Tips for Parents

Playroom Interiors

Designing you child’s playroom allows you an enormous amount of creative license.  This is your opportunity to create a space that allows for physical, creative and imaginative play, as well as quieter activities like reading. 

Consider the location of the playroom, from my experience children love to be around their parents, therefore a room near the kitchen or living room would be ideal. If the play area is to part of an existing room use the rugs to make the boundaries to the different areas.

Consider the age profile of your children, babies and toddlers love to explore on a soft surface, while by the age of three your child’s imagination is in full swing and enjoys role play and make believe.

Flooring

Wood floors are great, consider painting with non-toxic paint if it is an old floor or use laminate, both of which are easy to clean.

Use rugs and beanbags to zone the room for different types of activities.  Cushions are also a great comfort for children.

Walls

Go for bright vibrant colors that create excitement when you or your child sees them.  Paint one wall one color and compliment it by painting the other walls another color. 

Murals are a great way to bring your playroom to life, consider doing one with your children from a simple rainbow to a jungle theme, with grass, trees and blue skies, adding large animal wall stickers.  You decide!

Since painting a section of our playroom with Blackboard paint, it has generated hours of imaginative play, from drawing to role play.  Blackboard paints are available in a variety of vibrant colors, so don’t be shy!

Magnetic paint or a magnetic board is also a great way to educate your child via magnetic letters and numbers – while been enormous fun also.

A Cork board or a pin board is a great place for displaying photos, rewards, or your child’s artwork.  This motivates your child and gives them a sense of pride in their achievements.

Furniture & Storage

Table & Chairs: A playroom must have a table and seating of either chairs or stools to facilitate your child’s play.

Other furniture to be considered is Shelving or a book rack at an accessible height.

Storage for toys, also needs to be accessible and children love to know where toys are stored, so let them help you decide where things go – great when it comes to clean up time!

A space saving idea is using the space under the table to store boxes or get a table with storage pockets.

Seating

Beanbags and cushions are a great option for more casual seating.  Children spend an great deal of time on the floor playing with their toys. 

For the more adventurous child consider a ceiling mounted swing seat.  Another fantastic way to chill out.

Lighting

Keep it bright and imaginative.  Never have lighting on floors or tables for safety reasons.

Safety

Keep Safety a Priority.

Safety plug covers are a must.

Ensure toys are stored at a safe and accessible height.

If you do have a high piece of storage – a suggestion would be to secure it to the wall to prevent it tumbling over onto adventurous climbing children.

Ensure the furniture does not have sharp edges.

Use only age appropriate toys.

Enjoy the adventure and don't forget, above all make it FUN!

Nursery Interiors

For most expectant parents the daunting task of preparing the nursery for the arrival of their baby can bring with it  enormous pressure, but here are some simple tips to consider that will allow you to enjoy the process and explore your creativity.  For starters, make a floor plan and always consider the safety elements within the room design.   

Ideally, a nursery located as near to your bedroom as is practical, to shorten those night time feeding trips.  Some parents prefer to leave the baby in their room during the early weeks and months, but also have a nursery space for changing and storage. 

Furniture & Storage

By far the biggest expense in the Nursery but one that deserves a lot of consideration, it is essential that furniture is chosen for it’s function and safety.  Forward planning at this stage is important as your child may outgrow the furniture theme within two years.  Also deciding on the furniture style will help you design the rest of your nursery.

Cribs, Cradles and Moses Baskets

Moses baskets are extremely mobile and can be placed in any room in the house to keep your baby near you while they sleep.  Your baby will outgrow the moses basket within months.  Cradles and Cribs on the other hand are more fixed pieces of furniture for the nursery or parent room.  See the Leander Cradle which can be suspended from the ceiling or fixed to a tripod, ideal for the design conscious parent. 

Cot beds

Cot beds provide an innovative and reassuring transition for your child from cot to bed.    Consider the Leander and Bopita cot beds.  Bopita cot beds are available in a variety of colors.

Changing Unit/Dresser

A changing is not an absolute essential piece of nursery furniture, but if you can afford the space it is a great addition for storage.  Personally, it is good practice to change your baby standing up and not crouched over the bed or chair in those early months.  Available as part of a suite of nursery furniture, changing mats are great to coordinate this furniture piece with the rest of the nursery, colors available from Jollein.

Wardrobes

A must for the nursery, for storing clothes, bedding and toys.  Again most wardrobes are available as a part of the nursery suite, this will coordinate the nursery. 

Seating

Another must for the nursery so that parents can enjoy feeding times and story time in comfort.  Also consider a little sofa or chair for your little one.  Jollein provide a beautiful choice of colors.