The brief was tricky. Turn a tiny, dark room into a fun kids Bedroom and play area that is warm and light on a shoe string budget – oh and the colour scheme must be pink and purple (Oy!!) The room had a poo brown carpet and bright yellow walls with large imposing (if useful) cupboard space. The only source of light a south facing window – which in the southern hemisphere means cold and dark.
The only way to create more space was to demolish one of the walls that led onto the passage way and swallow up the passage into the room, which was doable as the passage served no purpose anyway. We gained a meter or so there.
Next – to allow more light into the dark and tiny little room and also create the illusion of more space, we swapped out the window for a french door opening up onto a shared courtyard.
The poo brown carpet regrettably had to go and we decided that a screed concrete floor would be a lot more versatile and also easier to clean for a litttle munchkin. We went with a white concrete screed to allow maximum light into the space. Also because of the tiny bedroom we decided that the cupboards had to go. Though useful they were just too imposing so we invested in a versatile bunkbed that would allow for sleepovers but also provide much needed cupboard space in the form of drawers in the stairs and a large pullout draw under the bottom bunk. We decided on a wardrobe rail for hanging clothes. Love the fact that you can wheel it out, turn it around. Has great versatility.
We also replaced the solid bedroom door with a door with a large glass pane in it (reinforced glass of course) to allow light in from another angle and so that the grown ups can keep an eye when the door is closed.
We wanted to create a bedroom that inspired creativity and play despite its minuscule size and so added a magnetic blackboard on one area of wall.
Finally the colours. How to incorporate pink and purple without creating a room that would be unbearable to live with. My Answer – subtlety and a slightly sneaky substitution of purple with purply grey. I found great inspiration and a way to conquer the unlikely colour scheme in this beautiful blankie.
Finally just add kids and voila!!
If you’d like to see more of our little cottage- a work very much in progress check it out here.