Chic child spaces

Acclaimed designer Sarah Berry advises on how to keep your home stylish when little ones arrive.

"It can be a challenge when many homes become littered with plastic toys, books and stuffed animals and the parents lose a sense of having a grown up space," says Sarah. "But this needn’t be the case. It is very possible to live stylishly alongside children. The best way to do this is by being selective about what you bring into your home; think more ethically and environmentally (less plastic, more wood). Edit constantly; get rid of any extraneous things, children really don’t need all that stuff. Create lots of storage, cupboards, chests and shelves lessen the impact of all of the accoutrements that come with babies and toddlers and reduce the risk of tripping on those items that always seem to be on the floor…"

Berry's best bits

I love creating dedicated niches in children’s bedrooms for reading (above right). Simply have narrow shelves with a simply lip attached to your walls at a low level and slot books onto them library style (Ikea’s wooden wall mounted spice racks are also an excellent inexpensive version of this). Add some large floor cushions and a lamp and you have a perfect reading spot for little ones.

I love outdoor fabrics (above left). These have come a long way and are now available in an array of beautiful colours and prints. They are also really child friendly, robust and resist all kinds of spills and messes. Try Osborne & Little’s Zancudo range www.osborneandlittle.com

I love low level shelves (right). These are a must in any space for children, fill them with baskets, boxes and buckets and make tidying up toys an activity that children can join in with.

I love giant floor cushions. I buy square cushion inserts from John Lewis (feather 91cm square) and have a fabulous fabric made into a simple envelope cover. Children love them and they look very smart. Infinitely better than lumpy bean bags.

I love sophisticated colour schemes in bedrooms (above). Childrens bedrooms don’t need to be childish, they should be playful and delightful of course, but this doesn’t necessarily have to mean Disney themes or Peppa Pig duvets. Stick to neutral colour schemes with dashes of vibrant colours. Consider using non gender specific colours and experiment with charcoal greys, navy blues, coral pinks, mustards and teals.

I love a unique wallpaper in a bedroom. There are so many great papers that are fun and stylish, use sparingly, on one wall or chimney breast for best effect. Lizzie Allen does some perfect papers for bedroom alcoves. www.lizzieallen.co.uk. Or this one (above) drawn by a seven year old boy for Fine Little Day www.shop.finelittleday.com is

Blow the budget

Rather than a pink and yellow plastic wendy house why not invest in something really beautiful and get a magical Vera Vera Borgen castle (below). www.ohdeedoh.com