SWEET DREAMS

WITH A BABY ON THE WAY, A BRISBANE DAD HAPPILY GAVE UP HIS STORAGE SPACE TO BE TRANSFORMED INTO A WHIMSICAL NURSERY

“I LOVE THE COLOUR PALETTE; THE SHADES OF PINK ARE SO CALMING AND RELAXING” ~ BRONWYN LABAGNARA, INTERIOR DESIGNER

Brisbane couple Yvette and Ben were overjoyed when they discovered they were expecting a baby girl. “Being our first child, I really wanted to go to town and create a beautiful room which was functional when she was a baby and could evolve to suit her needs as she got older,” explains Yvette of the charming space created for Lucinda, who is now nine months old. In the midst of renovating other areas of their home with interior designer Bronwyn Labagnara of Hannah & Co Design, Bronwyn’s expertise was enlisted to convert Ben’s junk room into a timeless girl’s bedroom in shades of blush pink. The style took shape around a Stokke Sleepi Cot the couple inherited from a friend and their desire to also have a double bed in the space. “We knew in the first few years we’d be spending plenty of time in the room and sleep in there a lot,” says Yvette. “And it works perfectly.”

Original room: A large junk/storeroom in a classic 1960s Griffin and Knowlman house. “I think it may have originally been two small bedrooms, which were combined to make one large room by previous owners,” says Yvette of the sizeable space.

Time frame: The deadline was set a few weeks before Lucinda’s due date in May 2019 and the project was completed in four months.

Why the makeover? The couple were expecting their first child and wanted to create a nursery that also doubled as a bedroom where they could sleep whenever they needed to.

The works: Walls were repainted, the floor was recarpeted, window dressings were added and new furniture was installed.

Major changes: “The room went from being an underutilised dumping ground, where the door was almost permanently shut, to an incredibly functional nursery/bedroom we all use daily,” says Yvette.

Lessons learned: “It’s important to choose practical pieces for a nursery and I feel we got it right,” explains Yvette. “We ended up with a lovely mix of pieces that are useful and decorative.”

PALETTE PERFECTION To create this serene scene, aspectrum of pink was paired with neutral hues, punctuated by a stool in Peach from The Family Love Tree. The Stokke Sleepi Cot is anchored by the Muskhane Lumbini felt rug by Leo & Bella. A ‘Soleil Pom Pom Cushion’ in Blush from Norsu Interiors adds extra comfort for playtime on the floor.

MAGIC TOUCH To create a unique space, Bronwyn sourced pieces which add surprise and joy. “Elements like the mushroom nightlight by Little Belle Nightlights (above) and the ‘Pink Swan’ paper feather artwork by Mondocherry (left) provide intrigue and discovery for their little owner,” she explains.

Feminine and fun floral motifs are a recurring theme in the room. “Yvette loves flowers, so I wanted to incorporate soft pinks and floral shapes in an unexpected way,” says Bronwyn. A key piece is the Ruby Star Traders bone inlay dresser (above), teamed with a Taj Bone mirror from Globe West.