"I’ve always loved animals, but especially pandas, so there are lots of little bears all around my room, and black-and-white textiles to match!"
Before: busy bedroom
Nicole and Stephan’s former bedroom is a bigger, brighter space for Luzie, where she now has plenty of room to read, hang out with friends and do her homework. Swapping rooms gave her the chance to make her space less childish, too. "My old room was much more girly,’ says Luzie. ‘There was lots of red, and patterned wallpaper, and my bed had a crown on the top. I love my new room – I’m always in here, unless we’re doing something together as a family downstairs. It feels much more grown-up."
Calm color scheme
Choose a relaxing base color; pastels work well. It’s much easier to keep your room calm, no matter how many colourful books, ornaments and textiles you add afterwards! And a calm setting is important, according to the National Sleep Foundation, the average teenager needs 8-10 hours sleep. "I like having a colourful room – our home definitely has more personality than average because of our handmade and crafty decorations." Luzie
Mostly monochrome textiles
Luzie kendisini hem yetişkin hem de eğlenceli hissettiren siyah beyaz minderleri, halıları ve nevresim setlerini kullanarak panda sevgisini buraya da yansıtmış. Birkaçı minder ve üzerinde sevdiği malzemeleri sergilediği raflar ve yumuşak bir aydınlatmayla, Luzie’nin yatağı kitap okumak, film izlemek veya müzik dinlemek için rahat bir yere dönüşmüş. “Ekstra minderler, arkadaşım Matilda biz de kaldığında çok işe yarıyor!”
Smart stationery storage
It can be tricky to keep a well-stocked desk space clear and tidy. Luzie’s solution is to make the most of her wall; she keeps less essential stationery on her floating shelves, her favourite pens hanging from a rail, art pencils in drawers, and everything else in customised pen pots pushed to the side. "I made these pen pots with Mum years ago. We don’t craft together as much as we used to, but I still love doing creative things!"
“I’m not a breakfast person, but if I’m lucky, Mum brings me up a smoothie with a straw to drink in bed before school!”
Storage to grow up with
Invest in adaptable pieces of furniture that kids can use forever – or until they move out! When Luzie was smaller, she kept her picture books and toys in the KALLAX unit. Now each cube is the perfect height for her school books and files, craft materials and bags, stowed away in simple white boxes.
Customise accessories.
Luzie painted her desktop drawers white to fit in with the rest of her workspace. But inside they contain a little surprise! She’s sorted the contents of each drawer by colour, to make choosing a pencil for sketching quick and easy.
“I hate letting go of things, even small things, so my room is full of travel mementos I’ve had since I was younger.”
An ever-changing picture wall
Start your own mini art gallery. Luzie and Nicole hung a selection of frames in various sizes and colours on one section of a wall. Curate your own collection of pictures, posters and photos, and change them as often as you like! Keeping them in a particular area makes each piece stand out more. "I will always put effort into decorating – it helps you to create a happy and positive space to spend time," says Nicole.
Keep it calm and clutter-free.
Maintain a calm space by limiting the amount of storage on any one wall. "I used to have more shelves, but we swapped them for mirrors," says Luzie. "They make the room feel bigger and brighter.”