THE STORY BEHIND WINTER DAISY

Photo by Amanda Haddow

I’ve held off sharing my story about how my business started, mainly because I am no where near where I hope to be one day! I’ve learned though, that it really doesn’t matter; we are all just living our own journeys at our own pace.

Winter Daisy started when I was laying on the couch (for weeks!) while pregnant with my identical twin girls. I couldn’t find a designer devoted to children’s spaces and knew there was no way I could finish their nursery myself (I could barely move). The lightbulb clicked on and I knew there must be others out there who, like me, didn’t have the ability or time to get their kids rooms finished in the way they wanted to.

Fast forward a few years(!), then working back at my job as a Management Consultant, and decorating any space I could on the side, to finally realize the time was right. I wanted my children to see me working in a role that I LOVED and where my time away from there felt purposeful. My son was born 23 months after our twins and when my son was two, I left my corporate job and launched Winter Daisy!

I am so thankful to have you here and absolutely LOVE designing dreamy spaces for the little ones in our lives.

15 OF THE BEST WALLPAPERS FOR KIDS ROOMS

Source: Three Birds Renovations

Source: Sarah Sherman Samuel

This wallpaper post for kid’s rooms is one that I’ve been excited to write for awhile. Wallpaper is probably the item my clients debate about the longest, with some skipping it altogether because it feels daunting, even permanent. I’m here to tell you that it doesn’t have to feel that way! In my opinion, wallpaper can truly be the one item that turns a really good room into something exceptionally GREAT!

Source: Monika Hibbs

Without a doubt, wallpaper is impactful and memorable. It sets the tone of the entire space as you walk in. I can still remember the bold floral orange and brown wallpaper in my parents’ bedroom growing up and while it may no longer be something I would choose for my own home, it brings back lovely memories of crawling in for snuggles when I was little. Wallpaper evokes a feeling; it screams FUN, adds a layer of texture and above all else will create memories in your children’s minds for years to come. If you are ever in doubt, I say go for it! Thankfully modern wallpaper is much simpler to remove than in years past if you ever do change your mind.

When it comes time to actually choose a paper, ALWAYS order a sample first so you can feel the paper, see if it’s wipeable (ideal for toddler spaces) and check for any shine or texture which can be SO much prettier in real life than in the photos. The colours and the texture truly has to be felt before you buy. By ordering a sample first, it also proves useful to keep in your purser for matching paint and other decor items as you shop.

Without making you wait any longer, here are 15 of my favourite wallpapers for kids that will prove beautiful if you decide to use one in your baby nursery, kids room or even playroom. Click on any image to see where to shop it!

FRIDAY INSPIRATION: CLIMBING WALLS IN KIDS ROOMS

Maybe it’s the weather and we’re all feeling a little house bound, but I am so inspired by climbing walls in kids spaces lately! I have yet to find a client who is game to actually go for this, but how cool are these amazing designs?!!

Design by Mahno

Design by Scenario Architecture

Design by Notre Loft

If you love being inspired by kids room ideas, go follow me on Pinterest where I add new photos from the web each week.

OUR MORNING ROUTINE CHART {FREE PRINTABLE}

I think of organizing in the same way I do other mundane daily tasks such as laundry, packing the dishwasher and brushing my teeth. It’s totally not sexy, but it has to be done.

January is, without a doubt, the month we all seem to like a ‘fresh’ start. Resolutions, intentions, goals; whatever you call them, getting organized is so often part of it.

And…like all Moms around the world, I’m the same. Every morning the task of getting three kids up, dressed, fed, teeth brushed, lunches and snacks made, hair brushed, breakfast eaten, bags packed, etc. happens in our home. Many times, I’m on my own doing it and some mornings, my husband does it all. Without a doubt, there are mornings that things are chaotic and messy, but some mornings things are (shockingly!) calm and smooth.

Once our girls started school, we noticed they were really looking for some structure in the things that they needed to do in the mornings. After a year of cold morning coffees and rush, rush, rush, I decided we needed a plan. This is where the ‘Morning Routine Chart’ made its’ grand entrance!

I started with a simple list and some check boxes and then enlisted local artist Renske Werner to turn this free printable into something lovely enough that you would want it on your fridge or walls. You can find more of Renske’s beautiful illustrations on her Instagram account. Just save to your computer as you would an image and print out!

STORAGE BASKETS + CONTAINERS FOR KIDS SPACES

Anyone else in the organizing mood? If you’re like me, getting my kids’ rooms and play area organized is top of my priority list this month (that’s January for you!). It’s a case of new toys and old ones, clothes that are too small and books that seem to seep into every area of our home. That, and Marie Kondo, who’s motto of ‘tidy your space, transform your life’ seems to resonate loud and clear! Please tell me I’m not the only one!

SHOP NOW…

So, while we’re all thinking about getting things sorted, I thought it would be helpful to share some of my go-to places to shop for baskets and bins, and even the tiniest of containers which keep my client’s rooms and my own rooms neat and tidy.

I like to think about storage starting from large to small, with the obvious largest items being stored in closets and under bed drawers, which I’ve talked about how to conquer in a previous post. Once those areas are exhausted or the rooms don’t have those options, I use baskets, bins and all the way down to little containers for treasures that kids seem to love to have in sweet little bowls on their dressers and side tables. My kids collect rocks and a plethora of other weird and wonderful items, which I’m sure yours do too. Books are another story and I’ll address those in a later post, although board books are a great item for mid size baskets on the floor!

LARGE STORAGE BASKETS WITH LIDS

Without a doubt, these baskets pull double duty on holding all the things, from blankets to diapers to large plastic toys while looking pretty on the outside. You can use them ANYWHERE and that is their beauty; they are covered and so a living room, playroom, nursery, even dining room corner is a perfectly acceptable (and great!) place to keep these. If you want to be the host that has everything cleaned up when guests come over (trust me, this is NOT me!), I’m sure these work well for papers, cords and laptops too ;)

MID-SIZED BASKETS

These are typically open baskets but still a large enough size for items such as blankets, diapers (next to change table for easy access), stuffed animals, and generally items you want to be able to reach easily. They are super versatile and easier to move around than the really large ones. Some clients prefer all open baskets and these ones are a few of my faves.

EVERYDAY BASKETS

The most popular size for a reason!!! From belly baskets to the 12” ones to fit all cube storage, everyday baskets house things your kids play with the most regularly. The baskets on the top shelf in the left photo are holding musical instruments that my client didn’t want her son to have access to at bedtime, but wanted a basket she could easily pull down for the times she was ready for her son to play music ;) In the photo on the right (our newest basement playroom), those baskets hold blocks, Magnatiles, large Legos, stacking cups, etc. The kids can choose whichever they like and also put them back (fingers crossed!).

LITTLE CONTAINERS / BOWLS

Like it or not, SO many kids seem to collect little treasures of the strangest sort. If you can dream it, I’ve seen it! As all parents know, kids will keep things wherever they want (no matter how hard we try!) but I find it helpful to provide at least a few options for their special things. This is where the little bowls and boxes come into play. If you have a spare drawer in a dresser, nightstand or even under the bed, it’s an ideal spot for these. If your little ones are anything like mine though, they take pride in their treasures being in the open on their shelves or on top of their dresser, and I know one day, I will miss seeing those little messy trinkets. :)

In case you like to PIN things for later, here are some of my favourite baskets and little bins for storage in children’s rooms.

01. // Large neutral basket; 02. // Rattan side table basket; 03. // Patterned covered basket; 04. // Set of 2 baskets; 05. // Pom pom hamper; 06. // Striped jute basket; 07. // Everyday basket; 08. // Tassel bin; 09. // Belly basket; 10. // Canvas mini bin; 11. // Brass bowl; 12. // Handmade rope mini bin.