Kid-friendly interior decorating

It can be hard adjusting your decor (as well as literally everything else) for kids, but it doesn't mean your whole house will have to turn into a playground. Our daughter is turning four in a couple of weeks and even though we might be over the worst "exploring" stages, there are still certain things I will have to be mindful of when decorating. 

Here are a few things I did and didn't do to adjust our interiors when she was born. I never got rid of rugs, even the one under our dining table. We sit down to eat with our daughter and clean up any mess she might make immediately. Our sofa has removable and washable covers, which has been helpful, but we also don't let her eat while sitting on the sofa (not just for the mess, but for general manners). We keep her toys in the cupboard or in baskets and clean them up together after play time. Limiting the amount of toys in the first place will help keep the mess to a minimum! She also has her own little craft table for "messy play", like painting. 

The only sharp corners we ever had to protect were those around the kitchen island, and even then she quickly learned to avoid running around that area. We didn't need baby gates, as there are no stairs in our home. I learned that investing in high quality pieces (such as sturdy chairs and furniture that might fall over) has actually been helpful. Often I hear other parents mention that they don't want to buy anything too expensive while the kids are young, but our daughter uses the Eames wire table everyday and it doesn't have a single dent on it. We have Artek bar stools in the kitchen and she can climb on them without me having to worry they aren't stable enough to support her.

I never used to put anything away, like glass or porcelain pieces, even when our daughter was starting to walk around and grab things. Obviously I can't speak for all the kids (especially when I only have one), but teaching them from a young age to differentiate between what is and isn't a toy can help. 

The things I am still mindful of, however, are the obvious things like leaving burning candles around (again, teaching them very early on can be helpful!), but those are the things I'd be mindful of even if I didn't have a child. All in all I don't feel like I've had to sacrifice anything in our home because of our daughter and at the same time we haven't had to limit her play or development in any way. 

Hope this helps and I'd love to hear how you've adjusted your home for kids! 

A New Week

Happy Monday!

I'm excited to start a new week and looking forward to finalising some unfinished projects this week. This is the colour palette that I'm loving at the moment. Soft tones of timber, beige and grey work so well especially in summer. I still have a few black details here and there, the Artek bar stools and the Design House Stockholm wall rack in our kitchen, for example. With the new floors the overall look of our home is about to get even lighter!

Have a lovely week and follow me on Instagram (if you like!) for more photos and inspiration!

Making room for summer

It is starting to feel more and more like summer and I am instantly drawn towards lighter decor, new plants and a few new pieces to celebrate the season. After nearly six years in our apartment, I have finally convinced my husband to consider renovations, and I cannot wait to share the results (hopefully!) soon. Short term plan is to change the colour of our floorboards, and longer term we want to add an extra room in our apartment. I've pinned heaps of ideas on my Pinterest page, so if you want to have a sneaky peek, feel free to do so.

In the mean while, I'm swapping heavier throws to lighter ones, like these Turkish towels. I've also added a few new plants that are relatively easy to look after. I am getting our outdoor area ready for summer too, so I will share all that soon.

After a busy week at work I am looking forward to relaxing this weekend, have a good one! 

Life in Style

I am filled with inspiration after spending the day at Life in Style here in Sydney. So many great vendors with beautiful new products! I especially loved seeing so much Scandinavian design available, even some Finnish products! 

These cool Arch:You concrete houses were one of my absolute favourites today. There was definitely a lot of marble, concrete and copper everywhere, and to my delight quite a bit of dusty pink and leather details as well. Those two will have to make an appearance in my home in not too distant future. 

Graphic By D

I am absolutely in love with this Light Stones IV print from Graphic By D. It brings the much needed change in to our living area and fits the space perfectly. Go check out the other prints on Dorothee's website, there are heaps of different styles and colours available. I am planning a few more small changes here and there, so stay tuned!

I am off to Life in Style this weekend. Looking forward to seeing some new-to-me vendors and products, but most of all getting tons of inspiration on the way. Have a great weekend everyone!

From My Office

A rare moment of peace in my "office". A Saturday afternoon well spent catching up on emails, blog posts and whatnots. I hope you are having a lovely Valentine's Day where ever you are!

1st

We celebrated our daughter's first birthday this weekend. How time flies!

Have a lovely week everyone!

A New Year

Starting a new year organising and decluttering our home. It feels like a detox for the closets!

December

It is time to start preparing for Christmas again. They say "the days are long, but the years are short" and this year that has been exactly the case. We are keeping the decorations minimal again this Christmas, tucked away from curious little hands. I doubt I'll get a chance to do much baking, but a couple of treats are still a must. Like these traditional puff pastry tarts filled with prune jam for which you can find an old recipe right here.

DIY Copper Napkin Holders

I've been sucked in to thinking that the silly season is just around the corner and a quick glimpse at my diary tells me that is in fact the case. I love planning different table scape scenarios; textures, colours and all the little details, including napkin holders! I grabbed a stack of copper plant labels from a near-by hardware store, thinking they could make fun gift tags. I might end up using them for that purpose as well, but for now they will serve as super-stylish napkin holders. 

What you need

Copper plant labels (mine are from Bunnings, pack of 10 for $3.23!)

A hole punch (just a regular will do, these labels are thin and soft)

Simply punch a hole on the other end of the label (they already have one hole), loop the label around the napkin and tie up using the copper strings. And you're done! 

Wild for Wallpaper

Here's an idea I've become a little bit obsessed with of late: wallpaper in our hallway. This room is (obviously) the point of entrance in to our apartment and one I'd like to make a bit more interesting. It's a smallish space with beigy-grey walls (this colour, to be exact) and off-white/cream build-in cupboards and a desk. I am not sure why choosing the perfect wallpaper to cover just one wall in this space feels like such a major commitment. Also, if you've ever searched for wallpapers you know what a colossal task it is; there are literally thousands to choose from with a huge variety of prints, textures, finishes and colours available. I feel dizzy just thinking about it.

When I was little, my parents let me choose a wallpaper for my room. I remember how I loved browsing the big folder with wallpaper samples and how fascinated I was with all the pretty patterns. I ended up choosing a light pink paper with white clouds on it, not such a bad decision even if I think back to it now! For our hallway, however, I think I have to go with something a bit more mature than that; elegant and timeless even.

I don't want anything too colourful or bold, that's just not our style. I also don't want the print to be too small because I'm afraid that in such a small space it might end up looking too busy and clustered. I am drawn towards grey and metallic prints, like this ones from Florence Broadhurst. 

Floral 100 FBW-BO90

I have been absolutely obsessed with Erin Gates' new book 'Elements of Style' (more of that later) and amongst a ton of inspiration I saw this beautiful Katie Ridder 'Leaf" wallpaper covering one wall of a powder room Erin designed. 

Another grey, but very classic design is this one by Sandberg. I think this is going to go on to my Top 5 as it is definitely timeless and one I can't see myself getting bored with anytime soon. Porters Paints here in Sydney also has a good selection of classic designs, along with Eurowalls (their Nordic Home collection is especially pretty and not just because of the name!)

Hygge & West have a great collection of wallpaper, including prints by Rifle Paper Co. Very on-trend, yet classic, like this grey 'Diamante' by Laundry. This print to me is borderline busy, so it might not be a real option, but something to put in the 'someday' files.

And then there is Vallila. They have some really pretty floral prints, but how cools is this one! I know, it's not exactly timeless (or is it?), but there's something so whimsical about it that I love.

The search continues! I will give you an update when I've made a decision, but it might take a while! In the mean time, please let me know of any other great sources of wallpaper and I'll add them on to my (long) list of bookmarks - thanks! 

DIY Faux Leather Wall Hanging

I am always looking for new things to hang on our walls, but rarely feel like spending too much money on a piece of art I might end up getting bored with in a few months. I've wanted to make something for the longest time, something like this seemingly simple piece, but deep down I knew I could not pull it off. I know I'm not a painter, but perhaps I am a bit of a crafter, so I thought of creating a wall hanging using some of the metallic faux leather I picked up on a recent trip to Japan. I love working with faux leather fabric; it doesn't fray so you don't need to hem it, especially if used in something like this that doesn't get fiddled with too often. This fabric is quite readily available in all major craft stores, but I've even ordered some on Etsy. There is a great array of colours available so it is easy to get carried away! 

As a background I used a canvas I had picked up from a discount store ages ago. I thought of using a scallop pattern to create a bit more interest and the material I used added an extra layer of texture. You could use a variety of colours and/or different materials to create a more interesting look, but I wanted something quite subtle to hang atop a dresser in our guest room. 

I cut the pieces using a stencil and drafted a rough sketch on the canvas as a guide. Double-sided tape was great for attaching the pieces and way less messy than hot glue! Adding fabric around the edges of the canvas gave the piece a more finished look. 

I'm quite happy with the result and I can't wait to try making another piece with different shapes and colours! 

Updated Workspace

Updating my desk with bright accessories and pretty stationery is a great way to keep the inspiration flowing! Add a bunch of pink roses from the growers markets and I'm all set and ready for a new week.

PS. The gorgeous black and white woollen throws (peeking from a basket under my desk) are now on sale at my online store! Check out www.pikkukota.com for more information.

Polka Dot Love

A girl can never have too much polka dot in her life, am I right?

Happy weekend everyone! x

Spring Inspiration

This week I'm inspired by spring and all things pretty! Hope you're having a lovely week!

A New Week

Happy Monday everyone!

Bathroom Styling

A couple of new things in the bathroom and the overall look is a bit more colourful, glam and girly. I am obsessed with Australian brands MOR and Glasshouse at the moment; their products smell amazing and feel luxurious without being overly expensive. 

Large rattan hooks (in natural colour) are sold at my online store www.pikkukota.com

Recently

Reading #GIRLBOSS by Sophia Amoruso

Couldn't resist this pretty donut...

Found here

and this beautiful print, found here

Inspired By - Pink & Gold

I am obsessed with pink and gold at the moment and my work space, the ever changing mood board of mine, is reflecting the latest craze. I am the first one to admit my love for pink and now that I'm desperate for some colour in our home I try to incorporate it with our current decor. I love the pop of colour and golden accents add just the right amount of glamour in to the space. 

A Quest for Colour

I'm done with the black and white look and on a quest to add some colour and patterns to our home. I'm starting quite conservatively with these water colour cushions. I love the subtle hues and the unsymmetrical splashes. Although I don't mind winter in Australia, these colours remind me of spring to come.