I feel like it was just yesterday when I was blogging about Cole becoming a big brother, but now here I am with a 9-year-old and 2-year-old and man, I don’t even know how that happened! Seriously, where have the last 2 years gone?!
This is a fact that fills me with a strange sense of sadness. Carter is definitely our last baby – he completes our family in ways I could never have imagined – but I think it’s the realisation that I no longer have a tiny baby, nor will I ever have a teeny, cuddly newborn again, that just makes me feel a bit nostalgic. Now, I have a big, independent, and very often grumpy toddler, who has an even more independent, headstrong older brother. What chance do I have?!
With last month marking Carter’s 2nd birthday, it was the perfect excuse to go shopping and finally pull together the room transformation I’d been planning for him. I had started planning for the redesign of his bedroom over a year ago when we moved into the house, and it was almost as much of a present for me as it was for Carter. My dream had been to create a really special ‘big person’ room for him, that would grow with him over the years, one that we could update as he grows with just a few simple changes.
I do have a soft spot for interiors, so I couldn’t wait to start this little project of mine, transforming Carter’s room from drab to fab! I’d had a year to browse (and drool over things) online, and that had given me plenty of time to put my ideas on paper and draft a plan. This left me with a brief of: Fresh, crisp colours, with a Scandinavian feel.
It was perfect for us. I decided straight away that I wanted a feature wall, and so I spent a lot of hours searching for the perfect one. However, nothing was pulling me in – I was starting to think it was hopeless! It was only when I visited the lovely David at Wallpaperlux, and he suggested I take a look at the Scandinavian brand Mr Perswall. David, David, David… are you a mind reader? You knew exactly where to send me! Within seconds I stumbled across ‘The Cutest World Map’ and it was the one. It screamed adventure (and I almost screamed when I found it, it really was perfect) and I just loved how it tied in with our passion for travelling. The paper is made to measure, so it’s always going to be the perfect fit for your own space too!
So, now we had a starting point to work from, and I began to tie in the interiors based on the gorgeous tones of the map. David who also owns Epitome Soft Furnishings guided me through fabrics and colour palettes to tie in seamlessly with the rest of the room. I’m really glad we chose to go bespoke – having our roman blinds and funky cushions custom made to match the room, it was definitely the best decision we made.
One of the biggest factors for consideration when we designed the room was the bed – a pretty important factor in any bedroom really. We decided it was time to transition Carter from a cot to a ‘big boy bed’. There were the usual worries associated with this, with him still being quite young, which is one of the reasons we were so keen on the Scandinavian theme. I already loved the look of the Scandinavian house beds – they’re so beautifully designed – but they also sit quite low to the floor, meaning if Carter does fall out of bed, at least it isn’t quite as far to fall. That means a better night’s sleep for everyone, and less worrying for us!
I came across Carter’s bed on Instagram, from a lovely page named LC Inspired (no, this time I was not assisted by someone called David). They were amazing at guiding me through all the bed options and designs, and in the end, we decided on a white single house bed. Carter will have plenty of room to enjoy his sleep (and wriggle and sprawl in the way only toddlers can do) and it will grow with him as he gets older too.
I think one of my favourite parts of redecorating was hunting for bits and pieces for the new room – the little touches that really ‘make’ the room. TK MAXX was probably a personal favourite of mine – I know it can be a bit like marmite for some people (you’ll either love it or hate it) but I really do love looking for unique, quirky, or fun pieces in there, like blankets and photo frames. It can sometimes be a bit potluck, and you may not always find what you want, but other times it can be a real treasure trove.
I’ve already mentioned Instagram – it’s where I found his bed – but it is fast becoming one of my favourite ways to look for smaller, more personal businesses, where you can quite often find people who create gorgeous products. These people are often putting their all into their business and it feels amazing to be able to support them, plus the products they provide are more likely to be unique! I was so excited when I came across a personalised dream catcher from Modo Creative and even more so when I saw that the colours tied in with the room décor perfectly.
After a couple of weeks of anxiously waiting, pacing, sitting by the door and waiting for the postman… everything had arrived and it was time to paint like a one-woman DIY SOS team! My very talented dad put up the wall mural, as I fear if I’d tried to do it myself, I would’ve rearranged the continents!
My favourite part of a project is seeing everything come together. I mean, really, there’s nothing better than seeing all your hard work, expectations, plans, time and effort come to fruition. Let’s face it most of the time these things do not come together quite that easily… But with this project, everything seemed to be going smoothly. I even felt a few butterflies as I ironed the bedding, placed the last few cushions, and hoovered the new carpet – just for the hell of it. Finally, it was all done.
Carter’s little face lit up when he saw the room for the first time, and his only reaction was a big fat “WOW”. My little chatterbox was speechless – clearly, I had done my job! I was thrilled he loved the room, but the biggest challenge was yet to come… would he actually be able to sleep in his new ‘big boy bed’?
Well, there was only one way to find out. I think that day I was even more excited for his afternoon nap than I would’ve usually been. Trying not to let on that anything was any different, I continued with our usual routine of songs and a story. But in the back of my head, I’d told myself he would be out of bed before I’d had a chance to close the door. When I got to the door with no toddler-weight on my ankle, I cautiously proceeded to the stairs, and by the time I made it downstairs to look at the baby monitor, I was fully convinced my toddler was broken. Not only did he stay there for a few minutes, but he slept for nearly three hours. Three hours! So much ‘me’ time!
We’re now three weeks in, and I’m delighted to report that Carter has continued to sleep in his new bed with no issues. The transition has been so smooth that I’m a little bit convinced that there’s magic involved somehow. We’re not complaining though. In fact, we couldn’t be happier.
I’m so happy with his room – it’s brought a whole new lease of life into the house. Carter loves playing up there on his new plush carpet, and his bedtime routine now consists of the two of us snuggling into his bed for a bedtime story, before he drifts off to sleep in a room filled with tranquil possibilities. Now my only problem is, what do I decorate next?!
