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Stickybeak of the Week: Learning to Share in a Butterfly Clad Bedroom
A fun, girly bedroom helps two sisters under six transition into shared sleeping quarters
When Joanna Glick’s clients wanted to reorder spaces and have their daughters share a room, the designer knew she had to make it good. The new room is on the lower level of the house, and the girls hadn’t shared a space before – a massive sea change for the under-six set. “In order to get them to sleep there, I had to create an enticing room where they would want to be,” Glick says.
“I like to start each room with what I call a lead,” says Glick, a principal at J&J Design Group. “It is usually an element with colours that hold the whole space together.”
In this case it was fanciful butterfly wallpaper that was created by an artist. “She hand paints the butterflies and then has them printed on wallpaper,” says Glick. “I asked her to enlarge the insects, and I chose the ones I wanted to use.”
Once the bedboard wall was fluttering with winged creatures, the adjacent wall seemed vacant. “I didn’t want to leave it white; it didn’t seem like enough. But I didn’t want to add art, either –there’s already a lot going on in the room,” says Glick. The answer was to pull a teal colour from the wallpaper and use it as a horizontal stripe.
The designer layered on other lovable elements, such as classic Jenny Lind beds in a raspberry hue and throw pillows with a silhouette that looks a lot like that of Ruby, the beloved family dog.
Wallpaper: J&J Design Group; Jenny Lind beds: The Land of Nod
In this case it was fanciful butterfly wallpaper that was created by an artist. “She hand paints the butterflies and then has them printed on wallpaper,” says Glick. “I asked her to enlarge the insects, and I chose the ones I wanted to use.”
Once the bedboard wall was fluttering with winged creatures, the adjacent wall seemed vacant. “I didn’t want to leave it white; it didn’t seem like enough. But I didn’t want to add art, either –there’s already a lot going on in the room,” says Glick. The answer was to pull a teal colour from the wallpaper and use it as a horizontal stripe.
The designer layered on other lovable elements, such as classic Jenny Lind beds in a raspberry hue and throw pillows with a silhouette that looks a lot like that of Ruby, the beloved family dog.
Wallpaper: J&J Design Group; Jenny Lind beds: The Land of Nod
Glick redesigned the existing double closet using Ikea cabinetry and drawers for a kid-friendly configuration.
The idea for day-of-the-week drawers came from her personal experience. “I work full-time, and it often falls to my husband, a babysitter or grandparents to get my girls ready in the morning,” she says. “Their father was often at a loss when it came to putting outfits together, so I came up with these drawers. When I do laundry, I bundle outfits together with rubber bands and drop them in the right day. I also slip in any extras they will need, like clothes for dance lessons. Whoever is getting them ready doesn’t have to think about it.”
The idea for day-of-the-week drawers came from her personal experience. “I work full-time, and it often falls to my husband, a babysitter or grandparents to get my girls ready in the morning,” she says. “Their father was often at a loss when it came to putting outfits together, so I came up with these drawers. When I do laundry, I bundle outfits together with rubber bands and drop them in the right day. I also slip in any extras they will need, like clothes for dance lessons. Whoever is getting them ready doesn’t have to think about it.”
The designer used a Cricut (a home die-cutting machine) to make labels for Monday through Friday, the weekend, pyjamas, socks and underwear.
It’s the details that make the difference in this room. Glick found this vintage chest of drawers and painted it a deep blue. She outfitted it with vintage hardware and then hand-painted the gold trim around the upper handles.
Pillows with brightly coloured tassels beckon little heads (and fingers).
Who says it’s a pain to share a room?
Pillow: Anthropologie
TELL US
Do your kids share a bedroom? How does the decor match both personalities? Tell us in the Comments section.
Who says it’s a pain to share a room?
Pillow: Anthropologie
TELL US
Do your kids share a bedroom? How does the decor match both personalities? Tell us in the Comments section.
Room at a Glance
Who sleeps here: Sisters Kendyl (5) and Remi (3)
Location: Gilbert, Arizona, US
Size: 11 square metres
Designer’s advice: If you want kids to share a room peacefully, make it fun. “I do everything I can to make shared rooms feel more like a slumber party,” says Glick.