Creative Genius: Smith + Co
kids bedroom layout

Creative Genius: Smith + Co

Lilly & Lolly work with talented interior designers across Australia.One of our Sydney based designers, Amy Smith from Smith & Co. Interiors created this amazing shared bedroom for Miss 4 and Miss 7.Read below how she created this gorgeous eye-popping space! About Amy...I’ve always loved textiles and design, prior to interiors I studied and worked in the clothing industry in Melbourne. Returning to my hometown of Brisbane in 2009 compelled me to leave the rag trade and I found myself in a national décor role, developing and selling building products for an acrylic manufacturer. I have been able to hone my skills and assist clients....and achieve spaces they love to live in. At this stage my husband (a builder) and I started renovating and selling our own properties. This process sparked my real interest in interiors and appreciate how important effective lighting, colours, shapes and design is to a space. Through further studies, I have been able to hone my skills and assist clients streamline the design process and achieve spaces they love to live in. What draws you to design spaces for kids? Creativity and imagination can be limitless when designing a kid’s room. I love being able to mix a variety of colours and patterns, tailoring it to each child’s personality and interests. What Amy says about this room... Created for two sweet sisters (Miss 4 and Miss 7) sharing a room for at least the next 12 months. The bedroom already had built in robes and was approximately 3.4 x 4m in size. The clients were after something girly but sophisticated enough to still inspire them into their early teenage years. When designing kids bedrooms what is important to you...Not to be overwhelming. There’s a fine line between injecting playfulness whist not being chaotic. Everyone wants their child to feel safe and ultimately calm when they put them to bed at night. Too much clutter does not promote restfulness for little people, so we always want a space that is soft and relaxing for children. What are the current trends for kid's bedrooms?Happy to say we are seeing less whimsical and pastels. Bunk beds are very popular and a great way to create extra space for a desk or beanbag. Universally kids love seeing their own art or awards on display in their rooms, so pinboards or bookcases continue to be integrated. Is it important to create a space that kid's can grow in?Yes and no. Client’s are realistic with the different stages their children and therefore their rooms will go through. We always like to get some longevity out of larger investment pieces like beds and drawers, however decorative elements will be interchangeable and adapt as their child matures and their interests change. Room features: Lilly & Lolly's King Single Beds (Charlie Upholstered Bed | Augustus fabric) & Charlie Bedsides (Whitewash). If you want to have a beautifully designed space for your kids contact Amy Smith. studio@smithandcointeriors.com.au Photography @jacquelinewhytephotographer  
Tips & Tricks for Messy Kid's Rooms
3 tips

Tips & Tricks for Messy Kid's Rooms

We have been assisting parents for over 20 years with products, design and ideas to make kid's rooms the best they can be. Here are our 3 TOP tips around some of the issues that parents need help with the most. TIP 1: TRICK FOR MESSY ROOMSQUESTION #1 "When I walk past my kid's bedrooms they look so messy, so I close the door. How can I set up the rooms so that the mess is not on show?'SOLUTION #1 You need be tactical to create a space where kids can be kids without their play impacting on the presentation of their room. Our TRICK is so simple where you utilise the room's 'BLIND SPOT'. A  blind spot is the wall behind you as you look or walk into the room. Whilst not completely hidden, this wall allows you to put the messy things like a desk, dolls house, lego table or craft table behind your line of sight, leaving the rest of the room to appear impressively tidy! TIP 2: COLOUR TIPSQUESTION#2"How do I choose colours for my kid's room so that it looks cohesive? I am not sure what to do as my child loves so many colours and has a lot of colourful toys?"SOLUTION #2When considering a colour palette for your child our TIP is to ask your child to share their favourite colour. It is then up to you to either get advice or to play around with additional colours by adding a complimentary colour plus a neutral (such a matching tone, grey, black, white, beige, ivory or cream), being 3 colours in total. To do this easily, head to Bunnings or a paint shop as the colour swatches are free and there is so much to choose from. If your child has chosen a bright colour, we suggest that this is featured in the room as an accent colour with cushions and artwork so that it does not dominate the space. If you have other items in the room, which do not coordinate your ideal colour palette, and your child insists on keeping them, place these items in the BLIND SPOT area (see Tip #1). TIP 3: SMALL ROOM TIPSQUESTION #3"My kids have so much clutter and we are further overwhelmed at birthdays and Christmas with  toys etc., do you have any ideas on how I can stay on top of it all because my kid's rooms are small?"SOLUTION #3Traditionally kids rooms are the smallest rooms in a house and easily get out of hand. To get organised, we suggest you compartmentalise the smaller items into baskets and boxes by sorting them into categories such as lego, Sylvanian Families, cars, craft etc. and, where possible, label them. Once sorted, these are perfect for filling up a bookcase, for easy access, so your kids are not pulling everything out to find that one piece. For the larger items, you can either use a toy box (with lid) or baskets so items are are neatly stashed away. Our biggest TIP is to utilise your walls by installing hooks and/or floating bookcases. We believe as a rule that nothing belongs the floor so wall hooks are perfect for bags, jackets, hats, scarves etc. Alternatively, floating bookcases and shelves allow you to get bigger items up off the floor and neatly packed away.

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