Spotlight product of the Month!

I'm constantly on the lookout for products I love, are practical, beautiful and i myself would use for my daughter..... Through writing this and other blogs it still astounds me how much cool amazing stuff is out there for our little people!
Here's a company I have recently found that do just about anything with>> Cardboard yes that's right... plain old cardboard. So it covers all three bases
a) eco-friendly
b) affordable (yey)
c) attractive
just try not to get them wet I guess...


Karton

make cute little kitchens for $40!

Chest of draws for $25 (say whaaaaaaaaaaaaat?)

And no bull even a............

Change the way you think about this material and support this fantastic independent company!

Sophia's Room

Almost 2 years ago I embarked on my first real interior design job, my first baby's nursery! At the time I didn't know it was a she, so I wanted to go with a neutral palette but still keep it bright fun and calm.

 I firstly decided on the wallpaper, after searching high and low for perfect wall decal I figured I would take advantage of owning our place and went with the most difficult of the two, wallpaper! There is such a great range out there around the world I fell in love with a particular Florence Broadhurst design until I discover the impressive price tag... per meter?! Whaaaaat!! I then went on to fall even more in love with the Hygge & West range of wallpapers and found this adorable Julia Rothman print. This set the colour scheme for the whole room.

I came up with my first story board (that I've since tweaked to fit in with the Bright Interiors layout)

I liked the idea of using vintage furniture for the big pieces and was lucky enough to have a cot and change table already in the family, which we sanded back & repainted white. I managed to hunt down a bargain chest of drawers on eBay, which we again stripped back & painted white (not as easy as it sounds) I also found some lovely vintage handles to replace on the chest of draws.

I was lucky enough to have a talented friend make a gorgeous mobile for my baby shower:

that fit perfectly above the changing table. Sophia has spent so much time gazing above her trying to figure out all the bright patterns on the birds, it's something she will recognise forever. I plan to feature them in her toddler room later on but in a different context.

The wallpaper was quite the laborious task!.... Luckily my husband is quite handy and he You Tubed some in depth tutorials for how to prep the wall and then apply it. We were so happy with the results and need I say Sophia loves pointing at all the yellow birds around her when she wakes up!

the colour scheme should work well as we make the change over to a junior bed soon. I'm keeping my eye on the awesome new range from Incy Interiors in particular this gem.....

You can purchase the funky yellow peacock chair in the storyboard from The Family Love Tree although in the end we didn't have enough room to fit it...... but as soon as the change table is out that chair is totally in, I know Sophia will love sitting in it, as it's quite throne-like! (she's a little princess)

The rug is from here.

So my first design job went pretty smoothly all in all, it's a room I love to spend time in; it feels really bright, fun and airy the elements I really wanted to achieve.

What do you think? I'd love to get your thoughts on this room....


xx

Study area essentials

A few quick ideas to simplify a child's study area....

We live in a fast paced world, with hardly any time to think about the big things sometimes in home our home lives we want changes to the design of our kids spaces to be easy, efficient & ergonomic right?
Here are a few can't go wrong ideas from me:

Limited space works best for small children:

A desk with storage underneath is paramont to reduce clutter!

 

Bookshelves can be used for so many interesting options

Hanging their artwork or making a simple inspiration board can be used to inspire the child to continue their work (or adult in my case!)

  

Lighting will play an important role in aiding your child to stay focused, especially if they're looking at a monitor for long periods. Speaking to Smart homes automator Matt from JFK Automation (AKA my husband) Halogen bulbs in down lights will be the best choice for a study area, as they radiate a nice, warm light although they aren't very power efficient. It's a good idea to add a table lamp to avoid casting a shadow over their work. LED's are now being produced to be less cold, white light in more varieties and will save money on your power bills; so that may be a good choice when they're available!

Planning this space no matter how big or small, will pay off allowing your child to have easy access to reference books or art materials setting it near a corner of the room may also allow more wall use for shelving. Remember that the space should be reflective of the child's size and also their abilities as it will increase their confidence and independence. Choosing the correct, ergonomic furniture for your toddler, tween or teenager will cause less physical discomfort them in later life, Ergokidz have a great selection of chairs.

Try not to make the space dull and boring, studies have shown that adding colour and life to the space will keep the child engaged for longer periods and encourages creativity!

Happy planning people, I hope these tips help with your next study. xx

DIY Projects for Spring!

The weather is all over the place here in Sydney, one day it's excruciatingly hot & the next it's windy & rainy... I find it reassuring to have a few little projects (perhaps the correct term is experiments, most of the time) going to keep me busy & expand my craftiness.
There's so many cool things you can now teach yourself off the internet the more you look, the more there is! Not only does it save you cold hard cash but creating or improving your own stuff makes you feel empowered, it gives you a better understanding of how things work & you are left with a really unique piece, that will have it's own story to tell for years to come. It's also a great way to get your child to discover that they're able to make their own things & tap into their creativity & logic. And lastly it can be a very sentimental gift to people you care about, that's to say that your end product is ok!

I looked high & low for some of my favourite DIY projects that might improve your child's room, nursery or make a great baby shower gift.


Shadow Puppets!
Easy & cheap to make, this handy little printout is so much fun to play with. It could definitely become a nightly tradition in your house (& in mine too one day) & you can just keep creating your own wacky shadow characters, that might pop up in your bedtime story.

Shadow Puppets

Cloud Light

This project is a little more challenging (impossible unless you translate it to english too :) but the result is pretty impressive and the total cost of materials is around $60 & will take you about 3 hours to complete.

Cloud light

Cardboard Playhouse

Who doesn't like a good old cardboard box? the possibilities are endless, i scoured around many sites but was drawn to these 2 houses:

This is the perfect project to keep little munchkins busy on a rainy day (like today) they can sit and plan it for days before too.... check it out!!

Pimped out neon castle

The simplicity of this wee house struck me and also the fact it folds down for storage.... Please note my slight obsession with Washi Tape---  That stuff is dope. 

Simple Playhouse

The Modern Dreamcatcher

This makes a beautiful present for someone special; I love the meaning behind what a dreamcatcher represents and it's refreshing to see one without so many feathers & bits! The process of making it is very cathartic and I really loved the result.

dreamcatcher

Sock Monkey

Every kid should have a pal made from an old sock right? These 2 guys are best buds and you can really let your imagination go wild with funky accessories or trendy fashion for them.

Rad monkey Man

Beautiful Geometric Mobile

So many mobile to choose from why not have a go at making your own? I found this on trend geometric one encompassing origami & craft together, you could change the palette to suit your bubs room easily!

Polygon Mobile

Gypsy Tent

Anther popular way to create a special hiding spot for your koala right now is the tepee! They are on sale all over the place but I've noticed most have a pretty hefty price tag, with this one you just need a few bits of timber & a piece of crocheted material>>  ie nanna's old tablecloth!

A-Frame tent

Stenciled Wall

I love the wallpaper in our daughters room but I must say it wasn't cheap and it sure was a tricky process, so on finding this tutorial I can't wait to try it out......

Horse Stencils

Raindrop Cushion

I choose this cute sewing experiment as it is at a beginners level! I'll let you know when I'm finished.... It will make a really special present & add an extra bit of sweetness to someone's bed no doubt.

Pillow

Hope these might inspire you to start a few of your own projects let me know if you do! Would love to hear how they go..... xx