Alexis Teasdale is a mother of three, a writer, stylist, creative director and professional fun maker at The Festive Co. A creative powerhouse is an understatement and she’s also one of the sweetest, most delightful people you are ever likely to meet. Today we are fortunate enough to be sharing this stunning retro floral nursery belonging to her little lady, Andie.
After a successful career in magazine publishing, Alexis moved to her home town of Adelaide to put down roots with her family of five. She is one busy lady, with three gorgeous kids, a thriving business and more recently becoming a co-host of Kiddo Mag Podcast.
With some amazing vintage hunting skills, Alexis has curated a nostalgic collection of retro decor for her daughters nursery. Get ready to be inspired!
TELL US ABOUT ANDIE, THE LUCKY OWNER OF THIS ROOM
“Little Alexandra aka Andie is our third child and first daughter! She is already so different to her brothers. Andie started walking earlier, babbles away all day and opens and shuts every drawer in the house endlessly. Of course she loves her big bros and follows them around laughing and laughing. We think she’s going to be a chatter box, that’s for sure!”
WHAT WAS THE BRIEF FOR THIS ROOM?
“It’s such a teeny room, the only real idea was, make it cute! It was a little pale blue study when we moved into the house and I considered keeping it that colour, but as Andie is our last babe, I figured I should go nuts and decorate the room exactly how I would have loved it as a kid. So the walls became pink, there’s a super soft fluffy rug, lots of colourful wall art and plenty of old-school retro touches.”
WHAT WAS YOUR INSPIRATION? DID YOU ALWAYS INTEND TO GO WITH A RETRO VIBE OR DID IT JUST HAPPEN?
“The retro vibe happened on it’s own, because I’ve kept so many of my childhood toys, plus I love vintage finds. I also didn’t want to spend loads of money on a room she doesn’t spend a lot of time in yet, so looking for pieces on Gumtree and Facebook Marketplace became a fun project, and is there anything more satisfying than a bargain? By the time I found the old rocking chair and cane trunk, the retro feel started to come together and I just went with it. Don’t even get me started on the antique porcelain drawer handles. I was a serious detective finding those. I had a blast with it all!”
HOW DID YOU SELECT YOUR COLOUR PALETTE?
“A little disclaimer! For the record I don’t believe in ‘pink for girls and blue for boys’. I could have kept the existing blue which was quite calming, but pink does happen to be one of my favourite colours, so selfishly I went to town with it in Andie’s room and I don’t regret it for a second. Actually, this is the first room we’ve painted a colour! Usually I’m all about white painted everything, so Andie’s room is the exception. The pale pink we chose is so inviting, walking into her room is a real treat.”
WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE FEATURE IN THE ROOM?
“I think it would have to be all the bits and bobs on the walls. It’s a mix of books, art and cool wall hangings like the Rachel Castle framed tea towels. There’s also this beautiful print by Yarli Creative called ‘Yindi, My Sunshine’ that the artist Maddy painted for her daughter who is almost the same age as Andie. We bought a print version for Andie’s first birthday and I love that she’ll grow up with meaningful art in her room. In the IKEA Dolls House shelf there are some baby trinkets of my husband’s and mine too. It’s cool being able to feature little pieces of our childhood in the room.”
WHAT WAS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE?
“Just the size and (lack of) storage! It’s small and because of the little fireplace there isn’t all that much wall space for a wardrobe, which is next on the list. When Andie moves into a big bed we’ll probably need to rearrange the space again, but it really is the sweetest little room. Our house was built in the 1920’s and her room still has some original cute window panels and it looks out over the garden.”
WHAT IS YOUR OVERALL FAVOURITE THING ABOUT THIS SPACE?
“It’s got a great little energy this room. Thanks to it’s size, most things are up and on the walls so even when she’s wandering around in there she can’t get into too much trouble. The kids all play in another area of the house, so this space stays quite zen and is mostly for reading books before bed and sleeping.”
WHAT ARE YOUR TOP TIPS WHEN DECORATING A KIDS SPACE?
“Always think about usability before decor. Will the kids play in the space and what kind of play do they like? Is it mostly for chilling out and sleeping? All of that has a role in making the most of the room. There’s no point in creating a cool space with no storage, if all the toys are going to live in the room. And you can be clever with bed configurations to make the most of floor space too. When it comes to bigger kids, get them involved in the process. If they feel like the room really reflects them and they’re proud of it, you have a better chance of them looking after it!”
QUICK FIRE Q’S
(Instagram) Fave scroll stopper(s): @bonvivantcakes, @banginhangins, @lrika.matoshi, @rachelcastleandthings…I could keep going all day!”
(Design Style) Less is more or more is more: More is more, always!
(Netflix) Can’t switch off: All the docos, especially Three Identical Strangers, The Last Dance and Cheer.
(Motherhood) Defining parenting moment: “Probably the boys meeting their little sister and us being a complete family of five. That and all the crazy, fun, hectic milestones along the way!”
(Mindfulness) Quote that best sums you up: “ha, well if it’s one that sums me up, it’s the thing I say to myself all day long ‘I’m doing my best!!’ But if it’s a quote I love, it’s ‘Find out who you are and do it on purpose’ by my fave, Dolly Parton.”
GET THE LOOK
Paint – Dulux ‘Nursery’ half, Decal – The Lovely Wall Company Construction Paper Flowers, Artwork – Rachel Castle Hey Kid and Flower tea towels, Wall Shelves and Doll House – IKEA, Clothing Rack – Kmart, Bookends – Hart + Stone, Vase – Love Star Queen of Hearts Vase, Wall Flag – ‘Magic’ by Sweet Lulu, Lamp – Pottery Barn Rainbow Lamp, Curtains – Spotlight Koo Sprinkle, Zara Doll – Wild Flower Liberty League, Artwork – Yarli Creative ‘Yindi, My Sunshine’ print.
Styling and Photography by Alexis Teasdale, The Festive Co.
For more vintage inspiration check out this vintage Scandi room
