A strange twist of fate meant that our builders left us unexpectedly the day we moved house. We had lined up temporary accommodation for 10 days as I knew the builders were running late but not for the foreseeable future. Luckily, at the same time, my mum completed on the purchase of a house near by and she saved us from living on the country streets of Oxfordshire (thanks mum!). Our girls have been quite unsettled by these events so – with my mum’s agreement – we re-decorated the room the girls are going to stay in to make it exciting, comfortable and more like a home. This will also be their room when granny visits the UK so it’s a lasting project.
Here are some before photos. The previous owners clearly LOVED shelves. I have never seen so many in a house – there is one above every door.
On a random late night search for wallpaper – my kind of porn – I stumbled upon this beauty: Scion Sula Wallpaper in Juniper & Kiwi
It inspired me: I could instantly see a gorgeous calm shared bedroom which would suit kids toddling to teening so I designed a styleboard. I shared the styleboard on my facebook page and my mum also loved the wallpaper. It was my starting point for the room which also worked well with the beige carpets which were staying. The small and awkward shape of the room meant we had to go for bunk beds. There wasn’t room for the Ikea furniture in the ‘new green’ I had picked out in my styleboard so I had to rethink the storage which was there and my mum was keen to bring in some dark grey to go with her plans for the rest of the house.
Here’s the result. I should add that I had less than a week to plan the room and we had one weekend, whilst the girls were with me at my in laws, to get the room ready. My husband and father in law did an amazing job with the painting and the wallpapering don’t you think?
When I showed the wallpaper to the girls, they said it looked like rain so that was my starting point for the art work. I colour picked the kiwi drop for this canvas and then added the saying (which has been quite apt for our current situation!). The cloud hanger was a great find. I designed the Il pleut picture on the shelf – it’s a nice nod to our Frenglish family.
The IKEA MYDAL bunk beds painted up really nicely and we painted the IKEA ODDVAR stool to match. As the wardrobe was going to be open, I really wanted the wallpaper at the back. We removed one of the shelves so it was less compressed and got a hanging rail for the bottom shelf; ideal for the girls mix-matched clothes collection! I bought a collection of vintage Ladybird books on eBay so the girls would have something to read in the room (all our stuff apart from 4 suitcases is in storage).
When we move, I always keep with us the girls’ IKEA linen bedding, granny’s knitted blankets which they’ve had since they were born and their Lornas (which are a doudou my friend Lorna bought each of them when they were born).
I couldn’t resist adding these gorgeous hand crocheted weather cushions I found on eBay. The girls love them!
I hope you’re inspired! My girls definitely love their new room.
