Today’s top talents are crafting kids’ spaces brimming with design ideas for all ages.
Embracing Whimsy
“Our brief was to create something fun and whimsical that didn’t take itself too seriously and managed to be durable and reflective of the home’s overall aesthetic,” shares designer Brittany Bromley of the multipurpose bunk room she designed in Bedford, New York. Bromley’s vision for the space (which would cater to games and crafts, homework sessions, movie nights and sleepover parties), was to offset a generous deployment of energetic colors and patterns with sophisticated furniture silhouettes and elevated lighting.
In turn, an envelope of hand-printed wallpaper bedecked with leopards and elephants sets the stage for a navy, green and sky palette popped with clean white and warm rattan accents that blend masculine with feminine, and youthful with elegant. The wallpaper also brings balance to the unusual dimensions of the space, which is tucked under a pitched roof. “Had we chosen to stop the paper before the eaves, the ceiling would have stood out and been plain by comparison. By having the pattern climb, we took advantage of the architectural detailing.” The finished mix, Bromley declares, makes for “everyone’s favorite room in the house!”
Brittany Bromley of Brittany Bromley Interiors.
Christopher Farr Cloth’s La Jungle swathes the walls and ceiling of this Bedford, New York, bunk room designed by Brittany Bromley, continuing onto the lower bunk bed curtains. Taconic Builders crafted the custom millwork, which is painted Benjamin Moore’s New Born’s Eyes.
Peter Dunham Textiles’ prints cover the sofa and chairs in the bunk room with a Currey & Company pendant above.
A rattan Serena & Lily bistro chair sits at the Rove Concepts homework table. The rug is Fibreworks.
A Vibrant Room With Clever Organization
“I’m a Virgo, so I take my organization very seriously,” shares designer Sasha Bikoff. Naturally, she tapped her longtime collaborator, California Closets, to outfit her son Dino’s playroom in East Hampton, New York, with workhorse built-ins. “It’s always great to work with California Closets; they tackle the technicals so that I can focus on the design, and together we fine-tune,” Bikoff says. The resulting program—a clever combination of open and closed storage concealing all manner of kiddie clutter—is as hardworking as it is fun to look at.
One side of the room features twin closets with a pull-down bed tucked between, while the other side holds ample drawers and cubbies—as well as a workspace for mom. “I incorporated a desk because I imagine designing while Dino plays,” she muses. “The success to being both kid-friendly and sophisticated is to create an environment that you and your child can equally enjoy.” The fact that the room’s inspiration is the family’s beloved vacation destination (the multitone blues were plucked from the nearby bay, the oranges and yellows evoke East End sunsets and the ceramic veggie knobs nod to the Hamptons’ iconic farm stands) further cements the space as one for all ages to enjoy.
Benjamin Moore’s Mystical Blue, Tidal Wave and Clearest Ocean Blue create a color-block effect on designer Sasha Bikoff’s custom California Closets storage system. The shelf and play table are both Nestig and the rug is Sasha Bikoff for Flor.
A Chic Yet Playful Retreat
For this playroom and little girl’s bedroom in Larchmont, New York, designer Chauncey Boothby employed a “playful yet subtly sophisticated palette” to craft a fairy-tale ambiance with timeless appeal. Hushed pink paint wraps the ocularly-shaped bedroom (which is located, fittingly, in a turret of the home), while creams, gray-greens and more soft pinks envelope the third-floor playroom. There, Boothby went all-in on storybook fantasy, crafting a scalloped tent valance to hide a projector and movie screen, and stashing an adorable built-in dollhouse behind a petite doorway.
“As the girls outgrow their kid furniture, those pieces can be moved out and the rooms will become chic sleeping and sitting areas in their tweens and teens. It’s a perfect haven for them to socialize,” Boothby continues. “When designing children’s rooms, I always look to accessories and other ‘smalls’ to create a youthful vibe, but pair them against beautiful wallpapers, fabrics, and in this case, lighting fixtures, that they can grow into and are not stereotypically childish.”
Chauncey Boothby of Chauncey Boothby Interiors.
Aleta’s Bouquet Jal wallpaper was the jumping-off point for the playroom, which designer Chauncey Boothby paired with a Couristan rug, Poppie chairs and a Milton & Goose tables.
Farrow & Ball’s Pink Ground decorates the bedroom walls alongside a pendant by The Urban Electric Co. and an RH Baby & Child crib.
