This month we check out the before and after of a reader's nursery. Vivian Mansour, author of blog Ish & Chi, recently gave birth to her first child - a son, Robbie - but not before beautifully transforming a plain room of her house into a marvelously modern space for a modern little boy. Here's how she did it.
BEFORE: Light salmony-coloured walls and thick beige curtains that weighed the room down. The built-in wardrobe was black and too depressing for the small space and the original light fitting came with the house and was awful.
AFTER: Light, bright and beautiful: hits of red pop against the white backdrop, while the furniture is a perfect mix of classic, whimsical and practical. Overall, it's cheery, funky space that little Robbie can enjoy now and also as he grows. Here's how she did it.
The inspiration The rest of the house is light and neutral and didn't want this room to be too far different. But I also didn't want it to be a typical boys room - all blue. I fell in love with the red toadstool artwork bought from Etsy and it all flowed from there from the red wallpaper, elephant design on the cot sheets, toys and chair.
The transformation We painted the walls the same colour as the rest of the house and the wardrobe got a coat of white paint. We replaced the light fitting with a white pendant light from Freedom which looks wonderful when it's turned on - the walls sparkle! We also added a neutral rug from Ikea. Once that was done we had a simple, clean palette to build onto from there. I knew I wanted to add a bold impact in some way so the room wouldn't look too clinical. The bright circus wallpaper from Catherine Martin's range at Porter's Paints is perfect for the space. And the other walls didn't have to be re-painted - the paper matched perfectly.
Favourite pieces Probably the wallpaper. It's not the first thing you see when you walk into the room but I like that it is an unexpected surprise when you turn around. I love the artwork from Etsy also. The toadstool print is by Etsy seller Ickleson and the "Too hard, too soft, just right" print is by Etsy seller Sarah Jane Studios.
Best bargain? The toy elephant which my husband and I picked up from the markets for $5. It was the first baby purchase we made. Also, we had seen similar sleigh cots in store for upwards of $1000. We ended up paying $300 for a brand new cot made by a Melbourne furniture maker selling on eBay.
Biggest splurge? The wallpaper. The paper itself wasn't too expensive but we paid for a person to hang it professionally. I didn't trust myself to line it up correctly.
Handmade touches? The antique loveseat, won on eBay, was in great condition and originally had a varnished brown mahogany frame. I felt the frame was too dark for the room so I took to it with white glossy paint. I'm so happy with the results.
How to get the look Avoid anything too "cutesy" that screams baby room and incorporate classic pieces which can grow with the child. The change table on top of the dresser from Snooze is removable so we can reuse the dresser afterwards. The loveseat is also a classic design which might not always live in this space but can be used in other rooms. Also add impact is some way for example, paper a wall or all walls. There are some fantastic wallpaper designs on the market. It's hard to choose between them.
Have a room you just love to bits? Or a project you're really proud of? Let us know - we'll choose a few and pop them online and make you the star. Shoot us an email with some pics of your fave space to bgraham@acpmagazines.com.au
