys were now too young for them and however much I love seeing the vintage toys, my kids were so over them! So we stripped it bare and started again when they went away for the weekend (thanks Grandma!)
First thing we noticed was how dirty the room was behind all of those toys! They had so many that they were masking the pen marks on the walls and old crisp packets lurking behind things. It felt so great to clear it all out!
The collectable vintage toys that they have outgrown were boxed up into the loft including Fisher Price toys that I played with in the 1970s! Many items were given away to charity too!
I wanted to create three clear zones within my children’s room to make the room have more purpose, but also so that they can enjoy each area and the activities designed to happen there. The three zones are the TV area, the reading area and the craft area.
The TV area is zoned by a wide stripe of orange paint behind their yellow Ikea sofa. This was then mirrored behind the TV with a yellow paint. Both shades were by Valspar at B&Q.
On the wall behind the sofa we have created their gallery wall for their best art using clipboards. The large vintage style clock hangs on the yellow wall.
Adam made kidney shaped vintage style tables using MDF and old legs from other projects. He painted them in the two colours to give each of them a side table.
The CREATE area is in an alcove with a double school desk and chairs. Their pens are in vintage tins, their art in a rack on the wall as described here.
Crates hang on the walls as shelves for some of their lovely vintage pieces.
The toys are all in this IKEA unit (I still cannot believe that all their stuff has fitted in here – I must have thrown given a lot away!)
Lastly we have created a READ area: Adam built a low level seat which I covered in vintage fabric. He then made shallow shelves for their books with wider ones above for their board games.
This children’s room is bright and colourful with vintage touches everywhere. They are enjoying the zones so much, and looking after the space much better than before. Let’s hope that continues!
Hands up who would like their own read area (puts hand up in the air)?
Kate x
