BEAUTIFUL KIDS TOYS YOU’LL ACTUALLY WANT TO DISPLAY

I think we can all agree that kids toys tend to get a bad rap. This post is about to change all that! Known for their impossibly bright colours and often less-than-subtle design, kids toys can become an eyesore in your living space as they find their way outside the playroom (if you are lucky enough to have one).

But friends, it doesn’t have to be that way. Constantly hiding toys doesn’t have to be the norm. Believe it or not, you’ll find quite a few beautiful pieces for your kids if you look in just the right places. I’m talking toys you’ll actually want to leave out when guests stop over. And toys that blend with your design aesthetic in the most seamless fashion.

Where do you find these unicorn toys, you ask? They’re right here in my roundup sorted by colour to suit every taste and style.

Browse for your favourites, PIN THEM and kiss those toy battles goodbye.

NATURAL WOOD

Note to all design-savvy parents: you can never go wrong with natural wood. Whether it’s baby teethers, toddler blocks, or big kid puzzles, wood tones complement any color palette and provide a timeless sense of style. I also love that you can pass these down for generations to come.

01./ Riga Roo Rocker; 02./ Tegu Magbot; 03./ Hippo Ride On; 04./ Stacking Wheels Toy; 05./ Toy Set; 06./ Puzzle ; 07./ KEVA ; 08./ Mozartkugel Music Box; 09./ Castle Box; 10./ Goose Toy Figure; 11./ Doll House; 12./ Cubebot; 13./  Wooden Car Set 14./ Baby Teethers.

MUTED TONES

I love colour, especially in tones that blend with our own home decor. Strike just the right balance with muted tones like soft pinks, blues, yellows and greens for a look that feels tasteful yet fun.

01. // Silicone Rattle; 02. // Pastel Blocks; 03. // Mouse Soft Toy; 04. // Superhero Mouse; 05. // Porcelain Tea Set; 06. // Giraffe; 07. // Jamm Scoot; 08. // Gallop Horse; 09. // City Blocks; 10. // Rabbit Hand Puppet; 11. // School Bus; 12. // Tool Bench; 13. // Rainbow Tunnel; 14. // Tea Trolley; 15. // Baking Playset.

BLACK TOYS

A favourite for a reason, black is the toy tone that brings a modern touch to any room. Not only will the clean lines of black and white toys add visual interest, but the high contrast combo is particularly great for developing babies.  

01. // Nesting Dolls; 02. // Stacking Game; 03. // Wood Teether; 04. // Rocking Donkey; 05. // Tool Playset; 06. // Tambourine; 07. // Polar Bear; 08. // Stacking Tunnel; 09. // Building Blocks; 10. // Rocking Horse; 11. // Contrast Art Cards; 12. // Ricepapa Plush; 13. // Activity Mat; 14. // Teether Toy; 15. // Teepee.

WHITE

Nothing adds to a room’s light and airy appearance like white-toned accessories—toys included. Don’t be afraid to hunt around for your little ones’ favorite playtime pieces in their colorless counterpart. You’ll be pleasantly surprised to find white toys add some much-needed calm to chaotic kid spaces.

01. // Rocking Horse; 02. // Wooden Camera; 03. // Celia Doll; 04. // Wood Easel; 05. // Mini Guitar; 06. // Canvas Teepee; 07. // Stuffed Bunny; 08. // Teether Rattle; 09. // Play Kitchen; 10. // Modern Slide; 11. // Micro Scooter.

OH MONDAY!

1. There are only 14 school days left until all 3 of the kids are home for the summer!! I can hardly believe how quickly this school year has gone!

2. Spring is one of my favourite seasons and I just love bringing fresh flowers home for the table. This is the first year I can put flowers on our coffee table without one of the kids coming and tipping them straight over!! Benefits of the youngest being 5.

3. If you know me personally, you'll know I don't wear earrings all that often. When I do though, I never regret it; earrings elevate a simple outfit so easily! Here are a few of my Spring favourites.

4. With windows this big and a ceiling this high,, this room really doesn't need anything to be incredible. This playroom is one of the most beautiful I've ever seen. 

Source

5. Aspiring to remember these words all week long...

Have a great week!

FRIDAY INSPIRATION: WHITE FLOORS!

Cheers to the weekend! The Baker Playroom is completing today and I am so excited to share it! If you want to see the behind the scenes, head over to my stories on Instagram throughout the day!

Today I'm sharing my ultimate dreamy flooring in kids' spaces...white floors! Both daring and unsurprisingly impractical, these are so pretty I only dream of painting my own kids' floors white. What do you think? So gorgeous you must try? Or absolutely absurd? Either way, they are so very PRETTY!  

Source

Source

Source

Source

Source

Source

Happy Friday!

3 DIY PROJECTS TO KEEP KIDS HAPPY ALL SUMMER LONG

It's June and we're on the cusp of summer. The warm days and extra hours of sunshine mean summer days drift slowly and easily into summer nights on the patio or in the backyard. The kids are staying up later and us parents are settling into keeping everyone happy a little longer each day. One of the things I love most is creating places or opportunities for the kids to spend hours happily playing without needing constant attention. These three DIY summer projects for kids are sure to do just that.

We've done over these DIYs over the past few years and they have bought us hours and hours of endless fun and memories. The kids are already asking to do another lemonade / street stand this year!

If you're thinking of doing any of these projects in time for the holidays, NOW is the perfect time to start!

PLAYHOUSE DIY

A couple of summers ago, we took a standard playhouse and gave it a little all over update. Nothing prepared me for how popular this little playhouse would become, both online and at home in our backyard! It has been the centre of our playdates for the past couple of years and more cookies, milkshakes and ice cream scoops have been served up in the playhouse than in our real kitchen!

I detailed the entire playhouse project when we first completed it and I can't recommend this project enough. It's been SO worth the many cans of paint and hours it took as I know our children will have memories of this little house long after it's gone.

IKEA HACK LEMONADE STAND

Last summer our kids decided that they HAD to have a lemonade stand before the end of summer. On the last weekend of the holidays, we built this little lemonade stand using two IKEA Latt tables, a few extra pieces of wood and we made the lemonade sign using card stock and stickers. This one was a big win for quick and easy and turned into a full afternoon impromptu neighbourhood party. It was pure fun and the kids have ideas of a flower sale or veggie sale from our garden this summer. Wish me luck ;)

KIDS ART SPACE

Wanting a way to whittle away the hours when the sun is too hot or a baby is napping? Creating a kids art space is the perfect thing! While the room may not stay as tidy and styled as it looks here, the fun and creativity that stems from having a place solely dedicated to art is worth every drop of paint and sticky mess you'll be cleaning up. Free-for-all paint may not work for every parent and every family home but I love the adventure it brings when kids get to decide exactly what they want to make with the supplies provided. 

These are my favourite three home projects we've done so far that will create lasting childhood memories while keeping the kids entertained for endless hours. What other ways do you keep your kids busy in creative and imaginative ways over the summer? I'd love to hear in the comments below!

Happy Friday everyone!

SEE THE FULL PROJECT POSTS...

PLAYHOUSE

KIDS ART STUDIO

LEMONADE STAND

OH MONDAY!

1. Why, when it's 20+ outside, do the weekends seem to fly by so much faster? For our friends in the US, I know the weekend is still happening right now. Enjoy it!

2. In other news, our playroom project is completing next week and I can't wait to show it to you!!! Here's a little peek at an in progress iPhone shot.

3. Did you pick anything up in the sales over the weekend? Most are still on today if you haven't!

4. I can't stop pinning!!! Anyone else addicted to Pinterest? This photo is still one of our top pinned images and I am as in love with this canopy corner today as the day I designed Ella's room.

5. The countdown to summer break is on and I would love your help with anything you'd like to see on the blog over the summer. Are you interested in seeing the activities we do at home with the kids? Or would you rather just stick to kids design all year round? If you have any posts you'd like to see here, please let me know in the comments below!