In fall of last year, we finally, for the first time, decorated the boys’ bedroom. Of course, over the years, we’d done little things here and there, but never in a cohesive way. This time was different. We partnered with a number of really incredible brands who helped bring our vision to life. More than anything, we wanted to create a room that both boys would feel connected to, despite their 3.5 year age difference. A space that felt inviting and playful, without feeling overwhelming or too cluttered. A place parents would want to hang out too! And, that is exactly what we were able to bring to life. It was incredible! And then, for various reasons both personal and professional, we decided to move for a year to Denver, CO. At first, I was heartbroken. Now that we finally had the boys room in this beautiful state of perfection, we were moving?!!?!! How was this happening?!?!
But, the most amazing thing happened once we got to Colorado. In our new homes (yes that is “homes” plural…we ended up having to move into two different rentals in Denver within 3 months), the boy’s room quickly came together in each new space. It made me realize how transformative it can be to invest in organizational systems, high-quality furniture that will last throughout the years, and simple color palettes that can exist in a variety of spaces. All the neutral and pastel tones, from the bedding to the rug, and artwork, worked in each new space we set up. I truly believe it helped the boys adjust to all the change because, no matter where we went, they had the comfort and calm of their room, just as it has been in LA. They had something familiar that felt safe.
So today, I want to share with you all the brands that worked with us on creating that dreamy space for our little wild ones. A room both parents and kiddos are happy with….because that’s what it’s all about!
FURNITURE – oeufnyc
It all started with Oeuf. I’d long been an admirer of their simple, classic designs and eco-friendly, sustainable products, so when they reached out to collaborate, I jumped at the opportunity to work with such an inspiring brand on the boy’s room makeover. We focused on creating a functional space that would grow with the boys over the years. We opted for the Perch Bunk Bed with the Trundle, as Andre and I still often find ourselves sleeping in the boy’s room for at least part of the night. Also, we knew Costa would get excited about sleeping on a top bunk and the idea of starting to have sleepovers with his buddies. Growing up, I always shared a bunk bed with my older sister, Ashley, and so many of my favorite childhood memories come from existing with her in that shared space. I knew I definitely wanted my boys to have that too. Paolo was just about to transition to a regular bed, so we prepared for him to sleep on the bottom bunk. To make the most of the rest of the space and maximize storage, we went with the 6-Drawer Dresser, the Vertical Mini Library, ML Nightstand, Perch Console, and the Perch Shelf. The white and birch wood combination of the furniture created a light and airy feeling, and a perfect canvas to then bring in color, texture, and various prints.
MATTRESSES – Avocado Green Mattress
As I’m sure many of you have noticed on my Instagram stories, sleep is a constant work in progress in our household. We’ve had times where it was perfect and Costa was sleeping 10 hours a night and we’ve had times when it has been unbearable and the boys were waking up every 2 hours. It’s been one of the wild rides of my life and definitely a challenge for the entire family. With that being said, I have put a lot of research, work, and time into trying to create a very inviting sleep space for the boys. I believe that investing in things like a high-quality mattress, soft sheets, and good pillows can make a world of difference if you have a temperamental sleeper. A great mattress is the foundation of a better night’s sleep, and I am not lying when I say that the Avocado Mattresses we got for the boys have made a big difference, especially for Costa. Their non-toxic organic mattresses are made from materials like organic latex, wool, and cotton with no foams or toxic fire retardants used. Both boys now sleep on the Twin Green Mattress with their plush Green Pillows
BEDDING – Lewisishome, oeuf
I am absolutely in love with Lewis, an organic children’s bedding and accessories line. From the sheets to the pajamas, their prints celebrate the weird, whimsical, and wild things in nature in colors that are inviting and playful. They source the softest materials and use 100% organic cotton whenever possible, so you can feel good about having your little one snuggle up against the sheets on the daily. The seaweed print is fun and timeless, the kind of print that will continue to work in their room, even as they start to get older. It also was neutral enough in color that bringing in fun and playful pillows from Oeuf onto the beds, really worked. Costa especially got a kick out of picking out pillows that were in the shape of hotdogs, snakes, clouds, and soccer balls.
RUG –Lorena Canals
This is a PSA to all parents. If you decide to have a rug in your kiddos room, GET A WASHABLE ONE! It’s a complete game changer and I can’t imagine not being able to wash their rug once a week. Between them and the dog, it get can get pretty thrashed but after a quick rinse and tumble, it’s back to being soft, clean, and ready to go. Lorena Canals makes stylish and practical washable rugs that would work in any room of your house, not just the kids. I fell in love with the Azteca Natural Cotton Rug in Vintage Blue. We’ve had it now for over 2 years (we got it way before the room makeover), and it is still in amazing condition.
LIGHTING AND DECOR – SCHOOLHOUSE
As all of you Angelenos know, LA gets realllll hot, all the time and, even though we have AC, it’s also nice to get some air circulation with a ceiling fan. Most of the rooms in our house came with generic Home Depot ceiling fans when we moved in ten years ago, so I was excited to partner with Schoolhouse and freshen up the room with a more modern fixture. The Zonix Ceiling fan in matte white created a clean and simple silhouette in the room. We also opted to include a clock above the Mini Library to help teach the boys about telling time, numbers, and counting (I also had fantasies that it would teach them when to wake up…but sadly this has not been the case!) They do LOVE the clock though, and it creates lots of conversation when we’re playing in the bedroom together. Schoolhouse also helped us maximize the space in the room and keep things organized with their White Ash Baskets. Perfect for holding stuffed animals, pillows, and toys without being an eyesore. They’re also great for little kids like Paolo because he can easily access the toys he wants to play with and also learn how to put them away himself.
ART AND OUR GALLERY WALL – Hangstyle, Posterchild Prints, and Simply Framed
For years, potential artwork to hang in Costa’s room had been piling up but I felt overwhelmed by tackling the project. Forever grateful for Sonja, of Posterchild Prints and Hangstyle, for helping me create a gallery wall for above the boys’ new dresser. She helped curate pieces from Posterchild Prints, including work by Will Bryant, Horace Panter, and Ornamental Conifer, that would feel relevant to both Costa and Paolo. We also mixed in a piece of Costa’s artwork, Oeuf’s Alfie the Undercover Cat poster, and a picture from our first family photoshoot. Sonja worked with Simply Framed to frame all the pieces in both white and natural wood frames to go with the overall color palette of the room.
ORGANIZATION – Composed Living
Oh, how the stuff accumulates once you start having kids. From the clothing to the toys to the books to the baby gear, you turn around one day and feel like you have become a hoarder. Well, Hallelujah! Elsa, the professional organizer behind Composed Living, to the rescue! I honestly didn’t realize the negative effect all the chaos and mess was having on all of us until it was thoughtfully organized with systems in place that we could actually maintain. More to come from Composed Living in an upcoming post where they will share some tips to get you started on your journey towards a clutter free life. Elsa and her team worked throughout the space organizing the library and shelfs, finding logical homes for toys that made sense for Paolo and Costa. They placed Paolo’s toys and books on lower shelves that would be easier for him to access and then Costa on the higher shelves. They implemented a file folding system for the boy’s clothing that allowed for so much more to fit into their drawers. The closet was transformed with baskets and bins and non-slip velvet hangers they sourced from The Container Store. All of these systems helped us transition smoothly from house to house these past few months and have made cleaning up for the boys so much easier. They know where everything goes and they can participate in that cleanup. Instead of adding a closet door, we opted for a pair of tie-dyed curtains I bought years ago from a friend. This also made getting in and out of the closet super easy for both boys, giving them access to additional toys and also encouraging them to start actively participating in getting dressed.
It was such a dream working with all of these companies and we feel forever blessed to have a beautiful space to share with our boys each and every day.
Photography by Nicki Sebastian