Oh I love this toddler room! For so many reasons…
Dylan’s mum,Georgina Escobedo of lal&nil, has paid so much respect to her son in the creation of this space. Her intention is beautiful. To give Dylan a room that is all his. A room that has been created for his needs alone. A space to play, create and to retreat.
The muted tones and natural palette are stunning, right on trend, and so full of meaning.
Georgina’s attention to her design philosophy shines in every corner of this room. She has created four distinct zones, all lead by Dylan’s personality. Her guiding inspiration of ‘nuture’ is evident everywhere you look. The result, a cohesive sanctuary to be enjoyed for years to come.
TELL US ABOUT THE OWNER OF THIS ROOM:
‘Dylan is an active and inquisitive 2 year old toddler. He needed a multipurpose space where he can sleep at night, and play during the day. We wanted to create a cozy room with the right amount of stimulation, a space that is able to nurture different parts of his life. Brainstorming the concept of ‘nurture’, I came up with 4 different aspects that the room could provide for: individuality, imagination, interests & independence. This is how the room ended up having 4 defined areas, each of them with the purpose to fulfil a different goal. I let my concept and Dylan’s personality guide me through the decorative choices.’
TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS:
‘We are a mixed heritage family with me being born in Barcelona (Spain) and my husband in Dhaka (Bangladesh), although we met in Sydney and have been here for over 10 years. I have travelled many times to my husband’s country and every visit would end up in a shopping spree, trying to bring home something that spoke about us and our story. When returning to Australia, I would then realise that the homewares I went through so much hassle to fit in our luggage, were not quite matching up with our lifestyle here.
As a result of this, for many years I had a vision in mind: to find our own producers and create a range of quality homewares that could translate traditional elements into a contemporary lifestyle. I use my skills and experience in interior design and I currently apply them to create unique products and textiles.
This is how lal&nil started, doing gorgeous embroidered cot sized quilts that also serve as play mats. We are planning to expand our range soon, so stay tuned!’
WHAT WAS THE BRIEF FOR THIS TODDLER ROOM?
‘We identified the need for Dylan to have his own space: a place in the home that he could retreat to and that he can call his own. It was important that the space was designed for him and with his needs in mind. When I designed it he was close to turning 2; by then we were very familiar with his personality and his (ever evolving) interests, so we wanted the space to be reflective of them.’
WHAT WAS YOUR INSPIRATION?
‘I was inspired by my concept of ‘nurture’, and took our planet earth as the ultimate example of a nurturing entity. I was inspired by small daily activities such as watering plants or feeding the cat, activities that make Dylan involved in a nurturing cycle, as he learns that he is part of a bigger picture.’
HOW DID YOU SELECT YOUR COLOUR PALETTE?
‘I used one of this favourite books for inspiration, kids books these days have amazing illustrations and I find heaps of inspiration in them. I also went back to my concept, and based on both, I developed a colour palette with a subtle contrast between blue-green shades that represent water & grass vs. earthy tones and oranges that represent the earth.’
ON THE WALLS:
‘Liberty Green from Porter’s Paints’
WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE FEATURE IN THE ROOM AND WHY?
‘The large twig star. It was an accident; I actually ordered a smaller twig star and the person who made it, by mistake sent me this huge one – also with a different shape to the one in their website! But it turned out to be absolutely perfect for the room. I think it was meant to be.’
WHAT WAS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE?
‘Sticking to my budget by not splurging into a new expensive canopy, large rug, or by replacing our Ikea furniture. We knew we will be moving out of this place in the next 1 year or so, so I had to work around the existing, more budget conscious items.’
WHAT IS YOUR OVERALL FAVOURITE THING ABOUT THIS SPACE?
‘The wall colour and the colour palette: they have transformed the feel of the room as soon as we walk in. I love how one feels relaxed when entering the room.’
GET THE LOOK
Cot quilt by lal & nil
Lion head by Ella & The Roo
Abrace print by Marta Abad
Animal print by Marta Abad
Cane chair by Malawi Cane
Twig star by Sage & Clare
Sheepskin rug by Adairs
Droplet garland by Velveteen Babies
Toy Box on Wheels by Hip Kids
Star Garland by Squirrel House
Ekatherina Gallera balloon light from Petite Jolie
Star cushion by Cloudette Home
Mushkane felt lampshade from Nozomi
INSTA LOVE
Iria @roccoenmisofa – Spanish deco blogger. I love her minimal and understated style
Linda Dekkers @livelouddgirl – She is my idol. I feel inspired by what she does and I just wanna be as cool as her!
Stella Simona @stellasimona – she is a second generation Bangladeshi born in USA. To me she is the epitome of style and sophistication and I love how she mixes her heritage with a contemporary and minimalist style
Photo Credit:Georgina Escobedo
