One of my absolute favourite activities when I was pregnant with Hector, aside from all the mini clothes purchasing, was picking out things for his nursery. As we’d spent a hefty amount on his cot, chest of drawers and various other bits of necessary baby paraphernalia, we really couldn’t afford to spend all that much more on those pieces that would make his room truly his.

We were lucky enough to have a host of family members who were really rather generous and bought a myriad of beautiful things for Hector’s room as well as having lots of lovely creative friends who made things for him too. But other than that I had to be inventive, seeking out sales in the unlikeliest of places, purchasing from smaller independent brands and making sure whichever pieces I did buy were multifunctional i.e. lamps that were decorative, books that were colourful and beautifully designed. That way I could be sure that they served a double purpose each contributing to the overall personality of Hector’s room in their own right as well as being educational/ useful.

Prints, Frames & Shelves

Perhaps the easiest place to start, or at least I found it was, is with some picture ledge shelves from Ikea. Yes you’ve probably seen it a million times already on Pinterest but at £4.50 for a 55cm length or £8.50 for a 115cm length you can’t go far wrong. I actually designed Hector’s room around a set of four shelves which double up as a library, a handy space to prop up frames, prints and baby momentoes and of course the perfect nook for all of Hector’s cars. For those tricky spots which need larger/smaller lengths than the designs offered by Ikea I would strongly recommend popping along to Shelf Direct who I’ve recently purchased from and can highly recommend. They also provide them in a raw finish so that you can paint them in whatever colour you wish.

And then all that’s left is to decorate them. You could choose some beautiful prints such as this lovely quote by Ernest Hemingway and available at Honeymoon Hotel. I love how it’s a mantra for life in a completely real way.

Granted not all prints retail around the £10 mark…indeed most are upwards of about fifteen pounds, well this is what I’ve found anyway so try framing greeting cards for a budget-friendly option instead. At least this way you won’t have spent a small fortune if your tastes change in the future. Obviously there are oodles of talented stationers out there so I would recommend taking the time to really have a look in your local stationers, on etsy, in your local bookshop and even at craft fairs. Hector has several prints in his room, some drawn by my sister, others gifted by friends but I have my eye on this one….and this one too.

And then lastly frames themselves. Well I adore this bunny eared shaped design from H&M which would look so sweet in any little one’s room. Alternatively this hanging photo frame with a clasp from M&S is the perfect memento creator. Create collages of hastily snapped polaroids, locks of snipped first curls, tickets to special events, scan photos…the list goes on. They’re little snapshots in time right there.

Knobs & Hooks

Another easy way of introducing a dollop of character into your child’s room is through the use of knobs and hooks. If you’re hoping to be as thrifty as possible then I’d recommend keeping your eye on eBay for classic wooden chests of drawers which you can upscale to use as storage and even a baby changing unit. A lick of paint and the addition of some cutesy knobs and it becomes truly your own.

Anthropologie always have a huge range of drawer knobs on offer and I particularly love this ceramic peeking bird design created by Parisian ceramicist Elise Lefebvre. Currently available in both red and green and in the sale for £5.95 a piece.

I’m a huge fan of products that have been lovingly created by hand from natural elements so imagine my joy when I discovered this amazing range by Geoffrey Fisher on my baby moon over two years ago. Geoffrey’s work is created using the Buckinghamshire woodlands that surround his studio in High Wycombe. Using traditional woodworking techniques, he transforms twigs and branches obtained from nearby woods into a characterful, handcrafted collection of objects and accessories for the home including his Trook hooks. I bought three for Hector’s room which I’ve been saving ever since and I love their rustic quality. Available from £10.

For those wanting a more refined look then Oliver Bonas’ rose gold alphabet hooks might be up your street instead. Spell out your child’s name or perhaps a sweet phrase and get them to hang up their clothes/ bags of toys in the process! Win win.

Personalisation

Amongst Hector’s many personalised interior accessories, one of my favourite pieces has got to be this sweet pennant flag from This Paper Book, one of RMF’s recommended suppliers over on The Littles List.

Starting at only £8, I opted for a simple natural base with a white flag and black writing outlining Hector’s name but the flags can be personalised in any way you choose – with a name, word or your year of choice on a white background in your chosen colour. And that’s not all, you can choose to have the top of the dowel dipped in a colour of your choice, have it fully painted or leave it natural.

Alternatively I recently invested in some vintage french metal letters from another Littles List Supplier – Tea & Kate – which I’ve been saving for Hector’s new room. I’m not sure whether I’ll be hanging them on the wall or on his door but either way I love the looping swirls that make up his initials. Starting from only £8, it’s a great way to introduce a bit of vintage into your littles’ interiors.

If you’re after something a little bit bigger…or perhaps a touch more luxurious then these golden alphabet letters from Oliver Bonas might be just the ticket. Spell out their name or a key word or phrase…they’d make great bookends too.

Moneyboxes & Plates

It might be a bit of an odd thought but I love the idea of hanging a plate in a kids room. It’s random I know but I have fond memories of the Royal Worcester ‘Tuesday’s Child’ dish that used to hang in my childhood room so I guess this influenced my own buying decisions when I invested in a canapé plate from Anthropologie for Hector’s room. I liked the inscription at the bottom and the horse image has some significance when it comes to his grandfather and great grandfather. The horseshoe, the unicorn and the gems are pretty cool too. Alternatively if you’re channelling a woodland theme then this owl plate channels all things forest perfectly.

Staying on the plate theme, I like this cactus trinket dish for older kids; the perfect place to store all those super important things. In Hector’s case, spare wheels for his cars….insert eye roll here. They were running low last time I looked online, the trinket dishes that is, not the wheels but I’m sure they’ll have more stock in store.

And no child’s room is complete without a piggybank. We’ve literally just emptied Hector’s which we’ve gradually been adding to over the last two years so it’s definitely worth keeping those pennies somewhere safe as you’ll get a tidy sum at the end of it. This elephant shape is a classic but I’m a little bit in love with the mouse too. Look at that twitching nose!

And that’s the end of today’s round-up…I hope it’s given you some inspiration for your own kiddies’ rooms. Is there anything you need to share that you’ve purchased lately? What’s been your favourite thing you’ve bought for their rooms? Why not comment below….