apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

What was your inspiration?

As an artist I collect images and ideas constantly - so I suppose I find inspiration in all kinds of things. We try to make our home very personal and it isn't very 'styled'. I like to walk into a room and feel comfortable and interested in the things around me and I hope we've created a space where Celeste can feel like that too. The room grew organically around things we already had (the cot was the only piece of furniture bought specifically for Celeste) and so some choices were made for us - the rest just fell into place.

Did you encounter any challenges along the way and did you come up with any creative solutions?

The biggest challenge was space - or the lack of it! We tried to give the illusion of space by keeping the walls and floor white and accessorising with colour. We also kept the furniture small so it didn't dominate the room. As Celeste doesn't have room for many toys in her room I'm planning a playroom in the attic when she's able to climb the stairs.

What are your favorite elements or items in the room?

I love the deer curtains - they're made from one of my favourite G. P. & J Baker fabrics - a re-issued design that fits in well with the mid-century furniture that we already had. They were there before Celeste was even thought of - but are now well and truly hers.

I'm also really fond of the alphabet wall hanging that we picked up on our honeymoon at a roadside stall in Madagascar, the origami butterflies that I made to hang above her bed, my treasured Eames rocker and the four beautiful prints by Belle & Boo.

Any great resources to share?

Etsy is a brilliant site for sourcing original work at great prices and lots of Flickr groups are great for inspiration. I like the Corners Of My Home and Go To Your Room groups - but don't just stick to groups about interiors - look for images that use colour or shape in an appealing way too. There are lots of great craft/interior/design blogs and websites out there (today I'm particularly loving Soulemama, Sew Mama Sew, and Marimekko but I also make sure I use the real world and visit museums and galleries regularly. I looked for nice wooden letters everywhere and eventually found the biggest and nicest selection at Morello Living.

Any advice for parents putting a room together for their child?

Make it personal and use things that you already own and love. I think that using objects with a history or a story attached to them makes a room more special as you can relate the stories back to your child as they grow up.

Also - plan a practical room and you'll enjoy it even more. A few days after Celeste was born we has a big reshuffle of furniture as I discovered I couldn't reach my water when I was feeding her and I couldn't turn the radio on and off when I wanted to because it was across the other side of the room. It's now a slightly less aesthetically pleasing, but infinitely more usable room. I've discovered that having a child - even a baby - makes you reconsider how you use space in your home. You may think you like it arranged a certain way - but they've almost certainly got other ideas!

Anything else you'd like to add?

Before I had Celeste I was a visual artist working in a variety of media. I started a blog soon after becoming a mother to try and pull my ideas and images together and begin to think about working in a structured way again.

Thanks so much Katy! We love Celeste's room and look forward to checking in on you on your blog, It's What I Do.