Dreams and Wishes: 2012

Friday, 21 December 2012

Kid's room decor ideas for under £50.

It's probably not the time to be making big decorating decisions right now...with Christmas almost upon us...!
So here are a few simple, low-cost ideas to spruce up the kid's rooms....take advantage of the January sales and grab a few bargains...

Add some bright cushions...

You won't need to go far to find something to suit your needs...pile up a few plain cushions in a range of clashing bright colours...or mix and match simple patterns.

skinnylaminx

Put pictures on the wall...

Put together a collection of frames, paint them a co-ordinating colour and fill with the kid's paintings for an instant gallery...

rosalindgracedesigns

Add a colourful rug...

A simple cotton rug will add instant colour to a kid's play area...and is easy to clean.

rosenberryrooms

Brighten up with lighting...

There's still a way to go yet before the summer sunlight brightens our homes...so get through winter with adaptable lighting.

pinjacolada

Replace tired bedding...

Stock up on crisp new bedding in the sales...the best time of year to buy!

timeout

Put up some shelves...

Visit your local DIY store for a range of shelves that can go up in minutes...

Use expensive fabrics for small projects...

A couple of metres of your favourite designer fabrics could make a roman blind, cushion covers or a patchwork quilt...so use wisely and save cash.

voyagefabrics

Be resourceful with your ideas...search the house for recycling projects, shop in the sales for homewares and check second-hand shops for cheap treasures.

Thursday, 20 December 2012

Happy anniversary to the Brothers Grimm...

Today is the 200th anniversary of the first edition of a collection of dark, spooky and downright scary folk tales written by the Grimm brothers.

taschen

Far from being suitable for kids at the time, these tales have become some of the most famous children's stories of all time....think Cinderella, Hansel and Gretel, Rapunzel and Little Red Riding Hood for starters....

Taschen have published a collection of 27 favourite tales in a gorgeously illustrated book to celebrate this momentous occasion.

Tuesday, 18 December 2012

Easy Christmas toy tidy-ups.

Lets face it...the last thing you want to be doing is spending endless hours trying to keep the house tidy over Christmas....where's the fun in that?
So...if you're expecting an influx of new toys and games, generously provided by dear old Santa,it might pay to keep a few simple storage solutions near at hand....
Here's a few Dreams and Wishes faves...

We found this on the GLTC site, if you're looking for a long-term stylish option to go anywhere in the house...

gltc

At the other end of the financial scale are these laundry bags...readily available and easy to store when not in use...perfect!

If you're going for something more robust...these cotton storage bags are just the thing...and washable.

wingreen

babyface

Raffia baskets in bright colours could be co-ordinated with your Christmas decor....

rice

At the risk of looking like your grandmother these wheeled shopping bags are a practical option for moving a large quantity of clutter out of the way in record time....go with it!

Adapt other household options for storing kid's toys...vegetable racks are the obvious option...

Wheeled plastic containers are useful for immediate clear-ups and long-term storage....wheels make them easier to transport around...

All these ideas are perfect for scooping up the mess in minutes ready for Christmas entertaining leaving you free to hopefully relax and enjoy the holidays with everyone else....

Sunday, 16 December 2012

Kids room hideaways....teepees.

With only nine sleeps till Christmas, I'm sure there are many adults out there that would love a little hideaway right now...and I'd happily accommodate all of these...!
A few comfy cushions, a good book and I could while away several precious hours of 'me time'.

yahoo

So imagine the fun the kids could have over the holidays in one of these simple dens...

How about making your own....?

Find great instructions here.

Tuesday, 11 December 2012

Wallpaper still a wow in kid's rooms.

Here at Dreams and Wishes we're singing the praises of wallpaper...after being inspired by these beautiful examples....

We're so taken with all the ideas out there that we've added wallpapers to the Dreams and Wishes shop....

Wednesday, 5 December 2012

Dreamy outdoor Christmas lights....

I'm at it again....drooling over ideas for lighting up the house for Christmas.
This time I've gone outside...not literally...it's been snowing here today and even the dog has been reluctant to go outside...
But these lighting ideas have made me smile....

bhg

google

I'm sure an 'open plan' caravan is the last thing most of us in the UK would want to spend Christmas in....but one day I plan to spend Xmas Day on a beach somewhere and this is how I'll do it...!

Monday, 3 December 2012

Create a nursery fit for a Royal baby...

We're all a-buzz with the news of a forthcoming Royal Baby...!
It's going to be a while before the birth, but I'm sure much activity is going on behind the scenes creating the perfect nursery for the little one.
Kate and Wills, I'm sure, will exercise great taste in the decor of the nursery and undoubtedly will be graced with all sorts of gifts and ideas from around the world...so I'm finding it quite difficult to know where they're going to start....

Here at Dreams and Wishes we've had some ideas of our own...some a little 'tongue-in-cheek' but based on a more reasonable budget and keeping with a royal theme....

Starting off with a neutral background we'd cover one wall with this crowns and coronets wallpaper...
and you can jazz it up with stick-on jewels!