౨ৎ The Building Blocks ౨ৎ

My mum is brilliant at mixing old and new, and my dad owned furniture stores when I was little. Growing up, we’d spend holidays chatting about how we’d re-do whatever house we were staying in, or redesigning restaurants we didn’t own. Being a homemaker is definitely in my DNA, and creating spaces that make my family happy genuinely brings me joy.

౨ৎ The Concept Phase ౨ৎ

I’ve always been drawn to white and neutrals, colour has never really been in my comfort zone. But when we bought our house and I started choosing paint, I felt an urge to inject some colour, I’m so brave, I know. It felt a little more fun, and I wanted their spaces to feel whimsical, like proper kids’ rooms, not just toned-down extensions of how I usually feel safe decorating.

When I was pregnant with Poppy, we didn’t know if we were having a boy or a girl, so we went with a soft green. Practical me liked that it could evolve easily (and would save us from a repaint). If she decided pink was her thing later, we could always layer it in with florals and little details. Archie’s room grew into its own character too, with Marketplace finds I slowly collected...his scolloped-edge bookshelf, a lamp, a hot air balloon, and a sweet little frame. Poppy’s had her own treasures added over time too: wall-mounted candle holders, a mirror, a lamp base, and a handmade cabinet.

౨ৎ Behind The Design ౨ৎ

I’ve also made a lot of pieces myself, paintings, lampshades, rattles, a stool, an ottoman, party hats, bows, and, with the Philé puppets in mind, a puppet theatre. I love taking my time with a room, waiting for the right piece rather than rushing to fill it. Patience pays off… or at least that’s what I tell myself when a corner sits empty for six months.

౨ৎ Planning With Purpose ౨ৎ

I’ve never met a stripe I didn’t love - and I think Anna and I probably have that in common. The Philé pieces walk that fine line so well of being classic and cool, but still playful enough to feel right for children. It’s a tricky balance, but they get it.

Any parent knows that a good basket is the MVP of basically any kids room. Anything that makes the two thousandth tidy-up of the day quicker and still looks cute is a major win for me. I also love toys that double as display pieces, like our Philé finger puppets. They earn their place on the shelf. As for the rest of the ugly toys, the baskets in our house work very hard.

౨ৎ Creative Thinking ౨ৎ

The lounger gets moved around our house and Archie can carry it himself which is ideal. He finds it so comfortable he fell asleep on it the other day! Poppy (who is 2) says it tickles and laughs when she sits on it. I really like that it looks fun in Archie’s room, but when I put it in the living room, it’s not too bright and loud either. Despite being bold, it blends into lots of different spaces seamlessly.

I use clothes as decorative pieces a lot in the kid’s rooms and bathroom. They’re so adorable and they grow out of them so quickly that it’s nice to enjoy them for a little longer on a mantelpieces or a hook on the wall. The Toddler Robe makes the rounds to every room and comes on tour to the beach as well.