Features: Children

Dot Bed Linen from ALSO Home

Dot Bed Linen, from £10, from ALSO Home

Create a stylish children's room with this Dot Bed Linen from ALSO Home. From £10

A common complaint I get from friends with children is that they can’t find nice bed linen for their little ones’ rooms.

It’s either too cutesy or too dominated by characters from the latest big cartoon hit.

If you’re having the same problem then I may have just found the solution.

This Dot Bed Linen from ALSO Home is made from 100% cotton meaning there’s no nasties to irritate delicate skin and has a sweet multicoloured dot design.

Perfect for girls and boys alike, this bed linen will create a stylish children’s room and please the parents too.

Dot Bed Linen, from £10, from ALSO Home

Junior Living Wall Hung Desk from Found Home Store

Junior Living Wall Hung Desk, £349, from Found Home Store

Make homework fun with the stylish yet space-saving Junior Living Wall Hung Desk from Found Home Store. £349

When I was at school I hated having to do homework. I could usually be found doing it in the morning on the bus to school.

With the brilliantly designed Junior Living Wall Hung Desk from Found Home Store, however, homework time is no longer to be put off as long as possible.

The stylish, yet space-saving, wall unit has separate sections for books, pens, papers, etc., and the writing desk can be lifted up and secured in place to keep any mess hidden away. Perfect for untidy kiddies and, given that it works equally well as an small office space, untidy grown-ups.

Quick Shop: Childrens' Rugs

Our pick of Childrens Rugs

Give your childs bedroom a playful finish with one of these rugs.

Jazzing up a bedroom floor has never been easier, than investing in one of these fabulous and fun rugs for a childs room.

The Transport Rug from Great Little Trading Company is not only a rug but also a super-road play mat for any young petrol head. And the Owl Rug by Selina from Bodie and Fou brightens up any youngsters’ room and makes a great focal point.

(Clockwise from top) Designers Guild Woof Woof Rug Aqua from Heal’s, £195, Butterfly Rug – Large from Great Little Trading Company, £145, Designers Guild Flying High Blue Rug from Heal’s, £195, Owl Rug by Selina from Bodie and Fou, £150, Mexx Candy Flower Multi Rug from Heal’s, £325, Transport Rug from Great little Trading Company, £65.

Zelda Nursing Chair from Graham & Green

Zelda Nursing Chair, £395, from Graham & Green

Take the weight off with this stylish Zelda Nursing Chair from Graham & Green. £395

Regular readers will know that I can resist a button-back sofa or chair.

My latest furniture crush is this Zelda Nursing Chair in Graham & Green in sumptuous grey velvet.

I love its elegant legs and gently scrolled back which combine to make it the perfect occasional chair.

Whether you use it in the bedroom or living room, it’s bound to become a favourite piece of furniture.

And if you’re not a neutral freak like me, it also comes in a striking hot Pink.

Anne Dot Handle from 95% Danish

Anne Dot Handles, £9.50, from 95% Danish

Brighten up a cupboard with these Anne Dot Handles from 95% Danish. £9.25

If you’re still feeling the post-Christmas pinch but want to add some colour to your home, these Anne Dot Handles are just the ticket.

Available in an array of colours, they can be used to brighten up the plainest of kitchen cupboards.

Great for kids’ rooms as well as adult spaces, they can also be used a hooks by simply screwing them into a wall.making them the perfect addition to a bathroom or hallway.

Shop the room: Kids Room

Our pick of kids room goodies.

Excite your little ones with our pick of kids’ bedroom goodies.

Nothing is more fun than decorating and accessorising a child’s bedroom. So why not give your loved ones bedroom some life with our pick of kids room treats.

The Peekaboo Cow Kids Wall Clock from Heal’s is perfect for teaching them to how tell the time, as well as looking fab on the bedroom wall. And bedtime will never be a chore again once they’re counting sheep with the Sheep Colour-in Bed Linen from Room39.

(Clockwise from top) Owl cushion multi, from 95% Danish £39.95, Farmyard poster from byGraziela £17.50, Peekaboo cow kids wall clock, from Heal’s £48, Kids animal farm wall sticker, from 95% Danish £59.95, Rabbit night light, from Hunkydory Home £4.99, Sheep colour in bed linen, from Room39 £25.

Owl Wallpaper from 95% Danish

Owl Wallpaper, £59.95, from 95% Danish

Brighten up your little ones wallpapers with this Owl Wallpaper from 95% Danish. £59.95

Owls are still a big trend in interiors, with everything from ornaments to fabric being given the wise old bird treatment.

I love this Owl wallpaper from 95% Danish which is just perfect for a nursery or children’s playroom.

Featuring a super cute owl design in deliciously retro colours, it’s just the ticket for adding colour and pattern to dull walls.

Bunny Rug by Michelle Mason from Bodie and Fou

Bunny Rug by Michelle Mason, £100.08, from Bodie and Fou

Add some charm to a little ones room with this Bunny Rug by Michelle Mason from Bodie and Fou. £100.08

Regular readers will know that I adore animals, big, small, beautiful, not so blessed in the looks department – I love them.

One animal I haven’t always been enamoured with is the rabbit.

Yes, yes, I know they’re cute and all but I find them slightly creepy. For one they don’t seem to make any noise which is odd and when I was a little girl we left our school rabbit named George at the start of half term and by the end “George” had given birth – very unnerving for a 5 year old.I’m sure you’ll agree.

However, I love this Bunny Rug by Michelle Mason from Bodie and Fou.

Made from Mason’s signature fabric, eco-friendly felt, its cute bunny silhouette is perfect for a nursery or playroom.

Quick Shop: Kids Beds

Our range of endless fun and quirky beds

Delight your little ones and make bedtime more fun with one of these playful beds

Keep your child’s bedroom fun and carefree with an adorably cute bed. Whether your little one is a girly princess or a Thomas The Tank lover, we have lots of lovely beds, which are full of fun.

Practical solutions include the White Childs Truckle bed from Sweetpea and Willow which is perfect for a sleepover, while the Vista Bunk Bed will have little ones debating who gets the top bunk.

Whatever you choose you can guarantee bedtime stories will be all the more fun.

(Clockwise from left) Vista Bunk Bed – Pink or Blue, £431.10, from The Great Little Trading Company, Hideout Children’s Bed, £339.99, from Love Furniture, Fire Engine Toddler Bed, £108.00, from The Great Little Trading Company, Little Tikes Thomas The Tank Engine Bed, £279.95, from John Lewis, Nordic Style High Sleeper Bed Whitewash, £702.00, from The Great Litter Trading Company, White Childs Truckle Bed, £625.00, from Sweetpea and Willow

Robot Cushion from Rose & Grey

Robot Cushion, from £22, from Rose & Grey

Add some robotic charm to a little one's bedroom with these Robot Cushions from Rose & Grey. From £22

I’ve lost count the number of times friends who have kids have asked me where they can get nice, non-Disney or too cutesy accessories for their little one’s boudoirs.

They’re right that finding stylish accessories for kids rooms can be tricky, but here on Furnish we have a whole host of items from a wide range companies and designers that will make sure you’re offspring are the coolest in town.

I love these Ferm Living Robot cushions from Rose & Grey.

Available in two sizes, they’re the perfect way to brighten up a plain bed or miniature sofa.

Quick Shop: Kids Bedrooms

The perfect pieces to brighten a kids bedroom.

An amazing selection of colourful pieces for your child's bedroom.

With so many products available for kids bedrooms it can be difficult to know where to begin. We’ve put together a selection of some of the most fun pieces available, to take the stress out of choosing. From eye catching wall prints to practical beds, we’ve covered everything needed to create a beautifully bright space for your little one.

Clockwise from left: Little Girl’s Wall Clock from Coco Male, £18. Set ABC & farm poster from Graziela, £36. Sweetheart Dressing Up Rail from Great Little Trading Company, £70. Robot Cushion from Great Little Trading Company, £18. Tidy Books ABC Bookcase from John Lewis, £109-125. White Avalon Table from Great Little Trading Company, £90. Children Of The World lampshade from Hunkydory Home, £32. Reece Midsleeper Cabin Bed from Great Little Trading Company, £650. Alphabet Wall Cards from Great Little Trading Company, £26.

Autour Nursery Furniture from Pixie

Autour Nursery Furniture from £622.50 from Pixie

Make sure your nursery is the best dressed in town with this Autour Nursery Furniture from Pixie. From £622.50

Pretty much everyone I know is pregnant at the moment, ok that’s a slight exaggeration but let’s just say I’ll be spending a lot of time in Baby Gap in the next few months.

So, I’m waiting with baited breathe for friends and loved ones to ask me where they can find super cool nursery furniture.

Truth is however, I don’t think about nursery furniture a great deal but with a little bit of research, I have come across some of the nicest I have ever seen.

Autour Cot £622.50 from Pixie

The Autour range from Pixie is sleek without being too clinical, stylish without being too grown up and effortlessly timeless.

The range has everything you need to create the perfect nursery from the obligatory cot to stylish storage options in the form of a chest of drawers, wardrobe and shelf.

So, if you prefer a parred back scheme that will look fabulous for years to come, this is the ideal choice for you.

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Artour children's storage chest £769 from Pixie

How to create the perfect kids room

Tilly & George Bunk Bed, £800, Great Little Trading Company

We show you how to create the ideal space for your children to enjoy

Creating a fun yet practical room for your child to spend time in can be tricky and time consuming. Especially when you’ve already got your hands full looking after them! So we’ve put together a handy guide full of exciting ideas for your child’s room.

Furniture

There is a huge array of furniture available for your child’s room, depending on the kind of space you wish to create. This

Finding a good wardrobe is also important as this can provide valuable extra storage space in a small room. This junior wardrobe from Found Home Store has adjustable shelving as well as plenty of hanging space.

As your child grows up you might also want to consider adding a desk to the bedroom, to create an organised space for them to do their homework. This vintage inspired school desk from Ghost Furniture has space to store books inside, and one lid doubles up as a blackboard; perfect for keeping younger children entertained.

Storage

A bookcase is an ideal place for your child to store and display all of their books and toys. This eye catching doll’s house unit from Great Little Trading Company is sure to brighten up any little girls’ bedroom.

Alternatively, a toy box is the perfect solution for hiding away those piles of teddy bears and games. This chunky wooden toy box from John Lewis provides plenty of storage space, and comes in three different finishes to suit every interior.

Doll's House Bookcase, £100, Great Little Trading Company

Textiles

The perfect time to get creative with your kids room is when choosing bedding and curtains. Textiles can be used to brighten up simple surroundings, and can be easily updated as your child grows. The Pole House has a wide selection of beautiful bedding in bold colours that children will love, such as this pink animal baby blanket.

Buying children’s bedding doesn’t mean compromising on quality either, as this luxurious organic cotton duvet cover from The Fine Cotton Company proves. The blue stars and moons design provides a perfect bed time theme, and with a 200 thread count you can rest assured that your child will have a comfortable night’s sleep.

Cushions are great for adding a cosy finishing touch to a child’s bed. These cute character cushions from BODIE and FOU, will add a splash of contemporary colour to the room as well as being perfect for cuddling!

Wallpaper and Wall Stickers

Prints and wall stickers will help to add the fun factor to a child’s room. This striking animal tower wall sticker from 95% Danish is perfect for animal mad kids, whilst these psychedelic fairground stickers from BODIE and FOU will make an exciting feature of a plain wall.

This funky penguin print wallpaper from Caroline McGrath will give a modern yet practical lift to a bedroom; its wipe clean surface makes it a perfect choice for a room full of sticky fingers!

Children love to put their own stamp on their bedroom and this bold multi frame from Oliver Bonas will offer them an opportunity to get creative. Let your kids pick their favourite photos to add to the 28 frames; you could even add old postcards and drawings for a homely touch.

Penguin Wallpaper in Turquoise, £37, Caroline McGrath

Flooring

Placing a rug on the floor of your child’s room can make the space feel warm and inviting, and there are plenty of fun options available at the moment to help add a colour statement to the space. This cloud shaped rug from Heal’s doubles as a play mat, and the bold helicopter and plane motif is sure to capture a child’s imagination.

BODIE and FOU offer more contemporary flooring options, whilst still using cute designs that children will love. This apple rug has been designed by Michele Masson for the range, and will add a bright quirky touch to a kids’ bedroom.

Lighting

Adding an eye catching lampshade to the ceiling, or a lamp to your child’s desk provides a lovely finishing touch to the bedroom. Hunkydory Home have a gorgeous selection of lampshades in different prints. This magic jungle lampshade will add some fun colour to a younger child’s bedroom, and is also available in a matching cushion, whilst this red gingham shade offers a more classic lighting solution.

Night lights are also a great idea if your little ones have trouble getting to sleep. These cute magic lanterns from Great Little Trading Company give out a gentle glow as the pictures slowly rotate for a soothing effect.

Your child will spend plenty of time in their bedroom as they grow up, making it important to create a bright and beautiful space for them to enjoy. Hopefully the ideas above will help you to create a multi-functional room where they will be able to play, learn and sleep.

Robot Junior Bedding Set from Rose & Grey

Add some retro style to a child's bedroom with this Robot Junior Bedding Set from Rose & Grey. £85

It must be my age but I have been told that three friends will be expecting little bundles of joys in 2011 in the past week.

Last year, more of my money went on baby-being-born presents, christening gifts and 1st birthday presents than anything else – or at least it seemed that way.

Having worked in interiors for longer than I can care to remember, lots of expectant parents ask me how I think they should decorate their nurseries and my one rule is a simple one: steer clear of anything cartoon-inspired.

This may seem a bit miserable but I genuinely believe there’s so many gorgeous kids/baby interiors products out there, there needn’t ever be a whiff of Minnie or Mickey when it comes to decorating.

I particularly love this Robot Junior Bedding set from Rose & Grey.

It comes complete with a matching duvet cover and pillowcase in this deliciously retro Robot print.

Perfect for any little one’s room, it’s made from a 100% organic cotton so is gentle on bambino’s faces and would make the perfect gift for any expectant parent.

Lottie Lion cup, plate and bowl set from Too Much Too Young

Give little ones a tea time treat with this Lottie Lion cup, plate and bowl set from Too Much Too Young. £30

When it comes to little people's tableware, it can be tricky to find the right thing.

While you obviously don't want something too grown up, you may be like me and not particularly favour Disney characters either and want something a little less, well, commercial.

Cue Too Much Too Young, a wonderful website for little ones accessories.

They have everything from traditional toys to decorations for small people's bedrooms, all without a whiff of Snow White and her seven followers.

What really caught my eye were the delightful cup, bowl and plate sets. Featuring the cutest of characters such as Nellie Elephant and Lottie Lion, they will make feeding time a treat, not a chore.

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Train-design bedding from byGraziela

Cheer up your little ones room with this funky bed linen from byGraziela. £56

It has to be said that shopping for little ones interiors can be a bit tricky.

If you don't want their bedrooms covered in Disney prints and gender-specific blue and pink then until recently you were to put it not so mildly, pretty much stuffed.

Which is why it's great when you come across companies such as byGraziela.

Their prints are rich and stylish with a childish innocence but definitely not too cute and perfect for adding a style injection to even the smallest of people's rooms.

We love their funky use of colour and pattern and top of our list is this Train-design bedding.

Compromising of a duvet cover and pillowcase in 100% cotton which means you don't have to worry about putting anything nasty against your little ones skin.

How to create... a cool kids bedroom

Tilly and George bunk bed, £775, Great Little Trading Company

When decorating a kid’s room you can really be as imaginative as you want, and have some fun with the great choice of products available from Furnish.

Any parent will know just how difficult it can be to create a bedroom for their kids that will keep them happy and help them learn, whilst also maintaining that ‘cool’ status for when they have friends round.

Wallpaper is a feature that will determine the overall mood of a room, and if you want to go for something decorative and colourful, then Butterflies wallpaper from Lover's Lounge is a great choice for either a playful feature wall or to cover all four walls. Another imaginative way of decorating your children’s bedroom is with wall stickers; these offer the perfect alternative to wallpaper and can liven up a bland wall. I love that these can be both easily applied and simply removed if you or your child decide that you want a change. For example, Animal tower wall stickers from Lover's lounge are perfect for toddlers to measure their height as they grow.

Rainbow coat rack, £20, Great Little Trading Company

Storage is essentially one of the most important parts of a children’s bedroom; ultimately you will want to achieve a tidy room with accessible storage. The multi-purpose play table with trundle drawers from Great Little Trading Company is any parents’ dream because not only does it serve a practical solution with drawers for storing all your kid’s toys in, but it also provides a play table with different activities to choose from so your child won’t get bored. No longer will your child be afraid of the dark with Plug in Night Lights from Great Little Trading Company; these are a safe and simple way of ensuring a good night’s sleep all round. Any cool kid’s bedroom would also not be complete without a ceiling light, such as Twit Twoo from Hunkydory Home, which has a colourful print and gorgeous owl design.

If you have children sharing the same room but want to create space then bunk beds are a good solution, they give you more space and kids love them. The Tilly and George bunk bed from Great Little Trading Company is ideal for a cool kid’s bedroom because it has a modern design made from traditional wood providing a sturdy sleeping place. Themed bunk beds are also a very popular choice. For furnishing a children’s room but still keeping it fun, the Magis Plastic Puppy from Utility is a great seat to keep in their bedroom. You may want to have a couple of these in different colours so that their friends can join in too.

Twit Twoo, £30, Hunkydory Home

Children’s accessories are often the most imaginative and creative part of a room, and are the best way to encourage your child to learn but enjoy it at the same time. The magnetic Blackboard clock from Great Little Trading Company allows you to write in your own numbers, timings or reminders, and this way kids can become more independent in remembering what activities they are doing and when. When starting school kids will need to be organised and so functional accessories like the Rainbow Coat Rack from Great Little Trading Company will help them keep their coat and bags tidy.

In a sense, the greatest freedom you have with decorating and furnishing a cool kid’s bedroom is that there are no strict rules, although fun and practicality should merge to give the room the best potential for your child to enjoy playing as much as learning.

Hidden Art Select Kids Tray from Ella Doran

Large Tray by Zahanggir Hussain, from Ella Doran

Treat yourself at teatime with this charming tray from Ella Doran. £15.

Even if you’re eating a quick TV dinner, you can always dream of a lobster thermidor. I just love the jazzy orange stripes. And that pineapple looks juicy.

A pupil at St Paul’s Way Community School, Zahanggir Hussain’s lively design is part of a collaboration between Ella Doran and Hidden Art Select kids. It certainly outshines my scrawled attempts on placemat made at school in ‘Novemder 1988’.

Fantastic displayed in the kitchen along with your printed tea towels, this tray has a really fresh look. The perfect accompaniment to any meal, both practical and playful, it’s a real gourmet treat.

Cowboys and Indians Wigwam from The Gifted Penguin

Make sure your little people are entertained for hours with this fun wigwam from The Gifted Penguin £79.99

Summer holidays are without a doubt one of the most stressful times for parents. What on earth do you do with hyperactive children for six weeks?

Well, short of packing them off to retired relatives you could try getting your hands on one of these super cool wigwams from The Gifted Penguin.

This sturdy wigwam is covered in retro cowboys and Indians; it’s the perfect play partner for long summer days.

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White Rocking Sheep from Whippet Grey

Add some farmyard chic to a little ones room with this sweet White Rocking Sheep from Whippet Grey. £225

A lot of people I know think rocking horses are a bit spooky, but to me they have always been truly magical and beautiful.

I never had one myself (it’s ok, I’m not getting the violin out as I had probably too much as a child) but I used to have to be prised from the one in my nursery school.

But I think I could have been swayed from all things equestrian, had this been in my bedroom when I was a little girl.

The White Rocking Sheep from Whippet Grey (incidentally, one of my favourite interiors websites for a long time) is a wonderful find. A great alternative to a rocking horse, this will look fabulous in a playroom or nursery and best of all keeps your little ones quiet.

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