Kids’ corner

Five beautiful warm neutrals have been used to create this hugely appealing safari-themed room for little dreamers and adventurers

A safari-themed retreat

Who says neutral colours are too dull for a child’s room? This safari scheme is a fantastic example of using a palette not typically seen in kids’ spaces and layering it with textured furnishings to create a fun and inviting room.

We took five key colours – a beautiful warm ochre green for the walls, a silken beigey grey on the floor, soft tawny yellow and a couple of richer greys, one with a tinge of truffle brown – and repeated them through the room, including on some of the furniture, for a cohesive feel.

To give interest to the walls, we painted six 10mm x 40mm wooden battens in Resene Truffle and placed them in pairs, 4cm apart (we attached them to the studs using countersunk batten screws, then filled the holes with filler and gave them another coat of paint).

To begin our safari theme, we chose this fabulous bed and canopy which immediately conjures up visions of sleeping under canvas, listening to the sounds of animals at the water hole. Low to the ground, this king single bed also makes a great play area. Simply unroll the flaps to create a tent, cubby house, cave etc.

A nice big rug is essential on an uncarpeted floor, with floor cushions and a pouf adding extra comfort. The pendant, basket and pouf in natural fibres blend with the colour scheme and fit our out-in-the-wild vibe, as do a few pots of luxuriant greenery (we chose faux plants as a mess-free option for young children). Cute animal toys and a few lion-themed touches finish it all off and set the scene for plenty of safari adventures.

DISPLAY WALL

We created an eye-catching display area by painting three shapes onto the wall opposite the bed, using colours taken from the room (we also repeated those hues on a secondhand chest of drawers).

The 60cm square (Resene Half Fossil) is 1.6m o the floor; the 60cm-diameter circle (Resene Twine) is 1.2m o the floor; and the 60cm x 30cm semi-circle (Resene Triple Tru le) is 80cm o the floor. We then painted the same Kmart shelf in matching colours and screwed them onto their respective shapes.

As a final touch, some fun wall hangings – a rattan elephant and ra ia lion – supply further rich texture and of course tie in with the safari theme.

Photography by Wendy Fenwick. PAINT Walls: Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen in Resene Colins Wicket. Battens: Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen in Resene Tru le. Floor: Resene Walk-on in Resene Half Fossil. Drawers: Resene Lustacryl in Resene Stack, Resene Half Fossil, Resene Twine, Resene Triple Tru le. Stool: Resene Triple Tru le. CREDITS Hideout king single bed, $1099, Expedition canopy, $349, Soleil euro pillowcase, $54.95, Luca Lion throw, $54.95, Nomu pouf, $159, Bakir rug, $549, Rogue bird of paradise, from $99, Meeko basket, $129, Luca Lion mat, $74.95, Elephant hanging, $54.95, from Freedom. Home Republic stonewash silver double duvet cover, $149.99, and pillowcase, $44.99 for 2, from Adairs. Ila Y Ela lion hanging, $199, poster hanger, $19, from Little Whimsy. Wooden hamburger, $9, Dalia round cushion (floor), $8, Bondi cushion (floor), $12, Another Book About Bears, $12, shelves (painted by us), $9 each, from Kmart. Lily & George Arthur lion, $39.99, Tinge alarm clock, $39.99, from Shut The Front Door. Gaussian vessels, $119 two-tier, $149 three-tier, from Citta. Ply 3D animal and vehicle, $5 each, from Warehouse Stationery. Living & Co potted succulent, $12, from The Warehouse. Zoo World colouring book, $16.95, from Henry & Co. Other items stylist’s own.