Here at Bobby Rabbit, we are not afraid of a bit of colour - in fact, when it comes to kids rooms, we truly believe that the more colour pops the better (and don't get us wrong, we don't mean brights everywhere, rather that there's nothing wrong with adding a splash of mint, hot pink or bright yellow in a monochrome or neutral room setting).
The proof is in our own home. We first featured our daughter's room back in the spring of 2013, as we waited for the arrival of her baby brother and she was moving out of the nursery and into her 'big girl room'. When creating this room for her, it was important that it would spark her two-and-a-half-year-old imagination, but that it could grow and evolve with her as she got older.
She wanted pink (of course) - we preferred the idea of grey and white. So, we combined both! Rather than soft pastel shades, we opted for a bright shade of neon pink with highlights of primary colours through the accessories that would contrast with the neutral grey and white backdrop:
Pictured above:
Ricepuffy Grey Medium Cushion by Noodoll, £35.00.
Mause and Bunty knitted soft toys by Lucky Boy Sunday, £75.00.
Bright Pink Pom Pom Storage Basket by Rose in April, £40.00.
If we could offer one tip to decorating your child's room, it would be this: keep the walls and furniture neutral, and accessorise with colour to bring it all to life. This also helps to prolong the life of the decor as your child grows up - after all, it's far easier to update the accessories than to re-decorate the whole room again from scratch.
And so far, we are happy to say that it has all gone to plan. At six years old, Eloise is just as excited about her bedroom as she was four years ago - and a few little accessory changes aside, no major re-decoration needed!
Pictured above:
Sleepy Bunty Bedding Set (single size) by Lucky Boy Sunday, £70.00.
Sleepy Dolly Star Cushion Blue/Pink by Rose in April, £28.00.
Cloud Cushion Grey by Kokoko, £45.00.
Silver Lining Cloud Rug Cloudy Grey (small - 95 x 150cm) by Little P, £380.00.
Large Storage Bag - Neon Pink Stars by Noe and Zoe, £40.00.
When we first designed the layout of the room, we split it into three areas; ‘sleep corner’, (above and below) ‘den corner’ and ‘play space’.
Over by the bed, we built shelving into the alcove, which provides an invaluable space for storing books and displaying favourite toys whilst doubling up as a bedside table.
Pictured above:
Joseph Bunny Lamp by Rose in April, £80.00.
Little Treasure Print by Alison Hardcastle (30 x 40cm), £20.00.
We chose the grey and white cloud wallpaper and bird light to help define the 'den corner' and separate it from the rest of the room. Although we have since replaced the den with a desk, the wallpaper still works just as well by giving this area of the room its own identity:
Pictured above:
Desk, £145.00 and Chair, £10.00 from Ikea.
Cloud Wallpaper by Farg Form.
Violette Flamingo, £38.00.
Mr Penguin Balloon Art Print (50 x 70cm size), £39.99 from Showler and Showler.
Over by the window, the play space used to contain a little white table where Eloise could draw, colour, do jigsaws, build blocks and have pretend tea parties. Nowadays, she loves to do gymnastics, so the table has gone, and the middle of her room is a space where she can practise her handstands and cartwheels!
The result is a fun, vibrant space that can grow with Eloise right into teens. By simply refreshing the accessories, it is possible to change the look and feel of your child’s room however you wish, but without a big expense.
Of course, her room doesn’t always look like this, but we have made sure that there are plenty of storage boxes, bags and baskets (including underneath the bed!) to tidy away all the toys at the end of the day.
For more storage and decoration ideas, take a look at our shop where you'll find a hand-picked selection of timeless toys, books and accessories (and room ideas that we have created using our favourite products) to help make your child’s space magical and memorable for years to come.
And if you fancy re-creating this look at home, take a look at our 'A Mermaid's Tale' bedroom, brand new for summer and full of colourful treats from our store.