A couple of months ago, we took a tour through real-life mama Ilana Saul’s kids room, and the whimsy of this space still has us dreaming! In fact, we even took a few notes from her home and whipped up a guide on how to design a gender neutral nursery—and today we’re diving into the details.
We believe a kids room should be thoughtfully designed with just as much style as an adult room, but the nature of the space still requires that task to be approached just a bit differently. A kids room should be a place to play, imagine, and feel safe, and we’re here to tell you it can be both tasteful and full of personality, all at the same time. But if there’s one thing we know to be true, it’s that kids rooms tend to be full of stuff… LOTS of stuff. So how do you keep those shelves and storage spaces looking chic-as-can-be, but still functional for your little one? We’re breaking it down for you below, so keep scrolling for a few tips and tricks on how to style a kids room shelf…
Find accessories that double as toys.
If there’s one thing we all know about kids, it is that they are curious. They want to see, touch, feel, and play with everything they see, so when styling a kids room shelf, make sure your accessories aren’t too precious. Leave the breakable, delicate, or heirloom pieces to the higher shelves, out of reach. Then, on lower and eye-level shelves, opt for pieces that are soft or durable. Or in other words, those pieces that you won’t mind handing to your little one to play with when they beg for you to get it down for them (or pull it off the shelf themselves!).
- Annicke Mouse, $50 | 2. XL 12-Piece Wooden Rainbow Stacker, $91.95 | 3. Mary Poppins Book Collection, $135 | 4. Bruno Roadster Toy, $64 | 5. Stuffed Animal Alpaca Toy, $75 | 6. Jane Austen Book Set, $159 | 7. Abby the Elephant Bookend, $59.96 | 8. Wood 12” Artist Mannequin, $7.96
Make your storage stylish.
It seems that the collection of little tiny toys and trinkets that children have is endless, so prepare your shelving with plenty of (stylish) storage. Soft baskets and bins are ideal, so there’s no chance of fingers getting smashed or a bulky bin toppling over on your little one. And believe it or not, that doesn’t have to mean you’re confined to cheaply made, unsightly storage. Pick up a few of these bins and baskets that are both kid-friendly and pretty, then nestle them among the rest of your shelf accessories for some seriously stylish storage. (P.S. You can get all of the baskets from this sweet nursery from The Little Market here, but we also hand-picked a few of our current faves from around the web below…)
- Small Basket - Blue Dots, $36 | 2. Beach House Storage Bins with Handles, $16.99+ | 3. Slate Blue & White Strapping Basket, $11.99 | 4. Woven Bamboo Boxes, $16 | 5. Rugby Stripe Storage Cube with Rope Handles, $9.99 | 6. Round Basket - Pink, $32 | 7. Whimsical Basket - Rainbow Dot, $48 | 8. Canvas Quilted Bins, $15.99+
Top it off with playful art.
Of course, one of the most fun parts of styling a shelf—kids room or not—is selecting the art to bring it to life! For a kids room in particular, we love bringing out those playful scenes, rich colors, and whimsical images that are guaranteed to get your little one’s imagination turning. We turned to Gray Malin at the Parker, Far Far Away, and even a couple of Gray’s beach aerials to choose our favorites…
- Chef’s Table, $299+ | 2. Barcelona Beach Horizontal, $249+ | 3. Palm Beach Vertical, $249+ | 4. Hot Pink Haven, $249+ | 5. Red Balloon I, $299+ | 6. Safari Leopards, $199+ | 7. Beach Balls, $349+ | 8. Party Animal, $299+
What styling tips would you add to this list?
We’d love to see your take on shelf-styling for your little one’s room (and how you incorporate your favorite GM prints!). Snap a pic and share with us on social media @GrayMalin.
Xx Team GM
Photos: Jessi Burrone for GrayMalin.com