We were very excited earlier this year when Natalie Lockwood approached us about a children’s room she was designing for Grand Designs Live, and were thrilled when she decided to use the Play, Learn & Sleep Bed in her room. Lots of you have been asking about Natalie’s room design and how to create the look; so we caught up with Natalie, to hear about the inspiration behind the room.

When asked to design a children’s bedroom for Grand Designs Live 2018 I had 3 main aims for the space: To create a space where a child could develop their personality, To create a stylish room that would fit into a contemporary home and To make the room as sustainable as possible. To achieve these aims I reached out to some of my favourite interiors brands to help…including Cuckooland was an obvious choice.

The base of the design was the chalkboard walls which allowed children full creative control in their own space and the climbing wall which encourages an active childhood even when indoors, to break up the black I added the ‘unfinished’ grey and yellow painted wall which added colour and interest to the relaxing zone housing the bed. The decision to add a grass floor to the room was obviously a fun option but it’s also a sensible option for a child’s bedroom (or playroom) as it’s durable and wipe clean – win win!

With the base of the room complete I knew I needed a bold statement bed, the Play, Learn & Sleep bed from Cuckooland was the perfect option. It offers a fun climbing wall complete with rope, a super cool slide and a blackboard to get creative, all of this whilst not compromising on the all important design of the room and whilst offering lots of space for storage underneath. The blackboard ties the bed in with the walls and allows children’s creativity to flow all the way throughout the main elements of the space. The same goes with the climbing rope to bed which echos the more challenging climbing wall installed on the wall. I added the stylish, grey ball pit at the base of the slide for an extra element of fun in the room. I wanted to make sure all of the larger toys in the space were stylish enough to not need hiding away when not in use and to grow with the child to enhance the sustainability of the space. The recycled plastic trike is perfect for adding style and sustainability to the space as it grows with the child into a balance bike.

The lighting was chosen to be playful with a slightly more grown-up feel than the other elements of the room. I chose pieces that weren’t marketed as kid’s bedroom lighting but looked fun and playful when placed in the room. The cactus bedside lamp achieved this perfectly and blended seamlessly into the design by bringing an additional pop of green into the space and complimenting the adventurous feel of the room with the Teepee and artwork.

Storage is always an issue when designing with children in mind, as there are so many different elements that need a home, clothes, toys, books etc. The clever cabin bed was chosen for the fun factor but also as it has lots of dead space underneath for storage, the Panda storage basket worked perfectly in the void behind the ladder and slide. Buying products that will last and grow with you is the easiest way to build a sustainable lifestyle.

When dressing the bed I wanted to create a cosy and relaxing feel that didn’t take away from the playfulness of its design. The panda cushion tempts any child to cuddle up for a bedtime story (even in a bed as fun as this one) with it’s super soft faux fur and sleepy eyes and it has the added bonus of tying in with the storage baskets underneath the bed. The yellow SMILE cushion is a padded design, which also adds to the feel of relaxation. The yellow ties into the room’s design perfectly and I believe a little reminder to smile when you wake up in the morning could never be a bad thing right!? Although, how you couldn’t be smiling when you slide out of bed into a ball pit in the morning I don’t know?

A little more about Natalie: Natalie Lockwood is a young interior designer and blogger based in Yorkshire. She created her studio & blog Little Mill House out of the desire to offer affordable, convenient interior design with a focus on sustainability whatever the client’s budget. In a short amount of time she has worked with numerous publications and designed rooms for the Ideal Home Show & Grand Designs Live. The Little Mill House blog is in the top 100 upcycling blogs worldwide and was nominated for a prestigious Amara Interior Blog Award in 2017 & 2018. 

Follow Natalie on Instagram: @upcycledmill