DESIGN FOR KIDS, PETS
Interior designer Erin Gates founded her blog Elements of Style in 2007. She published her first book in 2014 and has just written her second: Elements of Family Style: Elegant Spaces for Everyday Life, with advice for how to live with open-plan kitchens, turn nurseries into big boy and girl rooms, and choose durable fabrics. Q
How do you balance wanting your house to feel “done” vs. finding the right/unique pieces for your space?
A
I always advise clients to take their time when creating a home, but I understand the need to want it to feel “done.” I like to get the main pieces settled quickly so you can live in the house comfortably (for example, it helps to have a sofa and coffee table in the living room or dining table and chairs in the dining room) and then really take your time picking the finishing touches and accents such as wall coverings, rugs, accessories and art. Wait until you feel strongly about something — be it a pillow or a piece of art or an accent piece — because if you really love it, you will not tire of it. If you’re just buying stuff to “fill” a space, you will end up replacing it and spending twice the money.
Q
How do you integrate kids’ and adults’ needs and styles in one (small) apartment? I want my home to feel as if it’s also my kids’ home and that they belong there. But I also don’t want the whole place to feel like it’s one big playroom.
A
When it comes to integrating kids into an adult space you can still be proud of, it’s all about storage. We always suggest either ample bookcases or built-ins with lower cabinets to store toys. Also, storage ottomans or benches that can do double duty — such as seating or a coffee table that also can help you put items away. I love to use a lot of attractive big baskets instead of plastic bins to store toys. Look for some with lids (they may be listed as “hampers” online, but they are great for medium-to-larger toys). And thankfully, when it comes to kids’ tables and chairs or play kitchens, there are so many attractive options beyond brightly coloured plastic that you can probably find items that match your decor.
Q
What are your best tips for transitioning a nursery into a “big kid” room? I want our nursery to be appropriate for a baby but also able to transition over time without having to replace everything.
A
It’s helps to start from a smart place, so design a nursery that can easily transition — nothing permanent that is too babyish, such as wallpaper, a rug or window treatments. When doing a nursery, I like to keep these pieces age-neutral so they can evolve with the child as they grow older. Swap the crib for a bed or daybed, update the wall art to something “older,” add some more attractive storage for the toys that will accumulate, and you’re good to go. A larger but effective project is to change the wall colour to something a little bolder and less babyish, too.
Q
We have a seven-month-old and a pretty traditionally styled home (think Kazak rug and brown leather sofa). Right now, we just throw a blanket on our living room area rug, where he kicks around and plays with his toys, and put it away when he’s done, but we know he’ll need a bigger and softer floor space as he starts learning to crawl and walk. Do you have any recommendations for attractive play mats, gates or other solutions that blend into our style enough to stay in the room sometimes but also can easily fold up and tuck away?
A
I totally understand this issue. There are some play mats these days that are one solid piece of foam or rubber, are rug size, and can be rolled up instead of being in 20 different puzzle pieces! Pottery Barn Kids just came out with some very cute, neutral ones. I also like Little Nomad.
For gates, I just look for the most inconspicuous white gate I can find — but there are some really amazing custom wood baby gates that I have seen in client homes too, if you want to invest in something custom.
Q
Our dogs sleep next to our beds, and our bedroom smells like dog. Any suggestions for dog beds and sofas that are easy to clean? Also, any ideas for easy-to-clean-sofa covers? We tried the ones from Plow and Hearth, but they aren’t heavy-duty enough.
A
Look for dog beds with covers that zip off easily and are made of washable fabric. There are a lot of great places to get cute beds, too. Search “designer dog beds” or “custom dog beds” on Etsy. I also love beds from Waggo. For sofa covers, my mother simply loves Dr. Foster & Smith and Orvis.
Q
Is there a good formula to use when choosing the correct size rug for a living room and bedroom? I feel like I’m always showing too much or too little floor.
A
Make sure at least two legs of each main piece of furniture are on the rug in a living room. In a dining room, make sure the chairs are still on the rug when pulled out to sit down. And in a bedroom, you should have two to three feet of rug on each side of the bed and extending past the foot.
Q
I absolutely love to pick out new throw pillows to update my sofa, but I need to change up my game a bit. For a wide teal sofa, do you recommend pairs? How do I build out a colour palette, and should I mix and match patterns?
A
For a wide sofa (I’m assuming longer than 86 inches long), I always do two pairs of pillows — one solid or solid with a border/ trim and then a more organic pattern in front (floral, paisley, blockprint). Sometimes I’ll add a lumbar in the middle.