We’re so excited to have Meta of One More Mushroom on Small Fry today to share her knowledge and tips about interior design for kids. Meta has the most incredible style and we can’t help but drool every time she shows glimpses of her home on her blog or Instagram. She recently designed the awesome “Henrik” bed you see in these photos, which is now for sale here! Designing for children’s spaces can be tricky, we’re excited to share her know-how with you!

Here’s what Meta has to say:
“I am an interior designer and a budding children’s furniture designer. I really enjoy decorating for children, they are so creative, fun and carefree. I love expressing their personalities through their spaces.

Here are a few tips I use when decorating children’s spaces:

1. Pick furniture they can grow into. When decorating children’s spaces I like to pick furniture that is fun but with a modern clean design. For example, The Henrik Bed was designed with the idea that it could be in any bedroom in the house and that hopefully Henrik will want to take it with him when he goes away to college.

2. Keep the walls neutral. I usually keep the walls white (sometimes gray). A room can be too busy and dark if you add color on the walls. White walls reflect so much light on dark dreary days. Add color and pattern in the accessories and toys.

3. Don’t worry about having everything match. Pick items that you love and make it work in your space. If everything matches, side table, bed, etc. it looks like it’s from a catalog and not like someone actually lives in the space. You want the space to feel loved and lived in.

4. Use the child’s interests when thinking of the design. For example, in my son Henrik’s room he loves pirates, ships and exploring. So I wallpapered one wall in his room with the Ralph Lauren Out to Sea wallpaper. It makes him feel like he had a say in the design and that is important and a fun way to show him his opinion matters.

5. Have fun with patterns and accessories. Here is where you can really have fun and be wild. Add color and pattern in the bedding, curtains, accessories and toys. Pick patterns and colors that will work well with each other. Patterns with varying size and complimentary colors work best together.”

Thanks Meta! Isn’t that bed gorgeous? She’s offering 10% off to readers here.

Photography by Meta Coleman & Ashley Thalman.

My husband travels a lot for work, so I spend weeks at a time parenting alone. I’ve acquired such a respect and compassion for women who do it on a full-time basis! My youngest Jude got really sick while my Andrew was gone this last stretch. In and out of a high fever, lethargic and super fussy. I find it’s in those moments when I feel like I might  pull my hair out dealing with a sick child with no break, that I’m given so much more strength! Some kind of primal Mommy-ness kicks in and I’m better then ever, handling the situation and doing my best to make Jude feel better. Then Andrew comes home, the tiredness hits me and I seriously can’t form a sentence if I tried. It’s funny how our bodies and mind will adapt until the last moment, and then sort of force us to take it easy.

Despite any inner strength, I still lose my patience more than I would like to. What’s so great about kids though is that they give you so many moments to start over. To be forgiven and the moment forgotten. When your patience is shot, theirs isn’t, they always allow you to begin fresh. My kids forgive me long before I forgive myself. Even the hardest of weeks are still full of moments of magic playing on the floor with toys or hop scotch in the rain. So this week I’ve thought a lot about how I might cut myself a bit more slack, the way my boys do. To forgive myself more quickly, and love myself more unconditionally, the way my children afford it to me. How I might bless those around me (but mostly myself, honestly) with the gift of starting over, beginning fresh with just lots of love and joy. What better day to start new then this one?

– Jenna

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We’re so thrilled to be a part of 6th Street Design School’s series this week! Check out our design tips for (trying) to stay organized and keep a clean house with crazy schedules right here.