Cribz: Welcome to Sloane’s Whimsical Swan Lake Nursery

Sugar and spice and all things nice…

From soft pink hues to gold accents to swan themed decor… we’ve got major room decor envy! In this edition of Cribz, we’re invited into sweet baby Sloane’s nursery. There is something beautifully magical about this space but it doesn’t come as a surprise as we were equally amazed by her big brother’s room in our last Cribz ! We chat with their interior designer extraordinaire mama, Kathryn and learn more about what inspired her and where she curated these pieces.

Read more: Cribz: Cash’s Stylish Monochromatic Room

How would you describe this room? Which style would best describe the room?
Whimsical and feminine with a touch of sweetness because I had to include some oversize candy and donuts pillows!

Where did you get your inspiration from?
I was so excited to find out the gender when we became pregnant a second time because we had kept our son, Cash’s gender a surprise until his birth. I was also in complete shock, firstly that we were pregnant with Sloane so soon after Cash and secondly, that we were expecting a baby girl!

I quickly started a mood board for Sloane’s room that evolved throughout my entire pregnancy. Every time I saw something that I liked or that I had purchased I would go back to Sloane’s room mood board and update it. A tip that I highly recommend because the alternative might lead you to either: a room that is mismatched; or as an overwhelmed mama-to-be because you’ve left it all to that last minute. Another great tool I found helpful was social media. Fellow mums and designers love sharing their nurseries and children’s bedrooms all over the world. Also, I personally follow several children’s stores on Instagram so that I can see when new products are arriving and when sales are happening; all without being bombarded with email spam.

Read more: Best Homeware and Interior Decor Stores in Hong Kong

What was the hardest part of decorating this room?
Definitely picking a theme! In Sloane’s room I decided on a wallpaper for the feature wall very early on in the process and built the room around it. I wanted something magical, not too busy, and something that would grow with her. I finally choose Mrs. Mighetto’s Oh Clouds wallpaper. It’s neutral colour palette allowed me to accent it with any colour. In Sloane’s room, I chose pastels which you will find in her pillow, hooks, throws, etc.

What part of the room are you most proud of?
Her dressing nook. It’s functional, pretty and something that I think she will love even more with age. Within this space I’ve designed an open clothing rack used to hang some of Sloane’s adorable little tutus and dresses given to her as gifts. It sits on a pink crocheted rug to help keep it in place which later can be used at the the foot of her bed.

I sourced a woven basket for storage that holds her baby blankets, throws and pillows that are in the shapes of my favourite pregnancy treats. There are two pastel shadow boxes that are home to little treasures that I wanted to display. There is also a sweets hook in the shape of an ice cream that I hang her bath towel on. Lastly, I found an adorable children’s print from an artist I came across on Instagram. It’s a photograph of a pastel pink macaroon and says petite and sweet.

Is there anything in the room you (still) would like to change?
Her room is an evolving project which I never want to complete. I’m constantly trying to find ways to make my children’s rooms more magical and inspiring. A place not just for sleep but an area they want to spend time playing and creating in.

What is your favourite design or furniture store in Hong Kong?
Just like clothing, there are often more unique and inspiring pieces available for girls then there are boys. I really like the store Mirth. They bring some unique pieces into their store that I’m seeing in Australia and often ship over myself. Thorn and Burrow is also a beautiful store. Alternatively, I recommend getting things custom-made considering we are so close to Shenzhen. Sloane’s white lacquered dresser and dressing rack are custom-made purchases and both are much cheaper then the retail price.

What advice would you give to parents who want to redecorate their kids room?
Children are always accumulating “stuff” that creates a lot of clutter. Where space is limited here in Hong Kong, clutter free rooms are a challenge to manage especially aesthetically pleasing ones. One option is to consider furniture items used for dual purposes including storage. These items can be easily accessible but tucked away when necessary. A bench or chair that opens up to store toys is a good example.

The other option is to create a feature out your child’s items which I’ve done in both of my children’s rooms. In Sloane’s room, I achieved this with the use of shadow boxes to display toys and an open clothing rack to show off her pretty garments.

Of course, if you are having trouble coming up with a design for your little ones, I’d love to help! You can reach me at kathrynbradyinteriors.com.

A huge thank you for all the incredible photos captured by Ju Redondo at www.juredondo.com 

If you think your bubba or kiddo has a cool room, send us a picture at [email protected] and your room might be featured!