Light and bright white kid's rooms.

It's amazing how many hours can just sail by as I meander around the internet, looking for inspirational styles, designs, people, blogs, products....the list goes on!
What a wonderful way to spend a rainy afternoon?
Here's just a few of the bright kid's rooms I stumbled across...

via interior devine

imgspark

trendey

lonny mag

paumes

april and may studio

haus stylish



And if anyone was in doubt about the benefits of a mood board to bring together the elements of a design, then take a look at this example from Haus Stylish...such a simple yet effective layout depicting a light, bright, scandi-style kid's room.

Habitat goes into administration.

How surprised was I to hear the news that Habitat (UK) has gone into administration...?
The brand is as old as I am...ouch! So maybe I just thought it would keep going forever...!
I know it's not the first major player to disappear from our High Streets...and sales of homewares have dipped over the last couple of years...but still, Habitat...!!!?

At Dreams and Wishes we took a look through some classic Habitat design classics, past and present, for our favourite kid's room mix....

How about the Mini Hana four poster bed to start with....and it's specially designed 'wendy curtains'...

...And a bright green Slot wardrobe...with storage that suits the growing stages of your little ones.

While we're adding a bit of colour...I'm thinking this Nelly bookshelf is a must!

... and this bright ply desk...

We'd finish the room with some graphic textiles....

What a shame that these bold, modern designs may well disappear from our high streets in the very near future?
There is good news though...the three flagship stores in London will remain...so all is not lost!

What's been your favourite Habitat purchase?





Kid's room classics...sleigh beds.

Sleigh beds are distinctive for their high head and foot boards, often with a scroll-like finish.

They've been around since the early 1800's and remain distinctly French in their design...well, my favourite examples seem to be anyway...!

They just seem made for a child's room....what do you think...?

house to home

belle maison

the dormy house



room envy



house to home



boo and the boy

swedish interior design



Tiny beachside houses...

I love being near the sea...

I'm not sure if I have my ideal beach or coastal scene...but I do like a touch of isolation.

I can't do without a few creature comforts though...and any of these homely locations will do for me.

They're a bit of a cross between a kid's play house and a traditional beach hut...

Just looking at these images makes me want to take in a huge breath of sea air...bliss....

blogs babble

tiny house lover

tiny house lover

urban style

ernventures

A Father's Day movie treat.

So!...it's Father's Day tomorrow...!

Want to do something a little different to make Dad feel special?

How about an evening at The Movies...without leaving the house...

It's simple...and what kid doesn't love the cinema?

Firstly...have a think about films with a 'Dad' theme...that the whole family can enjoy...take it back in time for a classic...or an animated adventure...here's a few to get you thinking...

Father of the Bride ...Daddy Day Care ...The Lion King ...Mrs Doubtfire ...Field of Dreams ...Fantastic Mr Fox ...Finding Nemo ...

Next...make up some simple tickets to hand over at the living room door...just like a real cinema.

                       

Or download these to make it even easier...

No cinema would be complete without the popcorn and pick-n-mix...and it takes a few minutes to make your own, with the wonders of a microwave.

get the kids to lay out sweets in small containers for Dad to make his selection...hopefully you'll still have some left by the time it's Dad's turn.

Create a cinema atmosphere in the living room by drawing the curtains and keep the lighting low.

You could put numbers on the chairs and have background music playing too...

Get the kids to take Dad's ticket at the door and show him to his seat...if available, provide them with a small torch to guide him through the darkened room.

Then everyone takes their seats for the main event...!

A fun way to keep the kids amused and a great evenings' entertainment...

Have a Happy Father's Day.

Toy cars...Oh my! How they've changed...

If you were to look through the toy box of any young lad in my childhood years, you'd find a motley collection of metal toy cars in various stages of damage determined by their age and popularity.

But whatever their condition, toy cars have remained a firm favourite for kids for generations....

Although, whilst researching modern toys for the Dreams and Wishes stockroom, I note that modern toy car designs have changed beyond compare....

Sleek modern designs, mostly made in sustainable woods...and some even in eco-friendly bamboo....and with paint-jobs that would look good on a full size model!
What little boy wouldn't want the chance to take a look at these beauties...that's if they can keep the Dads away...

Cars from Playsam, Playforever, Hape and Vilac....



Space-saving kid's furniture ideas.

Let's face it...we'd all like a bit more space, wouldn't we?

It's one of the most common requests made of interior designers the world over...and if you've got kids you'll know that 'space' feels like just a distance memory, along with the Sunday morning lie-in!

Take heart! Here are some clever ideas that'll restore your faith in the art of space-saving design...as cherished by the Dreams and Wishes team.

Don't be fooled by this humble box...

Inside is a small bedroom!

This 'cube' is from Laphoeff

From one cube to another...this time the bed is elevated above plenty of storage/play space.

Yes, an old idea...but kinda cute, don't you think...

From Mademoiselle Astuce

Tumidei produce component parts to create a bedroom space to cater for the most demanding space-saving needs...

If you can't build outwards...build upwards...from housetohome...

A great way to create more floor space during the day...tuck the beds away...find similar at Clei.

Nina's House...an all-in-one freestanding nursery, with cot, changing table and storage...
Designed by Dave Keune, it's now produced by Planet Little....

Now we're really in the realms of imaginative interior architecture.
This freestanding kid's bedroom is probably not going to work in the average British family home....certainly not in mine...unless I do away with all internal walls and floors!
But what a show-stopper...! The kids would be queuing round the block for a sleep-over...
Created by H2O architects.

Again, this 'room within a room' was the solution to accomodate four kids in a two bed apartment.
The study area above the beds is 'open plan' and made of wide wooden strips that the kids can sit on at the
low-level desk area....clever people!
Created by Miha Design.

Food for thought maybe...?

P.S. Thank you for your patience over the last few days as I recover the use of my fingers... a silly accident and all is well now...