Bunk beds, and why kids should share a bedroom

There seems to be a baby boom going on amongst my friends at the moment, and a lot of them are already on their second or third child.

This also means that some of them are outgrowing their houses, meaning they have to be a bit more creative with the lack of space.

Many parents think their children should have one bedroom each, and I completely agree with that – at least once the children are a bit more grown up. But whilst they’re still young they probably won’t mind sharing a bedroom with their sibling, and in my opinion this is a nothing but a good experience. Children who share a bedroom will learn how to share toys, and will learn to respect their sibling.

Myself and my little sister, who is 2.5 years younger than me, shared a bedroom when we were little, and I didn’t move into my own room until I was about to turn 7. It was not that I was afraid of sleeping alone or anything, but it was just so lovely having that sisterly bond. 

We used to have the coolest bunk bed, similar to the one above from Room to Grow, painted in lilac and with curtains for the lower bunk. We would lay there on a night and whisper and giggle, and sing all the Disney songs we knew. Oh, memories! 

Nowadays, more than 20 years later (God, I'm getting old!) there are so many more options when it comes to bunk beds, and parents can be really creative with their kids' shared bedroom. There are bunk beds with a corner angle, with an extra trundle bed underneath for additional night guests, with built-in desks and drawers, and even themed bunk beds of all kinds!  

 I mean, who wouldn't want an awesome London bus bunk bed to sleep in?!
Can I get one in grown up size? ;)

The art of wedding decorations and colour themes

I went to a wedding at the weekend, and it was in such a lovely countryside location. The happy couple had placed a couple of yurts in a field outside a Yorkshire stone farmhouse, and had even decorated the woodland path in between the main building and the yurts. Gorgeous, and very simple yet creative! They had done most of the decorations themselves with the help of family members (including folding 1,000 origami cranes!), and it added such a lovely atmosphere to the venue. Here are a few snaps I took of the decorations on the day. 

I love it when a wedding is different from the standard. When the decorations put a twist on the day and add personality to the occasion. This is so much better than going for the usual “fancy and timeless” hotel look, which when looking back at it you realise it wasn’t so timeless after all, but just boring. No one’s going to remember your standard wedding from the bunch…

This got me really inspired for my best friend’s wedding which will take place next summer, and I quickly dashed over to Pinterest to raid through her boards, and even pinned some images myself.

Placing your colourful potpourri in rolled up music sheets adds such a lovely touch to the exit of the ceremony venue. 

Crafty DIY table settings will make people remember your wedding dinner. It will really get the conversation started if you've put some time into personalising every piece to your guests. 

Candle teacups work as a romantic and old fashioned addition to your table decorations.

The simplest ideas are usually the nicest ones. Tying a bow out of a wide ribbon onto old wooden chairs is all you need for the wedding dinner if you're going for a shabby chic and french romantic theme. Even more shabby chic if you opt for different types of wooden chairs, like a mismatch.

A little dressing table is a great option for those special wedding decorations. You can't go wrong with lace and pearls - it's a classic wedding look that will never go out of style.

Place a birdcage onto the dressing table, and get people to use it as a postbox for the wedding cards. 

I absolutely love it when there is a specific colour theme to a wedding. My friend is going for dusky pink and green, but I think if I ever got married that I would go for a colder tone - maybe like the above lilac, or perhaps blue.

A staircase full of memories

A staircase is just for getting from one floor to the other, right?

WRONG!

You should treat your staircase as a room of its own, and that's what we've done.

We recently spiced up our staircase with a new wall colour, as well as some lovely decorations that make us feel happy and remind us very fond moments.

The first thing you see when walking up the stairs are these fab vinyl wall stickers of a couple of tree branches. They're from wall sticker specialists Cut It Out and you can custom order them in your requested colours. I went for brown and gold to match the rest of the decorations in the staircase.

Our staircase looks very foreign and almost tribal, don't you think? The wooden mask and round plate, both with golden details, were finds from Chichen Itza in Mexico. We negotiated with the Mayan indians for a good price, and I'm so glad we made the effort cause they look great on the wall - and they remind us of a fantastic holiday! The plate is actually a Mayan calendar, which is very fascinating.

The wooden cat in the window doesn't have a history that's as interesting... it was bought in my local interior shop in Sweden. 

 One you've reached the upstairs landing you're met by a huge floor to ceiling (well, almost) mirror. This is a recent purchase, and it immediately made this part of the house so much better! Well, first of all it makes the landing look twice as big, plus the frame is gorgeous - black with swirly details. It matches my oval and swirly IKEA frame perfectly!

In my Ung Drill frame from IKEA there's another great memory. It's a lovely photo of a tiny underground lake, also located in Mexico. We visited this cave with the winding stairs while passing through the small town of Valladolid. Such a great day! Thanks to StressFreePrint I was able to print this lovely memory on a huge poster without sacrificing the quality of the print. Since I knew I wanted the picture in that particular frame I could custom order it to size - brilliant!

The rest of the decorations in my staircase are made of metal or wrought iron. The chandellier is my absolute favourite! I fell in love with it on Lighting Majestic's website, and I haven't regretted it one bit. It's a love story that will last forever. 

The other little bits and bobs were presents from friends and family.

So, do you agree with me now that your staircase is not just like an empty space, but that you can turn it into a room of its own?

7 Space Saving Ideas for your Compact Home

Getting any space tidied can be quite a challenge. Fortunately, organising it can be more exciting than you think! Nothing says ‘cramped’ more than clutter and untidiness, right? Every living area could always do with a bit more space but compact homes tend to need an extra hand when it comes making them feel tidy. Below are some simple ideas to make extra space and storage.

Create an impression of space

At the foot of the bath, mount small decorative shelf brackets – use them to store candles, bath salts or artwork.

Using metal and glass is the best trick to reflect light and create an impression of space. A mirrored wardrobe appears to increase the dimensions of a room.

Install a full office on a single wall or convert a wall of the living room into your work area. You'll be amazed at how much you can accommodate when you go vertically.

Upward space solution

Mount your cabinet units all the way up to the ceiling to take advantage of the extra space. If you truly can't stand clutter you can say goodbye to unused ceiling gaps and hello to extra storage space.

Multi-purpose bed

Get yourself a deskbed in order to save space – it can be made with the desk built into the bed so that you don’t need to fold it away or move your things when switching from desk to bed.

A sofa bed can save space and you can dress it with throws and cushions for a comfy and cosy appearance. 

 

Open shelving solution

Open shelves and wall display units help to make a space look bigger. Floating shelves are ideal for displaying items in your home. They also blend in with the wall and put the focus on your furniture.

Go brighter and lighter

Updating dark cabinets and tiles with white-coloured units and grey-blue marble can make an area seem twice as big. A small white table can double as a breakfast corner.

Space for kitchen area clutter

Just because you don't have a kitchen that can house a six-burner cooker, double sink or big fridge doesn't mean you have to give up function or style.

If you have empty wall space take full advantage of it by installing rows of shelves from floor to ceiling.

Keep in mind, the smaller the living space, the more important it is to make the most of every inch. Don't be afraid to be innovative!