The dollhouse

A little bit sad but still true, I am guilty of living a bit through my kids. Not in a weird way.. I hope. I just enjoy getting the chance to experience things I wanted to do as a child. Albeit it with adult sensibilities. I am waiting for the day when I can get my daughter an Easy-Bake oven. This is the singular toy dream of my childhood, baked into one (pun intended). 

But before then comes the dollhouse phase. But forget the handmade by granddad, hand-me down, or heirloom passed from generation to generation dollhouse. Oh no, I am talking about a modern, sleek, almost too amazing for kids dollhouse. Actually, strike that, it is too amazing for kids. Just give me the dollhouse and furniture and the kids can have the doll. Just give me this dollhouse! Pretty please, cherry on top, I promise to be good for the whole year, till my birthday, Christmas or whatever comes first. These are the kid type pleas the Boomini (click the link for more amazing photo's) dollhouse inspires in me. There is a multistory home in white, with interior and furnishings that are so minimal and cool I want to live in there and a more mid century configurable wood version and available in two sizes. I mean a free-standing bath, island kitchen and Louboutins in the dressing room. Shrink me or get me this dollhouse!

Inspiring quotes

Quotes are perfect little reminders. Short, concise and oh so effective. I collect them, everywhere and anywhere. If I see one I like, I note it, in my phone, in my email, in my notebook, in my head. The subjects differ from everything form getting things done to love and the context can be to get me going or make me slow down and catch my breath. Whatever the moment warrants.

Because this is where I share my inspiration, I want to share the quotes that inspire me. Starting with this one from Victor Hugo because shyness and being frightened of being misunderstood has always been a big thing for me.

Tour: ZoBo’s pretty pad

I showed you my son’s room, so of course his big sister’s room was sure to follow. This is her old room, after the first growth update, followed my two more that transitioned it into big kid. However this is her first completely new space, plus in a new home and so the game was on to make it feel like hers! Oddly this bigger space was more difficult to figure out. Especially as I wanted this space to incorporate a play area where both kids feel comfortable, have room to run around and which grows with them while still feeling girly. So despite it being a generous space, the wish list was just as long. 

A smaller bed would have been lost in the space but this cabin bed fits the bill and is great fun. A bed in the shape of a log house with curtains, shelving (peep the little family of Russian dolls that represent her family) and a slide (bought here).. come on what could be more fun. I often sit snug as a bug in rug in there while watching the kids play. 

They play with the Ikea kids kitchen, the slide, the swing which I will be lowering so it’s at kiddy height and I might add some flowers to the ropes, the chalk and magnet board, also from Ikea but pimped with a bit of paint and some leftover wallpaper. Not exactly the idea but even the Miffy lamp is used for playing as she gets climbed on..alot. 

At night Zoe Isobel can easily spot the book she wants as well as choose her clothes for the following day. Hey, three-year olds have a strong opinion! I adore the Scandinavian simplicity of the clothing rail, beautiful and functional. My little girl loves pink, stickers and Hello Kitty, so these were used to add her personality to the space as well as the art which she picked herself. And for some girly cuteness I made the modern pink chandelier lamp with parts from three different stores. Alas I had intended to work the much beloved tent from the H&M All for Children collection back in to the space but it was not to be saved. So for now a chill spot with plenty of cushions for lounging and hanging out and later some sort of hide and seek spot. I'm thinking tipi..

 I love that the room has plenty of space for play as well as being a great space to go to sleep in. Every time we go upstairs there are the excited whispers ‘naar Zobo’s kamer’, followed by racing down the hall. I suspect it will not always remain with so much white wall peeking out but that’s ok because it Zoe Isobel’s room and her definition of pretty is just fine with me because it always pretty because she’s in it!

Splatter, stripes and leopard on my walls

Since I posted about wallpaper for kids spaces, I figured a post about grown-up wallpaper was due. Well grown-up for me because a traditional pattern is so not my thing. Nor anything so subtle it just fades into nothing.

So how amazing is this collection from Sarah Ellison, aptly named ‘Light of Heart’.  Fun, flirty and cool, because decor does not need to be so serious. Have some fun, keep it light, it’s just wallpaper!

All photos from Emily Ziz. Go check out the whole

lighthearted, super fun collection!

Candy walls

I have only ever wallpapered one wall in my life. Two, if you count changing the paper on said wall to something new. It is just so much more work than painting and is quite finicky as you can paint every texture of wall with the right brush but papering a roughly textured wall looks unbelievably bad. Of course my kids rooms had that roughly textured sandpaper finish. Add to that the fact that kids wallpaper is often  a bit dated and/or sickeningly sweet and you get why my kids have painted walls.

But luckily all my walls are now new, fresh and above all flat. That means I can really see wallpaper as an possibility. But what are some good options for modern kids spaces? I adore the collections of Studio Ditte en Zilverblauw, but it wasn't till I saw the sweet wallpaper collection from fave brand KEK Amsterdam that I fell head over heels in love with a wallpaper. So much sweet goodness to choose from, with everything from liquorice, lollipops, popcorn, cookies, marshmallows, peppermints, chocolate and my favourite the traditional 'rocket'popsicle.These wall are good enough to lick!

Tour: M is for Mika

The most fun spaces to design and decorate are kids spaces. Kids are fun, silly and goofy and so their spaces are allowed to reflect that. A kids room without fun, that just doesn’t sit right. But a giant toy bin, that just won’t do. Fun elements, yes! Clutter, no!

For my mischievous two-year old who, though still bigger than his last once again got the smallest room, I wanted something that doesn’t overpower the space. For that reason I painted a box within the room, surrounding his bed on three sides, with chalkboard paint in grey-blue. It’s goes over the ceiling as well. I’m interesting in seeing as he gets older what will be drawn and where. But luckily it’s just chalk and wipes away, so no worries.

 I re-used an old and busted dresser from Ikea to store his clothes and as a changing table. Hands down my least favourite task was getting it to a usable stage but I’m really happy with the look and height the cute legs form Pretty Pegs gives me because hey I like my back. Then came quirk and colour. In the form of the his name in Washi tape on the door, the fun yellow light from Muuto, the Eames elephant, the fun print from Seventy Tree via ZiZo Living, the tank hook to hang his pirate’s hat and the bagsacs and yellow cushion from Gewoon which marks the spot where eventually a toy workbench will go. And last but by no means least… the Neon lighting from Seletti. My son adores this lamp and so do I.

Small but perfectly formed. I love this space, my son loves his space and I love my son. Perfect trinity. And I am super stoked that almost everything came from re-use, re-purposing or bargains as the lamps  were purchased second-hand or on sale and the only actual new item purchased full-price being the art print. 

Here’s to kids having fun in their space, parents being able to live with these spaces and all without breaking the bank!

First wheels

Okay, this is not the first kids bike I have posted. It is also not the second. See here and here. But bikes and trikes are a quintessential kids toy. Plus the fact that they look great in interiors helps..alot!

How paired back and amazing is this bamboo version from Faserwerk? I can so see my kids rocking this bike.. if not for the price and my protective instinct (especially for said expensiveness).

Dreamscape

We have had some great days of sunny slippers and shorts weather and starting pretty early this year. But then it goes back to rainy and grey or super stormy and I start daydreaming of a break somewhere warm, sunny and Mediterranean. Somewhere where sunshine is not almost immediately followed by rain. 

A daydream I have been having since a great family holiday to Tuscany two years ago. Especially with all kinds of change being compacted into one tight and stressful period a break sounds pretty good right about now. And because you never know when a dream might become a reality, it’s better to be prepared. Or at least feel a bit more relaxed looking at the beautiful pictures, as in my case. 

So here is a holiday space I think would suit the bill. Modern, mindful, minimal and restful, that's what comes to mind when I see pictures of the Casas Na Areia Hotel in Comporta Portugal. And with the separate houses also perfect for family holidays, as the separate houses provides a clever retreat.